Total Pageviews

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA

May I dedicate this post to the proactive Eduactors in SK Chung San , Miri.

Your desire to learn will surely inspire others.

The parent - professional collaboration you are building will help us to move forward.

Myths of Dyslexia

Myth 1: Dyslexia is a sort of retardation.

The facts: Dyslexia is a difficulty in learning to read, write and spell, despite traditional teaching, average intelligence, and an adequate opportunity to learn. It is an impairment in the brain's ability to translate information received from the eyes or ears into understandable language. It does not result from vision or hearing problems. It is not due to mental retardation, brain damage, or a lack of intelligence.

Myth 2: There is no 'cure' for dyslexia.

The facts: Dyslexia is not a disease. Given the appropriate specialist teaching, dyslexics can learn to read (and even to spell) just as well as anyone else.

Myth 3: Dyslexia is rare in Singapore.

The facts: The incidence of dyslexia in Singapore is within the international range of 3% to 10% of the population. There are about 20,000 primary and secondary school students who are dyslexic. An average of 1 to 2 students could be dyslexic in a class of 40. Dyslexia can range from mild to moderate to severe.

Myth 4: My child can’t be dyslexic. No one else in the family has it.

The facts: Beware. In some families, one, or both parents, are obviously dyslexic and all, or most, of their children, have the difficulties. In other families, dyslexia is not apparent in either parent and the other children are unaffected.

Myth 5: Dyslexics are gifted/”stupid”.

The facts: Repeated studies have shown that there is very little relationship between dyslexia and intelligence in young children. Dyslexia occurs across a whole spectrum of intelligence and is as likely to be found in the gifted and talented population as it is to be present in the low-ability, and most of them fall in the middle. However, if dyslexics don't learn to read, their IQs tend to fall behind as they get older.

Myth 6: Reversing letters is a good indication of dyslexia.

The facts: In fact, backwards writing and reversals of letters and words are common among young children learning to write whether or not they are dyslexic. Only about 10% of dyslexics reverse letters. In general, letter-reversals become an area of concern if it persists beyond Primary 2 or 8 years old.

Myth 7: Dyslexics can't read.

The facts: People with mild to moderate dyslexia have usually learnt to read well enough to 'get by' and to avoid being noticed. Despite this, their reading usually remains slower than normal and a spelling skills check will often reveal their true difficulties.

Myth 8: He can’t have dyslexia because he can read.

The facts: All children with dyslexia can read—up to a point. But the problem they have with processing speech sounds, prevent them from hearing all the individual sounds in a word. So they generally don’t read by sounding out. With poor ability to detect and manipulate speech sounds, dyslexics tend to have inadequate knowledge and application of how sounds are linked with their written form. This weak letter-sounds link affects their ability to read to some extent. Instead, they often use alternative strategies such as memorising familiar stories, recognizing words by their shapes or guessing based on the first letter or two. But their memories can hold only a limited number of words. So these strategies will fail them by third or fourth grade. Without the right type of help, they cannot progress any further—no matter how smart they are and how hard they try.

Myth 9: He can read okay. He just can’t spell. That’s not dyslexia, is it?

The facts: A child with severe dyslexia will struggle with reading from the very first day. But intelligent children with mild-to-moderate dyslexia can get away during the first few years in school. They can read. You just don’t know HOW they are reading. But their unusual reading strategies will force them into a brick wall by primary three or four. Their difficulties with spelling, however, are obvious very early. If they spend hours each night working on a spelling list, they may be able to pass the test. But they won’t be able to spell those very same words when they’re writing sentences or compositions. Poor spelling is highly related to poor reading, and poor spelling shows up first. But it may take until primary three or four for the reading struggles to become equally obvious. Reading and spelling are closely related skills.

Myth 10: Reading difficulties disappear with age.

The facts: Not if it's dyslexia. Dyslexia is a lifelong condition. Dyslexic children become dyslexic adults. If they are identified and given the right kind of help early, dyslexics can learn to compensate for their learning difficulty and read accurately. Even so, they may continue to read slowly and not automatically.

Myth 11: Repeating a school grade can remove dyslexia

The facts: Dyslexics learn in a different way. Specialist teaching is necessary to learn to overcome dyslexia and cope in mainstream school.

Myth 12: The way to help a dyslexic child to read is to force him or her to read at least 20 mins a day.
The facts:It is necessary to make reading easy and fun so the dyslexic child learns. The DAS uses multi-sensory techniques like the Orton-Gillingham approach, spelling method to help the child read and write better.

Myth 13: Dyslexia only affects children who speak English.

The facts: In fact, dyslexia has been shown to affect native Dutch, Israeli and Portuguese speakers as well as speakers of other languages. Dyslexia primarily affects the processing of speech sounds, otherwise known as phonological awareness. Dyslexia is also known to affect languages that are orthographically-based like Chinese.

Myth 14: Dyslexia cannot be identified until a child is 8 to 11 years old.

The facts: Research suggests children at risk of developing reading, spelling and writing difficulties can be identified at 5 to 6 years of age. In fact, there are validated instruments which allow us to do so. It is also important to identify them early so that appropriate help can be given before they start failing in school.

Myth 15: There is no way to truly diagnose dyslexia.

The facts: There are highly sophisticated and well-recognized techniques to diagnose dyslexia. A qualified educational psychologist will be able to diagnose dyslexia through a series of assessments with the child.

Myth 16: Dyslexia will prevent your child from succeeding.

The facts: Your child should succeed not despite dyslexia but because of it.

Myth 17: Dyslexics will not succeed in life.

The facts: A great majority of dyslexics have succeeded in life in their own respect. Some famous and accomplished dyslexics include Albert Einstein, MM Lee Kuan Yew, Richard Branson and Tom Cruise to name a few.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

TEACHERS DAY MESSAGE

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY!

TEACHERS TRANSFORM.

DON"T BE HELD BACK BY THE PAST!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE SPECIALIST TEACHERS WHO ARE SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THIS BLOG.

IF YOU ARE NOT ON OUR BLOG LIST JUST EMAIL ME AT

mikailchristiano@gmail.com

or txt me at 013837 0568

I am Mary Anne Vaz

From Miri

I enjoy teaching .

Thursday, April 28, 2011

LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONEMENT

Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment

The placement of students with disabilities ages three through 21 in appropriate settings has been an integral part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) since its enactment. Three basic principles are included in the federal mandates. These are:
Placement is based on the student 's individualized education program;
Placement is in the least restrictive environment; and
A continuum of alternative placement options is available to all students with
disabilities.

Of these principles, the requirement to place students in the least restrictive environment has raised the most questions and generated the most discussion. Although this requirement has been included in Part B of the IDEA since 1975, consistent understanding and direction have emerged more recently through federal court decisions, the amendments of IDEA '97 and the final federal regulations that were published on March 12, 1999. In the Oberti decision of May 1993, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit established a three prong test for determining placement in the regular classroom. Because New Jersey is part of the Third Circuit, the Oberti decision with its three prong test is the standard for the state. The special education code was amended by the State Board of Education on April 5, 1995 to incorporate fully the three prong test of the Oberti decision. On July 6, 1998, the special education code was readopted as N.J.A.C. 6A:14. The section on least restrictive environment at N.J.A.C. 6:28-2.10 was amended to conform to the requirements of IDEA '97 and was recodified at N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.2.

In light of the new federal and state requirements and in response to questions from the field, this memorandum is an effort to provide guidance on the issue of placement in the least restrictive environment. This memo will inform you of the current placement requirements, outline a decision-making process to assist in the determination of least restrictive environment and clarify the school district's responsibility in the placement process.
The IDEA requirement for placing students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment has three components:

To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with students who are nondisabled;

Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular classroom occurs only when the nature or severity of the educational disability is such that education in the regular class cannot be achieved satisfactorily with the use of supplementary aids and services; and

To the maximum extent appropriate, each child with a disability participates with nondisabled children in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities.

These requirements demonstrate clearly the preference for educating students with disabilities in the regular classroom. However, the IDEA also requires that a full continuum of services be available to meet the needs of students with disabilities who cannot be educated in the regular classroom for part or all of the school day. Additional rules regarding placement require that each student with disabilities be educated as close to home as possible, and that each student be educated in the same school he or she would attend if not disabled, unless the individualized education program (IEP) specifies some other arrangement.

Lastly, placement must be based on the IEP.

LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONEMENT

Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment

The placement of students with disabilities ages three through 21 in appropriate settings has been an integral part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) since its enactment. Three basic principles are included in the federal mandates. These are:
Placement is based on the student 's individualized education program;
Placement is in the least restrictive environment; and
A continuum of alternative placement options is available to all students with
disabilities.

Of these principles, the requirement to place students in the least restrictive environment has raised the most questions and generated the most discussion. Although this requirement has been included in Part B of the IDEA since 1975, consistent understanding and direction have emerged more recently through federal court decisions, the amendments of IDEA '97 and the final federal regulations that were published on March 12, 1999. In the Oberti decision of May 1993, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit established a three prong test for determining placement in the regular classroom. Because New Jersey is part of the Third Circuit, the Oberti decision with its three prong test is the standard for the state. The special education code was amended by the State Board of Education on April 5, 1995 to incorporate fully the three prong test of the Oberti decision. On July 6, 1998, the special education code was readopted as N.J.A.C. 6A:14. The section on least restrictive environment at N.J.A.C. 6:28-2.10 was amended to conform to the requirements of IDEA '97 and was recodified at N.J.A.C. 6A:14-4.2.

In light of the new federal and state requirements and in response to questions from the field, this memorandum is an effort to provide guidance on the issue of placement in the least restrictive environment. This memo will inform you of the current placement requirements, outline a decision-making process to assist in the determination of least restrictive environment and clarify the school district's responsibility in the placement process.
The IDEA requirement for placing students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment has three components:

To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with students who are nondisabled;

Special classes, separate schooling or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular classroom occurs only when the nature or severity of the educational disability is such that education in the regular class cannot be achieved satisfactorily with the use of supplementary aids and services; and

To the maximum extent appropriate, each child with a disability participates with nondisabled children in nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities.

These requirements demonstrate clearly the preference for educating students with disabilities in the regular classroom. However, the IDEA also requires that a full continuum of services be available to meet the needs of students with disabilities who cannot be educated in the regular classroom for part or all of the school day. Additional rules regarding placement require that each student with disabilities be educated as close to home as possible, and that each student be educated in the same school he or she would attend if not disabled, unless the individualized education program (IEP) specifies some other arrangement.

Lastly, placement must be based on the IEP.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

UNITY OF PERSONALITY BY A PEACEFUL PHLEGMATIC

The Unity of Personality by A Peaceful Phlegmatic

God created Peaceful Phlegmatics as special people to be the buffers for the emotions of the Popular Sanguine, Powerful Choleric, and Perfect Melancholy. It is the perfect leveler for the other emotions.
Peaceful Phlegmatics are best because they are good in positions of mediation and unity. Why? This is because Peaceful Phlegmatic tries to keep peace in the ranks. As men struggle on choppy waters, Peaceful Phlegmatic lifts his head and calms the rough seas. They can unite opposing forces.
Moreover, Peaceful Phlegmatics are best in storms that need a calming hand. This is because Peaceful Phlegmatic backs up and waits a minute, then moves quietly in the right direction. Emotion doesn’t overwhelm them . “It’s not worth getting upset over...” they muse.
Besides that, Peaceful Phlegmatics are good listeners. Due to this, they have many friends. They would rather listen than talk. A peaceful Phlegmatic can keep quiet and doesn’t have to say a word. Because of this, other temperaments love to have people they can spout off to in time of need.
A Peaceful Phlegmatic is good. This is because gentle words enhance life and health . Griping only brings about discouragement. That is the specialty of Peaceful Phlegmatic.

By Frederick Bantin

Thursday, February 10, 2011

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Alice was a student that was easily overlooked by other students. The other students thought that she was a weird person, because her attitude and study methods were not same as them.
Alice was annoyed that her friend’s were also talking about her, behind her back. She realized that she needed stop the attitude of picking her nose and stop sitting impolitely while studying.
She was determined that she would not be easily overlooked by others. While surfing the internet, she came across a Japanese philosophy. It is called ‘Kaizen’. The philosophy stated that we have to improve 1% each day. Alice was inspired by the philosophy and, and started to change 1% each day.
After the 100th day of working hard, her efforts paid off. People were not easily overlooking her as a weird person anymore. Alice was not picking her nose regularly again and not sitting impolitely. Many teachers also realized her potential was rapidly developing. She always got ‘A’s in her exam.
One day, Alice was asked to deliver her speech about her success. She quickly knew what t say during the speech. After talking about herself and her success, she ended her speech by saying “no one can predict what heights you can soar, even you will not know until you spread your wings”.
All the people were touched when she said the words. It made people realize about their capabilities. Alice was truly an inspirational figure for them.


By Frederick Bantin