Learning disabilities

Teaching students to think out of the box

2011-11-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

Un till two years ago, I believed that direct instruction is the key for student success. Clear and specific directions and lots of help and repetition aid in effective learning. However, this teaching principal of mine was challenged when I was part of the Math Leadership in my school.

There was a discussion on how there is a need for student directed learning than teacher directed learning. I was not ready to accept it. Being with students who have cognitive, behavioral and emotional needs, I felt the burden on them should be lessened by giving them precise directions and teaching them to the point.

However, I wanted to experiment how this new method of initiating critical thinking would help my students. I was amazed by the results which made me shift my teaching style.

I discovered that:

Students were actively engaged

Instead of giving the answer and going in a sequence, when they were given the opportunity to come up with their own explanation, every single student participated

They were elated when their findings matched with the answer. If it did not, it didn't matter as they were trying to figure out where they missed

Most of the session was spent on discussions and demonstrations

Thinking aloud helped the students in reasoning out whenever needed

However, the issues I had were,

Instead of completing a lesson in a 60 hour session, it took me 3 sessions to finish the lesson

Students always wanted to explain their answers even when it wasn't needed, which is not really bad

Everyone wanted to share their thoughts which was sometimes tough

I was excited that the students labelled as having "Learning disabilities" and Cognitive Impairments" could come up with their own answers. Changing my style of teaching has helped me immensely. Now, when i introduce a concept, I give time for the students to explore what they understand by it, I ask more questions than give them the information and there is never a right or wrong answer, it is just a different answer.

Where am I heading to ?

2011-11-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I updated my blog. Now, I feel the urge to once again publish my rantings. I have nothing to be sad about. Everything is moving pretty well for me. I have a job which I love. My husband is awesome and extremely helpful and my daughter makes me smile.

As per the Maslow's law of hierarchy, I have reached a point of self-reliazation wherein I am once again searching for a new purpose in life, a goal I want to achieve, not for my selfish purpose but something which will help me contribute towards the betterment of the society.

11 years ago, I was extremely ambitious. With meager resources, I struggled and worked towards achieving what was then nearly impossible, But I did it. I updated my skills, pursued my ambition of completing higher education in a good university abroad, suffered in my first year of teaching in the US and now can handle the toughest of the kids with confidence. After reaching a saturation point, I decided to shift gears and instead of confining my self to my classroom decided to explore beyond the four walls. Now, I am no longer a home room Special Educator, but a Resource specialist who takes kids from three different grade levels, tries to push into the classrooms to help some other kids not on the caseload, learn the dynamics of different grades and implement strategic based intervention.

I love this new challenge. It keeps me going. I love the fact that I can visit classrooms, observe different teaching styles, hone my teaching skills, experiment with various teaching methods and also have time to see how effective they are.

However, I feel the need to have a direction, a goal I want to achieve. I don't wan to end up being a teacher for the rest of my life. Not that I hate my profession because it is one of the noblest profession and I am proud to be an educator but because I feel I have other skills which haven't been harnessed yet. Apart from teaching, I want to explore what else I am good at, what are the other skills I have, how could I use those other skills and my current expertise for the benefit of the society, who will help me to discover the hidden potential in me.

After 11 years and lots of success, I feel I am once again at the crossroads, trying to decide if I need stability in life or a challenge to try something else.

Workshop at Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan

2007-12-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

During my visit to India last summer, I wanted to use some of my time productively. Teaching individuals with special needs is a challenging job as you have to be very diligent and also creative. Most of the times, you run out of ideas or do not exactly know what to do next. These were the same challenges which motivated me to pursue a Masters' degree in Special Education.

As I had been working with students with Learning disabilities, I was very eager to share it with my Indian counterparts. With the help of the Zilla Parishad Chairman of Ongole District, Andhra Pradesh, I was able to conduct a Q&A session for the headmasters from the district. They were very enthused and enjoyed the session. The Project Director of Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan gave me the opportunity to conduct a workshop for all the Special Educators working in the district. After a small discussion with the Project Director, I decided to come up with a generalized content matter on "Special Education with an emphasis on "Learning Disabilities".

The title of the workshop was " Workshop on awareness on individuals with special needs and their effective management"
The workshop took place on August 16th, 2007 from about 12:00p.m-4:00p.m.

About 20-30 teachers working in Special Schools,home-bound programs and in Community centers attended the workshop.
All the teachers were young, dedicated, enthusiastic and eager to learn more. They were not paid to attend the workshop. Moreover, it was a hot afternoon when there was no electricity in the hall for more than 2 hours. However, this did not deter them from asking me more questions and extending the 2 hour workshop to another 2 hours.
I was only glad to answer their questions and give them the information they wanted.

The hand out for the participants included the following information:
Definition of the term " Individuals with special needs",
Definition of Learning Disabilities,
Identifying individuals with special needs
Teaching Strategies
Behavior Management
Classroom Management
Building Parent Teacher Communication

In the Beginning:
Every one introduced each other. To get an idea of the information the participants had, they were asked questions relating to Special Education. There was a discussion on the types of conditions classified as disabilities. It aroused some interest in the audience. Even before I could go any further with my introduction to Learning Disabilities, a lot of hands raised asking me about the definitions of ADD, ADHD, Autism Spectrum, Asperger's Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Mental Retardation. They also asked me about the methods to identify individuals with the above conditions. I was surprised. All the Special Educators, who were in that room were expected to have some knowledge of some terms like Autism, Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Irrespective of the length of their coursework, they were expected to know about the above conditions ( at least their definitions and how to identify them). But, I also knew that they were skeptical about my knowledge and were trying to test me before confiding in me. So I spent some time in explaining them the above terms and definitions.
Once they were confident about my knowledge, they sat down quietly and participated with enthusiasm through out the workshop.

During the Workshop:
The participants/audience were introduced to some of the informal and formal tests which are helpful in assessing and identifying students with disabilities. Now came the part of discussing about the teaching strategies. The participants named Shaping, Chaining, Reinforcement, Modeling, some of the teaching strategies which can be used. These were the same strategies, I was introduced to when I was pursuing my course in 1997.

To make sure everyone knew what they really meant, they were asked to do an activity. The participants were divided into 2 groups. The strategies were shared among them and they were asked to come up with a simple definition and an example for each of the strategies by discussing among their group members. After the group discussions, each group came to the dias, posted their definitions and examples on the wall and a member of the group explained them. Any one who did not agree with the definition or needed clarification was helped. I facilitated the presenter and at times, helped them to correctly understand the real meaning of the terms they used.

After the discussion, the participants were divided into groups of 3 and each group was given a task of coming up with skills in 3 academic areas:
Pre Reading skills
Pre Writing skills
Pre Number Skills

After the discussions within their groups, a couple of members came up to the dias from each group, posted their work on the wall and shared their work with all the groups. Once again, my job was to facilitate the discussions and add in extra information wherever possible.
After the discussions, I gave the participants some input on classroom management, behavior management strategies and building communication with the family and the individuals.

At the End:
There was a discussion session wherein the participants asked questions related to Behavior management, classroom management, teaching strategies and the Education system in the USA. They presented case studies with some problems which they encountered and sought guidance for their problems.
The discussion went for for more than an hour and the Project Manager had to intervene and set up a formal close up ceremony for the workshop.

Most of the members spoke of how the workshop was useful and what they needed more information in. I was thrilled to learn that every participant in that hall enjoyed the workshop and found it quite useful. They expressed their need to know more about teaching students with Cerebral Palsy, handling them appropriately, helping students overcome repetitive behaviors, how to help students with transitions and many other topics.

I was very overwhelmed with their needs and wish to do more to help them.

More work less talk

2007-11-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

It seems like my husband can study me very well. He knows when I am happy, uncomfortable, excited or anxious. He tells me that not only my body language but my skin complexion also helps him predict my moods. He can also guess my mood by hearing me talk over the phone. I am really surprised as to how expressive I am. Am I really that expressive or is it that my hubby is a great observer? I am not sure about that but I do know that my students also know to react to me well. Most of the time, just a look of mine does it. I just have to look at them. If they are not looking at me and continuing to goof up, their neighbors gesture them and the kids just freeze. They stop their silly acts and get back to work. I am not exaggerating but telling the truth. After a disastrous start in LA County as a special educator, I moved to Boston school systems. Here I regained my confidence as a capable teacher. My previous experience and consulting of senior teachers helped me to manage an otherwise tough classroom with ease. And, it was surprising to see that the students who would drive others insane were very courteous, polite, and obedient and everything they are supposed to be. Just a look from me would freeze them. If they didn’t, they knew what was coming. Nope! I am not supposed to spank the kids or abuse them. But, I have a behavior management system in place. So the kids lose their stars and also a chance to earn more rewards at the end of the week. The better they behave the more rewards. The less they try the more negative consequences. Moreover, they were also watchful of my big emotional sermons/lectures as to what it feels like to be on the receiving end. Most often they had to experience it and hated it. To add up to it, they knew they could have more fun by listening and doing what was expected of them. I never had any boundaries for their wishes. If they craved for a party, we had it. If they wanted to have some fun time, they got it.
Moreover, after every test (small or big) we had to celebrate the hard work they put it. They just loved to relax after straining for the test (big or small).
Thus, they never complained of tests. They knew something fun was coming up. Hence I had a system set up to take care of their frustration, to encourage the positive effort and also a system in place to discourage a negative effort. I didn’t have to repeat myself at all. My students knew their expectations.

However, when it became tough for the subs to manage them, I had to use the same strategy of making them hear my sermons, creating a situation they created for the substitutes and making them experience how horrible it was to learn and always made them responsible for their behaviors. Irrespective of the person who is teaching, they were told to show their best. I didn’t have to struggle for a long time after that. My students would stay quite even when there was a substitute and did their best every time it was needed.

I do agree that they, like my husband could study my mood but they also accepted the rules, respected me and did not give me a chance to speak my mood out. I feel every teacher can do this. They need to set a structure for the students about the positive and negative consequences. There needs to be constant shaping of the behavior towards the positive and away from the negative behavior. After a strong foundation, you as a teacher do not need to yell at the top of the voice or even say it slowly. Just a look will do the trick. Or may be the color on your face will☺

Familiarity breeds success

2006-11-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Especially in the field of education, familiarizing oneself with concepts, learning strategies and new methods of learning helps one to gain confidence and expertise in that particular area.

This is more relevant in the field of Special Education, wherein the students need to be familiarized with routines, with learning strategies, with steps involved in understanding concepts etc. Being familiar to the situations helps them to cope up with their difficulties more successfully.
Hence a lot of emphasis is laid on drilling the concepts, practicing the skills, familiarizing the routines.

Hence every concept or lesson involves, steps wherein the students are transitioned “into” the concept based on their past knowledge . The connections between what they already know and what they need to learn are built. The connections are then reinforced using new situations, new areas, through guided practice. When the students are familiar enough, they practice the new concept independently. Familiarity with the subject helps in expanding the scope of the subject area and also provides area for new knowledge. Thus there is a positive cycle of learning which keeps building and enhancing the cope of critical thinking.

Personal tips on job hunting

2006-08-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

Job-hunting is a tedious and time-consuming process. However, if one is organized, things become much easier and you can taste success pretty soon. Though I am still working on improving my organization skills, I am happy to have achieved some success in it.

The steps, which I follow while, job hunting:
1. Prepare your resume
One should always remember that your resume is a reflection of yourself. "The more organized it is the better". Make sure to follow the pattern consistently, include your qualifications, memberships, experience, other skills and extra curricular activities. I constantly work on updating my resume and improving it. At times, when the content is more than 3 pages, I try to condense it and include the most pertinent information. It always helps to have your resume handy (both in form of hard and soft copy).

2. Organize your paperwork
Always have hard and soft versions of your transcripts, work experience and your recommendation letters. Also have a soft common cover letter in the MS word format. Whenever needed, you can add in the details of the school district you are applying to.
Most of the websites of the various school districts require you to mail them the copies of your transcripts, certifications, letters of recommendations, resume and cover letters. Excluding the cover letters, make packets of all the required paperwork. Having them handy saves 80% of your time and reduces a lot of confusion. At times you might also need to download the application form or submit it online which is different for each school district. Having the rest in place will help you finish filling out the application forms and mail it immediately.
3. Visit the DOE
The Department of Education of that particular state has tons of information regarding certifications, tests which one needs to take to get certified, laws guarding the school systems, the school districts in the state and also the job opportunities in the DOE as well as the various school districts. You can also get other important information like the NCLB test scores of the school district, the demographics, salary scale and other important information, which affects your job. For all those who have an out of state certification, it is a must to visit the DOE of the state they would like to work in.

4. Do your homework
Search through various search engines. At times, the particular state has a special search engine, which enlists all the teaching jobs in the state at one site. (E.g. www.edjoin.com for CA). So go ahead and google "teaching jobs" and you shall find tons of pages full of information. Some of my favorite stops are: www.springschool.com
www.teachingjobs.com
www.teachers.net
Make sure you are confident of what you are looking for in your future job. Visit the websites of the school districts and look for the HR department link or the employment opportunities link where the jobs are listed. You can get more information about the school district by going through their website more carefully. This will also help you in being specific while writing your cover letter. Being specific and including something about the school district surely impresses the reader.
Find out more information about the school, you can visit www.greatschools.com which should help you in giving a more detialed profile of the school district.

5. Apply for the jobs
When you find the vacancies in the area of your expertise, go ahead and apply for the jobs. Make sure you include all the information asked for. Or else, it is just a waste of your time and energy. If you have followed my sequence of having all the paperwork ready, then it should not take you more time. You would only be working on your cover letter, application forms if needed, and will be al set to mail the packet to the school distinct. Being prompt, and sending in all the required materials always helps

6. Follow up
Most of the times, it is difficult to get a response from the school district. The HR dept of the school district is the only office, which is open all year round. However, during the vacation times, you find more than half of the staff taking their time off. Hence it is one's own responsibility to call them and follow up with their application packet. Your call indicates that you are very much interested and your packet might receive special attention.

All the best with your job-hunt!

Important information for aspiring student teachers

2006-07-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Teaching is a noble profession. The amount of satisfaction you get when you see your students improving and progressing is invaluable. You share your knowledge and skills and help others see the light while you keep on improvign what you already have. Most of us beleive that teaching is something which anyone and every one can do. Well, as a matter of fact it is not. It needs real talent and hard work. Moreover, it is a struggle right from the college years as most of the departments in Universities are not well funded. The coursework is also very decentralized and tailored to suit the needs of the surroundign school districts. So, when the person decides to find a job in some other state, it beecomes really tough for them as they have to go through some rigorous tests and be certified in particular areas and soemtimes end up taking more courses to satsify the reqquirements of the hiring state .

Here is a list of facts one should be aware of before entering the field. Well, I am not trying to discourage anyone but would like to help the aspiring educators to be mentally prepared.

1. Be sure of what you want to teach. Especially in the field of Special Education, they’re a wide number of choices.
You have a) Early childhood special education
b) Special Education for individuals with developmental disabilities
c) Special Education for individuals with mild/moderate disabilities
d) Special Education for individuals with behavior disorders/emotional disorders
e) Special Education for specific learning disabilities
f) Special Education with emphasis on vocational training
g) Special Education for individuals with multiple disabilities
h) Special Education for individuals with mental retardation
Though most of the above fields can be intermixable, one needs to be aware of what they really want to pursue

2. Choose a school which has flexible tuition options and which can provide you with some sort of financial assistance. One should be aware of the fact that most of the projects in the dept of Education are not well funded and one might end up taking a lot of loans from eh bank. However, if the school provides tuition waivers or has any assistantships, it surely helps

3. It is a clever thing to enroll in a program, which will lead to certification in your field of interest. Even if you are planning to do your PHD as soon as you graduate from your teaching program, your certification/licensure will be of immense help in securing you some kind of assistantship. You will also have the opportunity to tutor. However, if you are thinking of teaching as soon as you graduate then "BEWARE". NEVER enroll in a teaching program, which will not lead into a certification/licensure. It is absolutely necessary to get licensed in your field to land up with any job opportunities.

4. Check with your school/college about the NCATE or TEAC approved. This would help you in securing a job more conveniently when you relocate from one state to another without going through the hassles of waiting to get a licensure for that state and then searching for jobs.

5. Be sure to keep record of all your assignments and your materials. These will be of immense help when you take up the responsibility of a class teacher

6. Make sure you keep all the student work with you, as you may have to work on a portfolio or present in during your job interviews. It for sure will create a good impression about you.

7. Make sure you are affiliated to some or the other professional organizations of your interest and field of study. It is absolutely necessary to keep updating your knowledge and question the new practices/strategies to help you in the classroom

8. Volunteer for some agencies, which are involved in tutoring/teaching. This would be a good add up on your resume and would give you some experience in teaching

That’s all for now. Will keep adding more information as I come across. However, keep checking for more updates on steps to follow while searching for a job, experiences in teaching etc.

NCATE : What every aspiring teacher should know before choosing a school

2006-06-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

NCATE or The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is a national accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education authorized by the U.S. Department of Education. NCATE determines which schools, colleges, and departments of education meet rigorous national standards in preparing teachers and other school specialists for the classroom.
Professional accreditation of preparatory education programs is the bedrock upon which all professions (e.g., architecture, engineering, medicine, law) have built their reputations. It assures that those entering the respective field have been suitably prepared to practice through assimilation of a body of knowledge and pre-service practice in the profession. Accreditation of schools of education indicates that the school underwent rigorous external review by professionals, that performance of a teacher candidate in the program has been thoroughly assessed before he or she is recommended for licensure, and that programs meet standards set by the teaching profession at large.

So when someone is selecting a school for pursuing their Bachelors or a Masters in Education, it is always best to consider a school which is accredited by NCATE. This also assures that you will be able to secure a job more easily everywhere around the US. Especially if you are planning to move to different states, you will have less complicatiions in getting an initial license in the state you moved if you had obtained your degree and license from an institute which is NCATE accredited.

For more information abotu NCATE and institutes which are accredited by it visit : http://www.ncate.org/

CBM or Cognitive Behavior Management strategies

2005-05-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

What are CBM or Cognitive Behavior Management Strategies?
CBM strategies are data based strategies, which help the students to monitor their own behavior, help them make judgments about its appropriateness and to change it as needed (Friend & Bursuck, 2001)

Main aim:
The main aim of the CBM strategies is to promote self control of the individual, solve their problem behaviors, record and evaluate their behaviors (Kerr & Nelson, 2002)

History:
Meichenbaum (1971) was the first to come up with self instructional training process with 3 sequences to implement CBM:
1.Instruction by another person( e.g., adult model )
2.Overt self –instruction ( the students speaks to self while performing the instructions)
3.Covert self-instruction ( student guides his performance through private speech)

Main features of CBM:
The system relies on enriching the internalization of the commands and controlling the behaviors than on external reward and punishment procedures
They incorporate a "how-to-think" framework for students to use when modifying behavior rather than any explicit "what-to-think" instruction from a teacher.
They are student-operated systems, thus allowing students to generalize their newly learned behavior much more than teacher-operated systems

Uses of CBM:
•Useful for academic and behavioral interventions
•When used in combination with the token systems, contracts and other physical reinforcers, they increase the effectiveness of the intervention (Friend & Bursuck, 2001)
•Help increase the sense of self efficacy ( Schunk,1989)
•Help develop goal setting (Shapiro et.al.1998)
•Useful in developing skills of being honest, and sincere
•Help develop responsibility and awareness of one’s own behavior
•Useful in developing and enhancing self-regulation skills
•Useful for monitoring behaviors
•Help increasing self- reinforcement and continuous motivation ( Driscoll, 2005)

While implementing CBM important points to be considered:
•Need for consistency in scoring after every period
•Maintaining the learnt behaviors
•Empowering the students by enhancing their self-worth and self-esteem to make them self-reliant

References

Alvarez, A., & Adelman, H. S. (1986). Overstatement of self-evaluations with students with psychoeducational problems. Journal of Disabilities, 19, 567-571.
Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117-148.
Borowski, J.G., Estrada, T. M., Milstead, M., & Hale, C. A. (1989). General problem solving skills: Relations between metacognitive and strategic processing. Learning Disability Quarterly, 12, 57-70
Driscoll M.P., (2005) Psychology of learning instruction ( 3rd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Shapiro,E.S., DuPaul,G.J., and Kathy L. Bradley-Klug.K.L., (1998). Self-Management as a strategy to improve the classroom behavior of adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31(6), 545-55
Friend,M., & Bursuck,W.D.,(2002) Including students with special needs ( 3rd Ed.). Boston: Pearson
Graham, S., MacArthur, C., Schwartz, S., & Page-Voth, V., (1992). Improving the compositions of students with learning disabilities using a strategy involving product and process goal setting. Exceptional Children, 58,322-334.
Hallahan, D., Kauffman, J. M., & Llyod, J. W. (1999). Introduction to learning disabilities. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Kerr,M.M., & Nelson,M.C.,( 2002) Strategies for addressing behavior problems in the classroom (4th Ed).Upper Saddle River NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Margolis, H., McCabe, P. (2004) Self-efficacy: A key to improving the motivation of struggling learners. The Clearing House, 77, 6. 241-249.
Meichenbaum, D. H., & Goodman, J. (1971). Training impulsive children to talk to themselves: A means of developing self-control. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 77, 115-126.
Mercer,C.D.,&Mercer,A,R.,(2001) Teaching students with Learning Problems (6thEd.) Upper Saddle River NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Smith, D. J., Young, K. R., Nelson, J. R., & West, R. P. (1992). The effect of a self-management procedure on the classroom academic behavior of students with mild handicaps. School Psychology Review, 21, 59-72.
Schunk, D. H. (1989). Self efficacy and achievement behaviors. Educational Psychology Review, 1, 173-208.
http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/Smith.htm

Working memory and Learning disabilities: The correlation

2004-12-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

Learning disability is a general term that refers to a “heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction and may occur across life span. Problems of social regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist in learning disabilities but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability. Although learning disabilities may occur, concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (for example, sensory impairment, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance) or with extrinsic influences (such as cultural differences, insufficient or inappropriate instruction), they are not the result of those conditions or influence”. (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 1988).

Working memory (WM), the limited capacity system that allows simultaneous storage and processing of temporary information (Baddeley, 1986), has been the focus of many studies of children with learning disabilities (Keeler, & Swanson, 2001).Research examining specific subtypes of learning disabilities has found that working memory deficits underlie the difficulties of students with reading and mathematical disabilities (Bull & Johnston, 1997; Hitch & McAuley, 1991; Siegel & Ryan, 1989; Swanson, 1993).

As far as the working of the brain is concerned, many a psychologists have founded various models which try to explain the process of acquisition of information, storing and retrieval for future use. According to some psychologists, the process of acquisition of information passes through three major areas i.e. the short term memory, the working memory and the long term memory.The short term memory can store information for a very short period of time (in seconds). Moreover, the information is lost and cannot be retrieved again. However some of the information reaches the working memory which is the next memory station.

Working memory is associated with simultaneous storage and processing of temporary information. Different components of working memory are associated with different functions. Thus the working memory and its components are responsible for comprehension, attention, retaining and retrieving information. The various visuo-spatial functions like maintaining orientation in space, following patterns or directions and keeping track of changes in the visual field over time are performed by this component. (Kibby, Michelle, Marks, Morgan, & Long, 2004).
Thus after the information is processed, it reaches the long term memory where the information is stored.

Decades of research on learning disabilities and cognitive dysfunction indicate the importance of working memory in the processing and information storage. A strong correlation exists between the efficiency of the working memory and the individual’s ability to process information. Turner and Engle (1989) suggest that people are poor readers because they have a small general working-memory capacity and that this capacity is not entirely specific to reading (also see Cantor et al., 1991; Engle, Nations, & Cantor, 1990; and Engle et al., 1992). That is, poor readers have weaker working memory than skilled readers, not as a consequence of poor reading skills, but because they have less working-memory capacity available for performing reading and non-reading tasks (Swanson, &Siegel, 2001). The conclusions from approximately two decades of research indicate the correlation between the WM (working memory) deficits to the fundamental problems of children and adults with Learning Disabilities (Swanson, & Siegel, 2001).

With the strong correlation between the working memory and the learning disabilities, more needs to be done to improve the instructional procedures favorable to enhance the individual’s efficiency of grasping more information. The classrooms should be geared up to focus on structured, research-based instruction, which enhance the “on-task behavior”. Cognitive strategies like mnemonics, keywords have proven to be very effective in reducing the workload on the working memory. This helps the individuals to easily retrieve the old information and spend their attention on processing the new information. Ample positive feedback and methods of scaffolding can enhance the productivity of the working memory and result in an overall improvement and the overall achievement of an individual.

More on Learning disabilities

2004-11-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

Process Mnemonics

2004-11-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

For all the educators out there here is an interesting way to teach mathematics. It is called the process mnemonics.
According to Higbee (1987) process mnemonics is a strategy "that is used to remember a process or as one that gives a process for remembering many different facts ".
They are names as process mnemonics because they are intended to serve as readily retrievable mediators for learning and recalling the orderly cognitive processes required in problem solving (Kunihira1981, Higbee1987)
And it is designed to “facilitate the retention of the rules and procedures involved in computational skills” (Emmanuel Manalo Julie.K. Bunnel and Jennifer A. Stillman 2000).
"Yodai "or Process mnemonics was originated in Japan as Yodai which means "the essence of structure". Japanese educator Masachika Nakane developed the method to teach students summarize the organization of the problem and solve it.

Generally used to teach higher levels of computation like multiplication of decimals and fractions. Sentences, phrases, songs and rhymes are used to teach the steps in solving the problems. The components of computation are explained elaborately and then the concepts explained through the familiar ideas related to the students. (e.g. warriors, pools joggers, swimmers, bugs etc…)
The whole sum is summarized into short essential phrases. Symbols and words used as cues to extract the essence of the problem, which helps the students recognize the process for the solution. There is the linking of abstract symbols with concrete associations facilitate the cohesive combination of relevant parts of a procedure.
Process mnemonics is useful in computational skills of addition subtraction multiplication and division,remember rules and procedures in spelling, trigonometry, mathematics and science.
It is used to teach a range of subjects including arithmetic algebra geometry trigonometry calculus inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry, physics, biology spelling grammar and the English language.

Process mnemonics utilize the five principles of learning and memory: meaningfulness organization association attention and visualization. It thus establishes the two rules or components of mnemonics (learning and retaining the correct procedures) effectively.

Mnemonics helps the students remember the numbers and their concepts by associating them with the peg words. In order to learn the structure to develop problem solving skills "yodei " or process mnemonics is immensely helpful. Thus the combination of both the above methods can help improve the efficiency of a student's computation skills.

Who came first? The chicken or the egg?

2004-11-10T16:46:00.000-08:00

Let's get into some serious stuff. What is the true definition of education? Well, it again differs based on the perspective of the individual. For some it is a means to earn a living, for some a means to enrich their knowledge, for some it is a means to shred their ignorance and become more knowledgable about their surroundings. However , the perceptions are influenced or in some cases determined by the environmental conditions in which the person exists. It isn't bad to say that the living conditions in fact dictate the person's thinking.
However, the discretion lies in the person to know what is good for him and bad . It also depends on the way he implements his knowledge to earn his living and to tackle his surroundings.
Thus the education system as such is also dictated by the needs of the place or the people, the surroundings, the demands and the necessities of goods and services. This results in the development of certain discourses or the importance of training the persons in different skills to overcome their problems and help them survive. Though it gives a dual meaning of learning to earn and live , it also indicates the need to understand the nature or the surroundings and develop an aesthetic liking for it and methods fo nuturing and improving it.

Well, my assumption is that that is how various branches of science and art have been developed. You can say that it is my philosphy(relatively ), thought it can be considered a liberal view of the evolution of science and arts.

Thus basicaly a balance of both arts and sciences needs to be present .But? my questions is as to what is important for us? Is it the sciences which follow a scientific and practical basis and the discarding of the old and the so called obselete or outdated stuff or the arts which still glorifies the nature, the most primitive and natural form of life, and tries to give it a new definition by modifying itself according to the exisitng elements of nature?

Complicated question . As complicated as the one which says" which came first? the chicken or the egg? However, the answer would be again based on the perspective of the individual .

Is it "b"or "d"

2004-10-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

It is a very common phenomena to observe the kids with reading disabilities reading "b" and "d" and getting confused with "p" "q" ,"I","l", "5","9" "6" etc.. Most often this condition is used as a characteristic to identify children with dyslexia. Though it might be useful for identifying kids with disabilities, it cannot be the whole and sole reason.Morevoer; there is a general misconception that children who write the numbers and letters in a reverse way also perceive them reversely. However this is not true. It is more related to developmentally appropriate writing.

While developing reading and writing skills, it is essential to have certain pre-learning skills. These include, identifying the left and the right hand side of the book, the front and the bottom, reading from left to right, identifying shapes and sizes etc.. During the early childhood days the spatial orientation is also developed when the child learns to identify that three objects whether in any condition represent three.

During the same time, the numbers and alphabets are introduced to them wherein they try to identify and generalize them. In fact during the first grade and early s3eond most of them get confused with b and d. Both are the same figures with different spatial orientation. However, as time passes by, most of them grow of it and learn how to use them more appropriately. However, it is not the same in case of children with Learning disabilities. They continue to have problems with the orientation of numbers and letters and thus have problems perceiving them in the right way. It takes some time to understand that a specific orientation of "d" is "b" while 6 is different from 9.

Dyscalculia

2004-10-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Dyscalculia is a learning disability characterized by poor understanding of the number concept and the number system. Problems of mathematics, underachievement is greatest for students with mild disabilities and those at risk for mathematics failure.Students with disabilities experience considerable difficulty with problem representation or identifying relevant information along with difficulties in reading comprehension and identifying operations.

Dyscalculia is of two types; developmental dyscalculia is associated with neurodevelopmental abnormalities while acquired dyscalculia is a result of overt brain injury.Both are a result of deficits in processing of numerical and arithmetical information.

As Learning Disability is a life long condition, the best way to approach is throguh effective research based intervention.Special Education plays an important role in remediating the deficits.There is a necessity to build a strong foundation for basic concepts in math. Once the concepts are very deeply ingrained, it becomes easier to teach computation.
Systematic Practice in discriminating among related problem types; separation of confusing elements and terminology; use of wide range of examples to illustrate each conceptare highly recommended for effective results.
Providing a wider range of examples clearer step by step strategies, and discrimination practice can augment the effectiveness of any mathematics curriculum.

For students who have learned the basic mathematical skills but cannot apply them successfully when solving mathematical problems, cognitive strategy instruction should be a part of their curriculum. Additionally if we expect students to generalize the strategies they have learned, they must become actively involved in the learning process by participating in goal setting and evaluating their performance.

The Jargon

2004-10-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

Dyslexia, Dyclaculia, Dysgraphia.... all sound like a jargon. Well, sometimes it is even hard to say those terms. However, these are the modified terms given for specific learning disabilities.
Learning disability is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction and may occur across life span. Problems of social regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist in learning disabilities but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability. Although learning disabilities may occur, concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (for example, sensory impairment, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance) or with extrinsic influences (such as cultural differences, insufficient or inappropriate instruction), they are not the result of those conditions or influences. (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 1988).

While dyslexia is related to related to reading difficulties,dyscalulica is related to arithmatical difficulties and dysgraphia to writing difficulties. Moreover depending on the specific disabilities there are different terms used.
I will be discussing each term in detail in the coming blogs.

Learning disabilities

2004-10-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

Now a days there is a lot of discussion and emphasis on research in the field of learning disabilities. The number of them identified with disabilities ,especially learning disabilities is growing drastically. This might be due to the lack of proper assessment tools or many other reasons.In this particular blog I will be sharing my thoughts and concerns about learning disabilities. There will also be information on the various types of disabilities, some interesting facts about disabilities and about places, events and people associated with this field.