Purpose
The purpose of the Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) video is to bring awareness about the disorder and to give a voice to people who live with the disorder as well as their families.
Essential Points
Inattention. Jimmy drifts off during conversations. He said it is like “I go back in my mind.” He also tells the interviewer drifting off happens a lot in school. Later in the interview, Jimmy did not immediately answer the interviewer. Jimmy told her that his mind “went” and a “cartoon just popped in” his head.
Impulse Control Difficulties. When the interviewer asked Jimmy if he moves around a lot, he told her that he does not. His mother laughed a little after he said it. From the start of the interview until this point, Jimmy was in constant motion. He could not sit still. His actual behavior compared to his own idea of his behavior was significantly different. He does not realize that he is in constant motion. When asked about his restlessness, Jimmy does say that it is worse when he has to sit still.
Affects of ADHD on Education. With Jimmy, he does well in school if he is on his medications. However, it is very difficult for Jimmy to get on a routine and schedule. Though he is disorganized, Jimmy has a good memory while he is paying attention. Jimmy does well with math facts and bulleted lists. Jimmy’s mother said that the increased ticks, which are the side effects of the medication, is a good trade-off for his homework being easier. However, Jimmy does admit that he looses things often, but he also eventually finds them. He also says that sometimes he leaves things at school that is supposed to come home, such as homework. Jimmy also said that it is difficult for him to transition from one activity to another. He told the interviewer that it is difficult to do large projects, and writing is the hardest part of going to school. According to Jimmy, copying information goes pretty fast, but writing takes a long time if it is his own ideas. His mother said with the help of an occupational therapist, Jimmy’s handwriting went from being illegible to legible.
Social Implications. Jimmy admits to having problems with his social skills. He tells the interviewer that he often cuts into conversations; interrupts people when they are talking, and speaks so fast people do not understand him. Jimmy does say that he can slow down his speech when the fast pace is brought to his attention. He says that he often becomes obsessed with things, such as Lego’s. Jimmy states that his friends let him know when he is becoming obsessed, and they let him know he needs to do what they want to do as well. Jimmy told the interviewer that he has told his closest friends that he has ADHD, and they understand why he acts as he does.
Affects of ADHD on the Family. In the video, Jimmy relies on his mom quite a bit. She often answers for him, or repeats the question if he does not understand it. She gives him cues to quit fidgeting, such as a light touches on his arm. Because Jimmy is so disorganized, he depends on his mother to keep up with his things. She prepares his backpack for school the next day. She tells the interviewer that Jimmy is forgetful, but he is also easily directed. He and his mother have to work together. She tells the interviewer that having a name helps a bit, but she does not want it to be used as an excuse for his behavior. She says that he has no problem sleeping, but she is concerned about his decrease in appetite, which is another side effect of the medication. Jimmy’s mother says he does not eat lunch. Therefore, she has asked him to at least drink milk at school, and she makes him a large breakfast. Another concern she has is having Jimmy on medication. She said she does not want to have him on medications, but she knows it helps him to learn skills he needs for the future. Jimmy’s mother also states that they have to work as a team, and they have found a balance. The interview closes with us learning that Jimmy’s ADHD is not only exhausting for Jimmy, but it is exhausting for his mother as well.
Application of the Essential Points
I feel this video will help me to be more considerate to the needs of my students with ADHD. Because of this video, I plan to study a bit more on effective redirecting techniques for students with ADHD. Because of my nephew with ADHD, I could relate to Jimmy’s mother. However, I never realized how much Zachary could and could not control until I watched this video. Now, I know that Zachary is not just ignoring me. He is most possibly drifting off because the activity we are involved in is not stimulating enough. Therefore, I will have to find ways to keep my students with ADHD, like Zachary, from not blanking out in the classroom. Now that I have heard from Jimmy that sitting still for long periods of time, I plan to find ways to get the students up and moving in the classroom to try to keep them focused.
Personal Reaction
I liked this video, because showed me a picture of how ADHD looks. It was rather interesting that Jimmy said that he does not move around a lot, and as he said that, he was fidgety. I feel it is important that the educator should know what ADHD looks like. Many students with ADHD are like Jimmy. Many of them do not realize that they are fidgety, talking too fast, or not paying attention. I found myself a bit concerned about Jimmy’s dependence on his mother. I feel he could benefit from self-organization techniques, such as assignment sheets.
Showing posts with label learning disabilities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning disabilities. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
A Review of “Beyond F.A.T. City”
Lavoie, R. (Writer), Allen, D.; Vettel, N. (Producer). (2005). Beyond F.A.T. City. [Motion Picture]. United States: PBS Video.
The purpose of this video was to reinforce what the viewers of the F.A.T. city video and the participants of the F.A.T. City workshop learned. This video also served as a tool to teach about the changes in special education since the late 1980s. Although the first video was designed to “create sensitivity” and to “make teachers to want to know how to help these kids.”
It is important to know that children with learning disabilities need to be treated fairly. As Mr. Lavoie stated, “There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals.” It may seem that children with learning disabilities get special treatment. However that is because children with learning disabilities need special treatment. Most often these children are asked to do schoolwork that they are not ready for. This leads to tension and conflict between remedial and compensatory education. In remedial education, the children work on and are taught skills that they do not have. In compensatory education, their work is modified to where they can understand it better. Both types of education are good, but they should work in tandem with one another. For instance, making modifications so the information is accessible to the student only treats a symptom of a bigger problem. With books on tape, the student may be listening to and understanding the tape; however, they still cannot read. Children with learning disabilities are not lazy they want to learn, but do not believe that they can do it; therefore, they give up.
As educators, it is important for us to remember several things about students with learning disabilities. You should never make assumptions about your students. They often get confused because they do not have any background information on the task that they are having difficulty with. Children with learning disabilities may seem that they have behavioral problems; however, they may just have a need for attention. If you feel that the child is acting up for attention, then give them the attention. Children with learning disabilities also have a hidden handicap. The rest of the world has great difficulty understanding that an attractive looking, well-groomed individual may have a learning disability. When an educator is dealing with an adolescent, adolescence is the most difficult time of these children’s for various reasons. First, as a teen, students are expected to succeed in several different areas. Second, this is the only time in a person’s life that “different=bad.” Third, this is the first time in life that people realize that they will never be much different than they are at this point in their lives.
Children with learning disabilities struggle in many areas that were not previously discussed. Due to research, more is known about learning disabilities than ever before. These children often have difficulty with social contracts. There is a direct correlation between the comprehension of reading and math skills and the comprehension of social skills. Their inability to develop social skills leaves the children with many social struggles such as isolation, rejection, and ridicule. Normally children with learning disabilities consider anyone who does not make fun of them their friends. Another area children with learning disabilities struggle in is that of performance inconsistency. This means that they may be able to complete a task one day, but unable to complete the task the next. Kinetic melodies are usually not developed for children with learning disabilities. Although they are walked through a task every single day, it is like they are doing the task for the first time.
“When elephants fight, it’s the grass that gets trampled” (African Proverb). As an educator, it is very important to remember families of children with learning disabilities are constantly in crisis mode. The disabilities affect everyone in the family, even the siblings. The parents of these children may agree on everything, but the child with learning disabilities. They may feel that it is them “against the world.” It is also important to change the multidisciplinary teams to trans disciplinary teams, where all points are taken into consideration and woven together. When addressing behavioral problems, it is important to remember that children with learning disabilities rarely respond to punishment, and they may not understand how their voices and body languages change the message of what is being said.
Each child with learning disabilities is different from the next; they are different from children without learning disabilities as well. Therefore, there are different approaches to teaching these children, as well as different ways to reach them. There are about 100 different symptoms to learning disabilities. One child can have anywhere from eight to twelve different symptoms. Not all children have the same cluster of learning disabilities; therefore, there is no set way to teach a child with learning disabilities. Though competition is often looked at a positive way to motivate children, it will not motivate a child with learning disabilities. After all, only children who believe that they have a chance of winning will compete. These children also need to believe that it is okay to take risks. Even if they do not succeed, it is okay, and we need to be sure to teach them this. It is important to recognize that these children are often the victims of bullies. Many children with learning disabilities have been picked on their entire lives. These children are normally happy children until they enter school. Once they enter school, their spirits are crushed. School is where children spend the most of their days.
I liked this video because it touched on ground that was not touched on in F.A.T. city did not touch. This was due to the first video being almost twenty years old. There has been a great deal of research on learning disabilities in the last couple of decades. Today, we know a lot more about children with learning disabilities. It was interesting to hear him speak of a technique that I use with my son. However, I never thought to use pictures to get him to clean his room. We use it for other routines, such as morning grooming routines, making toast, etc. I also noticed that the way that Lavoie spoke about children with learning disabilities in this video differed from the prior. Instead of calling the children learning disabled, he referred to them as children with learning disabilities. He also stressed that it is not “the child is a problem,” but it is “the child has a problem.”
This video will help me to better understand how to help these children. I always need to remember that I will never know what is like to be a person with a learning disability. I will never know the hardships and obstacles children with learning disabilities must overcome every day. However, I know I can relate to the parents of children with learning disabilities. I should also give them room and listen to them, because every learning disability is different. What may work for Damien may or may not work for another child with learning disabilities. These two videos have opened my eyes and given me more insight into the lives of people with learning disabilities.
Beyond F.A.T. CityExec producer – Niki Vettel, Dennis Allen
Washington D.C. production
Boston, MA production
Director – Bob Comiskey
Date – 2005
Editor – Scot Broderic
Friday, April 26, 2013
A Review of “How Difficult Can This Be?” The F.A.T. City Workshop
Lavoie, R. (Writer), Rosen, P. (Producer). (1989). How difficult can this be? The F.A.T. City
Workshop. [Motion Picture]. United States: PBS Video.
The purpose of this video was to teach people who often deal with children with learning disabilities what it feels like to be learning disabled. It also gave some insight into many misconceptions about learning disabilities.
Those with learning disabilities are not mentally retarded/impaired; emotionally disturbed, modality deficient, or those will little opportunity to learn. Learning disabilities are not just a “school problem.” They are struggles that affect every aspect of those with learning disabilities’ lives. These people deal with frustration, anxiety, and tension every single day. They are not out to mess up a teacher’s class, or to cause problems for their families at home.
Because children with learning disabilities have trouble processing information, the regular pace of a class may be too fast for them. When asked a question, immediately the mainstream children begin to process the answer; however, the child with a learning disability is still processing the question. The result from this the child may seem disruptive in the classroom. If you know that the child has difficulty processing the questions, try to work out a system that they may be comfortable with. If you call on the child, try to make sure that you are asking a question you are sure the child can answer.
Before discussing some of the basic types of learning disabilities, it is important to understand there is a difference between distractibility and short attention span. These problems are extreme opposites. A distracted child pays attention to everything and cannot focus anything out. They often have too much stimuli to concentrate. A child with a short, little, or no attention span pay attention to nothing. Many children with learning disabilities have problems with visual perception, as well. They can see what they are looking at, but cannot bring meaning to it. As a result the child needs direct instruction from a trained, experienced teacher. Similarly, children with auditory and visual capability difficulties often need to hear the instructions instead of reading them or vice versa. There are also disabilities that cause reading to be difficult. Children with visual learning disabilities may confuse letters like p d b q for one another. All four letters contain the same strokes, but are spatially oriented differently. Problems with spatial orientation can cause great confusion for the child. Many children with learning disabilities also have trouble with reading comprehension. Most reading comprehension is taught by vocabulary. It is important to know that reading comprehension has less to do with vocabulary knowledge, and more to do with the person’s background. Many people with learning disabilities may have difficulty with eye-hand coordination. Because there is a problem with the processing of the information in the child’s brain, the child may be getting mixed messages from their brain. Difficulty with the storage/retrieval process causes dysnomia for everyone about two to three times a day. This is what many of us know as the “tip of the tongue” syndrome. Children with learning disabilities can experience this problem hundreds of times a day. For them speaking and/or listening are cognitive tasks (only one can be performed at a time) not associative tasks (many can be performed at a time).
There are several effects of learning disabilities. They cause can anxiety, frustration, and tension, all of which affects performance. Therefore, those with learning disabilities are often unable to get the correct answers. When we begin to accept the answer, “I don’t know” from these children, we are setting the child up to give up. They begin to hide and believe, “If I can’t see the teacher, the teacher can’t see me.” As humans, it is natural for us to look away from stimuli that cause anxiety. Most often, children with learning disabilities will not volunteer to answer questions. This is a learned behavior, which is not the result of the fact they do not like surprises. If they get no recognition or positive reinforcement when they do something correct, they will not be willing to take the risk. Another problem that arises with children with learning disabilities is how their perceptual problems can affect their behavior. Children with perceptual problems may get in trouble in school and actually not know what they got in trouble for. This is due to their inability to see things the same way people without perceptual problems do. Furthermore, children with eye-hand coordination problems normally have great difficulty writing, and writing for them takes a lot of energy.
When considering fairness, it is important to remember Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development. Children learn more from what they see than what they do, and morals do develop. If we tell a child with a learning disability that we want them to behave in a certain way, we must make sure that we model the same behavior that we wish them imitate. It is also important to remember when considering fairness, everyone must get what they need. What everyone needs is not always the same thing. A teacher or parent should never think that being fair to the child that has a learning disablity is not fair to the other children. It is not about the others; it is about the child with learning disabilities.
This video helped me to learn what it is like to have a learning disability. When the presenter showed the pictures of the woman and the cow, I did not see either one of them. With the cow picture, I saw a man’s face in the top right hand corner, and a man with a heavy coat on and his back turned to the camera in the lower left had corner. In the picture “Vanity,” I saw a skull too. This literally opened my eyes to the effects of difficulties with visual perception. Earlier in the video, I had trouble thinking of answers when the presenter kept asking questions at a fast pace. I could not keep up and got frustrated. I feel it is a very good video not only for future educators, but also for future parents.
I can use the information I learned from the video in both the classroom and at home. First, I need to remember that a child with a learning disability has to deal with the difficulties he has day in and day out every, single day. I need to remember that the “greatest gift” I can give a child with learning disabilities is time. For instance, a demand question/answer session with a child with learning disabilities can be frustrating, and often causes a great deal of anxiety and tension. I need to remember to give the child an ample amount of time to answer the question. Or work out a system for the child to help them know when they are going to be prompted for an answer. I need to remember that these children often do not understand what they have done wrong if they have perceptual difficulties. I also need to make sure that I do not react with children with these difficulties in the following ways: tell them to look harder, bribe them to get an answer, threaten them by telling them that I will take privileges away, and never blame the student for their behavior by telling them they are not trying hard enough. I should never put a child with learning disabilities under pressure because it does not help. I should not tell them that the task they are struggling with is easy or ask them rhetorical questions. I should try to combine my lesson plans with both written and visual aids and directions so that all of my students will be able to understand.
Workshop. [Motion Picture]. United States: PBS Video.
The purpose of this video was to teach people who often deal with children with learning disabilities what it feels like to be learning disabled. It also gave some insight into many misconceptions about learning disabilities.
Those with learning disabilities are not mentally retarded/impaired; emotionally disturbed, modality deficient, or those will little opportunity to learn. Learning disabilities are not just a “school problem.” They are struggles that affect every aspect of those with learning disabilities’ lives. These people deal with frustration, anxiety, and tension every single day. They are not out to mess up a teacher’s class, or to cause problems for their families at home.
Because children with learning disabilities have trouble processing information, the regular pace of a class may be too fast for them. When asked a question, immediately the mainstream children begin to process the answer; however, the child with a learning disability is still processing the question. The result from this the child may seem disruptive in the classroom. If you know that the child has difficulty processing the questions, try to work out a system that they may be comfortable with. If you call on the child, try to make sure that you are asking a question you are sure the child can answer.
Before discussing some of the basic types of learning disabilities, it is important to understand there is a difference between distractibility and short attention span. These problems are extreme opposites. A distracted child pays attention to everything and cannot focus anything out. They often have too much stimuli to concentrate. A child with a short, little, or no attention span pay attention to nothing. Many children with learning disabilities have problems with visual perception, as well. They can see what they are looking at, but cannot bring meaning to it. As a result the child needs direct instruction from a trained, experienced teacher. Similarly, children with auditory and visual capability difficulties often need to hear the instructions instead of reading them or vice versa. There are also disabilities that cause reading to be difficult. Children with visual learning disabilities may confuse letters like p d b q for one another. All four letters contain the same strokes, but are spatially oriented differently. Problems with spatial orientation can cause great confusion for the child. Many children with learning disabilities also have trouble with reading comprehension. Most reading comprehension is taught by vocabulary. It is important to know that reading comprehension has less to do with vocabulary knowledge, and more to do with the person’s background. Many people with learning disabilities may have difficulty with eye-hand coordination. Because there is a problem with the processing of the information in the child’s brain, the child may be getting mixed messages from their brain. Difficulty with the storage/retrieval process causes dysnomia for everyone about two to three times a day. This is what many of us know as the “tip of the tongue” syndrome. Children with learning disabilities can experience this problem hundreds of times a day. For them speaking and/or listening are cognitive tasks (only one can be performed at a time) not associative tasks (many can be performed at a time).
There are several effects of learning disabilities. They cause can anxiety, frustration, and tension, all of which affects performance. Therefore, those with learning disabilities are often unable to get the correct answers. When we begin to accept the answer, “I don’t know” from these children, we are setting the child up to give up. They begin to hide and believe, “If I can’t see the teacher, the teacher can’t see me.” As humans, it is natural for us to look away from stimuli that cause anxiety. Most often, children with learning disabilities will not volunteer to answer questions. This is a learned behavior, which is not the result of the fact they do not like surprises. If they get no recognition or positive reinforcement when they do something correct, they will not be willing to take the risk. Another problem that arises with children with learning disabilities is how their perceptual problems can affect their behavior. Children with perceptual problems may get in trouble in school and actually not know what they got in trouble for. This is due to their inability to see things the same way people without perceptual problems do. Furthermore, children with eye-hand coordination problems normally have great difficulty writing, and writing for them takes a lot of energy.
When considering fairness, it is important to remember Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development. Children learn more from what they see than what they do, and morals do develop. If we tell a child with a learning disability that we want them to behave in a certain way, we must make sure that we model the same behavior that we wish them imitate. It is also important to remember when considering fairness, everyone must get what they need. What everyone needs is not always the same thing. A teacher or parent should never think that being fair to the child that has a learning disablity is not fair to the other children. It is not about the others; it is about the child with learning disabilities.
This video helped me to learn what it is like to have a learning disability. When the presenter showed the pictures of the woman and the cow, I did not see either one of them. With the cow picture, I saw a man’s face in the top right hand corner, and a man with a heavy coat on and his back turned to the camera in the lower left had corner. In the picture “Vanity,” I saw a skull too. This literally opened my eyes to the effects of difficulties with visual perception. Earlier in the video, I had trouble thinking of answers when the presenter kept asking questions at a fast pace. I could not keep up and got frustrated. I feel it is a very good video not only for future educators, but also for future parents.
I can use the information I learned from the video in both the classroom and at home. First, I need to remember that a child with a learning disability has to deal with the difficulties he has day in and day out every, single day. I need to remember that the “greatest gift” I can give a child with learning disabilities is time. For instance, a demand question/answer session with a child with learning disabilities can be frustrating, and often causes a great deal of anxiety and tension. I need to remember to give the child an ample amount of time to answer the question. Or work out a system for the child to help them know when they are going to be prompted for an answer. I need to remember that these children often do not understand what they have done wrong if they have perceptual difficulties. I also need to make sure that I do not react with children with these difficulties in the following ways: tell them to look harder, bribe them to get an answer, threaten them by telling them that I will take privileges away, and never blame the student for their behavior by telling them they are not trying hard enough. I should never put a child with learning disabilities under pressure because it does not help. I should not tell them that the task they are struggling with is easy or ask them rhetorical questions. I should try to combine my lesson plans with both written and visual aids and directions so that all of my students will be able to understand.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
A Review of: The Adventures of ARD Man: Seven Steps Toward Effective ARD Meetings
????, ???. (Writer), ???, ???. (Producer). (1999). The Adventures of ARD Man: Seven Steps Toward Effective ARD Meetings. [Motion Picture]. United States: Texas School Administrators Legal Digest.
Purpose
The purpose of the ARD Man video was to teach parents and adult students of their rights when it comes to the ARD meetings. It was also to teach ARD committee members of the rights of the parents and students, the order that the ARD must be held, and the rules and regulations regarding the ARD.
Essential Points
Membership of the ARD Committee. One of the major points from the video is the membership of the ARD committee. There should be at least five committee members at the ARD. The committee members include at least one of the child’s regular education teachers if the child is participating in the regular education environment. At least one of the child’s special education teachers or providers must be present. A representative of the public agency (administrative representative). Someone who can interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation results must be present. The other committee member is the parent(s) of the child. The student may attend the ARD and is required to attend the ARD after the age of fourteen if the committee will be discussing the plan of post high school transition. The parents can invite anyone they may feel helpful to the ARD as well. For instance, if the parents wish that a specialist, advocate, case manager, or expert on the child to attend, their presence must be accepted by the rest of the ARD committee. The school may also call in experts or specialists; however, they must first notify the parent if they choose to do so. If the school cannot get the parents to attend the ARD meeting, then the rest of the committee may hold the ARD without them.
Importance of The Assessment Data. Another main point that I found in the video is the importance of the Assessment Data. Assessment data includes formalized testing, information provided by classroom teachers, grades, informal assessments and recommendations, information provided by parents, and information provided by outside experts. The IEP comes from all of this data and this data forms the base of the ARD pyramid.
The Order of The ARD. The ARD Pyramid (or order of the ARD) is the next main point. It is important for the ARD committee to make their decisions in the proper order. First, the committee is to carefully examine every piece of assessment data, which is the foundation for the pyramid. This is when the committee must look at the student’s present levels of performance. Next, the ARD committee builds the next level of the pyramid, or the IEP. Committee members should discuss and agree on the goals and modifications set forth in the IEP. They should also agree on short-term objectives or benchmarks for the student as well as special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, as well as program modifications or supports for school personnel. Last, the ARD committee members should agree on placement in the least restrictive environment for the student. This arrangement should give the student as much contact with non-disabled students as possible.
The Commitments. The next point that I will discuss is the commitments to ensure a quality education for the student. The district should be clear about its commitments with the parents. The parents should not leave the meeting without a promise list, which identifies specific commitments made. This list should have the commitment, the individual responsible for making sure the commitment is followed through, and the date that the commitment is to be completed. The district is bound by the ARD’s commitments listed in the IEP. The district or any member of the commitment cannot “unilaterally change the statement of special education and related services contained in the IEP. After the IEP is developed and the placement decision is made…the public agency must implement the IEP” (Letter from OSEP @ 18 IDEL R 627 (1991)). The promise list works best when the parents and the committee are at a consensus.
Consensus of The ARD Committee. The consensus of the ARD is the final main point of the video. In order to handle a non-consensus ARD, alternate method must be provided by the agency. ARD meetings are not a democracy; a majority vote cannot be used to determine the provisions set forth in the IEP. Parents may also ask for a recess if a consensus cannot be reached. The recess must not exceed ten days. After such recess, if a consensus still cannot be reached then the district can put forth an IEP that they feel suits the student’s needs. However, when the student’s behavior is a danger to himself or others, or when the student has done something that can cause him to be expelled, then a recess is not required. Though adhering to the law is important, the most important part of the ARD is to listen to what the parents have to say.
Application of the Essential Points
This video has helped me understand when I begin to teach that I must adhere to the law. When I am part of an ARD committee, I will know to make sure that everything is done in proper order. I must also remember that what I think is important is not as important than what the student’s parent(s) think is important. I should also make sure that I listen to specialists’ and experts’ recommendations when helping to construct the IEP. Once the IEP is in order, I must make sure that I follow the IEP closely. I should not change anything or discontinue any modifications unless an ARD has been called, and the IEP is changed. I must remember that it is my responsibility to make sure that the child receives all services that have been implemented. On a more personal note, I have learned when a teacher stops using the assistive technologies that are in my son’s IEP, this is a violation of his rights, as well as a violation of law. I will not plan or threaten to file a lawsuit on the teachers that have told me that he does not need what is in his IEP. However, I do know, now, how to handle situations like this, and think I will be able to make sure that he does not get left behind just because it is an “inconvenience” to the teacher.
Personal Reaction
I enjoyed this video. It was very goofy, but also informative. I feel the way the film was made, helps the viewer remember what was said and done in the video. I liked it better than the RTI video because it was quite a bit more interesting and less difficult to understand. The reason that I feel this video was easier to understand is when they would say something in legal terminology; they would then explain in English what they mean.
Purpose
The purpose of the ARD Man video was to teach parents and adult students of their rights when it comes to the ARD meetings. It was also to teach ARD committee members of the rights of the parents and students, the order that the ARD must be held, and the rules and regulations regarding the ARD.
Essential Points
Membership of the ARD Committee. One of the major points from the video is the membership of the ARD committee. There should be at least five committee members at the ARD. The committee members include at least one of the child’s regular education teachers if the child is participating in the regular education environment. At least one of the child’s special education teachers or providers must be present. A representative of the public agency (administrative representative). Someone who can interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation results must be present. The other committee member is the parent(s) of the child. The student may attend the ARD and is required to attend the ARD after the age of fourteen if the committee will be discussing the plan of post high school transition. The parents can invite anyone they may feel helpful to the ARD as well. For instance, if the parents wish that a specialist, advocate, case manager, or expert on the child to attend, their presence must be accepted by the rest of the ARD committee. The school may also call in experts or specialists; however, they must first notify the parent if they choose to do so. If the school cannot get the parents to attend the ARD meeting, then the rest of the committee may hold the ARD without them.
Importance of The Assessment Data. Another main point that I found in the video is the importance of the Assessment Data. Assessment data includes formalized testing, information provided by classroom teachers, grades, informal assessments and recommendations, information provided by parents, and information provided by outside experts. The IEP comes from all of this data and this data forms the base of the ARD pyramid.
The Order of The ARD. The ARD Pyramid (or order of the ARD) is the next main point. It is important for the ARD committee to make their decisions in the proper order. First, the committee is to carefully examine every piece of assessment data, which is the foundation for the pyramid. This is when the committee must look at the student’s present levels of performance. Next, the ARD committee builds the next level of the pyramid, or the IEP. Committee members should discuss and agree on the goals and modifications set forth in the IEP. They should also agree on short-term objectives or benchmarks for the student as well as special education, related services, supplementary aids and services, as well as program modifications or supports for school personnel. Last, the ARD committee members should agree on placement in the least restrictive environment for the student. This arrangement should give the student as much contact with non-disabled students as possible.
The Commitments. The next point that I will discuss is the commitments to ensure a quality education for the student. The district should be clear about its commitments with the parents. The parents should not leave the meeting without a promise list, which identifies specific commitments made. This list should have the commitment, the individual responsible for making sure the commitment is followed through, and the date that the commitment is to be completed. The district is bound by the ARD’s commitments listed in the IEP. The district or any member of the commitment cannot “unilaterally change the statement of special education and related services contained in the IEP. After the IEP is developed and the placement decision is made…the public agency must implement the IEP” (Letter from OSEP @ 18 IDEL R 627 (1991)). The promise list works best when the parents and the committee are at a consensus.
Consensus of The ARD Committee. The consensus of the ARD is the final main point of the video. In order to handle a non-consensus ARD, alternate method must be provided by the agency. ARD meetings are not a democracy; a majority vote cannot be used to determine the provisions set forth in the IEP. Parents may also ask for a recess if a consensus cannot be reached. The recess must not exceed ten days. After such recess, if a consensus still cannot be reached then the district can put forth an IEP that they feel suits the student’s needs. However, when the student’s behavior is a danger to himself or others, or when the student has done something that can cause him to be expelled, then a recess is not required. Though adhering to the law is important, the most important part of the ARD is to listen to what the parents have to say.
Application of the Essential Points
This video has helped me understand when I begin to teach that I must adhere to the law. When I am part of an ARD committee, I will know to make sure that everything is done in proper order. I must also remember that what I think is important is not as important than what the student’s parent(s) think is important. I should also make sure that I listen to specialists’ and experts’ recommendations when helping to construct the IEP. Once the IEP is in order, I must make sure that I follow the IEP closely. I should not change anything or discontinue any modifications unless an ARD has been called, and the IEP is changed. I must remember that it is my responsibility to make sure that the child receives all services that have been implemented. On a more personal note, I have learned when a teacher stops using the assistive technologies that are in my son’s IEP, this is a violation of his rights, as well as a violation of law. I will not plan or threaten to file a lawsuit on the teachers that have told me that he does not need what is in his IEP. However, I do know, now, how to handle situations like this, and think I will be able to make sure that he does not get left behind just because it is an “inconvenience” to the teacher.
Personal Reaction
I enjoyed this video. It was very goofy, but also informative. I feel the way the film was made, helps the viewer remember what was said and done in the video. I liked it better than the RTI video because it was quite a bit more interesting and less difficult to understand. The reason that I feel this video was easier to understand is when they would say something in legal terminology; they would then explain in English what they mean.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Emotional Disturbance and Social Maladjustment
The question on many special educators’ minds is whether students with Social Maladjustment (SM) should receive special education services. Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) clearly states that Emotional Disturbance (ED) “does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance” (IDEA 2004 C.F.R 300.8(c)(4)(2)). The controversy surrounding emotional disturbance stems from IDEA not clearly defining social maladjustment. Without a definition, I have found it difficult to form an opinion on the issue. In their paper “Deconstructing a Definition,” Kenneth Merrell and Hill Walker bring up many valid points on the issue, and they tend to equate ED with SM (2004). The theory that ED and SM cannot be differentiated is reverberated in “Emotional Disturbance/Social Maladjustment” (Kehle et al., 2004). However, I do not agree with the argument that students with SM should be included in the ED category set up by IDEA. Students with SM, who do not have an ED, would not benefit from special education services.
First and foremost in my argument is that SM and ED are not the same thing. Students with ED normally engage in internalized behaviors. They tend to shy away from attention and show remorse for disruptive behaviors. Often students with ED who seem to exhibit these behaviors do so due to a compulsion. Their behavior is not a calculated response to gain attention or to avoid a task. It is clear, however, that students with ED are capable of acting in a disruptive manner as an avoidance mechanism. In these cases, teachers can remedy the problematic behavior by implementing a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). Once the desired behavior is successfully gained by positive reinforcement methods set up in the BIP, the student with ED should no longer exhibit disruptive avoidance behaviors.
Unlike the student with ED, the student with SM appears to act out in a calculated manner. Their behavior “may be considered strategic and consciously mediated” (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). If a student with SM engages in disruptive behaviors, a BIP could also be used to circumvent the problem behavior. However, the BIP may not be successful in ending problematic behaviors. Students with SM often belong to a culture outside of societal norms. If their culture dictates that education is not important, then the student would not look at education as an opportunity for future growth and development. Researchers argue that students with SM voluntarily act out, and their behavior is “strategic and deliberate” (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). Even when the behavior of a student with SM affects their educational performance, special education services are not should not be guaranteed. The articles by Merrell and Walker and Kehle et al. suggest that special education should be guaranteed to students with SM whose behavior results in the mitigation of educational achievement (2004). However, any student who refuses to do homework/class-work but is capable of achievement at their expected level should be excluded from special education services.
Including a student with SM in a special education program could be counterproductive for students with ED, a Learning Disability (LD), or students with other disabilities who qualify for special education services. Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little argue that “treatment for children with ED may be counterproductive for children with SM” (2004). Therefore, it would be a disservice to all students in the special education classroom that has combined students with ED and SM. An Individual Education Program (IEP) for a student that does not want to learn is not going to be beneficial for that student, while an IEP for a student that wants to learn but has a disability hindering his/her ability to learn would be beneficial.
Other concerns revolve around the welfare of the other students exposed to students with SM. I find Kehle et al.’s following statement problematic – “Children with ED or SM have few, if any, friends and are generally rejected by their peers and teachers primarily as a result of their dysfunctional behavior” (2004). Though it may be true that any dysfunctional behavior can lead to peer rejection, Kehle and company have equated the behaviors of students with SM with the behaviors of students with ED. I would argue that students with ED are often rejected for different reasons than students with SM. These reasons stem from a lack of understanding the disorder of the student with ED and lack of control the student with ED may have over the behaviors rather than unwanted malicious behaviors the student with SM may engage in. Merrell and Walker use anti-social behavior to argue that students with SM should be included in the ED definition. However, it is important to remember that anti-social behavior is not the same thing as difficulty maintaining peer relationships. Anti-social behavior often includes defiant behaviors and conduct disorders. In equating ED and SM, Merrell and Walker are building on preconceived notions that all students with SM also have ED. There is no evidence that can conclusively support this claim. In fact, students with SM often show little or no remorse when they have acted inappropriately (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). This lack of remorse should concern all people involved with students who receive special education services. All students with disabilities may be easy targets for the inappropriate behavior students with SM may engage in, which can and often does result in bullying.
Not only does targeted behavior concern me, but also the inability for many students who receive services to determine appropriate peer relationships raises concern. These students may look up to the student with SM and may begin to mimic unwanted behaviors. They may be used as patsies in a devious plot or scheme. They also may be easily manipulated into engaging in inappropriate activities. Therefore, they become a victim to the unruly behaviors of a student with SM. I do believe that many of the students with both ED and SM that Merrell and Walker discuss in length are possibly such victims or students exposed to SM behavior. I find it interesting in “Deconstructing a Definition,” Kenneth W. Merrell suggests that students with SM should be included in special education, and SM and ED should not be differentiated, because the Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little article cites him as arguing “The combination of students with a pattern of rule-violating behavior and who demonstrate little remorse for their actions with students who evidence emotional disorders are naïve may result in bullying” (1992), which further supports my argument that SM and ED should be differentiated and warrant different treatments.
According to Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little students with SM require some treatments that cannot be implemented by the school district. Most treatment options for students with SM involve working with the families of students with SM. the only treatment option recommended that may be used in the school setting is the Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training. This method utilized self-monitoring as a way to learn problem-solving skills. However, students with SM who do not recognize the need for such skills will not be willing to engage in such treatment activities. A student cannot be forced to change if they see no need to change. Other methods recommended included Parent Management Training, Multisystemic Therapy, and Functional Family Therapy, all of which are based in a family approach. Again, students with SM may come from a culture outside of societal norms. If this is the case, the family of the student may not recognize the behavior of their child as problematic behavior.
Determining whether problematic behavior is due to SM or ED is confounded without a clear definition of SM from IDEA. Although Merrell and Walker support their argument with statistics that show 50% of students with ED have been arrested at least once “within 3 years of leaving school” (2004), it is important to recognize this statistic is twenty years old and may not be true today. The statistic was gathered before the 1997 and 2004 changes in IDEA and is a reflection of a generation before today’s students were born. Clear distinctions can be made between students with SM and students with ED. Such distinctions include remorse, internalized/externalized behaviors, and calculated/compulsive behaviors. The differences in behaviors of students with SM can cause difficulties in the special education classroom and can negatively affect the social, emotional, and educational growth of other students who receive special education services. Most importantly, students with SM often do not want help and no matter what an IEP or a BIP may say, a student with SM will not change their behavior to fit into a culture they do not see themselves as being part of.
References
Kehle, T. J., Bray, M. A., Theodore, L. A., Zhou, Z., & McCoach, D. B. (2004). Emotional Disturbance/Social Maladjustment: Why Is the Incidence Increasing? Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 861-865.
Merrell, K. W., & Walker, H. M. (2004). Deconstructing a Definition: Social Maladjustment Versus Emotional Disturbance and Moving the EBD Fiend Forward. Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 899-909.
Theodore, L. A., Akin-Little, A., & Little, S. G. (2004). Evaluating the Differential Treatment of Emotional Disturbance and Social Maladjustment. Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 879-886.
First and foremost in my argument is that SM and ED are not the same thing. Students with ED normally engage in internalized behaviors. They tend to shy away from attention and show remorse for disruptive behaviors. Often students with ED who seem to exhibit these behaviors do so due to a compulsion. Their behavior is not a calculated response to gain attention or to avoid a task. It is clear, however, that students with ED are capable of acting in a disruptive manner as an avoidance mechanism. In these cases, teachers can remedy the problematic behavior by implementing a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). Once the desired behavior is successfully gained by positive reinforcement methods set up in the BIP, the student with ED should no longer exhibit disruptive avoidance behaviors.
Unlike the student with ED, the student with SM appears to act out in a calculated manner. Their behavior “may be considered strategic and consciously mediated” (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). If a student with SM engages in disruptive behaviors, a BIP could also be used to circumvent the problem behavior. However, the BIP may not be successful in ending problematic behaviors. Students with SM often belong to a culture outside of societal norms. If their culture dictates that education is not important, then the student would not look at education as an opportunity for future growth and development. Researchers argue that students with SM voluntarily act out, and their behavior is “strategic and deliberate” (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). Even when the behavior of a student with SM affects their educational performance, special education services are not should not be guaranteed. The articles by Merrell and Walker and Kehle et al. suggest that special education should be guaranteed to students with SM whose behavior results in the mitigation of educational achievement (2004). However, any student who refuses to do homework/class-work but is capable of achievement at their expected level should be excluded from special education services.
Including a student with SM in a special education program could be counterproductive for students with ED, a Learning Disability (LD), or students with other disabilities who qualify for special education services. Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little argue that “treatment for children with ED may be counterproductive for children with SM” (2004). Therefore, it would be a disservice to all students in the special education classroom that has combined students with ED and SM. An Individual Education Program (IEP) for a student that does not want to learn is not going to be beneficial for that student, while an IEP for a student that wants to learn but has a disability hindering his/her ability to learn would be beneficial.
Other concerns revolve around the welfare of the other students exposed to students with SM. I find Kehle et al.’s following statement problematic – “Children with ED or SM have few, if any, friends and are generally rejected by their peers and teachers primarily as a result of their dysfunctional behavior” (2004). Though it may be true that any dysfunctional behavior can lead to peer rejection, Kehle and company have equated the behaviors of students with SM with the behaviors of students with ED. I would argue that students with ED are often rejected for different reasons than students with SM. These reasons stem from a lack of understanding the disorder of the student with ED and lack of control the student with ED may have over the behaviors rather than unwanted malicious behaviors the student with SM may engage in. Merrell and Walker use anti-social behavior to argue that students with SM should be included in the ED definition. However, it is important to remember that anti-social behavior is not the same thing as difficulty maintaining peer relationships. Anti-social behavior often includes defiant behaviors and conduct disorders. In equating ED and SM, Merrell and Walker are building on preconceived notions that all students with SM also have ED. There is no evidence that can conclusively support this claim. In fact, students with SM often show little or no remorse when they have acted inappropriately (Theodore, Akin-Little, & Little, 2004). This lack of remorse should concern all people involved with students who receive special education services. All students with disabilities may be easy targets for the inappropriate behavior students with SM may engage in, which can and often does result in bullying.
Not only does targeted behavior concern me, but also the inability for many students who receive services to determine appropriate peer relationships raises concern. These students may look up to the student with SM and may begin to mimic unwanted behaviors. They may be used as patsies in a devious plot or scheme. They also may be easily manipulated into engaging in inappropriate activities. Therefore, they become a victim to the unruly behaviors of a student with SM. I do believe that many of the students with both ED and SM that Merrell and Walker discuss in length are possibly such victims or students exposed to SM behavior. I find it interesting in “Deconstructing a Definition,” Kenneth W. Merrell suggests that students with SM should be included in special education, and SM and ED should not be differentiated, because the Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little article cites him as arguing “The combination of students with a pattern of rule-violating behavior and who demonstrate little remorse for their actions with students who evidence emotional disorders are naïve may result in bullying” (1992), which further supports my argument that SM and ED should be differentiated and warrant different treatments.
According to Theodore, Akin-Little, and Little students with SM require some treatments that cannot be implemented by the school district. Most treatment options for students with SM involve working with the families of students with SM. the only treatment option recommended that may be used in the school setting is the Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training. This method utilized self-monitoring as a way to learn problem-solving skills. However, students with SM who do not recognize the need for such skills will not be willing to engage in such treatment activities. A student cannot be forced to change if they see no need to change. Other methods recommended included Parent Management Training, Multisystemic Therapy, and Functional Family Therapy, all of which are based in a family approach. Again, students with SM may come from a culture outside of societal norms. If this is the case, the family of the student may not recognize the behavior of their child as problematic behavior.
Determining whether problematic behavior is due to SM or ED is confounded without a clear definition of SM from IDEA. Although Merrell and Walker support their argument with statistics that show 50% of students with ED have been arrested at least once “within 3 years of leaving school” (2004), it is important to recognize this statistic is twenty years old and may not be true today. The statistic was gathered before the 1997 and 2004 changes in IDEA and is a reflection of a generation before today’s students were born. Clear distinctions can be made between students with SM and students with ED. Such distinctions include remorse, internalized/externalized behaviors, and calculated/compulsive behaviors. The differences in behaviors of students with SM can cause difficulties in the special education classroom and can negatively affect the social, emotional, and educational growth of other students who receive special education services. Most importantly, students with SM often do not want help and no matter what an IEP or a BIP may say, a student with SM will not change their behavior to fit into a culture they do not see themselves as being part of.
References
Kehle, T. J., Bray, M. A., Theodore, L. A., Zhou, Z., & McCoach, D. B. (2004). Emotional Disturbance/Social Maladjustment: Why Is the Incidence Increasing? Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 861-865.
Merrell, K. W., & Walker, H. M. (2004). Deconstructing a Definition: Social Maladjustment Versus Emotional Disturbance and Moving the EBD Fiend Forward. Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 899-909.
Theodore, L. A., Akin-Little, A., & Little, S. G. (2004). Evaluating the Differential Treatment of Emotional Disturbance and Social Maladjustment. Psychology in the Schools, 41(8), 879-886.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Mental Retardation
Explain this statement: To some extent, MR is a school-based diagnosis.
Many students with mild retardation are labeled as mentally retarded in the education setting. However, this often does not hold over into other areas of the person’s life. Outside of the constraints of the school setting, the students often behave in a socially appropriate manner, and have no problems succeeding in an occupational setting. Therefore, being labeled as mentally retarded by the school system does not mean the student will not be successful in other venues.
A person with an IQ of 64 nevertheless has excellent social functioning. Is this person rightly diagnosed as MR? Discuss and explain.
Many people with an IQ in the Mild Mental Retardation range are often not considered or diagnosed a person with mental retardation because they do not have adaptive behavior deficits. They may be diagnosed as retarded in the educational setting, but are fully capable of appropriate functioning outside of the school setting and in a social setting. That is why there is a dip in the 55th-70th-percentile range on the Normal Curve of IQ Distribution.
What is the importance in MR of the concept “incidental learning”?
Employers need to know to take the person with mental retardation’s difficulty with incidental learning into consideration when introducing them to their new career. Therefore, it is important for supervisors who deal with people with mental retardation to simplify instructions and training as much as possible to facilitate the ability to pay attention to the multiple aspects of complex situations. Allowing more time can be an effective method to help facilitate the adjustment of a person with mental retardation to their new position.
Will a child with significant intellectual deficit ever “catch up” to peers in intelligence? Discuss and explain.
Because the child with an intellectual deficit will always have the intellectual deficit, then they will always be behind their peers. Therefore, it can be assumed the child will always have difficulty catching up to their peers in intelligence. This happens because the child is developmentally delayed, leaving them with a mental level below that of their peers. Therefore, though they will still learn the new information presented to both the child and their peers, they will learn the information only through the mindset of their mental level, which means they will take away a different and less complex meaning of the material than that of their peers, which is due to their difficulties in engaging in higher-level thinking skills.
Explain, as if to a student, the concepts of “needed support” and “support intensities” and explain their application and process.
Supports are the strategies we will use to help you to reach your individual goals. Depending on your needs, these supports may or may not include peer supports, help with managing your money in order to make sure your bills are paid, in-home living assistance to make sure you are well taken care of, health care, and assistive devices and technologies. The amount you use these supports can vary in intensity, or amount of help used each week depending on your needs. For instance, if you need a whole lot of help, most of the time, you will receive pervasive support, which is daily help where somebody is with you all of the time. If you need a lot of help, but not all of the time, you will receive extensive support, which is regular help only in the environment the support is needed. If you need some help, just some of the time, you will receive limited support, which is help only when you need it and only in the environment you need. If you need support only when you have difficulty with a new task, when you are learning something new, then you will receive intermittent support, which is help only as the new or different situation comes up.
Many students with mild retardation are labeled as mentally retarded in the education setting. However, this often does not hold over into other areas of the person’s life. Outside of the constraints of the school setting, the students often behave in a socially appropriate manner, and have no problems succeeding in an occupational setting. Therefore, being labeled as mentally retarded by the school system does not mean the student will not be successful in other venues.
A person with an IQ of 64 nevertheless has excellent social functioning. Is this person rightly diagnosed as MR? Discuss and explain.
Many people with an IQ in the Mild Mental Retardation range are often not considered or diagnosed a person with mental retardation because they do not have adaptive behavior deficits. They may be diagnosed as retarded in the educational setting, but are fully capable of appropriate functioning outside of the school setting and in a social setting. That is why there is a dip in the 55th-70th-percentile range on the Normal Curve of IQ Distribution.
What is the importance in MR of the concept “incidental learning”?
Employers need to know to take the person with mental retardation’s difficulty with incidental learning into consideration when introducing them to their new career. Therefore, it is important for supervisors who deal with people with mental retardation to simplify instructions and training as much as possible to facilitate the ability to pay attention to the multiple aspects of complex situations. Allowing more time can be an effective method to help facilitate the adjustment of a person with mental retardation to their new position.
Will a child with significant intellectual deficit ever “catch up” to peers in intelligence? Discuss and explain.
Because the child with an intellectual deficit will always have the intellectual deficit, then they will always be behind their peers. Therefore, it can be assumed the child will always have difficulty catching up to their peers in intelligence. This happens because the child is developmentally delayed, leaving them with a mental level below that of their peers. Therefore, though they will still learn the new information presented to both the child and their peers, they will learn the information only through the mindset of their mental level, which means they will take away a different and less complex meaning of the material than that of their peers, which is due to their difficulties in engaging in higher-level thinking skills.
Explain, as if to a student, the concepts of “needed support” and “support intensities” and explain their application and process.
Supports are the strategies we will use to help you to reach your individual goals. Depending on your needs, these supports may or may not include peer supports, help with managing your money in order to make sure your bills are paid, in-home living assistance to make sure you are well taken care of, health care, and assistive devices and technologies. The amount you use these supports can vary in intensity, or amount of help used each week depending on your needs. For instance, if you need a whole lot of help, most of the time, you will receive pervasive support, which is daily help where somebody is with you all of the time. If you need a lot of help, but not all of the time, you will receive extensive support, which is regular help only in the environment the support is needed. If you need some help, just some of the time, you will receive limited support, which is help only when you need it and only in the environment you need. If you need support only when you have difficulty with a new task, when you are learning something new, then you will receive intermittent support, which is help only as the new or different situation comes up.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Other Health Impairments
Brown, Thomas E. (2007). A New Approach to Attention Deficit Disorder. Educational Leadership, 64, (5), 26-27.
The researcher states that 7.8% of students from ages 4 to 17 are diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and school officials are unsure how to respond. More researchers are beginning to believe ADD is not a behavior disorder, but it is an impairment of the brain’s executive system. Brown states there are six executive functions that people with ADD/ADHD have difficulty in utilizing, which are activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory, and action. A diagnosis of ADD/ADHD means the person has a significant impairment compared to their peers over a prolonged period of time and can vary depending on when the symptoms appear. ADD/ADHD are often thought to be a lack of willpower. Instead it is the chemical makeup of the brain that causes the impairment. For some students with ADD/ADHD medication helps only when it is in the system. However other students with ADD/ADHD have other learning disabilities, and medication alone is not effective in facilitating learning. Because it has been proven that ADD/ADHD is not a behavior problem, Brown suggests evaluations that address cognitive impairments. Brown concludes that early intervention is crucial to the mental development of the student.
Glimps, Blanche J. (2008). Are We Preparing Students with Physical and Health Disabilities for the 21st Century?, Physical Disabilities: Education and Related Services 26, (2), 1-12.
Glimps suggests that schools are not doing enough to prepare students with physical disabilities for their futures in the diverse job market in today’s world. Glimps believes the students are not being educated on global issues that may affect students’ future employment. Therefore the education system should strive to broaden the students’ understanding of the world, which should be accessible to students with physical or health disabilities. However, the issues are not addressed in NCLB. The National Council for Social Studies recognizes problems facing students today is the failure to provide a global understanding leads to a narrow view of the world and in some instances leads to prejudice. Glimps feels teachers of students with physical and health impairments often provide limited cultural knowledge to their students. Furthermore, Glimps suggests the technologies provided to students with physical and health impairments are not developing quick enough to keep up with the information technologies. Therefore, Glimps suggests the students are not properly prepared to enter the globalized workforce.
Potts-Datema, William, and Taras, Howard. (2005). Chronic Health Conditions and Student Performance at School. Journal of School Health, 75, (7) 255-266.
Research has proven there is a direct correlation between students’ health and their academic success. According to their research, Taras and Potts-Datema suggest an association between diabetes and cognitive ability. Their research concludes that the verbal IQ, visuospatial/ nonverbal functioning, memory, and attention all show a deficit in young students with diabetes depending on the severity of the diabetes. Students with sickle cell anemia may experience complications that prevent attendance or affect the student’s performance. The research shows the students with sickle cell anemia tend to score lower on IQ assessments, and they may be impaired in their language, processing abilities, attention, and memory. Students with have learning problems that vary according to the severity of the epilepsy, such as lower IQ levels, lower academic achievement, and inattentiveness. Students with other chronic diseases often experience lower academic achievement due to their inability to attend class on a regular basis.
Stormont, Melissa A. (2008). Increase Academic Success for Children with ADHD Using Sticky Notes and Highlighters. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43, (5), 305-308.
Stormont’s research states that students with ADHD account for 3-5% of the student population in the general education classroom. Their characteristics include selective attention problems, sustained attention problems, impulsivity, and high levels of verbal and motor activity. Stormont suggests using sticky notes and highlighters to help the students in and out of the classroom. They can use the notes as a guide to keep them on task, and to mark their ending point when taking a break. They can use the highlighters to either color code tasks or to determine the order of the tasks. Furthermore, the notes can be used to help the students study, prompt students, organize steps, keep students on track, and help them estimate time to spend on each step of a process or task. The sticky notes can also be used to remind students of materials to bring home or return to school. They can also be used to help students to outline or summarize reading material. Among other uses for the notes, they can also help students self-monitor their progress and their behavior. Another suggestion is to have the students to write down questions they may have while the teacher is leading class discussion.
Zambo, Debby, (2008). Looking at ADHD Through Multiple Lenses: Identifying Girls with the Inattentive Type. Intervention in School and Clinic, 44, (1), 34-40.
Female students with ADHD often withdraw from school and themselves often due to the lack of early intervention. Zambo gives a case study on a female student with ADHD. Unlike the boys, she internalized her behaviors. She was unable to become accepted socially and teachers did not think she cared about school. It was not until the student was in high school that teachers recognized her as exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. Today, students with ADHD are inattentive, and exhibit hyperactivity and impulsivity. Students with ADHD often have concurrent learning disabilities and learning problems. Girls often become stressed, depressed, and exhibit anxiety. Because they internalize their behaviors, girls seem to daydream and be in their own fantasy world. Female students also seem to be socially withdrawn, exhibit low self-esteem/image, and are rejected by their peers. Furthermore, they often do not set goals, are not organized, and have difficulty planning and self-monitoring. Therefore, Zambo suggests that faculty, who recognize internalizing behaviors in girls, should examine the possibility of ADHD.
The researcher states that 7.8% of students from ages 4 to 17 are diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and school officials are unsure how to respond. More researchers are beginning to believe ADD is not a behavior disorder, but it is an impairment of the brain’s executive system. Brown states there are six executive functions that people with ADD/ADHD have difficulty in utilizing, which are activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory, and action. A diagnosis of ADD/ADHD means the person has a significant impairment compared to their peers over a prolonged period of time and can vary depending on when the symptoms appear. ADD/ADHD are often thought to be a lack of willpower. Instead it is the chemical makeup of the brain that causes the impairment. For some students with ADD/ADHD medication helps only when it is in the system. However other students with ADD/ADHD have other learning disabilities, and medication alone is not effective in facilitating learning. Because it has been proven that ADD/ADHD is not a behavior problem, Brown suggests evaluations that address cognitive impairments. Brown concludes that early intervention is crucial to the mental development of the student.
Glimps, Blanche J. (2008). Are We Preparing Students with Physical and Health Disabilities for the 21st Century?, Physical Disabilities: Education and Related Services 26, (2), 1-12.
Glimps suggests that schools are not doing enough to prepare students with physical disabilities for their futures in the diverse job market in today’s world. Glimps believes the students are not being educated on global issues that may affect students’ future employment. Therefore the education system should strive to broaden the students’ understanding of the world, which should be accessible to students with physical or health disabilities. However, the issues are not addressed in NCLB. The National Council for Social Studies recognizes problems facing students today is the failure to provide a global understanding leads to a narrow view of the world and in some instances leads to prejudice. Glimps feels teachers of students with physical and health impairments often provide limited cultural knowledge to their students. Furthermore, Glimps suggests the technologies provided to students with physical and health impairments are not developing quick enough to keep up with the information technologies. Therefore, Glimps suggests the students are not properly prepared to enter the globalized workforce.
Potts-Datema, William, and Taras, Howard. (2005). Chronic Health Conditions and Student Performance at School. Journal of School Health, 75, (7) 255-266.
Research has proven there is a direct correlation between students’ health and their academic success. According to their research, Taras and Potts-Datema suggest an association between diabetes and cognitive ability. Their research concludes that the verbal IQ, visuospatial/ nonverbal functioning, memory, and attention all show a deficit in young students with diabetes depending on the severity of the diabetes. Students with sickle cell anemia may experience complications that prevent attendance or affect the student’s performance. The research shows the students with sickle cell anemia tend to score lower on IQ assessments, and they may be impaired in their language, processing abilities, attention, and memory. Students with have learning problems that vary according to the severity of the epilepsy, such as lower IQ levels, lower academic achievement, and inattentiveness. Students with other chronic diseases often experience lower academic achievement due to their inability to attend class on a regular basis.
Stormont, Melissa A. (2008). Increase Academic Success for Children with ADHD Using Sticky Notes and Highlighters. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43, (5), 305-308.
Stormont’s research states that students with ADHD account for 3-5% of the student population in the general education classroom. Their characteristics include selective attention problems, sustained attention problems, impulsivity, and high levels of verbal and motor activity. Stormont suggests using sticky notes and highlighters to help the students in and out of the classroom. They can use the notes as a guide to keep them on task, and to mark their ending point when taking a break. They can use the highlighters to either color code tasks or to determine the order of the tasks. Furthermore, the notes can be used to help the students study, prompt students, organize steps, keep students on track, and help them estimate time to spend on each step of a process or task. The sticky notes can also be used to remind students of materials to bring home or return to school. They can also be used to help students to outline or summarize reading material. Among other uses for the notes, they can also help students self-monitor their progress and their behavior. Another suggestion is to have the students to write down questions they may have while the teacher is leading class discussion.
Zambo, Debby, (2008). Looking at ADHD Through Multiple Lenses: Identifying Girls with the Inattentive Type. Intervention in School and Clinic, 44, (1), 34-40.
Female students with ADHD often withdraw from school and themselves often due to the lack of early intervention. Zambo gives a case study on a female student with ADHD. Unlike the boys, she internalized her behaviors. She was unable to become accepted socially and teachers did not think she cared about school. It was not until the student was in high school that teachers recognized her as exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. Today, students with ADHD are inattentive, and exhibit hyperactivity and impulsivity. Students with ADHD often have concurrent learning disabilities and learning problems. Girls often become stressed, depressed, and exhibit anxiety. Because they internalize their behaviors, girls seem to daydream and be in their own fantasy world. Female students also seem to be socially withdrawn, exhibit low self-esteem/image, and are rejected by their peers. Furthermore, they often do not set goals, are not organized, and have difficulty planning and self-monitoring. Therefore, Zambo suggests that faculty, who recognize internalizing behaviors in girls, should examine the possibility of ADHD.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Speech Language Impairment
Bishop, D. V. M., Chipchase, Barry, Kaplan, Carole, Snowling, Margaret J., and Stothard, Susan E. (2006). Psychosocial Outcomes At 15 Years of Children With A Preeschool History of Speech-language Impairment. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 47, (8), 759-765.
The researchers claim that from various studies done on children with speech language impairments, there is an increased risk of psychological disorders. This study was designed to determine the affects of early intervention on the psychological development of adolescents with speech language impairments. The sample pulled seventy-one of eighty-seven students with speech language impairments from a previous study done at the pre-school level. These adolescents were put through psychiatric and cognitive evaluations. The overall prognoses is that children with speech language impairments in the pre-school years do not necessarily show a significant difference in psychological development. However, the study does show that the children that continue to have difficulty with speech and language throughout the elementary and middle school levels do show an increase in psychosocial disorders.
Brown, Barbara., Camarata, Mary N., Camarata, Stephen M., Leonard, Laurence B., and Pawlowska, Monica. (2008). The Acquisition of Tense and Agreement Morphemes by Children With Specific Language Impairment During Intervention: Phase 3. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 51, (1) 120-125.
The researchers’ investigation proved that children with speech language impairments showed improvements on target morphemes that mark tense and agreement after a one-month period. Although they did show gains, many of the subjects did not reach mastery levels during the study. The suggestions for the failure to reach mastery levels are that the intervention strategy was not designed well or the subjects in the study were too young. One month after the study was over, the improvements were maintained. The sample of children used in the study was small, thirty-three, and the ages were from three years to four years eight months. The treatment conditions stressed third person singular, auxiliaries, and general language stimulation. The children in the general language stimulation group did not show remarkable improvement, though they, too, showed gradual improvement.
Gillam, Ronald B., & Gillam, Sandra L. (2006). Making Evidence-Based Decisions About Child Language Intervention In Schools. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services In Schools, 37, (4), 304-315.
The researchers suggest speech language pathologist should move from basing their clinical decisions on child language interventions in schools on the information they were give in their graduate programs to basing the decisions on evidence-based practices. In order to make decisions, the speech language pathologist needs to stay informed on research discoveries. The researchers suggest a seven-step process: one – create a general or specific clinical question to ensure relevant evidence is collected, two – find external evidence that pertains to the question to find studies that answer the question, three – determine the level of evidence and critically evaluate the study to ensure their decision is based on the best evidence available, four – evaluate the internal evidence related to the student-parent factors for a weighing system that best fits the student, five – evaluate the internal evidence related to clinician-agency factors for a system that best fits the setting they work in, six – make a decision by integrating the evidence to avoid conflict between the interested parties, and seven – evaluate the outcomes of their decision to ensure the implemented program is effective. The researchers provide an example of these seven steps and feel SLPs who use recent research will be the best equipped to help their students.
Gillon, Gail T. (2005). Phonological Awareness: Evidence To Influence Assessment and Intervention Practices. Language, Speech, & Hearing Services In Schools, 36, (4), 281-284.
According to Gillon’s research, improvement in spoken language only in children with speech language impairments does not prove success in treatment of the children. To be successful, children with speech language impairments must also show improvement in written language. Gillon suggests the use of phonological awareness based programs to increase overall improvement with children with speech language impairments as assessment and intervention practices. These practices will address reading and spelling difficulties, which have been linked to poor phonological representations of words. Gillon’s claim is based on scientific research presented in a forum involving New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
McCabe, Paul C., Meller, Paul J. (2004). The Relationship Between Language and Social Competence: How Language Impairment Affects Social Growth. Psychology In The Schools, 41, (3), 313-321.
Because social success depends greatly on language, the researchers of this study suggest children with speech language impairments often seem socially incompetent. Because language development is often an interaction between peers, children with speech language impairments often do not receive the feedback needed for language development. This leads to the child’s difficulty in forming peer bonds. In turn, the inability of these children to interact properly on an emotional level may lead to the lack of emotional knowledge, or gauging the emotions of others, which may cause a lack of acceptance from their peers. The researchers sampled thirty-five children from three years ten months to five years seven months in age to prove how socially competent the children with speech language impairments. Through various testing methods the researchers gained an understanding that children with speech language impairments may have difficulty developing socially competent behaviors.
The researchers claim that from various studies done on children with speech language impairments, there is an increased risk of psychological disorders. This study was designed to determine the affects of early intervention on the psychological development of adolescents with speech language impairments. The sample pulled seventy-one of eighty-seven students with speech language impairments from a previous study done at the pre-school level. These adolescents were put through psychiatric and cognitive evaluations. The overall prognoses is that children with speech language impairments in the pre-school years do not necessarily show a significant difference in psychological development. However, the study does show that the children that continue to have difficulty with speech and language throughout the elementary and middle school levels do show an increase in psychosocial disorders.
Brown, Barbara., Camarata, Mary N., Camarata, Stephen M., Leonard, Laurence B., and Pawlowska, Monica. (2008). The Acquisition of Tense and Agreement Morphemes by Children With Specific Language Impairment During Intervention: Phase 3. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 51, (1) 120-125.
The researchers’ investigation proved that children with speech language impairments showed improvements on target morphemes that mark tense and agreement after a one-month period. Although they did show gains, many of the subjects did not reach mastery levels during the study. The suggestions for the failure to reach mastery levels are that the intervention strategy was not designed well or the subjects in the study were too young. One month after the study was over, the improvements were maintained. The sample of children used in the study was small, thirty-three, and the ages were from three years to four years eight months. The treatment conditions stressed third person singular, auxiliaries, and general language stimulation. The children in the general language stimulation group did not show remarkable improvement, though they, too, showed gradual improvement.
Gillam, Ronald B., & Gillam, Sandra L. (2006). Making Evidence-Based Decisions About Child Language Intervention In Schools. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services In Schools, 37, (4), 304-315.
The researchers suggest speech language pathologist should move from basing their clinical decisions on child language interventions in schools on the information they were give in their graduate programs to basing the decisions on evidence-based practices. In order to make decisions, the speech language pathologist needs to stay informed on research discoveries. The researchers suggest a seven-step process: one – create a general or specific clinical question to ensure relevant evidence is collected, two – find external evidence that pertains to the question to find studies that answer the question, three – determine the level of evidence and critically evaluate the study to ensure their decision is based on the best evidence available, four – evaluate the internal evidence related to the student-parent factors for a weighing system that best fits the student, five – evaluate the internal evidence related to clinician-agency factors for a system that best fits the setting they work in, six – make a decision by integrating the evidence to avoid conflict between the interested parties, and seven – evaluate the outcomes of their decision to ensure the implemented program is effective. The researchers provide an example of these seven steps and feel SLPs who use recent research will be the best equipped to help their students.
Gillon, Gail T. (2005). Phonological Awareness: Evidence To Influence Assessment and Intervention Practices. Language, Speech, & Hearing Services In Schools, 36, (4), 281-284.
According to Gillon’s research, improvement in spoken language only in children with speech language impairments does not prove success in treatment of the children. To be successful, children with speech language impairments must also show improvement in written language. Gillon suggests the use of phonological awareness based programs to increase overall improvement with children with speech language impairments as assessment and intervention practices. These practices will address reading and spelling difficulties, which have been linked to poor phonological representations of words. Gillon’s claim is based on scientific research presented in a forum involving New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
McCabe, Paul C., Meller, Paul J. (2004). The Relationship Between Language and Social Competence: How Language Impairment Affects Social Growth. Psychology In The Schools, 41, (3), 313-321.
Because social success depends greatly on language, the researchers of this study suggest children with speech language impairments often seem socially incompetent. Because language development is often an interaction between peers, children with speech language impairments often do not receive the feedback needed for language development. This leads to the child’s difficulty in forming peer bonds. In turn, the inability of these children to interact properly on an emotional level may lead to the lack of emotional knowledge, or gauging the emotions of others, which may cause a lack of acceptance from their peers. The researchers sampled thirty-five children from three years ten months to five years seven months in age to prove how socially competent the children with speech language impairments. Through various testing methods the researchers gained an understanding that children with speech language impairments may have difficulty developing socially competent behaviors.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Learning Disabilities
Anderson, Peggy L., & Corbett, LeAnn. (2008). Literature Circles for Students With Learning Disabilities. Intervention in School & Clinic, 44, (1), 25-33.
From their research, the authors have learned though teachers in general education classrooms have recognize the benefits of using literature circles in the classroom, teachers in the special education classroom are less likely to use the strategy. Research shows literature circles increase oral language, reading, and writing skills. When literature circles are used students with learning disabilities are actively involved in their own learning. The authors explain what literature circles are, how they work, teacher involvement, and student involvement. They feel that the student with learning disabilities develop many important skills for further reading development such as accountability, critical thinking, and organization.
Boyle, Joseph R., (2008). Reading Strategies for Students With Mild Disabilities. Intervention in School & Clinic, 44, (1), 3-9.
Through his research, Joseph Boyle points out that most students with disabilities show poor performance on phonological tasks, which predict the success of reading fluency. His article reminds teachers that phonological awareness activities, sight words, and connected reading must be presented before, during, and after reading to ensure success. The author suggests that direct instruction may be useful for the student if the teacher correctly models the skill or strategy. Boyle also gives proven techniques and strategies for word identification to be used at different reading stages. He explains the importance of phonological awareness, syllabication, structural analysis, and the DISSECT strategy to develop fluency for students with disabilities.
Finstein, Rita F., Jones, Rachelle, & Yang, Fei Yao, (2007). 20 Ways To… Build Organizational Skills in Students With Learning Disabilities. Intervention in School & Clinic, 42, (3), 174-178.
The authors stress the need of direct instruction for the development of organizational skills for students with learning disabilities. They suggest the development of organizational skills can lead to the emotional well being of the child. The authors walk both educators and parents through the twenty steps: in the child, working with one another, posting information, using checklists, using a calendar, agenda, and planner, pairing with other students, using scripts, post reminders, keep everything in its place, determining what is needed for classes, establish routines, well organized notebook, reminder bracelets, titling assignments, guided practice, open communication between student and teacher, mentoring programs, and IEP goals that address organization. The authors believe if all of these steps are properly implemented, then the student will become more organized. This will lead to the improvement of overall success with the student with learning disabilities.
Martin, Don, Martin, Magy, & Carvalho, Kathleen. (2008). Reading and Learning-Disabled Children: Understanding the Problem. The Clearing House, 81, (3), 113-117.
The authors suggest that the majority of students with learning disabilities have developmental delays in reading, and there is not enough research on effective reading programs to address the problem. They suggest the implementation of both phonemic and whole-language instruction to teach students decoding skills, fluency, and comprehension. Because each student has specific needs, the instruction must address these needs to be effective. Their research shows a direct correlation between poor readers at both elementary and secondary levels. The authors suggests that because reading affects all subject areas, students with learning disabilities often associate negativity with reading, which further hinders the fostering of positive reading skills and behaviors. Their research has also shown that students with learning disabilities often have difficulties with both sequencing and processing. The authors suggest various instructional approaches for the student with learning disabilities to alleviate shame, frustration, and embarrassment, which can lead to academic success.
Steele, Marcee M. (2008). Helping Students with Learning Disabilities Succeed. The Science Teacher, 75, 38-42.
From her research, the author states that many students with learning disabilities take general education science classes, but have difficulty succeeding in the classes or passing the testing required by No Child Left Behind. Various processing disorders cause difficulties with science tasks especially those, which involve higher-order tasks. The authors feel that classroom modifications can be made to assist students with learning disabilities in their success in the science classroom. The author includes various researched and proven modifications, such as, lectures and class time, textbook readings, and homework assignments to help the student to help them focus on learning the material. This will help build a foundation that can carry the student through high stakes testing and improving their overall performance.
From their research, the authors have learned though teachers in general education classrooms have recognize the benefits of using literature circles in the classroom, teachers in the special education classroom are less likely to use the strategy. Research shows literature circles increase oral language, reading, and writing skills. When literature circles are used students with learning disabilities are actively involved in their own learning. The authors explain what literature circles are, how they work, teacher involvement, and student involvement. They feel that the student with learning disabilities develop many important skills for further reading development such as accountability, critical thinking, and organization.
Boyle, Joseph R., (2008). Reading Strategies for Students With Mild Disabilities. Intervention in School & Clinic, 44, (1), 3-9.
Through his research, Joseph Boyle points out that most students with disabilities show poor performance on phonological tasks, which predict the success of reading fluency. His article reminds teachers that phonological awareness activities, sight words, and connected reading must be presented before, during, and after reading to ensure success. The author suggests that direct instruction may be useful for the student if the teacher correctly models the skill or strategy. Boyle also gives proven techniques and strategies for word identification to be used at different reading stages. He explains the importance of phonological awareness, syllabication, structural analysis, and the DISSECT strategy to develop fluency for students with disabilities.
Finstein, Rita F., Jones, Rachelle, & Yang, Fei Yao, (2007). 20 Ways To… Build Organizational Skills in Students With Learning Disabilities. Intervention in School & Clinic, 42, (3), 174-178.
The authors stress the need of direct instruction for the development of organizational skills for students with learning disabilities. They suggest the development of organizational skills can lead to the emotional well being of the child. The authors walk both educators and parents through the twenty steps: in the child, working with one another, posting information, using checklists, using a calendar, agenda, and planner, pairing with other students, using scripts, post reminders, keep everything in its place, determining what is needed for classes, establish routines, well organized notebook, reminder bracelets, titling assignments, guided practice, open communication between student and teacher, mentoring programs, and IEP goals that address organization. The authors believe if all of these steps are properly implemented, then the student will become more organized. This will lead to the improvement of overall success with the student with learning disabilities.
Martin, Don, Martin, Magy, & Carvalho, Kathleen. (2008). Reading and Learning-Disabled Children: Understanding the Problem. The Clearing House, 81, (3), 113-117.
The authors suggest that the majority of students with learning disabilities have developmental delays in reading, and there is not enough research on effective reading programs to address the problem. They suggest the implementation of both phonemic and whole-language instruction to teach students decoding skills, fluency, and comprehension. Because each student has specific needs, the instruction must address these needs to be effective. Their research shows a direct correlation between poor readers at both elementary and secondary levels. The authors suggests that because reading affects all subject areas, students with learning disabilities often associate negativity with reading, which further hinders the fostering of positive reading skills and behaviors. Their research has also shown that students with learning disabilities often have difficulties with both sequencing and processing. The authors suggest various instructional approaches for the student with learning disabilities to alleviate shame, frustration, and embarrassment, which can lead to academic success.
Steele, Marcee M. (2008). Helping Students with Learning Disabilities Succeed. The Science Teacher, 75, 38-42.
From her research, the author states that many students with learning disabilities take general education science classes, but have difficulty succeeding in the classes or passing the testing required by No Child Left Behind. Various processing disorders cause difficulties with science tasks especially those, which involve higher-order tasks. The authors feel that classroom modifications can be made to assist students with learning disabilities in their success in the science classroom. The author includes various researched and proven modifications, such as, lectures and class time, textbook readings, and homework assignments to help the student to help them focus on learning the material. This will help build a foundation that can carry the student through high stakes testing and improving their overall performance.
Friday, March 15, 2013
How to Read Websites Regarding Disability Categories (Examples)
Emotional Disturbance
http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/4d1fa.htmHow do the authors of the website create a sense of authority within the website?
The name of the website, the Doctor’s Guide to Medical and Other News, gives it a sense of authority as well as the use of credible sources.Four points described that I was drawn to:
- I was drawn to the title of the article.
- I was also drawn to the fact that the report was done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- I was drawn to the fact they used quotes from the CEO of the National Mental Health Association, Michael Faenza.
- I was also drawn to the fact the article made bold claims, which were backed up by statistics from the study.
Four points described that indicate I should be cautious about:
- One of the things that made me a bit cautious was that all dot com websites are suspect because they are commercial sites.
- Another issue that was suspect was that the study only included 8 community-based studies, but the size of and type of community is not disclosed in the article.
- I was also suspicious about the fact that the sample size was not given; therefore, the results may be skewed.
- Another issue that was suspect to me was that there is a solution to the problem given, but the problem is not thoroughly discussed.
Speech Impairment
http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-11/2008-11-06-voa47.cfm?CFID=77452741&CFTOKEN=28545778How do the authors of the website create a sense of authority within the website?
The authors of the website are employs of the Voice of America news group. The authors of the article use trigger words to gain a sense of authority. They do not successfully support their claim because the information included in the article contradicts itself.Four points described that I was drawn to:
- The first statement in the article grabbed my attention because the authors started the article with “Researchers have identified.”
- Later, they keep my attention by restating the claim as “Scientists have identified.”
- The study identified in the article came from the Wellcome Trust Center for Human Genetics at Oxford University.
- The findings of the study were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Four points described that indicate I should be cautious about:
- The study was only done on 184 families; therefore, the sample size was relatively small.
- A researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey is concerned about the findings of the study.
- The same researcher believes that more research is needed.
- The study was not initially done to specifically prove that CNTNAP2 is linked to speech impairments.
Mild Mental Retardation
http://www.faqs.org/health/Sick-V3/Mental-Retardation.htmlHow do the authors of the website create a sense of authority within the website?
From the URL given, the website gives a sense of authority. The authors also lay the site out to where it looks like a professional website.Four points described that I was drawn to:
- The top of the page grabbed my attention because it says the site is a Free Health Encyclopedia.
- The site mentions the rating scales often used to determine intellectual disabilities.
- The site uses a picture of and description of brothers that have mental retardation.
- The site has links to the American Association on Mental Retardation, and The Arc of the United States.
Four points described that indicate I should be cautious about:
- Although the site uses AAMR as a source, the definition is not the official definition of mental retardation.
- The descriptions of the levels of mental retardation do not mention the standard deviation.
- The authors give a lot of information as fact, but they do not cite the facts or statistics.
- Some of the information on the site can be misleading, such as an entire section devoted to putting the blame on the mother of the child.
Other Health Impairments
http://www.spiritlakeconsulting.com/COPT/intro/otherhealth.htmlHow do the authors of the website create a sense of authority within the website?
The name of the website, Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc. gives the website a sense of authority.Four points described that I was drawn to:
- The way the information was written made the site easy to understand.
- The site gives several statistics.
- The site has good links.
- The site helps to bring minimal awareness about the needs of children with OHI in the educational setting.
Four points described that indicate I should be cautious about:
- Although the site gives good statistics, it doe not mention where the statistics come from.
- There is no scientific based evidence mentioned to support the information given, and without scientific based evidence, the information may be biased or skewed.
- Although there are links to IDEA and Section 504, it is not mentioned in the article. Therefore, parents who see this website may not understand the process to which they can gain services for their child.
- There are very few specific details on disabilities, and what disabilities that are discussed are not thoroughly explained and discussed.
Learning Disabilities
http://school.familyeducation.com/learning-disabilities/special-education/34455.htmlHow do the authors of the website create a sense of authority within the website?
The website looks very professional and the fact that the site is titled family education gives it a sense of authority.Four points described that I was drawn to:
- There are good links on the site.
- There are good stats and citations in the links.
- The quizzes are easy to use.
- The site is part of Pearson Education, Inc.
Four points described that indicate I should be cautious about:
- Self-diagnosis and online diagnosis is dangerous.
- The site is a dot com site which is a commercial site, which takes away from the credibility of the authors.
- The quizzes rely on at home behavior.
- The quizzes also rely on parent’s input, which may be biased or skewed.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Educating Peter
This video was made not to take sides with the controversy between integration of children with disabilities into regular education, but to give us some insight into the world of one little boy. It was made to help the general public understand what integration of children with disabilities means to everyone affected by such integration.
Major Points
Everyone, including the teacher, is afraid of Peter. As the film begins, we see how everyone’s attitudes toward Peter are more or less negative. Though the teacher clearly states that her role as a teacher is to educate every student in her classroom, she states that she is worried that something will go wrong. She stated that she must be vigilantly on guard in regard to Peter and the other students. She also states that she is frightened that something will happen when she is not there. The other children state that they are frightened of Peter. It seems to me that no one stopped to think how Peter must feel to be in an environment that he does not quite understand.
Peter’s behavior is a major issue throughout the film. As with many students with disabilities, Peter tends to act up more that the other kids. His behavior is inconsistent and unpredictable. In the beginning Peter is very aggressive. Peter kicks, hits, chokes, pushes, tackles, and bangs other students’ heads together. The teacher decided it was time to give the children a more active role in the classroom. She had the other students get involved in the “peer planning” process of the classroom. They asked the children if they knew why Peter acted up in the classroom. She asked for suggestions from the classroom on how to redirect Peter’s behavior. She taught them what they can and cannot do to help Peter. One of the things pointed out was that the children should not give Peter attention for negative behavior, but should give him attention for positive behavior. The teacher took a more active approach toward Peter’s behavior as well. First she gives him tangible consequences for his behavior. She gives him the choice to either talk to her now about his behavior, or to speak with her during recess about his behavior. Then, she asks him what he did wrong and relates the problem to him directly. She asks Peter if he would he like being treated the way he treats the other students? She then has him apologize for his behavior.
The other students’ attitudes toward Peter are a major point. They admitted that they stared because he does not look like any of them. They do not know what to think of Peter because he makes loud noises. One little boy wonders why Peter is even there. He says that Peter will probably not learn anything. In the beginning, before the peer planning, the other children would shove back. However, they learned how to deal with Peter without using force. This caused his outbursts to be less and less frequent. Later in the video the students in the classroom state that they enjoy having Peter around. One little boy thought that he would not like Peter in the beginning, but ended up considering Peter one of his best friends. The overall attitude toward Peter in the end was best summed up by a little freckle-faced girl, “He changed because we changed. He changed because we changed our minds about him. He changed because we helped him.”
Peter’s self image is an issue in the film. Peter’s mother said that Peter comes home from school and is very happy. He is also tired, but he is still happy that he is given the opportunity to go to school. He has less and less outbursts throughout the year, which leads me to believe that he is no longer frustrated about the classroom. He feels comfortable and is made to feel comfortable in the classroom. He realizes that it is just not Peter, but he is part of something bigger. This does not mean that Peter does not continue to get frustrated. When working on his own, Peter feels bad about himself because he does realize that he is not able to do the same things that the other children are doing. He complains, “I’m stupid.” The teacher responds, “No you’re not.” Again, Peter says, “I’m stupid.” Then the teacher states, “You are not, you are a smart little boy.”
In the end, everyone felt they benefited from having Peter integrated into the classroom. One girl in the classroom says that they may have taught him how to do things, but he taught them how to think more and react to other problems. The teacher stated that she would gladly teach Peter again, if given the opportunity. She changed her expectations from, “I don’t think you can do this” to “I expect you to do this because I know you can.” Peter benefited as well. He learned academics, social skills, and how to control his behavior. Peter made many great friends and the rest of the classroom gained one amazing friend.
Personal Reaction
This is my favorite video by far. Watching this movie was a rollercoaster ride. To start with I, of all people, thought maybe there should be a limit for what types of children are integrated into regular education classrooms. I was taken back. I did not think I would ever feel that way about this topic. Me of all people, I have an uncle who is mentally retarded, and realize how unfair it was that he was always separated from the rest of the students. Me of all people, I have a son who I have fought all of his school years to keep him with his peers. I wonder if this was just my mothering response kicking in. I have been in a similar situation with Damien. At one point in his life he was extremely aggressive toward his little brother. When I caught him choking his little brother, and his little brother’s face turning blue, I wondered if Damien and Dylan would be better off if my husband and I separated residences taking only one to each home. I could not bear to do this and had to find another way to deal with the problem. From time to time, not very often, Damien is still aggressive toward Dylan, but Dylan knows how to handle the problem now. Peter, like Damien, just seemed so out of control and a danger to himself, and the other students. I understand that children like Peter, my uncle, and my son get frustrated so easily, but it seemed so unfair to the other students who were getting injured in the process. However, after the teacher implemented the peer planning process to the classroom, the out-of-control behavior began to subside. This made me cry because I thought I would be the last person to discriminate against anyone with a disability. I realize now that I am not perfect, and was too quick to judge Peter. I know that Peter was introduced to an entirely new environment that he had not been prepared for, and this must have been overwhelming and difficult for him. He did learn to adjust, which seemed to surprise everyone involved.
Application
I will not be quick to judge a student with disabilities. I will make sure that the other children in the classroom understand why the student acts the way they do, and give them ideas on how to solve the problem without the use of force. I will also be more accepting to all students and make sure that I am patient with them.
Major Points
Everyone, including the teacher, is afraid of Peter. As the film begins, we see how everyone’s attitudes toward Peter are more or less negative. Though the teacher clearly states that her role as a teacher is to educate every student in her classroom, she states that she is worried that something will go wrong. She stated that she must be vigilantly on guard in regard to Peter and the other students. She also states that she is frightened that something will happen when she is not there. The other children state that they are frightened of Peter. It seems to me that no one stopped to think how Peter must feel to be in an environment that he does not quite understand.
Peter’s behavior is a major issue throughout the film. As with many students with disabilities, Peter tends to act up more that the other kids. His behavior is inconsistent and unpredictable. In the beginning Peter is very aggressive. Peter kicks, hits, chokes, pushes, tackles, and bangs other students’ heads together. The teacher decided it was time to give the children a more active role in the classroom. She had the other students get involved in the “peer planning” process of the classroom. They asked the children if they knew why Peter acted up in the classroom. She asked for suggestions from the classroom on how to redirect Peter’s behavior. She taught them what they can and cannot do to help Peter. One of the things pointed out was that the children should not give Peter attention for negative behavior, but should give him attention for positive behavior. The teacher took a more active approach toward Peter’s behavior as well. First she gives him tangible consequences for his behavior. She gives him the choice to either talk to her now about his behavior, or to speak with her during recess about his behavior. Then, she asks him what he did wrong and relates the problem to him directly. She asks Peter if he would he like being treated the way he treats the other students? She then has him apologize for his behavior.
The other students’ attitudes toward Peter are a major point. They admitted that they stared because he does not look like any of them. They do not know what to think of Peter because he makes loud noises. One little boy wonders why Peter is even there. He says that Peter will probably not learn anything. In the beginning, before the peer planning, the other children would shove back. However, they learned how to deal with Peter without using force. This caused his outbursts to be less and less frequent. Later in the video the students in the classroom state that they enjoy having Peter around. One little boy thought that he would not like Peter in the beginning, but ended up considering Peter one of his best friends. The overall attitude toward Peter in the end was best summed up by a little freckle-faced girl, “He changed because we changed. He changed because we changed our minds about him. He changed because we helped him.”
Peter’s self image is an issue in the film. Peter’s mother said that Peter comes home from school and is very happy. He is also tired, but he is still happy that he is given the opportunity to go to school. He has less and less outbursts throughout the year, which leads me to believe that he is no longer frustrated about the classroom. He feels comfortable and is made to feel comfortable in the classroom. He realizes that it is just not Peter, but he is part of something bigger. This does not mean that Peter does not continue to get frustrated. When working on his own, Peter feels bad about himself because he does realize that he is not able to do the same things that the other children are doing. He complains, “I’m stupid.” The teacher responds, “No you’re not.” Again, Peter says, “I’m stupid.” Then the teacher states, “You are not, you are a smart little boy.”
In the end, everyone felt they benefited from having Peter integrated into the classroom. One girl in the classroom says that they may have taught him how to do things, but he taught them how to think more and react to other problems. The teacher stated that she would gladly teach Peter again, if given the opportunity. She changed her expectations from, “I don’t think you can do this” to “I expect you to do this because I know you can.” Peter benefited as well. He learned academics, social skills, and how to control his behavior. Peter made many great friends and the rest of the classroom gained one amazing friend.
Personal Reaction
This is my favorite video by far. Watching this movie was a rollercoaster ride. To start with I, of all people, thought maybe there should be a limit for what types of children are integrated into regular education classrooms. I was taken back. I did not think I would ever feel that way about this topic. Me of all people, I have an uncle who is mentally retarded, and realize how unfair it was that he was always separated from the rest of the students. Me of all people, I have a son who I have fought all of his school years to keep him with his peers. I wonder if this was just my mothering response kicking in. I have been in a similar situation with Damien. At one point in his life he was extremely aggressive toward his little brother. When I caught him choking his little brother, and his little brother’s face turning blue, I wondered if Damien and Dylan would be better off if my husband and I separated residences taking only one to each home. I could not bear to do this and had to find another way to deal with the problem. From time to time, not very often, Damien is still aggressive toward Dylan, but Dylan knows how to handle the problem now. Peter, like Damien, just seemed so out of control and a danger to himself, and the other students. I understand that children like Peter, my uncle, and my son get frustrated so easily, but it seemed so unfair to the other students who were getting injured in the process. However, after the teacher implemented the peer planning process to the classroom, the out-of-control behavior began to subside. This made me cry because I thought I would be the last person to discriminate against anyone with a disability. I realize now that I am not perfect, and was too quick to judge Peter. I know that Peter was introduced to an entirely new environment that he had not been prepared for, and this must have been overwhelming and difficult for him. He did learn to adjust, which seemed to surprise everyone involved.
Application
I will not be quick to judge a student with disabilities. I will make sure that the other children in the classroom understand why the student acts the way they do, and give them ideas on how to solve the problem without the use of force. I will also be more accepting to all students and make sure that I am patient with them.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Alternative Assessments for Students with Disabilities
Ahlgrim-Delzell, Lynn; Browder, Diane; Flowers, Claudia; and Spooner, Fred. (2005). Teachers’ Perceptions of Alternative Assessments. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 30.2, 81-92.
The authors state the purpose of the study is to “examine teachers’ perceptions of alternate assessments.” The authors surveyed 983 teachers from 5 states by using two inventories one with a 5-point scale rating and one with a 4-point scale rating to determine what influences the alternative assessment outcome and the impact of alternative assessment. The samples used were representative for each of the five states surveyed. The study shows that teachers often agree that students with disabilities should be included in general education settings and should be held accountable, but they did not agree that the alternative assessments were beneficial and added more paperwork and time to their schedules. Therefore, the researchers suggest that more resources should be offered to alleviate the demands of alternative assessments. The researchers state limitations to the study include confounding factors, and a lack of evidence that suggests their findings would improve the outcomes of students with disabilities. Also, the researchers warn about generalizing the results to states that were not sampled.
Crisp, Cheryl. (2007). The Efficacy of Intelligence Testing in Children with Physical Disabilities, Visual Impairments and/or the Inability to Speak. International journal of Special Education, 22.1, 137-141.
Crisp indicates that the design of intelligence assessments may inhibit an accurate score for students with disabilities. Crisp states that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all students, even those with disabilities to be held accountable on academic assessments, but it does not acknowledge that some of the students with disabilities may never attain the academic level of their peers. Crisp asserts that each person with a disability is an individual and must always be put before their disability, and each disability is different in that individual. Crisp argues that standardized tests fail to take the nature of the disability into consideration, and many fail to allow accommodations to be made to the test because doing so would hinder the integrity of the test. Crisp provides a list made by Fagan of those who are unable “comply with the requirements of standardized testing: cerebral palsy, all of the muscular dystrophies, dystonia, brain injury, some language disorders, developmental disorders, mental disorders, and cultural differences. Crisp provides several more appropriate options for measuring intelligence.
Dykeman, Buce F. (2006). Alternative Strategies in Assessing Special Education Needs. Education, 127.2, 265-273.
Dykeman states that Response to Intervention relies on standardized, norm-referenced assessment to determine special education needs of students with disabilities. Dykeman argues that functional assessment, authentic assessment, curriculum-based measurement, and play-based assessment should be used within the RTI model, but psychometric issues of reliability, validity, and fairness have become issues when determining the needs of students. Dykeman explains how students with disabilities are assessed and outlines the guidelines of diagnosis according to IDEIA 2004. However, Dykeman argues that IDEIA 2004 does not tell how assessments and evaluations are to be conducted. Dykeman argues, as does Crisp, that standardized, norm-referenced tests cannot always be indicative of the cognitive abilities of students with disabilities. Therefore, Dykeman suggests the use of the alternative assessments he discusses, which the language of IDEIA does encourage. Dykeman suggests more evidence based assessments be used that address the individual needs of students in order to allow fairness while determining special education needs.
Roach, Andrew T. (2006). Influences on Parent Perceptions of an Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 31.3, 267-274.
Roach states the purpose of his research was to “understand the variables that influence parents’ perceptions of the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment.” The study included special educators in both elementary and secondary systems across the state of Wisconsin. The sample of students included was representative of the gender population and grade levels in which the study was done in Wisconsin. Demographics on parents were not gathered, but parents were given pencil and paper rating scale surveys to ascertain their understanding of the WAA. The findings show that parents were positive about the WAA process, supportive participation of all students, and pleased with the alignment of the WAA to Wisconsin’s academic standards. Roach also found that student age was directly correlated to parent’s perceptions of the WAA. Parents with older students were less likely to be satisfied with the WAA, which mirrors parents’ perceptions of inclusion. Furthermore, Roach found that parents were confident in the WAA results, and those parents who were more involved with their students education were more satisfied with the outcome. Therefore, Roach suggests that resources, support, training, and support materials be provided to facilitate parent understanding of the WAA.
Vacca, John J. (2007). Incorporating Interests and Structure to Improve Participation of a Child with Autism in a Standardized Assessment: A Case Study Analysis. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 22.1, 51-59.
Vacca, an assistant professor of Individual and Family Studies at the University of Delaware, states that research indicates standardized assessments fail to predict concrete suggestions on supporting students with autism and fail to offer insight as to how behaviors of these children will be manifested in multiple environments. Vacca also points out that some attempts to assess children with autism by using standardized testing is unsuccessful, so researchers are looking at alternative assessments, which include interest areas to provide supports and instructional strategies for students with autism. Vacca accommodated the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition by using interest areas to assess the developmental level of a child with autism, who was once deemed untestable. Vacca found that the use of the interests particular to the child helped the child complete the BSID II. Therefore, Vacca recommends that assessments for children with autism be accommodated by using the child’s interest area.
The authors state the purpose of the study is to “examine teachers’ perceptions of alternate assessments.” The authors surveyed 983 teachers from 5 states by using two inventories one with a 5-point scale rating and one with a 4-point scale rating to determine what influences the alternative assessment outcome and the impact of alternative assessment. The samples used were representative for each of the five states surveyed. The study shows that teachers often agree that students with disabilities should be included in general education settings and should be held accountable, but they did not agree that the alternative assessments were beneficial and added more paperwork and time to their schedules. Therefore, the researchers suggest that more resources should be offered to alleviate the demands of alternative assessments. The researchers state limitations to the study include confounding factors, and a lack of evidence that suggests their findings would improve the outcomes of students with disabilities. Also, the researchers warn about generalizing the results to states that were not sampled.
Crisp, Cheryl. (2007). The Efficacy of Intelligence Testing in Children with Physical Disabilities, Visual Impairments and/or the Inability to Speak. International journal of Special Education, 22.1, 137-141.
Crisp indicates that the design of intelligence assessments may inhibit an accurate score for students with disabilities. Crisp states that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all students, even those with disabilities to be held accountable on academic assessments, but it does not acknowledge that some of the students with disabilities may never attain the academic level of their peers. Crisp asserts that each person with a disability is an individual and must always be put before their disability, and each disability is different in that individual. Crisp argues that standardized tests fail to take the nature of the disability into consideration, and many fail to allow accommodations to be made to the test because doing so would hinder the integrity of the test. Crisp provides a list made by Fagan of those who are unable “comply with the requirements of standardized testing: cerebral palsy, all of the muscular dystrophies, dystonia, brain injury, some language disorders, developmental disorders, mental disorders, and cultural differences. Crisp provides several more appropriate options for measuring intelligence.
Dykeman, Buce F. (2006). Alternative Strategies in Assessing Special Education Needs. Education, 127.2, 265-273.
Dykeman states that Response to Intervention relies on standardized, norm-referenced assessment to determine special education needs of students with disabilities. Dykeman argues that functional assessment, authentic assessment, curriculum-based measurement, and play-based assessment should be used within the RTI model, but psychometric issues of reliability, validity, and fairness have become issues when determining the needs of students. Dykeman explains how students with disabilities are assessed and outlines the guidelines of diagnosis according to IDEIA 2004. However, Dykeman argues that IDEIA 2004 does not tell how assessments and evaluations are to be conducted. Dykeman argues, as does Crisp, that standardized, norm-referenced tests cannot always be indicative of the cognitive abilities of students with disabilities. Therefore, Dykeman suggests the use of the alternative assessments he discusses, which the language of IDEIA does encourage. Dykeman suggests more evidence based assessments be used that address the individual needs of students in order to allow fairness while determining special education needs.
Roach, Andrew T. (2006). Influences on Parent Perceptions of an Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 31.3, 267-274.
Roach states the purpose of his research was to “understand the variables that influence parents’ perceptions of the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment.” The study included special educators in both elementary and secondary systems across the state of Wisconsin. The sample of students included was representative of the gender population and grade levels in which the study was done in Wisconsin. Demographics on parents were not gathered, but parents were given pencil and paper rating scale surveys to ascertain their understanding of the WAA. The findings show that parents were positive about the WAA process, supportive participation of all students, and pleased with the alignment of the WAA to Wisconsin’s academic standards. Roach also found that student age was directly correlated to parent’s perceptions of the WAA. Parents with older students were less likely to be satisfied with the WAA, which mirrors parents’ perceptions of inclusion. Furthermore, Roach found that parents were confident in the WAA results, and those parents who were more involved with their students education were more satisfied with the outcome. Therefore, Roach suggests that resources, support, training, and support materials be provided to facilitate parent understanding of the WAA.
Vacca, John J. (2007). Incorporating Interests and Structure to Improve Participation of a Child with Autism in a Standardized Assessment: A Case Study Analysis. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 22.1, 51-59.
Vacca, an assistant professor of Individual and Family Studies at the University of Delaware, states that research indicates standardized assessments fail to predict concrete suggestions on supporting students with autism and fail to offer insight as to how behaviors of these children will be manifested in multiple environments. Vacca also points out that some attempts to assess children with autism by using standardized testing is unsuccessful, so researchers are looking at alternative assessments, which include interest areas to provide supports and instructional strategies for students with autism. Vacca accommodated the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition by using interest areas to assess the developmental level of a child with autism, who was once deemed untestable. Vacca found that the use of the interests particular to the child helped the child complete the BSID II. Therefore, Vacca recommends that assessments for children with autism be accommodated by using the child’s interest area.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Reflection on Reading Dyslexia Workshop
I attended a Reading Dyslexia and the Brain workshop, where I learned the definition of dyslexia and that dyslexia is not what I had thought. Dyslexia is unexpected poor reading and underachievement in reading. I never before realized that reading is the most difficult task a student has to learn to do in school, because reading came so easily to me. Dr. Lyon clarified that many students who cannot read cannot do so due to several factors such as poor teaching practices and illiteracy in the home.
While listening to Dr. Lyon speak, I could not help but to think of my client in reading clinic. He fit the profile of a student with dyslexia. He is very bright and achieves at high levels in comprehension. However, he only read at a first grade level when we began the Spring 2009 semester. Before meeting my client and before attending this conference, I doubted that I would need to teach phonemic and phonological awareness at the secondary level. However, my client helped me realize that I will come across a student with dyslexia every now and again. Dr. Lyon’s workshop helped me realize that I will most likely come across students with dyslexia on a regular basis.
I never before thought of how important teaching nonsense words to students is. Dr. Lyon stated, “If a kid can read nonsense words tells us they can generalize and apply their skills to a new text.” Because of this statement, I will find ways to teach my secondary students who have reading difficulties to read nonsense words. I will also remember that reading is the basis for everything. If a student cannot read in my classroom, then they will not be able to do well in math, science, and history. Therefore, I will work on phonics and phonemic awareness in my classrooms if I have students with reading difficulties.
While listening to Dr. Lyon speak, I could not help but to think of my client in reading clinic. He fit the profile of a student with dyslexia. He is very bright and achieves at high levels in comprehension. However, he only read at a first grade level when we began the Spring 2009 semester. Before meeting my client and before attending this conference, I doubted that I would need to teach phonemic and phonological awareness at the secondary level. However, my client helped me realize that I will come across a student with dyslexia every now and again. Dr. Lyon’s workshop helped me realize that I will most likely come across students with dyslexia on a regular basis.
I never before thought of how important teaching nonsense words to students is. Dr. Lyon stated, “If a kid can read nonsense words tells us they can generalize and apply their skills to a new text.” Because of this statement, I will find ways to teach my secondary students who have reading difficulties to read nonsense words. I will also remember that reading is the basis for everything. If a student cannot read in my classroom, then they will not be able to do well in math, science, and history. Therefore, I will work on phonics and phonemic awareness in my classrooms if I have students with reading difficulties.
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