Learning Disabilities

CHARACTERISTICS AND POSSIBLE CAUSES:

- neurological condition children are born with and there is no cure

- occurs with average IQ (85+)

- history of perception problems

- significant discrepancy in attitude and achievement

Perception Problems:

- Identification: the ability to recognize (name/sort) sensory information

- recognizing voices, R vs. L

- Discrimination: the ability to notice increasingly subtle likenesses and differences between items (Dyslexia)

- poor word guessers

- wouldn’t recognize the sign change in Math

- Sequencing: the ability to recognize meaningful order and position of items

- visual order of things: spelling and math problem troubles

- poor note takers (need copies)

- Figure-Ground: the ability to prioritize items; to focus on the relevant and ignore the irrelevant

- distracted with clutter in room, ‘white noise’ is helpful, body-kinesthetic learners are sensitive to smells, touch, clothing

- Closure: the ability to activate prior learning to form a meaningful whole

- need for concrete answers and specific detail

- has trouble ‘filling in the gaps’

Possible Causes:

- Genetic link: ‘defect’ on X-chromosome

- Allergies

- Prenatal toxins that cross the placenta barrier

- Peri-natal anoxia: slight lack of oxygen

(Dr. Kathy Heikkila, UBC, EPSE 317 Fall 2011)

Emotional Behaviour Disorders

CHARACTERISTICS AND MANAGEMENT

A student who displays one or more of the following behaviours to an INTENSE degree over a long period of time (90 days in BC)

1. inability to learn that’s inexplicable

2. inability to build/maintain relationships with others

3. inappropriate behaviour under normal circumstances

4. tendency to develop physical symptoms (anxiety, physically acting out)

5. general, pervasive unhappiness – ALL the time

Behaviour Management

A ---------------------------> B ----------------------------->C

Antecedents Behaviour Consequences

-- If you don’t like the behaviour, you have two options:

- catch the trigger (hard) OR,

- adjust the consequence (easy)

NEVER punish a student for being angry

DON’T rush to give advise

DON’T take their anger personally

DO NOT try to extinguish behaviour without giving an alternative/substitute

(Dr. Kathy Heikkila, UBC, EPSE 317, Fall, 2011)

Intellectual Disabilities & Autism

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES DEFINED

1. Significantly subaverage IQ (less than 70)
2. Significant deficits in adaptive behaviour -- outside of school
- ie. difficulty with buttons or zippers
3. Occurs before age 18

* As a teacher, model how to interact with these students


CHARACTERISTICS (overlap with Autism)

1. Memory

• Short term memory = LOW
• Long term memory = Average

Repeat, repeat, repeat -- start young and make sure it is worth learning.

2. Language

• Expressive = LOW
• Receptive = Average

3. Motor Skills

• Gross motor (large muscles) = Average
• Fine motor = LOW

4. Other health problems:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Obesity

(Dr. Kathy Heikkila, UBC EPSE 317, Fall 2011)

Sensory Impairments

HEARING IMPAIRMENT

Identification of a student who may have a hearing impairment:
- turns head and positions ear toward the speaker
- asks for instructions and information to be repeated frequently
- appears inattentive
- uses a loud voice when speaking and does not respond when spoken to
- vocabulary is restricted
- is easily distracted by visual stimuli
- has a confused look on face

Classroom Adaptations and/or Accommodations for students with Hearing Impairments:
- Physical considerations -- position teacher so students can see his/her facial cues, position teacher so he/she faces students when teaching, seat students in a semi-circle to increase sight-lines
- ensure adequate lighting
- dampen classroom noise with carpeting, think curtains, rubber tips on chairs and tables
- provide visual reminders of time remaining in class
- use homework assignment books and journals to check for understanding
- use technology

Services:
- Educational interpreter (American Sign Language)
- note taker


VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Symptoms of Possible Vision Problems:
- rubs eyes
- tilts head, covers one eye, squints
- blinks more than usual
- holds books close to eyes
- eyes crossed
- inflamed and watery eyes
- swollen eyelids
- complains that eyes itch
- complains of headaches, dizziness or nausea after close eye work

Classroom Adaptations and/or Accommodations for students with Visual Impairments:
- ask student is assistance is needed
- strategic seating arrangements
- teach all students how to use proper technique in being a sight guide
- be vocal for when you are leaving and entering a room
- ensure proper lighting
- speak directly to student
- take regular breaks at intervals to reduce fatigue in listening or using the Braille machine
- encourage independent learning
- use technology

Smith, T. E. (1998). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive settings (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Gifted and Talented

The Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness (Renzulli, 1986)

After an extensive analysis of research studies of gifted individuals, Renzulli concluded that giftedness involves the interaction of three sets of characteristics: above average intellectual ability, creativity and task commitment. This interaction may result in giftedness in general performance areas such as mathematics, philosophy, religion or visual arts, or in the performance areas as specific as cartooning, map-making, play-writing, advertising or agricultural research.

Treffinger (1986, p.40) defined the characteristics as follows:

Above Average Intelligence

• Advanced vocabulary
• Good memory
• Learns very quickly and easily
• Large fund of information
• Generalizes skilfully
• Comprehends new ideas easily
• Makes abstractions easily
• Perceives similarities, differences, relationships
• Makes judgments and decisions

Creativity

• Questioning; very curious about many topics
• Has many ideas (fluent)
• Sees things in varied ways (flexible)
• Offers unique or unusual ideas (original)
• Adds details; makes ideas more interesting (elaborates)
• Transforms or combines ideas
• Sees implications or consequences easily
• Risk-taker; speculates
• Feels free to disagree
• Finds subtle humour, paradox or discrepancies

Task Commitment

• Sets own goals, standards
• Intense involvement in preferred problems and tasks
• Enthusiastic about interests and activities
• Needs little external motivation when pursuing tasks
• Prefers to concentrate on own interest and projects
• High level of energy
• Perseveres; does not give up easily when working
• Completes, shares products
• Eager for new projects and challenges
• Assumes responsibility

Taken from, BC Ministry of Education (http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/gifted/who_are.htm) 2011


Approaches to Programming

- acceleration -- moving through curriculum at a more rapid pace
- continuous progress/self-paced instruction -- allows students to move through curriculum at their own pace
- subject-matter acceleration -- moving through a particular subject at an increased rate
- curriculum compacting -- less time on general curriculum, more time on enrichment
- enrichment -- deeper curriculum

Smith, T. E. (1998). Teaching students with special needs in inclusive settings (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.