Martes, Hulyo 24, 2012

final exam


ARABELLE B. WACAN-CASTRODES
SPED 506
Special Ed and Effective Integration
FINAL  EXAM


1.  What are the major learning and participation barriers?
            Major learning and participation barriers include social issues, negative attitudes, lack of acceptance, unfavorable socioeconomic factors, lack of community involvement, lack of parental recognition, and lack of parental participation. These lead to exclusion and the loss of opportunities. 

2.  What are the different factors that cause barriers to learning?
            Barriers to learning may arise from a range of factors, including physical, mental, sensory, neurological and developmental impairments as well as psychosocial disturbances, differences in intellectual ability, differences in life experiences, and socioeconomic deprivation.
           
3. Disability has always been regarded as a learning barrier.  What are the most common barriers?
            The most common barriers include: visual loss, hearing loss, speech and language difficulties, intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, psychological disorders, neurological disorders.

4. What are the provisions that should be extended to children with disabilities in cases where certain assessment standards in specific learning areas on account of their disabilities are not achieved?
            Learners who experience barriers to learning as a result of disability should be welcomed in ordinary school environments with the necessary support, in order that they may achieve their full potential. Teams that include parents, teachers and other relevant professionals should establish the nature and extent of support needed by the learner. In situations where children with disabilities may not achieve certain assessment standards in specific learning areas on account of their disabilities, a policy for the straddling of grades needs to be developed in order to prevent such learners from being excluded, as research has proven that grade retention does not remedy such situations. In addition, norms and standards for the provision of resources and assistive devices for learners with disabilities have to be developed in order for funding to be channeled towards providing support for such learners in mainstream schools.
           
5.  What are the barriers created as a result of socioeconomic factors?
Ø  Poor reading and print background (learners have not had preschool exposure to literacy and print in general). The parents of such learners have often had limited education opportunities.
Ø  A lack of exposure to numerical concepts.
Ø  Sensory deprivation resulting from a lack of opportunities during early childhood to explore the immediate and broader environments.
Ø  Poor oral language development as a result of a lack of communication, interaction and learning opportunities.
Ø  A poor self-image.
Ø  Children with absentee parents who often return to empty homes from school tend to experience social isolation and developmental deprivation.
Ø  The impact of alcoholism, substance abuse, violence and neglect.
Ø  Dysfunctional and anti-social behavior patterns (e.g., petty theft and lying).
Ø  Depression and hopelessness in adults and learners.
Ø  Teenage pregnancy.
Ø  Learner-headed households often require significant additional responsibilities from learners.
Ø  Mobility of families could create a lack of continuity in learning as a result of school hopping.
Ø  Changes in the family structure and family dynamics.
Ø  Late school enrolment.
Ø  Learners with challenging social conduct, including aberrant sexual behavior.

6.  What are the three major areas of differentiation? Define each one of them.
           A learning program is a phase-long plan that details:
ü  The sequencing of learning outcomes and assessment standards across the phase to ensure a coherent teaching, learning and assessment program;
ü  The core knowledge and concepts or knowledge foci selected to attain the learning outcomes;
ü  The context that ensures that teaching and learning are appropriate to the needs that exist in the communities, school and classroom; and
ü  The time allocation and weighting allocated to the different learning outcomes and assessment standards in the phase.

Ø  A work schedule is a year-long program that shows how teaching, learning and assessment will be sequenced and paced in a particular grade. It is a delivery tool, a means of working towards the achievement of the learning outcomes specified in the learning program, and it incorporates the assessment standards that will be achieved in that grade.

Ø  Differentiation at the level of the lesson, task and activity – at the interface between the proposed curriculum and the learning needs of individual pupils – implies adjusting tasks to the various interests, needs, aptitudes, experiences and previous achievements of diverse groups of pupils.

7.  Explain Differentiation.
            A differentiated curriculum offers a variety of ways for learners who differ in abilities, knowledge and skills to access a shared curriculum. Educators offer adaptations to what learners learn (content), how learners learn (process), and how learners demonstrate what they have learned (product). “Differentiation is not a recipe for teaching. It is not an instructional strategy. It is not what a teacher does when he or she has time. It is a way about teaching and learning.

8.  Give Strategies for Differentiation in Mathematics in a Gen-Ed setting. Choose any one of the learning areas.
            Strategies:
·         Identifying and describing shapes The learner feels the outside of the shape while naming the shape and its characteristics.
·         Multiple choice: Practice identifying the shape from a selection of two or more (e.g., ‘Give me the circle’. Repeat these steps until mastered.
·         Practice and generalization:
·         Sorting shapes of varying size, texture, color and thickness
§  finding the shape in the environment
§  drawing the shape
§  tracing around the shape
§  making the drawn shape into a picture


§  select the shape – by touch alone – from a small selection ‘feely bag’.
·         The following procedure is recommended for concept development:
§  Model of concept:
§  The concept is modeled to the learner using verbal cues (e.g. adult or peer shows the concept, moves behind the chair or places a plastic object behind the chair).
§  Experience the concept:
§  The learner repeatedly experiences the concept while hearing and using the language (e.g., playground equipment, classroom situations hiding behind the chair_.
§  Practice with 3-dimensional objects:
§  The learner uses 3-dimensional socio dramatic play equipment to practice the skill (e.g., Duplo doll’s house, Fisher Price garage, tea sets).
§  Practice with 2-dimensional objects:
§  The learner identifies or uses the concepts in books or worksheets.
·         The following activities provide practice at developing spatial skills in each step of the procedure

9.  Give Strategies for Differentiation in Language in a Gen-Ed setting. Choose any one of the learning areas.

            Listening Skills

v  Place the learner near the front of the class to minimize distractions.
v  Background noise should be eliminated. Keep the learner’s desk clear.
v  The positions of the teacher or another learner speaking and that of the learner experiencing a barrier are very important.
v  The position and source of light needs attention.
v  Visual distraction (pollution) (e.g., classes that are too full) should be eliminated.
v  Assistance may be given by a person or by using a technological device (e.g., hearing and FM system).
v  Listening can be supported with non-verbal cues such as gestures, sign, lip-reading, facial expressions (don’t overdo or exaggerate) and pictures to assist with comprehension of vocabulary or concepts. Never assume that the learner understood what you said. Check by asking questions.
v  Ask the learner to repeat the instruction to you.
v  Rephrase questions and sentences rather than merely repeating.
v  Do not discourage translations by other learners.
v  Learners who use SASL as a medium of communication or first language receive visual messages rather than auditory messages.
v  When giving instructions, the following is key: speech tempo and clarity shorter sentences, less information per sentence (not too wordy), longer pauses between sentences. Gaining eye contact and lowering your body to the learner’s eye level are also helpful.
v  Break verbal instructions down to two or more steps at a time.
v  Have one learner at a time speak, rather than overlapping speaking turns.
v   Encourage learners to ask questions in order to attain clarity and meaning.
v  In some cases, you may have to use extended sentences for learners.
v  Frequently used non-verbal signs could be placed on the classroom walls.



10.  How does curriculum flexibility works in an inclusive education?
            In addressing the diverse needs of the learners, the curriculum needs to be understood in its entirety. These aspects need to be considered in making the curriculum accessible to all learners. This includes:
 The content (i.e., what is taught).
 The language or medium of instruction.
 How the classroom is organized and managed.
 Teaching methods and processes.
 The pace of teaching and the time available to complete the curriculum.
 The learning materials and equipment that is used.
 How learning is assessed.

11.  Explain the Framework for Teaching Methodologies and its implication in inclusive education.
            All teaching methodologies should be underpinned by the following principles:
 The learner is the focal point of all teaching, learning and assessment.
 All learners are equally valuable.
 Lessons encourage the (full or partial) participation of all learners.
 Learner differences are an important resource for teaching, learning and assessment.
 All teaching learning and assessment should be adapted to suit the needs of learners, and not the other way round.
 Appreciation of people who are from different backgrounds (cultures, languages, religions, etc.).
 Give learners the opportunity to record their work in different ways.
 High expectations for all learners.
 Clear expectations (clarity of focus).
 The interests of the learners are considered.
 Individual learner levels.
 How learners learn best.
 The pace at which learners learn.
  
12.  What is multi-level teaching?
            Multilevel teaching is an approach that assumes the principles of individualization, flexibility and inclusion for all learners, regardless of their personal skills levels. Teachers should unconditionally accept learners who experience barriers and involve all learners in all classroom activities. In contrast to preparing different lessons for different learners, multilevel teaching advocates for one lesson with varying methods of learning, teaching and assessment. The lesson must include a variety of teacher techniques aimed at reaching learners at all levels. This means:
- Considering learners’ learning style when planning presentation methods.
- Involving learners in the lesson through questioning aimed at different levels of thinking (Bloom’s Taxonomy).
- Acknowledging that some learners will need adjusted expectations.
- Allowing learners to choose a method of their preference or competence in demonstrating knowledge, skills and values.
- Accepting that these different methods are of equal value.
- Assessing learners in terms of their differences.







13.  Name the three steps in the 3-step Lesson Development to accommodate diversity
            For teachers to develop lessons that accommodate the different levels of learners, the following steps are important:


Step 1: Identify what you want to teach (content) together with the underlying knowledge, skills and values.
Step 2: Determine the teacher’s methods of presentation
Step 3: Determine the assessment standards that will determine the learners’ method of practice.

14.  Give the characteristics of effective cooperative learning activities
            Cooperative learning is a way of teaching in which learners work together to ensure that all members in the group has learnt the same content. In cooperative learning, groups are organized and tasks are structured for learners to work together to reach a goal, solve a problem, make a decision, or produce a product.
v  Face-to-face interaction
v  Equal opportunity for success
v  Individual accountability
v  Interpersonal skills
v  Learner reflection
v  Positive interdependence

15.  Chart the curriculum differentiation ladder that facilitates differentiation for learners with varying intellectual and linguistic capacity.

Ask                                                                 Example
1.    Can the learner do the same as his or
her peers?                                                                       Spelling.
If not, can… 2. Can the learner do the same activity, but with
adapted expectations?                                            Fewer words.
If not, can… 3. Can the learner do the same activity, but with
adapted expectations and materials?                  Matching the words to pictures.
If not, can…  4. Can the learner do a similar activity, but with
adapted expectations?                                In the learner’s daily
environment.
If not, can…  5. Can the learner do a similar activity, but with
adapted materials?                                      Computer spelling program?
If not, can… 6. Can the learner do a different, parallel activity?         Learn a computer-typing program, learn word processing with a spell check, write or put pictures in a journal?
If not, can…  7. Can the learner do a practical and functional
Activity with assistance?                                                    Play or work with a word puzzle, game, flashcards etc., assisted by a buddy or class aid?






Martes, Hulyo 17, 2012

Special Education Effective Integration - Campus Survey


SPECIAL EDUCATION EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION
CAMPUS SURVEY
            Magallanes District is composed of ten elementary schools and one high school.  It has a total school district population of 4,200 students – 3,000 pupils in the elementary and 1,200 students in the high school.  The special school in Magallanes District is housed in the campus of Magallanes Central Elementary School, Magallanes, Agusan del Norte.  The campus has a population of 1,500 pupils; and only 15 special education pupils are served in the entire district.
            The support programs available in the special school of Magallanes District are as follows: Special Education Resource, Adaptive Physical Education, Counseling, PTA/PTO and Technology Support.  It has only three special education teachers; one for each of the following disabilities, hearing-impaired, visually-impaired and learning disability respectively.  The pupils enrolled in the special school have not undergone assessment and evaluation by a developmental pediatrician.  They were identified and enrolled through mapping conducted by the school prior to the opening of the school year. 
            The school lacks several services that should be provided to the children with special needs.  Initially, the children have not undergone a thorough assessment by a developmental pediatrician.  Since appropriate evaluation was not conducted, therefore appropriate interventions and treatment will not be possible.  
           
           
            

Lunes, Hulyo 16, 2012

Special Education And Effective Integration - Campus Survey



Location map of SPED schools in CARAGA Region


Salamanca Statement - Summary


The Salamanca Statement
In June 1994 representatives of 92 governments and 25 international organizations formed the World Conference on Special Needs Education, held in Salamanca, Spain. They agreed a dynamic new Statement on the education of all disabled children, which called for inclusion to be the norm.  In addition, the Conference adopted a new Framework for Action, the guiding principle of which is that ordinary schools should accommodate all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions.
The Statement begins with a commitment to Education for All, recognizing the necessity and urgency of providing education for all children, young people and adults 'within the regular education system.'  It says those children with special educational needs 'must have access to regular schools' and that regular schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all; moreover, they provide an effective education to the majority of children and improve the efficiency and ultimately the cost-effectiveness of the entire education system.
The Statement also calls on the international community to endorse the approach of inclusive schooling and to support the development of special needs education as an integral part of all education programs. In particular it calls on UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank for this endorsement.

RA 5447 - Summary


Republic Act 5447
Special Education Fund
            In line with the government’s policy to provide support to the goals of education, this act was created – the Special Education Fund.  It is a law establishing a special education fund to be drawn from the additional tax on real property and from a certain portion of the taxes on Virginia-type cigarettes and an additional tax from real property.  It also outlines the activities to be financed, creation of a school board for this purpose and fund appropriation.
            One of the activities of the Department of Education to be financed by the Special Education Fund is the organization and operation of extension classes, most especially in the remote areas.  The objective of which is to contain all school age children who desires to enter Grade I.  It also encompasses the creation of teacher positions, head teachers and principals; as well as the adjustment of their salaries.  Other activities and programs to be financed by the Special Education Fund are the programming of the construction and repair of school buildings, workshops, laboratories and other equipment and apparatus for schools offering vocational courses; as well as the provision of instructional materials and school facilities.
            It also encompasses the creation of a local school board in every province, city and municipality.  It is the duty of the local school board to decide on the annual budgetary needs of operation and maintenance of the public schools.

Linggo, Hulyo 15, 2012

RA 7277 - Summary


Republic Act 7277
Magna Carta for Disabled Persons
            This act provides for the rights and privileges of the disabled persons and their integration into the mainstream of the society. The State acknowledges the disabled persons as part of the society and that their full potentials have to be developed and improved to achieve total well-being so that they will become independent and functional into the mainstream of the society.  For this reason Republic Act 7277 – Magna Carta for the Disabled Persons has been adopted to ensure their rehabilitation, self-development and self-reliance, thereby achieving necessary skills and capabilities to take their essential part in the community.    
            Every citizen should be involved in giving equal rights to the disabled persons that of any other person in the society.  Like any other people, the disabled persons should live free and independent as possible without the discrimination from the society where they belong.  The rehabilitation of the disabled persons should be geared towards community-based programs to encourage full support and participation from the different sectors in the community.  The private sectors are also encouraged to extend their role as partners of the State in the society to foster welfare of disabled persons in programs aimed to respond to their specific special needs.  Thus, cultivating full capabilities of the disabled persons and eventually attain productive and fulfilling life. 
            The State encourages everyone to uphold respect for the disabled persons to make possible their integration into the mainstream society.  It also makes all the efforts to eradicate hindrances that are discriminating the capabilities and potentials of the disabled persons.