There currently is a very vibrant discussion about international trends in education. A ripple effect is influencing common new government initiatives in mainstream schools around the world. This paper suggests that whilst such initiatives have excellent government led policy support, special schools are open to absorb what they can. These initiatives are frequently ignored as special schools seek to cope with the special needs challenges. These new internationally recognised initiatives will require teachers to appreciate the need for a paradigm shift to change their prevailing pedagogical practices. Special school education must match these trends for they can offer exciting new understandings of student ability if the teachers can appreciate and apply the principles of individual self-determination rather than dealing with the shroud of disability. It is time for a paradigm shift in the pedagogy of special education. Copyright by Special Education Society of Hong Kong Limited. All Rights Reserved.

踏入21世紀，面對全球化的趨勢、隨著知識型經濟的驅策，香港作為一個國際城市，已在教育體制和課程變革之上作出回應，主張以全方位的、終身的學習來取代傳統的學習模式。在眾多全方位學習的範疇中，有關提升思維能力及精神健康等主面尤其重要。有些學校正是在不同的重點上，按著自己特定的情況，安排相關的課程及活動，使學生能得著益處。這些都以打破傳統死記硬背的讀書方法及課室局限為本。本文集中探討高思維提升方法及學生自我形象改善計劃等。這些學校的經驗都是寶貴的，既可作為香港其他學校的借鑒，或者也可以作為其他地區學校的參考。