GUEST WRITER

Do I Believe ?

The first time I came across this powerful word "God" was in early primary school. Then in secondary school when I was a bit naughty and daring I started to ask myself if He, who created us, and is almighty, surely He can foresee all our weaknesses and yet I was taught that hell would be waiting for some or most of us, after we kick the bucket because of this very weakness.

A few years ago I noticed some unfamiliar statues of god or something in the office of a business associate of mine. I asked him what it was. He looked at me blankly and said " you have to believe in something, don't you ? "

I guess he was right. Even if one believes in nothing he/she is still believing in something and that something is " nothing " Maybe that is what he was trying to say.

Again, about 4 years back, a consultant engineer related to me that God has "no beginning and no end". It sounds logical to me in the sense that it is impossible for an ant to comprehend human's nature.

The word "create" is a human's perception. Therefore if we refer God as a creator then maybe that will limit our thoughts.

Now there is this Big Bang theory. And astrologists can tell that the universe is about 13.7 billion years old ( or maybe older ) and still expanding. A few weeks ago I read they have discovered a galaxy out there beyond our Milky Way that has more than 800 trillion stars ! This is really mind-boggling as compared to those symbolic stories in the bible.

Have I believed in God ?

By William Wong

Kuching

CALLING YOUNG WRITERS

Now you may be wondering if you are a young writer. I bet you are if you are reading this.

I have decided to be with you as you walk and explore. Or perhaps as you float in the virtual world.

The world if full of magical things you can write about.

What is in you mind. What you dream about.

Just get started!

You can email me at mikailchristiano@gmail.com

And if you are interested in fantasy with a deeper meaning,

try reading my blog http://maryannesstories.blogspot.com

Don't lose all those ideas!

Start right now!!!!

ASSISTANCE FOR ASSIGNMENTS

I have decided to assist adults who are having difficulty in writing assignments. I feel that it is a situation that creates unreasonable obstacles for adults to pursue their dreams for furthering their education. Due to economic reasons and lost opportunities, many people work before entering universities. When they do, they are distance learners and study while working and managing a family. To make matters worst, there is the multi lingual context. All this leaves the adult learner flabergasted. Many do not know how to write an assignment well and cannot find any good models to give them some idea of the style of writing that is expected. Thus, I would like to invite anyone who finds themselves in this stormy sea to contact me and I will assist you.

Call me at 013 837 0568 Malaysia. E mail mikailchristiano@gmail.com

THE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN

Nowadays schools emphasize too much on examinations. The problem with such an attitude is that it does not promote morality and social balance.

RECOVERY STRATEGIES

All decisions made in the rehabilitation of education related to information gathered through the assessment process.

We need to assess because we need:

Information needed to identify the problems faced by a student.


To assess the effectiveness of planning and teaching.

WHAT IS ASSESSMENT?

Assessment in the context of a special rehabilitation can be defined as a process of gathering information to make decisions.

Assessment and evaluation of the Special Rehabilitation

In a special recovery there are many decisions to be made by teachers and other professionals involved in services to students who have trouble learning.

The decision should be made carefully so that teaching and service provided is appropriate and in line with the problems they face in learning.

Among the decisions to be made include:

Who among students in your school who may have difficulties in learning and be provided with remedial education?

What kind of problems faced by students and the weakness of the recovery and the strength of the students?

Performance in the areas affected by the problems faced?

What type of placement appropriate remedial education for students and what skills should be taught to the students?

What specific services to be provided to help achieve the skills taught at the optimum level?

Does the teaching program that has been prepared to be continued or replaced with a new program or the student is placed back into the mainstream?

All the results mentioned above can be made wisely and accurately with the help of the information collected through the assessment and evaluation.

THE ORTON-GILLINGHAM MULTISENSORY METHOD

The Orton-Gillingham Multisensory Method was developed in the early 1930's by Anna Gillingham and a group of master teachers.

Dr. Samuel Orton assigned Anna's group the task of designing a whole new way of teaching the phonemic structure of our written language to people with dyslexia.

The goal was to create a sequential system that builds on itself in an almost 3-dimensional way. It must show how sounds and letters are related and how they act in words; it must also show how to attack a word and break it into smaller pieces.

And it must be a multi-sensory approach, as dyslexic people learn best by involving all of their senses: visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic.

The Orton-Gillingham Multisensory Method is different from other reading methods in two ways: what is taught, and how it is taught.

What is taught:

Phonemic Awareness is the first step. You must teach someone how to listen to a single word or syllable and break it into individual phonemes.

They also have to be able to take individual sounds and blend them into a word, change sounds, delete sounds, and compare sounds -- all in their head. These skills are easiest to learn before someone brings in printed letters.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH TELL US ABOUT DYSLEXIA?

If your child has an I.E.P., this description of a reading program should be on the I.E.P.:

"Independent scientific, replicated research supports the use of a reading and spelling system that is simultaneously multisensory, systematic, and cumulative with direct and explicit instruction in both synthetic and analytic phonics with intense practice."
Yes, you can get methodology onto an I.E.P. Click here to learn how.

Here are links to some of that research:

Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=6023&page=R1

National Reading Panel Report
www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/smallbook.cfm

Summary of NIH Reading Research by G. Reid Lyon Director of Research Programs in Reading Development and Disorders, Learning Disabilities, Language Development and Disorders, and Cognitive Neuroscience. Also Chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
www.schwablearning.org select Reading from the Topic list, click on Lyon: Developing Reading Skills

Why Reading is not a Natural Process by G. Reid Lyon
http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/why_reading.php?type=recent&id=Yes

NIH Research Results
www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/jeffords.htm and www.ncld.org/research/keys99_nichd.cfm

Article on Brain Differences
www.schwablearning.org, select Reading from the Topic list, click on Brain Research and Reading

National Center on Learning Disabilities Research Links
www.ncld.org/research/links.cfm

Catch Them Before They Fall, Identification and Assessment to Prevent Reading Failure in Young Children by Joseph Torgeson
www.ldonline.org/article/225

California Reading Initiative
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/documents/readnit.pdf

Texas Reading Initiative
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/reading/
Children of the Code A Social Education Project A Public Television, DVD & Web Documentary Series

A BASIC NEED : LEARNING TO READ

American children suffer more long-term life-harm from failing to learn to read than from parental abuse, accidents, and all other childhood diseases and disorders combined.

In purely economic terms, reading related difficulties cost our nation more than the war on terrorism, crime, and drugs combined. More than any other subject or skill, our children's futures are determined by by how well they learn to read.

So begins this fascinating website that contains amazing statistics, quotes, and over 100 interviews with leading neuroscientists, reading researchers, educators, and policy leaders. To watch a 5-minute on-line video called Part 1: We Have A Problem, which contains statements from many of these famous professionals, go to: www.childrenofthecode.org/genpreview/index.htm

To read the interviews and other fascinating information on this website, go to: www.ChildrenoftheCode.org

NO QUICK FIX FOR DYSLEXIA

There is no magic bullet to quickly fix or cure dyslexia. Your child was born with dyslexia and will die with dyslexia. Orton-Gillingham-based training methods can avoid the reading, writing, and spelling failure so often associated with dyslexia. But these methods take time; anywhere from one to three years.

Watch out for any method or product that costs lots of money and promises 4 to 8 week "cures."
A method is considered a "controversial therapy" if:

There is no research to prove that it works.

The research has not been independently replicated.

The claims of the method or product far exceed the research results.

Before signing any contract or purchasing any product that sounds too good to be true, ask to see the independent research papers that support their claims. Also ask for local references. Talk to professionals in the field about the method. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Click here to see a list of what won't work.

TECHNOLOGY AND DYSLEXIA

Computer technology makes the lives of dyslexic students much less difficult while they are acquiring their basic reading, writing, and spelling skills.

Here are some of the most useful technology tools I've found:

Naturally SpeakingContinuous speech recognition software that runs on Windows-based PCs. Software comes with a headset. You just talk, and the software types in what you said, spelled correctly. The hardest part is training the software to recognize your voice. Training requires reading a long passage displayed on the computer screen. (I sit beside my students and whisper the hard words into their ear.) Once trained, the person with dyslexia just talks to the computer in his/her normal voice at a normal speed, and the software types in the words, correctly spelled. It will even read the passage back to you when you're through. Available in most major computer stores. It can also be purchased from the publisher, Scansoft, in Newton, Massachusetts (800-443-7077 or 978-977-2000).

Franklin Spelling Ace This portable electronic dictionary runs on batteries and is a wonderful tool. You can enter the phonetic approximation of a word, and the closest choices will be displayed, along with a brief definition. Franklin web site. Available at many office supply stores. Suggested retail: $ 29.95.

AlphaSmart ProThis less-than-two-pound portable, battery-operated, virtually indestructible keyboard with a small display provides an ideal way to take notes in class or at meetings IF you know how to touch type. At home (or back in your office), start your personal computer (Macintosh or Windows-based PC), open your favorite word processor, plug in the AlphaSmart Pro, and watch your typed-in words fly into in the document. This is a lifesaver for people with dysgraphia. For more information, check out the AlphaSmart Pro web site.

Books on Tape . Virtually every textbook used in the United States is available on 4-track audio tape through Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. Books for pleasure and books for literature classes, read by professional actors, can be rented through Recorded Books Rentals.

And most states also sponsor a state-funded Books Aloud program through their public libraries. Contact your closest library for details.Even after a dyslexic person has learned to read, recorded books are useful, especially in high school and college, where it may prove impossible to read fast enough to keep up with the demands of many different teachers.

Type to Learn

This is an excellent program that teaches both children and adults how to type by touch. It is available from Sunburst Software for both Macintosh and Windows-based PCs.

Any Word Processor

It goes without saying that once you can type, your most important technology tool will be any word processor that has a good spell checker.

HELPING STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM

While your child is acquiring his/her basic reading, writing, and spelling skills through an Orton-Gillingham Multisensory method, classroom accommodations will be needed.

To learn which ones, why they are fair, and how to get them, watch our one-hour webcast on classroom accommodation, free, by going to:www.webcastgroup.com/client/start.asp?wid=0671129062946&auto=true

Here are the most commonly requested classroom accommodations that will allow your child to demonstrate his/her knowledge even though the child is not yet reading, writing, or spelling at grade level:

Oral testing

Tests are read to the student (or provided pre-recorded on audio tape), and student are allowed to give answers orally (or tape record their answers).

Untimed tests

Dyslexic students do not perform well under time pressure. It also takes them longer to read the questions, compose the answer in their head, and get it down on paper.
Eliminate or reduce spelling testsClassroom teachers rarely teach spelling rules in the same way or same order as a dyslexia tutor. Many teachers will accept a spelling test given in a tutoring session as a replacement for the classroom test, or only grade a classroom spelling test on a small number of pre-determined words.

Don't force oral reading

Teachers should never force students with dyslexia to read out loud in front of the class. If for some reason this is absolutely necessary, warn the student in advance and show them exactly which passage they will have to read so that they can practice ahead of time.

Accept dictated homework

Dyslexic students can dictate answers much more easily and quickly than they can write them down. Allow parents to act as a scribe.

Reduce homework load

Many teachers create homework assignments by estimating how long it would take a "normal" student to complete it. They may not realize it takes a dyslexic student 3 to 4 times longer to complete the same assignment. Teachers should agree to a maximum time to spend on homework. Parents should sign the end of the homework page showing the amount of time spent on the assignment.

Grade on content, not spelling nor handwritingSome teachers take spelling and handwriting into consideration when assigning a grade. For dyslexic children, this is not appropriate. Teachers should be asked to grade only on the content of an assignment.

Reduce copying tasks

It takes dyslexic students longer to copy information from the board, and if they have dysgraphia, they may not be able to read their notes. So provide lecture notes, or discretely assign a fellow student to act as a scribe using NCR paper.

Quick print shops can create NCR sets of binder paper.

(NCR paper is sometimes called carbonless copy paper.) The top sheet of binder paper has a coating applied to the back of it that is pressure sensitive. When someone writes on the top sheet, the coating automatically makes a copy appear on the lower sheet of binder paper. So when class is over, the scribe just tears off the lower sheet and gives it to our student.

Alternate assignments

Teachers should offer alternative ways to show mastery of material other than a long written paper. Alternatives could include oral or video presentations, dioramas, collages, or debates.
Avoid or reduce essay testsUse match up, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer formats for tests. List vocabulary words for fill-in-the-blank sections at the top of the exam.

Multiple-choice questions are also difficult for dyslexic students due to the volume of reading required to answer them correctly.

Conduct a class review session before the test

Also, provide a study guide with key terms and concepts to the students.

Ask the student how he/she learns best

Often, dyslexic students can explain strategies and techniques that help them learn to teachers. These are usually easy to incorporate into a classroom.

ADAPTING TO THE ENVIRONMENT

Adaptive attributes

A study has found that entrepreneurs are five times more likely to be dyslexic than average citizens

Evidence based on randomly selected populations of children indicate that dyslexia affects boys and girls equally; that dyslexia is diagnosed more frequently in boys appears to be the result of sampling bias in school-identified sample populations.

In the United States, researchers estimate the prevalence of dyslexia to range from three to ten percent of school-aged children though some have put the figure as high as 17 percent. Recent studies indicate that dyslexia is particularly prevalent among small business owners, with roughly 20 to 35 percent of U. S. and British entrepreneurs being affected.

MATHS ABILITIES IN DYSLEXICS

Mathematical abilities

Dyslexia and dyscalculia two learning disorders with different cognitive profiles. Dyslexia and dyscalculia have separable cognitive profiles, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficient number module in the case of dyscalculia.

Individuals with dyslexia can be gifted in mathematics while having poor reading skills. They might have difficulty with word processing problems. (i.e., descriptive mathematics, engineering, or physics problems that rely on written text rather than numbers or formulas).

LITERACY PROBLEMS

Writing and motor skills

Because of literacy problems, an individual with dyslexia may have difficulty with handwriting. This can involve slower writing speed than average, poor handwriting characterised by irregularly formed letters, or inability to write straight on a blank paper with no guideline.

Some studies have also reported gross motor difficulties in dyslexia, including motor skills disorder. This difficulty is indicated by clumsiness and poor coordination. The relationship between motor skills and reading difficulties is poorly understood but could be linked to the role of the cerebellum and inner ear in the development of reading and motor abilities

HOPE FOR DYSLEXICS

Reading and spelling

Spelling errors — Because of difficulty learning letter-sound correspondences, individuals with dyslexia might tend to misspell words, or leave vowels out of words.
Letter order - People with dyslexia may also reverse the order of two letters especially when the final, incorrect, word looks similar to the intended word (e.g., spelling "dose" instead of "does").

Letter addition/subtraction - People with dyslexia may perceive a word with letters added, subtracted, or repeated. This can lead to confusion between two words containing most of the same letters.

Highly phoneticized spelling - People with dyslexia also commonly spell words inconsistently, but in a highly phonetic form such as writing "shud" for "should". Dyslexic individuals also typically have difficulty distinguishing among homophones such as "their" and "there".
Vocabulary - Having a small written vocabulary, even if they have a large spoken vocabulary.
Writing and motor skills

Because of literacy problems, an individual with dyslexia may have difficulty with handwriting. This can involve slower writing speed than average, poor handwriting characterised by irregularly formed letters, or inability to write straight on a blank paper with no guideline.
Some studies have also reported gross motor difficulties in dyslexia, including motor skills disorder. This difficulty is indicated by clumsiness and poor coordination. The relationship between motor skills and reading difficulties is poorly understood but could be linked to the role of the cerebellum and inner ear in the development of reading and motor abilities. [5]
[edit] Mathematical abilities

Dyslexia and dyscalculia two learning disorders with different cognitive profiles. Dyslexia and dyscalculia have separable cognitive profiles, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficient number module in the case of dyscalculia.

Individuals with dyslexia can be gifted in mathematics while having poor reading skills. They might have difficulty with word processing problems. (i.e., descriptive mathematics, engineering, or physics problems that rely on written text rather than numbers or formulas).
Adaptive attributes

A study has found that entrepreneurs are five times more likely to be dyslexic than average citizens

Evidence based on randomly selected populations of children indicate that dyslexia affects boys and girls equally; that dyslexia is diagnosed more frequently in boys appears to be the result of sampling bias in school-identified sample populations.

In the United States, researchers estimate the prevalence of dyslexia to range from three to ten percent of school-aged children though some have put the figure as high as 17 percent. Recent studies indicate that dyslexia is particularly prevalent among small business owners, with roughly 20 to 35 percent of U. S. and British entrepreneurs being affected.

WAYS OF LOOKING AT DYSLEXIA

There are many definitions of the disorder called dyslexia but no consensus. The World Federation of Neurology defined dyslexia as follows:

Specific developmental dyslexia is a disorder manifested by difficulty learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and adequate sociocultural opportunity. It is dependent upon fundamental cognitive disabilities that are frequently of constitutional origin.

Some of the other published definitions are purely descriptive, while still others embody causal theories. From the varying definitions used by dyslexia researchers and organizations around the world, it appears that dyslexia is not one thing but many, insofar as it serves as a conceptual clearing-house for a number of reading skills deficits and difficulties, with a number of causes.

Castles and Coltheart, 1993, described phonological and surface types of developmental dyslexia by analogy to classical subtypes of acquired dyslexia (alexia) which are classified according to the rate of errors in reading non-words.

However the distinction between surface and phonological dyslexia has not replaced the old empirical terminology of dysphonetic versus dyseidetic types of dyslexia.

The surface/phonological distinction is only descriptive, and devoid of any aetiological assumption as to the underlying brain mechanisms, in contrast the dysphonetic/dyseidetic distinction refers to two different mechanisms:— one relates to a speech discrimination deficit, and the other to a visual perception impairment.

Most people with dyslexia who have Boder's Dysiedetic type, have attentional and spatial difficulties which interfere with the reading acquisition process.

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that manifests itself as a difficulty with reading, spelling and in some cases mathematics. It is separate and distinct from reading difficulties resulting from other causes, such as a non-neurological deficiency with vision or hearing, or from poor or inadequate reading instruction.It is estimated that dyslexia affects between 5% and 17% of the U.S. population.

Dyslexia is thought to be the result of a neurological defect, and though not an intellectual disability, it is variously considered a learning disability, a language disability, and a reading disability, among others. Dyslexia is diagnosed in people of all levels of intelligence.

SO YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT DYSLEXIA?

Hils Learning is led by Hilary Craig, specialist teacher for persons who learn differently or have learning difficulties.

She is internationally recognised as an innovative educator and therapist and an enthusiastic and dynamic workshop presenter. Based with her team in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from where she runs her private practice, Hilary also travels throughout Asia training teachers and educating parents.

Together with her team she specialises in developing strategies for helping individual learners meet their own unique challenges.