Week Two Agenda:Review Portfolio ProjectWriting Prompt (attendance)Special Ed Categories—PowerPointFAT City videoLD SimulationsQuestions/Comments? Discussion
What is a Learning Disability?A neurological disorder
A person’s brain is wired differently
Kids w/ LDs are as smart or smarter than peers
A LD can’t be cured or fixed; it’s a lifelong issue
With the right support and intervention, these kids with LDs can succeed in school!
Facts about Learning Disabilities15% of the population, or 1 in 7 Americans,
have an LDDifficulty w/ basic reading and language
skills are most common LDsAs many as 80% of students w/LDs have
reading problemsLearning Disabilities often run in familiesLDs should not be confused with other
disabilities such as mental retardation, autism, ADHD, etc.
Students with LDsMust be a severe discrepancy between the
student’s ability and achievement.This discrepancy can not be due to emotional
impairments, cognitive impairment, cultural disadvantage, etc…
Learning DisabilitiesOral expressionListening comprehensionWritten expressionBasic reading skillReading comprehensionMathematics calculationMathematics reasoning
Common Characteristics of LD Students
Short term memoryEasily distractedMay have difficulty copying information from
the board/lecturesLack of planning and organizational skillsMay have difficulty expressing themselves
verbally or in writingMay be able to do something one day, but not
the nextLow self-esteem
Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) DisorderCondition that becomes apparent in some
children in preschool and early school yearsHard for these kids to control their behavior
and/or pay attention3-5% of kids have ADHD, so in class of 25-30
it’s likely you’ll have at least one
Emotional ImpairmentManifest problems in the affective domainBehavior problems associated with an EI are:
Demonstrated over a period of timeInterfere with educational performanceTo the extent that Spec. Ed. services are
needed
Emotional ImpairmentBehavior problems manifested through one or
more of the following characteristics:
An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships within the school environment
Inappropriate types of behaviors or feelings under normal circumstances
General mood of unhappiness or depressionA tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears
in association with personal or school problems
Autism Spectrum DisorderWide variation in symptomsSeems to be on the rise, but could be result
of improved detectionEarly diagnosis is important
Asperger’s syndromeType of pervasive development disorderInvolves delays in development of basic skills,
namely, ability to socialize, to communicate, & to use imagination
Typically these students will function better than those with Autism
Children w/Asperger’s generally have normal intelligence and near-normal language development, although they may develop problems communicating as they get older
More on Asperger’s…Problems with social skillsEccentric or repetitive behaviorsUnusual preoccupations or ritualsCommunication difficultiesLimited range of interestsCoordination problemsSkilled or talented
A few more to mention…Visual ImpairmentHearing ImpairmentCognitive Impairment
The “Hidden” ImpairmentSpecific learning disabilities are often called
“hidden impairments” because from looking at the person and talking to the person, they appear “normal” (whatever normal is….)
The fact that their disability is hidden can actually be a HUGE disadvantage to the child, since others may erroneously think that the child is lazy, not trying, etc…..
Fair does not equal SameBeing fair means providing what each
student NEEDS.Being fair does not mean treating everyone
the same, since not everyone needs the same things.
Giving equal treatment means leveling the playing field so all students have an equal opportunity to grow, learn and be successful.
LD Instructional Strategies Allow more time for student to complete work Break assignments up into manageable chunks Allow student to utilize technology (audio books/speech recording
software/computer access etc…) Teach using multiple formats that allow each student to learn through
their particular learning style Use mnemonics and other memory tricks Model steps as you teach Allow guided practice before asking student to show mastery
independently Give SPECIFIC Praise OFTEN! Have consistent routines and procedures Allow students to correct errors on assignments and tests to ensure
mastery and to earn some points back Accept late work – even if only for ½ credit – zeroes KILL
Learning DisabilitiesBottom line = Instructional strategies that
are good for special ed students are good for ALL students.
Special ed/At-risk/ELL students MAY need more intensive versions of the strategies.
The BIG IdeaYou will have special ed students in your classesIt is your job to teach them and help them become
successful individualsDiversity is good = all will benefitDon't assume you know everything about the student
- especially if you weren't that kind of learnerBE FLEXIBLEBE FAIR Fair = give what is NEEDEDWhat is good for special ed students is what is good
for ALL students
F.A.T. City VideoA brief introduction to what LD students
experience daily to help develop some empathy and understanding
Understand the reasons for some accommodations
LD Simulation ActivitiesIf you don’t really feel up to it today, or find
as you are going that you don’t want to do these activities – TOO BAD!
LD students are expected to perform tasks daily that cause them to experience frustrations, anxiety and tension.
ACTIVITY 1Reading and Decoding– how hard can it be?
p d q b
This activity shows what it is like to read as a LD child
Even if you can decode something, it doesn’t mean comprehension is there.
ACTIVITY 2Perceiving vs. Seeing
You can see the picture but you can’t perceive it. You need direct instruction from the teacher.
There’s a difference b/w vision and perception. You can see it but you can’t bring meaning to it until I tell you what it is.
ACTIVITY 3ORAL EXPRESSION
GROUP STORY – Generating Ideas, Thinking of the right words, Organizing and Expressing thoughts
Experience shows how speaking can be a cognitive task for a LD child
ACTIVITY 4Auditory and Visual CapabilitiesWhat it’s like to be unable to understand
something visually but it makes sense when you hear it aloud