Handling Inclusion Students

A good inclusion teacher will do his/her best to motivate his or her students, especially the ones who are struggling or who refuse to do the work regularly. Sometimes, a non-disabled teen will reject the help, it has happened to me, believing erroneously that I am not their teacher or that it would place them in the same category as the special education classmates. Yes, there is a certain stigma attached to the label "inclusion student"; the perception is probably due to the lack of comprehension by both regular students and classroom teachers. The question I am asked most often is "What exactly does Learning Disability mean?" I try to clarify the best way possible to my teaching colleagues that these students do not perceive stimuli normally, even though their intelligence level is average-normal. It would take a trained psychologist to give all the details, I am not, but the tool we use to detect such learning disability (LD) is a series of tests which show severe discrepancies between the potential and the actual academic performance. For example, if a child's verbal ability is calculated at 100 and he/she performs at 85, we call that a learning disability in Reading Comprehension.

The Neurodevelopmental Approach to Learning Difficulties - How to Get Real Solutions

Labels represent a group of symptoms exhibited by an individual with learning difficulties. Many approaches target those symptoms. On the other hand, the neurodevelopmental approach seeks to find the underlying neurodevelopmental causes and prepares an Individualized Neurodevelopmental Plan. The neurodevelopmentalist designs this INP with a list of activities that develop the areas of deficiency. Most often, labels limit expectations rather than lead to a solution. Then the neurodevelopmentalist looks at the five paths of sensory input: visual, auditory, tactile, taste and smell as well as the three areas of motor output: fine motor, gross motor and expressive language. All of these areas are necessary in the process of neurological organization.

One specific area that the neurodevelopmentalist evaluates is the individual's ability to crawl, creep and walk in a cross pattern. This ability represents brain organization. In the normal progression, the infant first crawls on tummy like an army soldier, then creeps on hand and knees and then walks. All of these are necessary steps in the neurodevelopmental process.

ADHD Hyperactivity, Impulsivity And Inattention - What Parents Should Know

For the vast majority of parents ADHD hyperactivity is the one problematic symptom that they desperately want answers for. While hyperactive behavior can really prove taxing both on the family and in the classroom environment, it is important for both educators and parents to understand that the ADHD has no control over this symptom of their disorder. The hyperactivity is not voluntary and is most definitely not the result of bad behavior. According to a number of studies it would appear that the hyperactivity associated with kids with ADHD is caused through an imbalance of neurotransmitters within the brain. These neurotransmitters are norepinephrine and dopamine. When the imbalance of these chemicals is addressed and balance restored, the symptoms of ADHD are curtailed and sometimes totally eradicated.

Although there is a tendency to think that ADHD hyperactivity is something that affects only children, this is in fact erroneous. There are adults with ADHD as well but the hyperactive component tends to morph into more subtle forms. 

Anna University Admission Procedure

Anna University is a unitary type of University functioning in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This University is the authority in Tamil Nadu for admitting students through counseling, every year to various Government, Government aided and Private Engineering Colleges. Some years back, the premises where now Anna University is functioning was known as College of Engineering Guindy and the same name now too continues to be.

At present, in Tamil Nadu there is no entrance examination for admission of candidates in various engineering colleges and hence based on the Plus two marks, the admission procedure is being followed. Students who have studied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry are being called for counseling based on the marks scored in the Plus two examinations. The Marks in Mathematics are reckoned for 100 and the marks in Physics and Chemistry put together reckoned for 100. Suppose a candidate scores 200 marks he will the called for the counseling on the first day of the counseling session and so on.

As of now, in Tamil Nadu there are about 455 Engineering Colleges, which include Government, Government aided and Private Colleges. The fees structure in Government and Government aided colleges will be very less when compared to Private colleges.

Could Food Be Causing Your Learning Difficulties' Nightmare?

Research You May Not Be Aware Of....

Concerns have existed for approximately 40 years about the impact of modern processing of food on our children. In the early 1970's leading paediatricians, allergists and doctors began to question the safety of processed foods. One allergist/paediatrician in particular, Dr Feingold, was extremely concerned. Over the space of a decade, he had seen an exponential rise in children being brought to him with behavioural and learning issues. His research lead him to the conclusion that the processes, additives, flavourings and preservatives being used to grow, manufacture and store food were behind this exponential rise. He was seeing children with migraines, irritability, mood swings, depression, aggression, the inability to read, conditions that mimicked dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia as well as all those behaviours and symptoms we associate with ADD/ADHD.

He was not alone with his concerns. Researchers across the globe began to look at the effects of food on behaviour and the ability to learn. Their findings may surprise you.

Special Ed Robotic Instruction for One-On-One Education

One of the biggest challenges we have in special education in our schools, at least out here in California in my area is the cost of one-on-one education. A good many of these kids really do need one-on-one instruction as that is the most appropriate given the situation, or at least multiple teachers or teacher aides per classroom, and those classroom sizes are smaller, and it's a lot to handle when helping these kids learn.

There have been significant strides made in working with computers and avatars to help Special Ed kids, and that's a wonderful thing, but still we must reduce the cost further. Of course that's difficult without lowering the level of instruction. Okay so let's talk about this for a second and some potential solutions.

First, our think tank has been working hard to come up with new ways to improve the efficiency without reducing quality of the classroom. It's all about costs, budget controls, and leveraging the technology. Still, the teachers need latitude, and freedom to do their teaching.

Technology In The Classroom

In the field of technology, the word disruptive is used for a technology or innovation that brings about a radical change in the way a sector functions by introducing efficiency, affordability and convenience. The technology revolution in the business sector is represented by the extensive use of smarter phones or web conferencing in American offices. However, the impact of disruptive technology on the education sector is much higher. A wave of smart classes and e-learning has transformed the way education is delivered and pursued, today.

The presence of technology in classrooms makes the student an active learner instead of a passive one. The education system becomes more student-centric. The student can choose, manipulate and generate what he wants to study and how. The student himself creates the learning environment and the mode of obtaining lessons. E-learning has made the education system more convenient and flexible. The student can learn through his own choice of platform. The role of the teacher also changes as he is no more the sole source of knowledge. He transforms into a mentor and is responsible for providing guidelines and resources to the students.

Common Learning Disabilities

There are a lot of students who either have or develop different learning disabilities throughout their educational career. This could mean they have dealt with it since elementary or grade school, or they didn't have it until they went to college. Either way, it can still make getting an education difficult and can affect the grades they get. However, a lot of these disorders and disabilities are very common and although some may prove to be more of a challenge than others, they are still possible to work with and accommodate.

One of the most common types is attention deficit disorder, ADD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD. This condition normally affects the attention span of students and can make it difficult to concentrate during lectures, tests, and assignments. There are ways to treat this medically with a prescription from a doctor. However, many students find ways to work through their disorder without medication. Students with ADD or ADHD should take frequent breaks while studying or working on an assignment, and find a way to relieve built up stress or tension. 

Irlen Syndrome - What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Irlen Syndrome is defined as a visual processing disorder that can mimic what people consider to be dyslexia and/or ADD/ADHD. Discovered by Helen Irlen some 30+ years ago, Irlen Syndrome can be the leading cause of many learning difficulties.

People with Irlen Syndrome have a light sensitivity in the Visual Cortex - the part of the brain responsible for interpreting the light waves which make up the images we see. For these people, certain parts of the light spectrum cause problems. When those colours are absent, reading and writing can occur easily. When the colours are present, the individual with Irlen experiences discomfort, fatigue, and a general feeling of 'this is all too hard'.

Basically, what happens is the images sent via the eyes to the brain travel through 2 nerves (4 in total - 2 from each eye). Normally, these 2 nerves fire at the same time sending an image which is in sync; crisp and clear for the brain to interpret. In Irlen Syndrome, one of these nerves fires at a slower rate causing the resulting images to be blurry and fuzzy - similar to looking at a 3 D TV screen without the 3 D glasses on.

Groom Your Leadership Qualities With Leadership Coaching

Each individual is different. The nature, behavior, character of no two people will be exactly the same. Every organization has numerous people working for it. It is very important for any organization to achieve success that it has to learn to manage and lead its employees effectively. Therefore, leadership coaching is of great importance for any organization. As we are well aware of the fact, that leadership is the essence of every organization's unrelenting success. The leadership development program will help to bring out the leadership qualities within the individual in an organization. These programs play an integral part of the transfiguration of a good leader to a great leader.

Many people believe that leadership is an inborn quality. It is a myth. With proper leadership training workshops, good leaders can be developed. It is very much possible to groom your managers to become effective leaders by imparting leadership coaching to them. Therefore, the role of leadership development programs can never be undermined. 

Cosmic Consciousness: The Buddhist Way In Using Koans To Experience Enlightenment

In another article I explained that not all of us function on a cosmic conscious level and certainly not all the time. I would even say that those who do must be very stable because it asks a lot of you a person to live in an area where you are alone and mostly without answers. Still many people have a desire to ponder on the questions of immortality, god and the universe.

Jesus

Without a doubt Jesus were in constant connection to his cosmic consciousness. Whether you accept him as god or a prophet, you must understand the level of thinking He must have gone through.

Buddha

Whether Buddhist or not, this Indian guru or prophet had the thinking ability to see beyond life on earth. Even a small exposure to the ideas of this person will allow you to understand why he made such an impact on his followers.

The Wonders of Video Modeling

Video Modeling is a scientifically proven method of teaching and has been approved by the CEC (Council for Exceptional Children). Studies have been around for many years, but video modeling seems to have just recently surfaced into the mainstream.

I made my own video modeling about 10 years ago having no idea of how effective it was. I made videos out of pure desperation to teach my autistic child.

Video Modeling provides so many lessons, moments, pictures, cues and more. These visuals simply cannot be replicated in one on one teaching to the extent the teaching can be done in video. VM provides repetition without needing a teacher. There are no distracters in VM - no one to attend to - no demands being placed on you and no actions needed. VM is simply watching. Most children with autism are visual learners; which explains the attraction and success.

To Label or Not to Label? Pros and Cons to Getting Educational Diagnoses

To Label:

1. Diagnostic testing may reveal learning gaps

2. Getting a diagnosis / label may qualify an individual for help in school and tutoring services at some colleges.

3. Having a label may make it easier to explain atypical behavior or achievement.

Not to Label:

1. While diagnostic testing may lead to learning gaps / (i.e. person can't add two digits to two digits, this person does not understand cause and effect in reading), it often limits expectations to what a person with that label typically can do.

Is Modern Technology Bad for Learning? Tips for the User of Modern Technology

Recently I went to my beauty salon to get my hair cut. They were running a special - "Hair Cuts for $7.00 after 7:00 pm on Tuesday evenings." There were more people than usual in the waiting area because of the special as many of us are looking for ways to save money. Most of us who were waiting were visually occupying ourselves while we waited. There were five to six people using hand-held electronic devices - phones, iPads etc. Two people were reading magazines and two of us were reading books. I do not know specifically what the owners of the electronic devices were doing - there are many ways to use these devices including talking, texting, listening to music, playing games, surfing the web and reading. It appeared that most of the users were visually occupied.

Since we see such great technological advancement in our day, we may think that we have increased in our intelligence. Sadly, our education system seems to be floundering. Some would have us think that our forefathers were widely illiterate. 

Can An ADHD Child Really Benefit From Attending A Specialty ADHD School?

As countless parents around the world can attest to, a child with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can be quite a handful, and many parents actually get to a stage where they literally become desperate. If parents of ADHD children feel this way, just try to imagine how teachers must feel if some of their students have ADHD. Not only is it a huge challenge trying to work with these kids, but they can also make it very difficult for a teacher to focus on other kids in the class.

With the number of ADHD kids rising year on year, we're seeing the arrival of more and more specialty schools which focus solely on providing high quality education to children with behavioral disorders such as ADD and ADHD. This is achieved by allowing children with these types of disorders to be taught in an environment which is specific to the special needs of these kids.

One of the most common behavioral traits of ADHD children is inattentiveness. This is not to say these children cannot pay attention to what's being taught in class, but they certainly have great difficulty staying focused on a particular subject or project for any length of time. 

Sensory Stages One and Two in Concept Development

In order to learn about the world and the things in it, we must explore our surroundings and gather information through our senses. Regardless of whether we are talking about a child or adult, or a developmentally delayed or gifted individual, and regardless of the skill or concept we are considering, the brain must begin its search for information by using the senses.

If we do not recognize something as having been encountered in the past or if we encountered it but did not understand it, we will rely on our sensory organs to gather information. Both children and adults who are presented with something completely novel to them will begin their investigation by looking, touching, tasting or listening to it. It is only after we have gained information about the physical properties of the thing we are exploring that we can move on to investigating it at a more sophisticated level.

Because sensory exploration is the foundation of all learning, individuals who have visual or hearing impairments and those who have inadequate sensory integration or sensory processing abilities are at a great disadvantage and are therefore at higher risk for experiencing delayed development and learning disabilities.

Advantages of Distance Learning Programs

Distance learning is gaining prominence among students eager to upgrade themselves for better career prospects. Distance courses serves as an alternative for students looking out for further education without undergoing any form of conventional classroom learning. With the rising competitiveness in the market, more and more adults are taking interest in pursuing higher education. Considering the rise in interest for higher education via distance program, education providers are looking forward to offer new technologies in order to meet this demand.

Distance education courses, no doubt, offer much of freedom and flexibility. Most students enrolling for distance education courses are working full-time and are not in a situation to quit their jobs. They need a source of income to run their family's expenses and quitting jobs mean inviting financial problems. Hence, in order to upgrade their educational qualifications along with a job, they prefer taking up distance learning courses.

Benefits of Distance Education Programs:

What You Should Know To Help Struggling Students

Children, adolescents, and adults with learning and performance difficulties are usually faced with information processing problems in a few specific areas. These areas include visual processing, auditory processing, organization, memory, attention, executive function, abstract reasoning and more.

For children and adults with LD and/or ADHD, their parents, and their teachers there are three very important words to remember: 1. Information, 2. Knowledge, and 3. Wisdom. Read on to find out what this means.

INFORMATION

The 1st level of understanding comes when you gather information (a) about LD and ADHD, their types, the combinations of difficulties, how they are diagnosed, and how they are treated so that you know as much as possible in order to proceed successfully, and (b) about the individual, including strengths, difficulties, testing results, behaviours, and performance. You will read books, watch DVDs, attend workshops, and ask questions.