Abstract This paper explains that one of the greatest challenges for any educator is dealing with a student with reading difficulties. However, a number of different programs exist to deal with the different forms of comprehension difficulties: Edmark Reading Program and Reading Matery programs. The author points out that the auditory and picture matching approach of Edmark has been shown to be helpful for students from developmentally and socially disabling backgrounds. The paper relates that since dyslexics often report grappling with frequently misused letters and miss substituting of vowels and consonants; the program Reading Matery,designed to underline the specific dyslexic's need for reinforcement in his or her word sorting capacity and to learn other decoding methods to compensate for potential cognitive decoding difficulties, is better than the overall reinforcement of pictures, words and sounds in Edmark.
From the Paper "The experimental group students received 15 minutes per day of tutoring by America Reads Volunteers in the Edmark Reading Program, a highly structured sight word program; control group students were simply read aloud to for 15 minutes each day by the same volunteers. Results indicated a significant difference in the performance of experimental group of students on the WRMT-R Passage Comprehension subtest and Edmark posttest. Qualitative data indicated that more experimental group students than control group students exhibited significantly improved reading ability, attitudes toward reading, attitudes toward school, and attitudes toward self. Results suggested that schools should consider the use of volunteers to implement one-on-one tutoring in the Edmark Reading Program to teach a supplementary sight word vocabulary to at-risk first graders. Thus, Edmark's 'hands on' approach may be helpful for students from disadvantaged backgrounds as well."
Tags: dyslexic, developmental-disabled, decoding, social
A comparison of the strategies for navigating ontological difficulty in Patrocinio Scheickart's "Reading Ourselves: Toward a Feminist Theory of Reading" and Louis Marin's "Disneyland: A Degenerate Utopia."
Abstract This paper examines ontological difficulty and compares the strategies for navigating ontological difficulty in Patrocinio Scheickart's "Reading Ourselves: Toward a Feminist Theory of Reading" and Louis Marin's "Disneyland: A Degenerate Utopia." The paper concludes that ontological difficulty is indeed a broken link between text and meaning, but one that is a necessary step toward better-informed interpretation.
From the Paper "This comparison of Schweickart and Marin's strategies for navigating ontological difficulty provides several insights into the nature of the concept. Firstly, both critics find that in order to transcend ontological difficulty, one must draw attention to the social and historical context of the text, be it patriarchy or capitalism. Ignoring the context on a text forfeits the reader's power of understanding, and allows ontological difficulty to flourish. Secondly, the broken link between text and meaning provides the critic with a useful starting point. For Schweickart, such misunderstanding led to her exploration of the female reading experience, and an avenue by which this link can be reinstated through the informed reading taking control of the textual experience. What was once a one-way conversation is transformed into an enlightened dialogue. For Marin, the very lack of the possibility of this dialogue provides clues to the hidden purpose of the text, wherein authorial power has been abused. Where the reader is given no autonomy and there is no opportunity for a range of reading experiences, the text becomes ideology. We may conclude that ontological difficulty is indeed a broken link between text and meaning, but one that is a necessary step toward better-informed interpretation."
Abstract This paper evaluates the assessment approaches available to teachers in the detection of learning difficulties. The paper particularly discusses the need to detect dyslexia at an early stage, in order to prevent damage to the child's learning. It describes the various assessment approaches and screening tests available and how effective they are for teachers.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Learning Difficulties Aims of Assessment
Assessment Approaches
Screening Test
Miscue Analysis
Non-word Reading Test
Evaluation and Conclusion
From the Paper "Every self-respecting teacher should know how to recognize a dyslexic pupil and what remedial measures can be done so that the child involved is not effectively denied access to the curriculum. Teachers and nursery attendants need to be aware of the signs before a child gets formal schooling because the damage to be wrought by late recognition of dyslexia may be irreversible. Psychological and behavioral studies, however, warn against relying on signs and folk beliefs in detecting learning difficulties. If these patently unscientific methods are made as basis of instructional programs, it will create more harm than good. Thus, many state laws today compel the education sector to use systematic methods of assessment that would measure possible obstacles to learning with more confidence and accuracy. There is a good number of such assessment strategies now available to the classroom teacher in the detection of children's learning difficulties, especially dyslexia."
A discussion of the difficulties that many African Americans continued to face after the abolition of slavery due to their relationship with White Southerners.
Abstract This paper details some of the difficulties that African Americans continued to face after the abolition of slavery. It looks especially closely at the relationships between Black and White Southerners and the perceptions that these two groups had about one another. The paper discusses issues of ownership, perception, status and violence.
From the Paper "After the end of slavery, Blake notes that it was also hard for blacks to have anything of value for their own. As slaves, they were allowed things like whiskey and food and other extra items. But as a hired person working as a sharecropper, "we couldn't make nothing, just overalls and something to eat" (Blake). It seems that the white man had become used to making so much from slaves, that he still found a way to make as much by making sure the blacks just made even less than they had before. Life after slavery found blacks with even less than they had materially as slaves."
Abstract The paper discusses the social isolation faced by parents of children with severe disabilities and examines studies that focus on parental stress and support and their effects on the parents' psychological health. The paper concludes that a great deal of stress exists for parents of children with severe disabilities and social support factors are likely to have an effect upon parents of children with severe disabilities.
Outline:
Introduction
Isolation Common Among Children With Learning Difficulties Review of Meta-Analysis Relating to Parental Stress and Support
Summary and Conclusion
From the Paper "This study further demonstrated that the parents who actively sought social support were more likely to receive social support in dealing with the issue of having a child who is severely disabled. Family income was positively associated to the psychosocial adjustment of the parents in this study as was having a marital partner. It is likely that this is due to having the necessary resources to hire additional help to assist the parent with the child as well as having private transportation and other bonuses that go along with a good steady income and the activities that are required in resource-seeking and receiving medical care for a severely disabled child. Additionally the level of cognition of the parent was found to be a factor positively associated with the parents' psychological adjustment. A supportive family environment was also found to be positively associated with the parents' psychological adjustment in the study of Vermaes, Janssens, Bosman and Gerris (2005)."
Abstract This paper discusses Air Canada and the significant market difficulties it has been experiencing since September 11, 2001. The paper explains that some of the difficulties it has been facing were a result of operational difficulties associated with its acquisition of Canadian Airlines International Ltd (CAIL). The difficulty that Air Canada faced with the integration of CAIL's pilots into the Air Canada Pilots' Association was indicative of the overall anti-competitive influence of unions in general. This paper examines the labor dispute between these two pilot associations.
From the Paper "Air Canada is the leading Canadian airline but has had significant market difficult since September 11, 2001 which has seen the airline enter and exit bankruptcy proceedings. Additionally, some of its difficulties have arisen from pre-bankruptcy operational difficulties associated with its rapid growth of which its acquisition of Canadian Airlines International, Ltd. (CAIL) was a major contributor. Overall the size of the Canadian airline industry in economic terms is over $4b and as such occupies a central role in the national economy. The difficulty that Air Canada faced with the integration of CAIL's pilots into the Air Canada Pilots' Association was indicative of the overall anti-competitive influence of unions in general."
Abstract This paper examines the difficulties of diagnosing adolescents for psychological problems, which includes the difficulties of sifting out the normal ups and downs of adolescence and the challenge of detecting co-morbid conditions accurately. It looks at how it is crucial for diagnosticians to be very familiar with the tools available in order to look at an adolescent's difficulties from several angles to make sure that diagnosis is both accurate and complete.
From the Paper "DSM gives very specific guidelines for diagnosis. For instance, for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), DSM lists three general areas of behavior with specific behaviors listed (inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity); the minimum number of specific behaviors that must be present; The number of general areas which must meet the criteria; and the need to do a differential diagnosis, which will ensure that AD/HD is the best explanation for the person's difficulties (APA, 1994). What it does not tell the diagnostician is how he or she is to determine whether the patient or client meets the criteria. The DSM does not list any specific tests or measures to do."
Examines the core work and role of an educational psychologist, with reference to children with learning and behavioral difficulties within the curriculum.
Abstract This essay identifies and explores the role and work of the educational psychologist. The DFEE Working Party Report and its definition and classification of the educational psychologist's core work is extensively reviewed. The essay also evaluates the national curriculum and its role in assessing children with learning difficulties, focusing on both specific and general learning difficulties. Finally, the SEN Code of practice is discussed and how this benefits children with behavioral difficulties.
From the Paper "To become an educational psychologist (EP), an individual must first obtain a first degree in psychology and a postgraduate diploma in teaching. After at least two years of teaching experience they can apply for a master's degree in educational psychology. Educational Psychologists therefore have a broad understanding in teaching and in psychology, allowing a unique insight into child development, effective teaching and learning approaches, positive behaviour management, specific learning disabilities, intervention techniques, assessment methods and relevant legislation and research. Their work therefore focuses on all these areas."
Abstract This paper explores how the difficulties of policing in the UK differ from the difficulties of policing in the Middle East. The paper provides an overview of policing and discusses how the U.K. faces traditional problems such as addressing acts of terror, burglary and violent crime while problems facing the Middle East include more serious issues of security, terrorism, border control and abuse of visitors and people living there.
Outline:
Policing Defined
Policing in the UK
Policing in the Middle East
Comparison and Analysis of Difficulties Within Each Region
From the Paper "Governments define policing in multiple ways. Depending on the structure of a government, whether democratic in nature, authoritarian or socialist, policing takes on many different forms. One may define policing in places like the U.K. as any and all actions whose purpose includes maintaining a peaceful enterprise within the land (MPS, 2007). In other regions of the world however, including in the Middle East, historically policing involves many acts of violence and radical activities engaged in to support variant rather than homogenous interpretations of what policing is and isn't."
Abstract This paper explains that the Free Voluntary Reading (FVR) heavily targets users of English as a second language in the hope that the program will result in higher student achievement. The author points out that reading as an integral part of the child's development impacts on his personal and social development, as well as on his mental growth. The paper outlines the research project: Install a voluntary in-school free reading program for grade pupils; select only those students who are reading below their grade and mental levels, and who manifest a potential for improvement will join the program; and use the Durrell-Analyses of Reading Difficulty to evaluate. Charts.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
General Objective
Specific Objectives
Conceptual Framework
Definition of Terms
Free Voluntary Reading (FVR)
Sustained Silent Literacy (SSL)
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)
Modified Silent Sustained Reading
Reading Workshop
Review of Related Literature
The Ungraded Primary Unit
Special Services
Reading Programs in School Systems
The St. Louis Reading Program
The Philadelphia Reading Program
Evaluation of Reading Programs
Methodology
Durrell Analysis of Reading Difficulty
From the Paper "In the FVR program, the amount of leisure reading and reading achievement are correlated. Program endorses strongly believe that reading promotes reading ? the more the children read the more their vocabulary grows, the more words they read, the more words they can read, and the more reading they can do. Krashen 1993, opines that listening to stories read aloud promotes independent reading. In the same manner, light reading (comics, romance books) positively correlates with achievement. Reading activities such as teacher read-aloud, freedom of choice of reading materials and owning books were motivational."
An analysis of ADHD in children through a review of the journal article, "Difficulties in Comprehending Causal Relations Among Children With ADHD: The Role of Cognitive Engagement," from the "Journal of Abnormal Psychology".
Abstract This paper discusses the journal article, "Difficulties in Comprehending Causal Relations Among Children With ADHD: The Role of Cognitive Engagement," from the "Journal of Abnormal Psychology". The paper claims that this article is a significant report on the condition of ADHD in children. The article opens by acknowledging the significant academic difficulties that are experienced by students with ADHD, which are well-documented in many studies. The paper explains that there has been a significant lack of research documenting the specific ways in which the comprehension and memory processes for complex, interconnected information differ between ADHD and normal children. The paper presents one of the effective methods that may be used to research these comprehension and memory processes: televised stories.
From the Paper "In order to measure visual attention levels, researchers have had both ADHD and non-ADHD children view one television program in a room with no toys, and another television program in a room with toys. With no toys in the room, both ADHD and non-ADHD children averaged over 90% visual attention to the program. With toys in the room, ADHD children had a far larger drop in the amount of visual attention paid to the program than the non-ADHD children. There was no difference in the understanding of factual events between the groups of children. The ADHD group did have a larger drop in their understanding of causal relations compared to non-ADHD children when toys distracted them from the program. The question, then, is why the ADHD children are able to maintain this understanding of factual events, but not of the causal relations. Possible causes proposed include that children with ADHD shift visual attention more frequently which disrupts the continuity of the story processing, or that ADHD children look at the television for shorter spans of time with toys present which would also impair ability to construct the story."
This paper is a research proposal to identify learning difficulties that students encounter when specifically learning literacy skills in the target language.
8,310 words (approx. 33.2 pages), 55 sources, APA, $ 177.95
Abstract This paper includes an extensive literature review that suggests interaction is a critical component of language learning, and that for children to be successful, they must be presented with a classroom environment that encourages competency through interaction, such as in immersion. The author points out that a majority of studies suggest SLA (second language acquisition) results from an integrative approach to learning in which students are encouraged to use the target language in conjunction with the native language to boost comprehension and understanding. The paper relates that the research methodology will be an exploratory case study approach because it is the optimal method for identifying questions and selecting measurement constructs when significant uncertainty exists with regard to a programs operations, goals, and results.
Table of Content
Literature Review
Background
Learning a Language
Summary: Learning a Language
Learning Difficulties with Reading
Summary: Learning Difficulties with Reading
Language 1 and Language 2 Transfer
Second Language Acquisition Issues
Summary: SLA Acquisition Issues
Research Methodology
Illustrative Case Study
Exploratory Case Study
Critical Instance Case Study
Program Implementation Case Study
Program Effects Case Study
Research Design
Data Analysis
Assumptions
Limitations
From the Paper "Many studies exist that focus on learning English as a second language. The results of these studies indicate that learning a second language is challenging, and that a large population of students still struggle with language and literacy acquisition particularly in English. More than 2.8 million children enrolled in school in the United States are considered as having only limited English proficiency skills. Fifty percent of limited English students are enrolled in programs labeled "Transitional bilingual education" whose goals include literacy and content instruction in the native language with additional curriculum geared toward learning to speak and comprehend English. Formal instruction in English is achieved when students attain a certain level of competency in their native language literacy and when they have acquired adequate oral listening and comprehension skills in the English language."
Abstract This paper describes the many difficulties associated with teaching English as a second language and argues that the most successful approach to teaching English to non-English speaking students, given these difficulties, is a one-on-one approach between the instructor and the student and computer supplementation.
Outline
Introduction: The nature of the ESL Problem
Methodology
One-on-One Language Instruction
Motivation
Use of Computers and the Internet to Teach English as a Foreign
Language
Case Study
Conclusion
From the Paper "Globalization is bound to increase the already large numbers of students for whom English is a second language, whether those students are migrating within the European Union to Great Britain or Ireland, or to the United States. In the United States, arguably, much of the growth in number of students learning English as a second language is due to NAFTA and other migration within the two American continents. In the European Union, much immigration is likely to be from the eastern nations, as well as from the historic sources of migration into Great Britain, Asia and India."
Abstract This paper discusses party affiliation and how it influences how the government in the United States operates. It also discusses other important influences that exist. The paper then discusses the reasons for the difficulty that exists for a new party to gain power in government because of the two party system that currently exists.
Table of Contents:
Party Affiliation
Difficulty in Adding a New Party
From the Paper "There are also some institutional factors, which limit the influence of party affiliation by members of Congress. The President and other party leaders may assist Congressmen in their election, but ultimately members are responsible to their constituents first. They may follow an ideological group or a bi-partisan coalition on an issue if it is what their voters want.
"In recent years there has been a growth in earmarks, the funding of specific projects often targeted to a specific Congressman's district. If distributed by the party these can increase discipline and be used as a way of rewarding loyalty. Also a popular president or former president might campaign on behalf of party loyalists, helping out at re-election time."
Abstract This paper gives an overview of the different types of learning difficulties that students are faced with today. The paper also enumerates the different learning theories and approaches that are being used in teaching students with learning disabilities.
Outline:
Introduction
Learning Difficulties Types of Learning Disabilities
Learning Theories Applicable to Students with Learning Disabilities
The Constructivist Approach
The Classical Condition Approach: The Constructivist or Direct Instruction
Conclusion
From the Paper "Learning disabilities refer to a range of problems that would often arise when the information coming from the individual's senses are not accurately received and processed by the individual's brain. Most learning disabilities are compounded by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) especially in children. A learning disability can greatly affect the way students of average to above average intelligence receive, process, or express information which would last for the entire life of the student and it can further impact the student's ability to learn the basic skills of reading, writing, or math."
