Blog #5 Emotional Behavioral Disorders

http://prezi.com/osxwt4ewt0wy/learners-with-emotional-or-behavioral-disorders/

Fat City, Placement, and Chapter 5

Words used: Frustration, Anxiety, Tension, Dysnomia, Time, Reinforcements, Auditory, Background, Intraindividual, Interindividual, Fairness, Average, IQ, CNS, RTI, Pre-referral, Heterogenity, Coexist

               The words found above describe Fat City and chapter five.  Frustration, anxiety, and tension are the words that make up the word “fat” in fat city.  These are the three main feelings students with a learning disability feel. Throughout this video, I learned characteristics of students with learning disabilities and what strategies to use.  Learning disabilities affects students academically.  Concepts, questions, and ideas are processed twice as slow.  By the time a student figures out the answer, the student with LD is still processing the question that was asked.  They do not like surprises, so being called on gives them high anxiety.  By giving time for students to process the question and think of the answer, they are at more ease. Students comprehend better if they have more background knowledge; it is not from the vocabulary that is taught.  Writing is very difficult for students as well as understanding why they get in trouble. 

                Using positive reinforcements is a great strategy to use.  Direct instruction, not using sarcasm, and making a “deal” with the student assists in their development.  Making a “deal” as in speaking with them beforehand and deciding a good way to let the student know you will be calling on them that are not too obvious for other students to pick up on.  In this video, I loved when he discussed fairness, and put it into a completely different way than what we think of the word as being.  He said, “Not everyone gets the same thing; everyone gets what they really need”, and I do not think that could have been said any better.  The differences between intraindividual and interindividual were discussed.  Intraindividual is when students are compared across weeks and are compared to themselves, where as interindividual is when students are compared to other students.  The last main idea was the discussion of how states have different standards and use different models, so how can we truly compare students? Different models are used even in the same state, so how can we compare students even in the same district?  There are many complications that are involved with state differences.

                I have noticed that in my placement many of the characteristics that I have learned from fat city appear in my classroom.  Many of the characteristics are caused due to behavioral problems.  I do notice some different strategies that are used compared to in fat city.  In fat city, he mentioned not using sarcasm, but in my placement there is a good atmosphere where joking occurs, especially some sarcasm.  I do think it depends on the student, but all of my students like to make jokes and enjoy laughing.  They do not take it personal, but actually seem to enjoy it.  During my placement today, I was able to see how a PSSA was administered.  During the modified math section, the Para educator was allowed to read the problems aloud to the student, but not the answers.  I had a discussion with my co-op about alternate assessments and how they have determined which tests each students takes.  She mentioned many of the ways that we have discussed in our classes of how they are allowed to take breaks and such.  I was able to see a modified version and a regular version.  Instead of having two booklets, one where answers are recorded and one with the actual problems, the modified version is a combination of the two.  So, they receive one booklet with the question and the answers included.  The content is still as difficult, but put in a more simplistic way.  She mentioned how it is difficult for her to watch them take the PSSA because many have to take it at the grade level where they are supposed to be at, when they are three grade levels below and have not learned the content in it.  I could definitely understand how that can be frustrating as a teacher.  She is a great motivator and constantly told them to try their best and to not get down on themselves if they could not figure it out, but to try and move on.  They all seemed to be okay with taking them, but seemed bored. 

                Some of the words also describe some of what we learned in chapter 5.  We learned about the elements that have stayed consistent across all definitions of learning disabilities.  CNS (Central Nervous System) dysfunction is one of them as well as coexisting (having ADHD and a learning disability).  Learning about what is required for an evaluation for a student we suspect to have a learning disability is important.  Just like knowing what is required in an IEP, knowing what is required for an evaluation is important as well.  Getting parental consent, pre-referral interventions, IQ test, social/school background, student’s data, hearing/vision, and anecdotal records are all required.  RTI is used to identify eligible students by using a framework.  The percentage of students requiring intensive supports decreases.  All of these come into play when working with children who have a learning disability, and it is important to focus on each students individual needs.