Learning Disabilities in Children: An Overview

An expert explains what a learning disability is and isn't — and describes the signs to watch for in kids of different ages.

by: GreatSchools Staff | February 17, 2016

 Print article

You wonder why different professionals come to different conclusions about whether or not your child has a learning disability (LD). Why did the private assessment results say that your child has LD, but the public school disagreed?

What is a Learning Disability?

A learning disability affects the way children of average to above average intelligence receive, process, or express information and lasts throughout life. It impacts the ability to learn the basic skills of reading, writing, or math.

The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CCLD), a coalition of national organizations within the learning disabilities community, defines LD as “a neurobiological disorder in which a person’s brain works or is structured differently.”

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), used by psychologists and medical doctors, doesn’t list “learning disability,” but describes disorders in reading, mathematics, and written expression. Academic achievement, as measured by standardized tests, must be substantially below expectations for the child’s chronological age, intelligence, and age-appropriate education.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the federal law that provides for special education, defines “specific learning disability” as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language. Skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and/or mathematics may be negatively affected.

What a Learning Disability is Not

• Attention disorders, such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities often occur at the same time, but they’re not the same.
• Learning disabilities are not the same as mental retardation, autism, hearing or visual impairment, physical disabilities, emotional disorders, or the normal process of learning a second language.
• Learning disabilities aren’t caused by lack of educational opportunities, such as frequent changes of schools, poor school attendance, or lack of instruction in basic skills.

Facts about LD:

• Difficulty with basic reading and language skills are the most common LD.
• LD may be inherited.
• LD affect girls as frequently as they do boys.
• Kids don’t outgrow or get cured of LD.
• With support and intervention, kids with LD can be successful in learning and life.

What Should You Look For?

Most kids have some problems in school at one time or another. Some struggle with a specific subject while others have trouble relating to a certain style of teaching. Sometimes learning disabilities are blamed on lack of motivation, immaturity, or behavior problems. But if your child has significant ongoing problems with the “3 R’s” — basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic — then he may have a learning disability.

Because each child has a unique set of strengths and challenges, you’ll want to talk with the teacher, other school staff, family members, and your child to get their input. As you think about the following factors, ask yourself if your child has shown these characteristics to a greater degree than normal for her age, over a period of time, and in different environments, e.g., school, home, child care settings, community.

EXERCISES

1- READ THE TEXT ABOVE AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

THE TEXT IS …

a.            a biography

b.            a novel 

c.            an article in a blog

d.            an academic text

e.            an article in a web page

2- READ THE TEXT QUICKLY AND FIND

1- The date when the text was published____________________________

2- The name of author of the text _________________________________

3- The source   ________________________________________

3- READ  THE TEXT AGAIN AND DECIDE IF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES ARE TRUE OR FALSE

1- Attention disorders, Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder and learning disabilities always occur at the same time and they are the same.

2..Learning disabilities are caused by lack of educational opportunities 

3.The LD has greater impact on boys than girls.

4.Learning disabilities may not be inherited.

5.LD is defined as a neurological disorder in which the brain of a person works differently or has a different structure.

4-ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT

1.How is the child affected by learning disabilities?

2.How does the CCLD define learning difficulties?

3. What  are the ¨3 R´s¨? Why are they important?

4. What do you understand by learning disabilities? 

5- READ THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS AND MATCH THEM WITH THE WORDS FROM THE TEXT.

CCDL - 3 R´s - Learning Disability 

1-  A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes

2-Basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic

3- A coalition of national organizations within the learning disabilities community.



Captura de pantallas de las actividades realizadas en la plataforma Goconqr . (Haz click aquí)

Family Involvement in Children's 

Education

October 1997

Summary

Thirty years of research confirms that family involvement is a powerful influence on children's achievement in school (Eagle, 1989; Henderson & Berla, 1994; U.S. Department of Education, 1994; Ziegler, 1987). When families are involved in their children's education, children earn higher grades and receive higher scores on tests, attend school more regularly, complete more homework, demonstrate more positive attitudes and behaviors, graduate from high school at higher rates, and are more likely to enroll in higher education than students with less involved families. For these reasons, increasing family involvement in the education of their children is an important goal for schools, particularly those serving low-income and other students at risk of failure. Increasing family involvement in children's education is also an important goal of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which is designed to enable schools to provide opportunities for low-income and low-achieving children to acquire knowledge and skills contained in challenging standards developed for all children. Title I is the largest federal program supporting elementary and secondary education.

Families and Schools as Partners

If families are to work with schools as partners in the education of their children, schools must provide them with the opportunities and support they need to become involved. Too often schools expect families to do it all alone. Developing effective partnerships with families requires that all school staff (administrators, teachers, and support staff) create a school environment that welcomes parents and encourages them to raise questions and voice their concerns as well as to participate appropriately in decision making. Developing partnerships also requires that school staff provide parents with the information and training they need to become involved and that they reach out to parents with invitations to participate in their children's learning.

Schools that are most successful in engaging parents and other family members in support of their children's learning look beyond traditional definitions of parent involvement--participating in a parent teacher organization or signing quarterly report cards--to a broader conception of parents as full partners in the education of their children. Rather than striving only to increase parent participation in school-based activities, successful schools seek to support families in their activities outside of school that can encourage their children's learning. Schools that have developed successful partnerships with parents view student achievement as a shared responsibility, and all stakeholders--including parents, administrators, teachers, and community leaders--play important roles in supporting children's learning.

Successful school-family partnerships require the sustained mutual collaboration, support, and participation of school staffs and families at home and at school in activities that can directly affect the success of children's learning. If families are to work with schools as full partners in the education of their children, schools must provide them with the opportunities and support they need for success.

Source:  http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/FamInvolve/execsumm.html

Jennifer Schuty
Sabrina Cal
Gabriela Garrido

What is Inclusive Education?

Inclusive education means that all students attend and are welcomed by their neighbourhood schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school.

Inclusive education is about how we develop and design our schools, classrooms, programs and activities so that all students learn and participate together.

Neighbourhood schools are the heart of our communities, and Inclusion BC believes they are essential for a quality inclusive education system. Therefore we believe it is important to support a public education system in B.C.

                 

Benefits of Inclusive Education

All children benefit from inclusive education. It allows them to:

·         Develop individual strengths and gifts, with high and appropriate expectations for each child.

·         Work on individual goals while participating in the life of the classroom with other students their own age.

·         Involve their parents in their education and in the activities of their local schools.

·         Foster a school culture of respect and belonging. Inclusive education provides opportunities to learn about and accept individual differences, lessening the impact of harassment and bullying.

·         Develop friendships with a wide variety of other children, each with their own individual needs and abilities.

·         Positively affect both their school and community to appreciate diversity and inclusion on a broader level.

Why is inclusive education important?

It’s important because as Canadians, we value our diverse communities. These communities start at school, where all students learn to live alongside peers. They learn together; they play together; they grow and are nurtured together.

Is inclusive education for everybody?

The simple answer is YES. However, individual needs may mean that some students need to spend time out of regular class for a particular purpose. There are always exceptions, but they are in fact EXCEPTIONS: if needed, they are individualized in the student’s community school.

How can I make the school in my community more inclusive?

Ask your school principal what is being done to support teachers to include students with diverse needs in the classroom.

What should I expect?

You can expect the school to provide a plan to support teachers and students through good inclusive practices —like collaboration, team work, innovative instructional practices, peer-strategies, and more.

Source: http://www.inclusionbc.org/our-priority-areas/inclusive-education/what-inclusive-education

Video utilizado en clase:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-O79dbzPKw

Romina España - 4° B Magisterio 2016

The emotions

How Emotions Affect Learning, Behaviors, and Relationships

MARCH 10, 2016

We need all of our emotions for thinking, problem solving, and focused attention. We are neurobiologically wired, and to learn anything, our minds must be focused and our emotions need to "feel" in balance. Emotional regulation is necessary so that we can remember, retrieve, transfer, and connect all new information to what we already know. When a continuous stream of negative emotions hijacks our frontal lobes, our brain's architecture changes, leaving us in a heightened stress-response state where fear, anger, anxiety, frustration, and sadness take over our thinking, logical brains.

The 2015 film Inside Out is an exceptional and accurate portrayal of our five core emotions. These primary emotions are joy, sadness, fear, anger, and disgust. This film depicts how we use these emotions when difficult and happy experiences arise, and how we need the negative emotions just as much as the positive. After reviewing the science behind Inside Out, I developed research-based educational neuroscience strategies, questions, and assessment ideas aligning with a few scenes from the film. In this post, we'll explore four categories representing the conceptual and developing brains of all children and adolescents. There is no recipe for successful implementation of these strategies, and each will be based on the grade level, teacher preparation time, class time, and mostly the enthusiasm that we bring when introducing these concepts to our students.

Neuroplasticity/Feelings

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to rewire, strengthening pathways between neurons that are exercised and used while weakening connections between cellular pathways that are not used or retrieved. Rewiring our brain circuits is experience dependent -- we can change the synapses or connections that are firing by changing a perception or behavior. Neuroplasticity includes reframing or reappraising an experience, event, or relationship so that we observe and experience a different outcome. What we perceive and expect is what we get! The brain sees and responds to perception, not reality. Negative lingering brain states can become neural traits that are hardwired into our circuitry. Neuroplasticity is the best news from neuroscience in recent years.

The processes that support emotional intelligence are addressed in the growing field of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB). The theory behind IPNB provides a picture of human mental development and the potential for transformation that exists in changing thinking and processing of emotions, thoughts and behaviors (Siegel, 2001, 2006, 2007). The concept of emotional intelligence is interrelated with IPNB and the development of mindful awareness as a strategy for achieving healthy integration of emotional, psychological, physiological, and cognitive functioning (Davis & Hayes, 2011; Siegel, 2001, 2007).

In the film Inside Out, we are introduced to core memories. All of us are constantly creating memories, but what makes them core or significant are the emotions that we attach to these past events, experiences, and relationships. Emotions drive our attention and perception. We form positive and negative core memories because of the emotional intensity that we've attached to the event or experience.

Innovative Learning Enviroment: Three tips for effective implementation

At the recent CORE Education breakfast on Auckland’s North Shore, we in the future-focused education team set ourselves the goal of offering a set of ‘Top Three Tips’ for the effective use of Innovative Learning Environments (ILE). It’s always a great mental exercise to limit oneself to a ‘top three’ or a ‘top five’ because it asks you to be ruthless in your evaluation of all available options. We based our tips on research rather than just word of mouth, and here’s what we came up with:

1. Innovative Learning Environments are not just about physical spaces. Although it’s true that “we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us” (Churchill), it’s equally true that “buildings alone are not enough; it is about relationships and changing cultures and practices.” (Blackmore et. al. 2011). In the same way that pens, or desks, or Chromebooks might or might not increase outcomes for learners, the physical environment is merely a tool to be used by educators to enact their vision for powerful learning. Without deep, reflective thinking about how all of the elements of the learning ecosystem relate to each other, the physical learning environment on its own won’t achieve anything at all. The most important space is the one between the teacher’s ears.
2. Collaborative environments are often more effective for both teachers and learners. Not only do learners make better progress when they have opportunities to learn with others collaboratively (Hattie 2009), educators also make better progress when they teach (and learn) collaboratively. The advantages to educators include higher quality professional learning, and opportunities to pool insights about individual student’s learning (York-Barr et al., 2007). Spaces that facilitate and encourage collaborative teaching are likely to lead to improved student outcomes (Darling-Hammond, 2002).
3. Start with inclusion in mind. Inclusive education invites us to look at every learner is our care and ask, “What potential barriers to learning might exist for this person?” The challenge then becomes to use Universal Design for Learning to ensure that we have worked as hard as we can to remove those barriers for those learners. If a learner struggles to maintain focus in direct instruction for longer than 5-7 minutes (and who doesn’t, sometimes), a design response to this might be to make sure our instruction sequences are shorter, closer to the learner, or can be recorded for viewing later. If learners work better at times on their own, or in small or large groups, our choice of furniture should allow all of these possibilities. If learners prefer to demonstrate evidence of learning orally, using pen and paper, or via technology, they should be able to do this. (National Center On UDL. 2012)

Source: http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/blog/innovative-learning-environments-five-tips-effective-implementation

What is the future of technology in education?

What is the future of technology in education?

Forget devices, the future of education technology is all about the cloud and anywhere access. In the future, teaching and learning is going to be social, saysMatt Britland

A couple of weeks ago I was asked what I thought the future of technology in education was. It is a really interesting question and one that I am required to think about all the time. By its very nature, technology changes at a fast pace and making it accessible to pupils, teachers and other stakeholders is an ongoing challenge.

So what is the future? Is it the iPad?

No, I don't think it is. For me, the future is not about one specific device. Don't get me wrong, I love the iPad. In fact, I have just finished a trial to see if using them really does support teaching and learning – and they have proved effective. I've written about the trial in more detail on my blog.

iPads and other mobile technology are the 'now'. Although, they will play a part in the future, four years ago the iPad didn't even exist. We don't know what will be the current technology in another four. Perhaps it will be wearable devices such as Google Glass, although I suspect that tablets will still be used in education.

The future is about access, anywhere learning and collaboration, both locally and globally. Teaching and learning is going to be social. Schools of the future could have a traditional cohort of students, as well as online only students who live across the country or even the world. Things are already starting to move this way with the emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs).

For me the future of technology in education is the cloud.

Technology can often be a barrier to teaching and learning. I think the cloud will go a long way to removing this barrier. Why? By removing the number of things that can go wrong.

Schools, will only need one major thing to be prepared for the future. They will not need software installed, servers or local file storage. Schools will need a fast robust internet connection. Infrastructure is paramount to the the future of technology in education.

We don't know what the new 'in' device will be in the future. What we do know, is that it will need the cloud. Schools and other educational institutions will need to futureproof their infrastructure the best they can.

This should be happening now. If you want to start to use mobile technology in your school, whether it is an iPad program or a bring your own device (BYOD) program your connectivity must be fast and reliable. Student and teacher buy in, is so important. If the network is slow and things are not working properly students and teachers will not want to use the devices. Make the sure the infrastructure is there before the devices.

Teachers can use the cloud to set, collect and grade work online. Students will have instant access to grades, comments and work via a computer, smartphone or tablet. Many schools are already doing this. Plus, services such as the educational social network Edmodo offer this for free.

This is where devices come in. All devices, not matter which ones we will use in the future will need to access the cloud. Each student will have their own. Either a device specified by the school or one they have chosen to bring in themselves.

School classrooms are going to change. Thanks to the cloud and mobile devices, technology will be integrated into every part of school. In fact, it won't just be the classrooms that will change. Games fields, gyms and school trips will all change. Whether offsite or on site the school, teachers, students and support staff will all be connected. In my ideal world, all classrooms will be paperless.

With the cloud, the world will be our classroom. E-learning will change teaching and learning. Students can learn from anywhere and teachers can teach from anywhere.

The cloud can also encourage independent learning. Teachers could adopt a flipped classroom approach more often. Students will take ownership of their own learning. Teachers can put resources for students online for students to use. These could be videos, documents, audio podcasts or interactive images. All of these resources can be accessed via a student's computer, smartphone or tablet. As long as they have an internet connection either via Wifi, 3G or 4G they are good to go.

Rather than being 'taught' students can learn independently and in their own way. There is also a massive amount of resources online that students can find and use themselves, without the help of the teacher.

This of course means the role of the teacher will change.

Shared applications and documents on the cloud, such as Google Apps will allow for more social lessons. How often do students get an opportunity to collaborate productively using technology in the classroom? It isn't always easy. However, students working on documents together using Google Apps is easy. They could be in the same room or in different countries. These are all good skills for students to have. Of course, these collaborative tools are also very useful for teachers. I for one have worked on several projects where these tools have lets me work with people across the country. Some of which I have never met.

What we must remember is that when schools adopt new technology and services, they must be evaluated. This way, as a school, you know if they are successful and what improvements are needed. Staff will also need training, you can't expect staff to use new technology if it they are not confident users or creators. Any initiative is doomed to failure without well trained, confident staff who can see how technology can support and benefit teaching and learning.

Plenty of schools have already embraced this, but there's still a way to go to ensure all schools are ready for the future of technology. It is time for all schools to embrace the cloud.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jun/19/technology-future-education-cloud-social-learning

Luciana Dìaz 

Modern Learning Environments

Many of the modern learning environments being built today promote and support a range of pedagogies including delivering, applying, creating, communicating and decision-making. Modern learning environments support strengths-based teaching and can offer students and teachers flexibility, openness and access to resources. Providing teachers with an open, flexible learning environment can lead to the development of a robust, continuously improving community of practice.
Modern learning environments that align better with what we know about the brain and student learning can facilitate traditional pedagogies such as direct instruction if needed, but they typically offer students and teachers much more:

• Flexibility: the ability to combine two classes into one for team-teaching, split a class into small groups and spread them over a wider area or combine different classes studying complementary learning areas.
• Openness: modern learning environments traditionally have fewer walls, more glass and often use the idea of a learning common (or hub) which is a central teaching and learning space that can be shared by several classes. They provide opportunities to observe and learn from the teaching of others and be observed in return.
• Access to resources (including technology): typically a learning common is surrounded by breakout spaces allowing a range of different activities, such as reading, group work, project space, wet areas, reflection, and presenting. There is often a mixture of wireless and wired technology offering access as and when students need it, within the flow of their learning.

Working in an open, flexible learning environment where inquiries are shared, interventions devised collaboratively and reflections based on both self and peer observations, leads to a more robust, continuously improving community of practice.

 Source: http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/white-papers/modern-learning-environments

Cynthia Álvarez

Including Children with Down Syndrome in Early Childhood Care and Education Settings

Acá les dejo el texto entero por si quieren leerlo
Descargar

Including Children with Down Syndrome in Early Childhood Care and Education Settings

INTRODUCTION

Every educator/carer wants to do their utmost to meet the needs of children in their care during the early childhood years – a crucial time in any child’s life. The information included in this publication has been written to support you in your professional role of facilitating the development of a young child with Down syndrome.

The unknown can be frightening. This is true even for parents when their baby is born, but the apprehension quickly dwindles once you get to know the child and are armed with the appropriate information. This booklet has been designed to give you some basic information about Down syndrome and to offer you practical ideas for integrating a child with this syndrome into your group. The information presented here is based on common traits of children with Down syndrome, but of course all children are different. As always, your best resources are the parents of the child, the two who know their son/daughter best.

Is Integration a Good Idea?

This is a common question and deserves to be addressed. Many parents are now choosing to “mainstream” their children because of growing research findings on the benefits of integration.

We now know that the child with Down syndrome can gain significantly from the language and social skills they observe in their typically-developing peers. They flourish with exposure to the rich language and play experiences they witness around them. We also know that the other children, too, benefit from having a child with special needs as a peer.

They develop their nurturing skills while learning not to smother and, most importantly, they learn to accept differences by this early exposure. From the caregiver’s perspective, children with Down syndrome are usually not “difficult” and tend to be popular members of their class.

Overview of Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that a child is born with and has for life. The term ‘syndrome’ indicates a set of recognisable clinical features which may be present at birth. Some children may have vision or hearing difficulties, motor impairments and medical conditions like a heart defect or bowel problems, but all of these conditions are treatable. Some children will be more challenged to learn, while others will appear to be more like their typically-developing peers than they are different. People with Down syndrome often have recognisable facial features which have nothing to do with their level of cognitive functioning. The most important thing to understand is that this is a child first - a child who has the same needs as all other children. Early intervention is given for medical problems in combination with therapies - occupational therapy to help with strength, use of hands and independence skills; physiotherapy to help with motor skills; and speech and language therapy to help with communication skills. As individual as children are, there are certain traits that tend to be evident in most children with Down syndrome. The following section will detail the learning profile of a child with Down syndrome and Section 3 will offer some ideas for integration, based on the learning profile, which you may find helpful.

Conclusion

You will probably find that having a child with Down syndrome in your class is a positive experience for everyone concerned. As a professional childcare provider, you know the great rewards of seeing young children blossom in front of your eyes; this is indeed one of the many perks of the job. This feeling can be multiplied tenfold when you have a child with Down syndrome in your care. The feeling of success is sweeter for the child, the parents, peers and teachers. Share in this feeling…. Share the journey.

Source:
http://scholar.google.com.uy/scholar_url?url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ewa_Pisula/publication/41421128_Parenting_stress_and_coping_styles_in_mothers_and_fathers_of_pre-school_children_with_autism_and_Down_syndrome._Journal_of_Intellectual_Disability_Research_54_266-280/links/542304a70cf26120b7a6b8fa.pdf&hl=es&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm2nWcYcpmKptZLh6uTEkg1MLSrecg&nossl=1&oi=scholarr&ved=0ahUKEwj4xeC1uYLNAhXMWx4KHU6sB4kQgAMIDSgBMAA

Education in values

Education in values

Values-based Education is an approach to teaching that works with values. It creates a strong learning environment that enhances academic achievement, and develops students' social and relationship skills that last throughout their lives.

The positive learning environment is achieved through the positive values modelled by staff throughout the school. It quickly liberates teachers and students from the stress of confrontational relationships, which frees up substantial teaching and learning time.

What Values Are

Values are principles that drive behaviour. They influence our actions and attitudes, and become our framework for living. They influence our relationship with ourselves and others.

The wide range of positive human values encouraged in schools include patience, respect, fairness, tolerance, respect, compassion and collaboration.

Like riding a bike, values are learned through a combination of practice and instruction. Students learn what values are, how to recognise them, and how people react to them, equipping them with invaluable social skills and emotional intelligence.

What Values Are Not

Values education is not additional curriculum. It is not something teachers have to bolt on to an already full agenda. It is an approach that makes teaching the very full agenda easier.

It is not a quick fix solution. Many people perceive values to be liberal and soft. In reality, they are exactly the opposite. They provide a clear awareness of acceptable behaviour, against which staff and students choices of behaviour are evaluated. Values help reduce the options for inappropriate behaviour.

It is not something expected only of students. Effective teaching of values is measured not by students' ability to define values, by its impact on their behaviour. For teaching of values to be effective, positive values need to be modelled by staff. A values-driven environment applies equally to staff and students alike.

Fuente: http://www.valuesbasededucation.com/vbe.values.html