Monday, November 11, 2013
Classroom Posters: Life Quotes
Here is a new batch of posters I made. Hopefully you can use these in your classrooms.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Dyscalculia: Teaching Methods and Instructional Strategies
As a continuation of my discussion about dyscalculia, let me present to you some teaching methods in helping pupils with dyscalculia. The beauty about these methods is that these can likewise be useful to students without dyscalculia.
Concept Attainment
Strategy
This allows the child to discover the
essential attributes of a concept. This can enhance students’ skills in
separating important from unimportant information; searching for patterns and
making generalizations; and defining and explain concepts
This can be applied through the following example:
|
Model Approach
The Model Approach to solving word problems
was developed locally years ago by Hector Chee, a very experienced Mathematics
teacher, and has since been widely used in the teaching of kids math in primary
schools in Singapore (Singapore was ranked 1st in the recent TIMMS last 2001).
This
method is especially useful when: the student responds better to visual stimuli
(e.g. pictures, drawings, etc); tries the conventional methods but they do not
really work well; and the student has not learnt algebra yet and solving the
math problems with algebra is not an option.
The example below is an illustration on how to use model approach in problem solving. (source: http://mathsexcel.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/part4a3.png?w=500&h=416
The example below is an illustration on how to use model approach in problem solving. (source: http://mathsexcel.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/part4a3.png?w=500&h=416
STAR
STAR is an example of an empirically
validated (Maccini & Hughes, 2000; Maccini & Ruhl, 2000) first-letter
mnemonic that can help students recall the sequential steps from familiar words
used to help solve word problems involving integer numbers.
The
steps for STAR include:
Search the word problem;
Translate the problem;
Answer the problem; and
Review the solution
Below
is an example of a structured worksheet using STAR strategy in solving word
problem:
Objective:
Solve 2- to 3- step word problems involving whole numbers (BEC PELC II. A.1.2)
Problem:
Mr. Cruz had P4,500. He spent P2,500 for food; P750 for transportation; and
P275 for other expenses and divided the rest among his 5 brothers. How much was
the share of each?
Strategy
Questions:
S-earch the word
problem
a. Read the problem
carefully
b. Ask yourself
questions: "What do I know? What do I need to find?"
c. Write down the facts:
·
Mr.
Cruz had P4,500.
·
He
spent P2,500 for food
·
P750
for transportation
·
P275
for other expenses
·
He
divided the rest among his 5 brothers
I
need to find share of each brother.
T-ranslate the words
into an equation in picture form.
P2,500-food
|
P750-transportation
|
P275- other
expenses
|
?=divided among 5
brothers
|
A-nswer the problem
If
I add all Mr. Cruz’s expenses and subtract the sum from his original money, I
can get the amount that was shared by his five brothers and divide this by 5.
Mr.
Cruz’s expenses: P2,500 + P750 + P275 = P3,525
P4,500
- P3,525=P975
P975
÷ 5 = P195
Each
brother receives P195.
R-eview the Solution
a. Reread the problem
b. Ask yourself
questions: "Does the answer make sense? Why?"
c. Check the answer
I
checked my answer.
When
I multiplied P195 by 5 and added the product to the total of Mr. Cruz’s
expenses, I got P4500 which is Mr. Cruz’s total amount.
Advance/Graphic
Organizers
Using advance organizers is cognitive
instructional strategy used to promote the learning and retention of new
information (Ausubel, 1960). It is a method of bridging and linking old
information with something new.
An
advance organizer is information that is presented prior to learning and that
can be used by the learner to organize and interpret new incoming information
(Mayer, 2003).
I have posted and discussed examples of advanced organizers on the following links:
Games
Games can make math learning fun, enjoyable
and interesting even for a child with dyscalculia. Aside from developing
mathematical skills and ability, it is still important that the love and
motivation to learn math will be present in a dyscalculic child.
The following math games are designed to
develop numeracy skills (e.g. number sense and counting, calculation, place
value,) that are basic but essential skills for developing mathematical
ability. These games are recommended games lifted from the book The Dyscalculia
Assessment (Emerson and Babtie,2010). The games can be used by children with
mathematical disability (and even regular) from any grades (since the numbers
can be modified depending on the grade level).
a.
THE
ESTIMATING GAME
•
To introduce the idea of the structured number track.
•
To develop the concept of the size of numbers.
b.
CATERPILLAR
TRACKS
•
To reinforce the importance of the base ten structure.
•
To compare quantities.
c.
UNTANGLING
-TEEN AND -TY
•
Distinguish between the word-endings ‘-teen’ and ‘-ty’.
d.
THE
STAIRCASE GAME
•
To build a sequence using Cuisenaire rods.
•
To develop the concept of comparison.
•
To develop a strong visual image of comparative size.
e.
FOUR IN
ORDER
(Putting number patterns in the
correct sequence)
•
To recognize number patterns.
•
To sequence numbers.
f. PATTERN PAIRS
(A matching and memory game)
•
To
learn to recognize numbers.
•
To
develop a strong visual image of the core patterns.
•
To
develop concentration.
g. SHUT THE BOX
•
To
learn the dot patterns.
•
To
practice number bonds.
h. BONDS OF TEN PAIRS
•
To
practise bonds of ten.
•
To
introduce the missing addend (the first step to learning subtraction).
i. CLEAR THE DECK
(Based on the game ‘Clear the Deck’ in
Butterworth and Yeo 2004.)
•
To
practise bonds of ten.
j. THE TINS GAME
(The Tins Game was invented by Martin Hughes,
1986.)
•
To
understand the concept of addition.
•
To
learn to count on from a number.
•
To
understand the commutativity principle for addition.
•
To
practise estimating skills.
k. TENS AND UNITS GAME
•
To
understand the place-value system
l. FIRST TO 30
(This game was devised by Brian Butterworth
and Dorian Yeo, Dyscalculia Guidance.)
•
To
introduce concept of exchange and redistribution.
m. BACK TRACK
•
To
practice subtraction and decomposition.
n. THE MULTIPLICATION GAME
•
To
understand multiplication as repeated addition.
•
To
understand the array model of multiplication.
•
To
understand commutativity.
•
To
practice multiplication tables.
o. FUN TIMES
(A matching and memory game.)
•
To
practice times tables.
•
To
improve memory.
p. SPIN AND TRACK
•
To
practice exchanging ten ones for one ten.
•
To
explore the difference between addition and multiplication.
•
To
practice addition and multiplication.
q. SPIN A STORY
•
To
highlight the difference between addition and multiplication.
•
To
put numbers into contexts.
Other effective
strategies include:
a.
Cooperative
Learning
b.
Projects
c.
Simulations
and Role Plays
d.
Songs,
Jingles and Raps
e.
Math
Experiments and Hands-On Activities
REFERENCES:
Bilbao,
P., et. Al(2009). Curriculum development. Manila: Lorimar Publishing
Butterworth, B. (2005). “Developmental dyscalculia,"
in Handbook of Mathematical Cognition, J. Campbell, Ed. New York: Psychology
Press.
Corpuz, B. and Salandanan G.(2009). Principles of
teaching 1. Manila: Lorimar Publishing
Corpuz, B., Rigor, D., and Salandanan G.(2009).
Principles of teaching 2. Manila:Lorimar Publishing
Department of Education, Bureau of Elementary Education
(2010). Lesson guide in elementary mathematics. Manila: Book Media Press Inc.
Dimalanta, F. X. (2009). Understanding dyscalculia.
Retrieved from http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/211578/understanding-dyscalculia
Emerson, J. and Babtie, P
(2010). The dyscalculia assessment. United Kingdom: Continuum Internationall
Publishing Inc.
Holdbrook, M.D. (2007).
Standard based IEP examples. Alexandria: National Association of State
Directors of Special Education
Internet
Resources:
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Principles of Teaching: Human Growth and Development
The following are principles of
human growth and development. These principles or facts help educators
understand the nature and pattern of development. These principles are
fundamental since each of these has significant implications to individual
learners.As teachers, it is very important to know our learners' growth and
development patterns in order for us to provide appropriate approach and
methods of teaching and learning experiences to our learners.
1. Early
foundation are critical. How
the child developed in the first years of his/her life will bring great impact
to the proceeding years of the child's life. This is so since early years of
one's life serve as the foundation and can greatly determine if one will more
likely to succeed in adjusting to life as they grow older.
2. Maturation
and learning play important roles in development. Maturation is the unfolding of the
individual's inherent traits while learning is development that comes from
exercise and effort of an individual. These two factors are interrelated in
various sense. First, individual differences emerged not only because of varied
degrees of maturation by every individual but also because of the capability of
human beings to learn. Patterns of behavior, interests and attitudes come not
from maturation alone but from learning as well. Second, maturation set
limits beyond which development cannot progress, even with the most favorable
learning methods and the strongest motivation on the part of the learner. Third,
developmental readiness determines if an individual is ready to learn. There is
a definite timetable for learning.
3. Development
follows a definite and predictable pattern. There are orderly patterns of
physical, motor, speech and intellectual development. For example, babies
creep and crawl before they walk. Most of the time, attraction to opposite sex comes during
puberty. Or failing health starts to happen as one reaches 60.
4. All
individuals are different. Every person is biologically and genetically
different from each other. No two people can be expected to react in the same
manner to she same environmental stimuli. Bottomline: Never compare.
5. Each
phase of development has characteristic behavior. Babies babble and
crawl, school-aged children run, jump and play, adults find partners are
just some of the examples.
6. Each
phase of development has hazards. It
is essential therefore to be aware of and cope with these hazards, either be
physical, psychological or environmental in origin, since these greatly affect
on an individual's personal and social adjustment.
7. Development is aided by
stimulation. Stimulation
can be done so that development will reach its full potential.
8. Development
is affected by cultural changes. Developmental pattern is most of the
times based to conform to cultural standards and ideals. Girls and boys act
differently in respect to the society's culture and expectations of
what a male or female should act.
9. There
is a social expectation for every stage of development. In every culture, there is a
certain expectation for a member to master certain skills and acquire certain
approved patterns of behavior at various ages during the life span.
10. There
are traditional beliefs about people of all ages. Stereotypes are widespread and greatly
affect people's judgments of others and to oneself.
source: Hurlock, Elizabeth B.
Developmental Psychology 5th Edition
image source: Google image search
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Attitudes Toward Persons with Disabilities
Attitudes Toward
Persons with Disabilities
People with disabilities generally have experienced
discrimination and devaluation based solely on being different from the
non-disabled public. They are often treated with the same discrimination and
bias as other more traditional minorities (Bedini, 1992). They are treated as
outsiders, and a certain social distance exists between them and the
non-disabled majority.
The treatment and attitudes toward persons with
disabilities has historically gone through a continuum: from rigid exclusionary
attitudes to the currently emerging inclusionary attitudes. It has gone through
several stages. These stages can be described as follows (Mishra, n.d.; Caldwell,
1973 in Porter, 2002):
Infanticide and
Cruelty
Persons with disabilities were
disregarded through the natural process as ‘‘survival of the fittest’’ was the
principle for survival. There was no place for the weak and sick people for
they were considered incapable to fight in wars or to hunt for food. Children
born with handicap conditions were not protected and they were allowed to die
at birth or in infancy. In some instances it was believed that physical
deformities and mental disorders were the result of possession by demons and
thus, afflicted persons were rejected, punished or killed.
Missionary Approach
With the advent of religious
ideals like Christianity and Buddhism, the cruel practices were gradually
diminished. Religious leaders later became concerned in the custody and care of
the persons with disabilities. Yet during the Middle Ages, persons with
disabilities particularly those with physical-motor disabilities were mocked at
in the streets, treated harshly and driven to jugglery, begging or crime. They
were often objects of amusement and were used for entertainment. Attempts were
also made to cure the disabilities but the methods of treatment were rather
primitive. Institutes were founded for the poor and destitute which also
included those with disabilities.
Training and
Education
A number of institutions were
set up for the blinds, deaf and with severe disabilities. It was recognized
that prevention and early care would relieve the society of the burden of
supporting the persons with disabilities throughout their lives. This stage can
be subdivided into two:
Forget and Hide.
Until the middle of twentieth century, families, communities and the society as a whole still seemed to try to reject the existence of persons with disabilities. Families often were advised to immediately institutionalize a member with disability. Groups, such as the National Association for Retarded Children in America, were founded and pushed effort to identify children with mental retardation and other disabilities to bring them out of hiding.
Until the middle of twentieth century, families, communities and the society as a whole still seemed to try to reject the existence of persons with disabilities. Families often were advised to immediately institutionalize a member with disability. Groups, such as the National Association for Retarded Children in America, were founded and pushed effort to identify children with mental retardation and other disabilities to bring them out of hiding.
Screen and Segregate. Special Education came into being in public school
systems. However at this stage, special education was more of custodial care.
Persons with disabilities were tested, labeled and segregated into a special
facility and basically isolated again.
Identify and Help
Political and social movements
paved the way for the recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities.
These movements swayed the ideas on which much of the litigation and
legislation involving persons with disabilities are based. Important court cases
(e.g. Diana v. Board of Education; Larry P vs. Riles) present a progression of
increasing rights for persons with disabilities. Together with this litigation,
legislation (e.g. Americans with Disabilities Act, Individual with Disabilities
Education Act) were started to be passed that provided further support for the
rights of persons with disabilities.
Include and Support
This stage is signaled by the
passage of legislations and litigation. As a result of breakthrough legislation
promulgated in some of the progressive countries of the world, such as the
IDEA, society has improved in understanding persons with disabilities. Thus the
attitude of the society has been changing from hatred, to sympathy and
tolerance to equal rights in school, in the workplace and in social settings.
Currently, the attitudes of the majority without
disabilities toward the minority with disabilities are of especial importance
because persons with disabilities are moving or being moved in the mainstream
society. Yet, attitudes are the major barriers to people with disabilities’
full participation. According to Dalal (2006), attitudinal handicaps are
pervasive and often far more devastating than the environmental handicaps. It
is not the physical environment nor the actual limitations caused by their
disabilities, but the discriminating attitudes imposed by the non-disabled
people (Heward, 2003).
As Heward (2003) puts it, courts can decree or laws can
mandate, but neither can alter the way attitudes in which individuals treat
persons with disabilities. These stereotypical and negative attitudes hold
people back: from pity, awkwardness and
fears to low expectations about what persons with disabilities can contribute
(Massie, 2006). Whether the negative attitudes are of aversion, fear, guilt,
anger, pity or sympathy, there is a need to change these attitudes to ensure
better social integration of persons with disabilities.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Sensory Disability
Sensory disability is
a disability resulting from the impairment of one of the senses, generally
vision and hearing. These include
visual and hearing impairments which refer to mild to severe loss of hearing or
vision or both hearing and vision (UNESCO, 2009).
Visual impairment is a broad term used to describe the
complete or partial loss of vision. It has both legal and educational
definitions. The legal definition defines blindness as having a distance visual
acuity of 20/200 or less with the best possible correction whereas partially
sighted has visual acuity of 20/70. A visual acuity of 20/200 implies that a
person who is legally blind can see at twenty feet, what a person with normal
vision can see at a distance of two hundred feet; while a visual acuity of
20/70 means a persons who is partially sighted can see something at 20 feet
what a normal vision can see at 70 feet (Mastropieri and Scruggs, 2000; Ashman
and Elkins, 1998). On the other hand, educational definition involves
processing of information specifically reading. For example, students with
visual impairment may be assessed based on visual acuity but may each learn and
function in different manner. According to Gargiulo (2012), students with low
vision are capable to read using enlarged prints. Others are functionally blind
that the primary mode of learning is through tactile or auditory mean like
Braille.
The greatest challenges most persons with visual impairment
face are difficulties in mobility; understanding and using non-verbal
communication; and difficulties with written communication.
It is also important to note that individuals who are born
blind (or with little residual vision), or who lost their vision at a very
early age have relatively different needs, and face different barriers, than
individuals who have lost their vision fully or partially later during their
childhood.
Hearing impairment on the other hand is a general term to
refer the total or partial loss of hearing. Hard of hearing is described as the
partial loss of hearing while deafness is used to describe total or complete
loss of hearing (UNESCO, 2009). According to Gargiulo (2012), persons who are
hard of hearing are those whom the sense of hearing is defective but
functional, either with or without hearing aid, for the purpose of processing
linguistic information. Deafness on the other hand means the sense of hearing
is non-functional for the ordinary purpose of life. It prohibits successful
processing of linguistic information through hearing, with or without hearing
aid.
Hearing may be impaired in terms of the range of
frequencies one can hear or the volume of sound, or the combination of both. As
loss becomes greater, it has corresponding effect upon language and speech
development as well as academic achievement in school.
Hearing impairment can differ in degree from mild to
profound (Frederickson and Cline, 2009; Ashman and Elkins, 1998). A mild
hearing impairment means having a BEA or Better Ear Average (the softest sound
that can be heard) of 30-40 decibels (dB) of sound. A person affected may fail
to realize being addressed by another person and may have some difficulty in
conversation. Persons with moderate hearing impairment may have difficulty
hearing at a distance and in noise. They can hear 40-65 dB of sound and may
benefit from using hearing aid. Severe hearing impairment involves having a BEA
of 65-96 decibels. In this case, normal conversation is almost impossible and
may find the use of hearing aid quite useful. Lastly, individuals with profound
hearing impairment can hear 95 and above decibels. Normal conversation is
impossible for these individuals. They mainly depend on visual cues to
communicate such as sign language.
The greatest challenge persons with hearing impairment face
is difficulties with communication. This is so because the majority of the
population uses oral communication. People with hearing impairment practice
oral or manual means of communication, or a combination of both. Oral
communication includes speech (vocal communication), lip-reading and the use of
residual hearing, while manual communication includes sign language and
fingerspelling. Total communication is a combination of oral and manual
communication.
It has to be emphasized that both visual and hearing
impairment do not affect a person's intellectual capacity or ability to learn.
They are not a disadvantage if the educational, social and attitudinal
structures of society enable them to learn and achieve their potential based on
their unique needs and mode of learning.
image source: http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/careSupport/healthWellbeing/images/sensoryServicesMenuIcon.gif
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