Attitudes Toward Persons with Disabilities: Philippine Setting

In the Philippines, Jandayan et al. (2009) specified that the country has significant infrastructures (laws, institutions, programs, activities, expressed commitments and advocacy in international and local settings, non-governmental organizations of persons with disabilities, etc.) to promote the rights of the persons with disabilities. In paper, it is like a haven for persons with disabilities. However, Filipinos with disabilities face strong attitudinal barriers. This is caused by dejecting rather than encouraging attitudes of ordinary Filipinos towards persons with disabilities. Over the last five years, human rights violations have taken place for many Filipinos with disabilities and most often involve overt discrimination, unequal treatment, disrespect for difference, denial of accessibility and exclusion. These hurt persons with disabilities more than their handicap (Blanco, 2011; Jandayan et al., 2009).

On the other hand, the Japan International Cooperating Agency (2002) reported that the general Filipino public is now more open and accepting about disabilities. A number of individuals, companies and civic or welfare organizations offer money or in-kind donations to persons with disabilities. This may be considered a good means of direct support for persons with disabilities, yet this has also deprived them of equal access to opportunities.

Moreover, De torre (2002) discussed that Filipino attitudes toward persons with disabilities also have a spiritual component. Filipinos believe that having a family member with disability is a punishment while others believe that this family member with disability could bring luck especially in business. Nevertheless, it was added that coping with a family member with disability is overcome through acceptance, problem–solving, help from friends and professionals and faith.

Gething (1991) specified the range of emotions and motivations that have been linked to nonaccepting or negative attitudes toward persons with disabilities. These are fear of the unkown, or  a feeling of being uncertain about how to act and what to expect from the person with disability which causes anxiety to an individual without disabilities; a threat to security, or a threat of seeing the world as just, fair and predictable which can take place when someone perceives a person suffering from an apparently undeserved fate; fear of becoming disabled, or seeing a person with disability reminds individuals of their own vulnerability; guilt, happens when people ask themselves why did this misfortune happen to other person and not to themselves; and lastly, aversion, a general hate and repugnance to difficulties and weakness.

Furthermore, studies and researches have been conducted to view public attitudes towards persons with disabilities. These researches yielded results which generally imply negative attitudes towards persons with disabilities. 

image source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/files/2011/11/persons-with-disabilities-PWDs.jpg

Banghay Aralin sa Filipino 6 (Salitang Pandama at Damdamin)

Banghay-Aralin sa Filipino 6

                                                                                         

I. Layunin

a. Napag-uuri-uri ang mga salita ayon sa mga salitang kaugnay ng pandama o damdamin

b. Nasasagot ang mga tanong tungkol sa kwentong nabasa

c. Naipapahayag ang pakikipagbati sa kaaway

II. Paksang-Aralin

A. Pag-uuri-uri ng mga Salita

B. BEC Handbook in Filipino pp. 42-48; Landas ng Pagbasa pp112-113, 146

C. batayang aklat, larawan, graphic organizer

D. Pakikipagbati sa Kaaway

III. Pamaraan

A. Panimulang Gawain

1. Pagganyak

            Magpakita ng larawan ng isang Ifugao.

            Itanong: Anu ang nakikita niyo sa larawan? Saang lugar sa Pilipinas naninirahan ang tao sa larawan?

B. Panlinang na Gawain

1. Mga Gawain (Activity)

a. Paglalahad ng Aralin

            Itanong sa mga mag-aaral ang mga nalalaman nila sa epiko. Ipaliwanag kung ano ang epiko at ang kadalasang kinikwento rito.

b. Pagbasa nang Tahimik

            Ipabasa sa mga mag-aaral ang kwnetong “Aliguyon” pahina 109 ng aklat.

            Ipaalala sa mga mag-aaral ang batayan sa tahimik na pagbabasa.

c. Talasalitaan

Bago talakayin ang kwento, ipagawa ang gawain sa pahina 112 ng aklat.

Ipaugnay sa mga mag-aaral ang mga magkasalungat na mga salita.

1. nalupig                                 a. taksil

2. nagdiwang                           b. pagkainip

3. matapat                                c. mapayapa

4. pagkawili                             d. naghihinala

5. naligalig                               e. nanalo

6. nagdarahop                          f. nagluksa

7. nagtitiwala                           g. masagana

8. kinaiinisan                           h. bulagsak

9. matipid                                i. kaguluhan

10. kapayapaan                                   j. kinagigiliwan

2. Pagsusuri (Analysis)

Talakayin: 

a.       Ano ang malaking pangamba ni Antulao sakaling siya ay mamatay?

b.      Paano ginapi ni Aliguyon ang kaaway ng kanyang ama?

c.       Bakit humanga si Pumbakhayon kay Aliguyon?

d.      Anong bahagi ng salaysay ang may eksaherasyon at tila di kapani-paniwala?

e.       Ano ang maaring mangyari sa dalawang tribu ng Daligdigan at Hannanga matapos na magkaisang-dibdib sina Aliguyo at Bugan?

3. Paghahalaw at Paghahambing (Abstraction and Comparison)

a. Clustering

Subukang papangkatin sa mga mag-aaral ang mga sumusunod na salita sa dalawang grupo. Hayaan ang mga mag-aaral na gumawa ng batayan sa pagpapangkat ng mga salita.

tribu                 lambak             bolol    pakikipagkaibigan        matapang         kabayanihan

kaaway                        gong     pangamba        tapuy   humanga          kapayapaan

Itanong: Ano ang pagkakatulad nga mga salita? Pinagkaiba?

Ipaliwanag na ang mga salita ay maaring pangkatin sa dalawa: mga salitang kaugany sa pandama at salitang kaugnay sa damdamin.

4. Paglalapat (Application)

Tukuyin ang mga salitang magkaugnay. Pumili ng sagot sa loob ng panaklong.

1. ligaya           (pangamba, takot, pagdiriwang)

2. epiko           (Bathala, Aliguyon, Ina)

3. tribu             (anak, kawal, kaibigan)

4. ginapi           (naganyak, nagalak, nilupig)

5. Ifugao          (dagat, bundok, lungsod)

5. Paglalahat (Generalization)

            Ano ang mga salitang may kaugnay sa pandama? Sa damdamin?

Pagpapahalaga: Sa inyong palagay, mabuti baa ng kinahihinatnan ng epikong Aliguyon?

                         Kung kayo ang tauhan sa epikom, pipiliin niyo bang makipagkaibigan sa inyong kaaway o makipaglaban?

IV. Pagtataya

Isulta ang P kung ang salita ay may kaugnayan sa pandama at D kung may kaugnayan sa damdamin.

1. kabutihan

2. naakit

3. nasisiyahan

4. sibat

5. kaaway

6. umiinig

7. araw

8. panalangin

9. magkaibigan

10. maganda

V. Takdang-Aralin

            Gumuhit ng isang larawan tungkol sa epikong nabasa. Sa ibaba ng larawa isulat ang isang pangungusap gamit ang salitang kaugnay sa pandama at damdamin. Iguhit ito sa isang short-sized bond paper.

Dyscalculia: Instructional Materials and Learning Environment

Instructional Materials

The choice for instructional materials for children with dyscalculia should be broad. It has to be varied in order to best suit the instructional objectives as well as the needs and interests of the child.  For a dyscalculic child, the materials should be more or less multisensory and concrete since understanding the abstract concepts of math for them is a very tedious task.

If available, the following materials will best help in teaching mathematics to a child with dyscalculia.

Counters

Math counters are effective concrete tools in picturing out mathematical operations and problems. The counters can be designated with colors and shapes to represent numbers and values like tens, hundreds and thousands.

In the case of Julie Ann, math counters needed not be commercially bought. Indigenous materials can be used like bottle caps, marbles or shells.

Cuisenaire Rods

Cuisenaire rods are colored cuboids where different colors represent the numbers 1 to 10. Initially, children should play with the rods, name the colors and explore the relationships between them. They can be used in structured ways for comparing and sequencing numbers, for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, and later for fraction work.

Base Ten Material

The base ten material consists of wooden cubes and cuboids for learning about the tens-based system. It also encapsulates the links among length, area and volume. The unit cube is 1 cm3, the tens rod is 10 cm long, the 100 square is 10 cm × 10 cm, and the 1000 cube is 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm.

Some children will use the equipment and name it correctly but do not really understand what the sizes represent. Children should be allowed to play with the equipment as well as doing structured activities to investigate the relationships and prove to themselves that there actually are100 small cubes in the 100 square and 1000 small cubes in the 1000 cube. Children often express surprise when they have done these activities.

Stern Blocks

Stern equipment is similar to Cuisenaire rods in that it consists of different colored wooden cubes and cuboids that are related to each other by size. The advantage of the Cuisenaire rods is that they are based on the metric unit of 1 cm3. The advantage of the Stern equipment is that the pieces are larger, making it easier for small children to handle and the individual units are marked on each piece. The Stern equipment also has square base boards for each of the numbers 1 to 9 and the dual board for teaching the principle of exchange and place value.

ETV(Educational Television Videos)

ETV series like Math-Tinik is a package of videos with mathematical topics explained in easy and fun manner. The videos show mathematical concepts and their application in real-life context. These also include songs and jingles that any child with or without dyscalculia will like.

Activity Sheets

These are also called worksheets wherein the child needs to accomplish certain tasks depending on the specified objectives for the day. The sheets may contain different activities like puzzles, complete-the picture, battery test and others.

Learning Environment

The classroom or the learning environment should be suitable for learning. The room should be well-arranged, well-lighted and well-ventilated. The environment should be free from distractions and noise to accommodate a learning atmosphere. It must be noted that Math, like any other subjects requires concentration in order to have a better chance of success.

It is recommended that a child with dyscalculia will be seated in front so that he can focus more on the lesson. Since he is seated near the discussing teacher, her questions and clarifications can easily be accommodated.

A resource room is also needed for the pull-out program. This room must be free from distraction brought about by other students from regular classroom. The room must also contain various etching materials and references for instruction. The resource room can be the Learning Resource Center (LRC) of the school or the library.

  Community/Parental Support

The intervention and programs must not stop on the four corners of the school. These have to be extended even at the child’s home. On this matter, it is important therefore to have the communication line open between the school and the family.

Parental support really plays a role in the success of the intervention for the child with dyscalculia. The more involved parents are in what goes on in the classroom, the more likely they are to understand the teacher’s goals and practices that will bring positive outcomes to the child. More importantly, the student will be reinforced to study more in spite of the disability not only by materials rewards but rather by the encouragement and faith given by significant people like the family.  

In order to do these, parent-teacher-school relationship should be strengthened. This can be done through:

1. Involving parents in classroom activities. .

Letting the parents participate by preparing classroom materials, serving on a committee to select classroom equipment and materials, or sharing information and personal experiences of overcoming difficulties

2. Giving parents a voice in decisions. 

Considering parents’ viewpoints in making decisions about their children’s schooling  and about goals and standards for their children.

3. Parent-teacher conferences/meetings. 

Parents will feel free to share information, ask questions, and make recommendations about projects that involved their child and share information in a way that encourages respectful two-way communication.