Specific Learning Disability Report

Genevieve Wentzel-Smith is a 21 year old woman who resides in Greenfield Massachuesetts. Genevieve’s primary diagnoses consist of: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Dyslexia, and secondary disability of Anxiety, which impacts all areas of academics, including reading rate and fluency, working memory, processing, concentration, writing output, organization, planning. Genevieve had graduated from Greenfield High School in 2013 and continued her education at Greenfield Community College within the Educational Transition Program. She was able to complete the necessary coursework within the program, which qualified her to continue her education by earning credits towards an Associate’s degree as a paraprofessional.

When students with learning disabilities decided to go to College, high school teachers and administators are excited and ready to help that student transtition to College. Why don’t Colleges help with the transition? At TMCC they do their best to help, but at other Colleges they don’t. Three ways Colleges can help include making sure students understand their right, testing students knowledge in knowing their academic strengths and ask students who took a Collge course to expalin how they felt about it.

TT: “Today we are going to practice adding one digit numbers. I am going to demonstrate on the board. 9+1 = 10, 5+3 = 8.” The numbers will have the same number of animals on each number. Example, the number 9 will have animals on it. The number 1 will have 1 animal. The teacher will show flash cards with 2 numbers. The teacher then calls on students randomly and asks students to answer the flash cards. Students will be reminded that they cannot use fingers and are to try to know the answers from memory. If students get the answer wrong the teacher will tell each student to count the number of animals. This activity can be differentiated to meet the needs of students with specific learning disabilities by providing additional visual cues to help with the addition. I anticipate the animals will help all students but particularly students with specific learning disabilities. Additionally, students with specific learning disabilities will be provided items they can physically move (example 9 beans and 1 bean) to help them learn the concept

Anthony articulates well, and he has better explained the material verbally rather than typing. The ATS discussed the possibility of using speech recognition software instead of writing. The ATS had Anthony try the Window Speech Recognition program. He liked having the computer write for him as he spoke. Next, Anthony tried the Dragon NaturallySpeaking program. Both programs could provide him with the ability to place his thoughts down on paper before he forgets them. Although, having the playback feature which the Dragon NaturallySpeaking program provides will help Anthony with the writing process. He also liked the thought that he can use the Dragon NaturallySpeaking program when emailing. The Windows Speech Recognition program does not operate with other applications. The ATS is recommending Anthony is provided with the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Program Premium version with a USB headset. The ATS is recommending Anthony access the research project calculator application rpc.elms4you.org to help organize his time with large writing assignments. To help Anthony with grammar and punctuation, the ATS will give Anthony a list of free grammar checkers to support him with his

In this essay I am going to be explaining the term learning disability, identifying causes of those learning disabilities and comparing and contrasting the medical and social models of disabilities.

In which state are you certified and/or will you be certified to teach? I am currently certified in the state of Louisiana.

1) Last week, Congress overhauled NCLB and indicated that Common Core would not be implemented. What are your thoughts on these two pieces of legislation? I have confused and mixed feelings. Everything has a purpose and a reason. I am hoping if and when this happen is to benefit the students. Students are the ones that will be dealing and adapting themselves to a new curriculum. Special education students need to time, dedication, and help when it comes to adjusting themselves. Hopefully not implementing common core will help students achieve higher and teachers will be able to focus on the students more. “A student identified under the IDEA category of Specific Learning Disabilities would still be held accountable under NCLB, but other sources of academic progress may need to be considered in addition to a very specific grade-level exam (National Center for Learning Disabilities, n.d.). For example, a sixth-grade student falling under this category of IDEA may be reading at the third-grade level as a result of his or her disability. As such, other ways of demonstrating academic achievement are important because grade-level testing, as required by NCLB, may not be acceptable under IDEA’s individualized approach to academic progress (National Center for Learning Disabilities, n.d.).(Eckes, 2009,pg.2480) We have to understand that special education is a process, a process that can’t have a time frame or limitation. All children learn differently and in result will show

Literacy instruction is intended to offer students the skills and strategies that are necessary to embark in the education process. Each student has a different path towards comprehension of literacy, also about the different types of texts and the focuses within those texts. To have effective literacy instruction, the student should be able to decode, comprehend, and discuss the text. They should be able to be skillful enough to work with the text in a variety of formats, including reading aloud and silently, being read to with comprehending and focusing, using the print to access web sources and all understand all genres of text. Have proficient skills in literacy also addressees all other areas including; comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and writing (Cohen, 2001). This case study will introduce a student struggling with literacy comprehension and theories to support the student’s case. Also included is an understanding for this issue and examples to help the student succeed.

The extent to which differences were present in college-readiness rates in reading, mathematics, and both subjects by disability category for students who were enrolled in special education in Texas public high schools for 2008-2009 through 2010-2011 school years were determined in this investigation. Statistically significant differences were revealed in reading, mathematics, and both subjects college-readiness in each school year. No students who were Emotionally Disturbed or had a Speech or Language Impairment met the college-readiness standard in reading, mathematics, or both subjects. Of importance were extremely low college-readiness rates in reading, mathematics, and both subjects for students who were enrolled in special education

Most of my students’ have specific learning disabilities that relate to the basic psychological processes that involve, understanding or using spoken or written language, which may contribute to their ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell and to perform mathematical calculations.

Growing up with two siblings who are both handicapped has influenced me most as a person and student. My older sister Alex, who is 31, has cerebral palsy which impairs her both mentally and physically. This disability leaves her unable to care for herself and makes it hard to accomplish the most basic tasks that some take for granted like eating a meal or holding a conversation. My younger brother Harry, age 27, was diagnosed with severe learning disability as a child. He lives in Boston and works a part time job (stop and shop) but is heavily dependent on my parents to support him. Additionally, his potential for higher learning and employment is bleak.

     When a child doesn’t seem to be learning, some teachers and parents in his/her life might criticize the child and think of them as stupid, or maybe just too lazy to want to learn. What they don’t realize is that the child might have a learning disability. But how are these children being helped? There are many programs, special schools and facilities, home teaching methods and many other ways in which children with Learning Disabilities are being helped.

According to Daniel P. Hallahan (2005), the term Learning Disabilities consists of 13 specific categories such as retardation, disorder, or delayed development in one or more of the process of speech, language, reading, writing, arithmetic, or other school subject resulting from a psychological handicap caused by a possible cerebral dysfunction and or emotional or behavioral disturbances (p.13). Additionally, the term learning disability is an umbrella term conceived by white middle-class parents to differentiate their children from low- achieving, minority students (Sleeter, 2010). In recent years there has been an increase of African Americans, and Hispanics students labeled as learning disabled.

The importance of school completion in the transition of students with disabilities to postsecondary life has received considerable attention (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996). However, it appears that students with disabilities do not fare well in their lives beyond high school in terms of employment or postsecondary education (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996). Most students who drop out of school because of a disability often find it hard to find a job then does their peers getting a high school diploma.

Kaleigh is a 28 year old woman who resides in Greenfield, Massachusetts and is attending the UMass Center in Springfield, where she is pursing a certificate as an Addictions Counselor. She would like to continue her schooling and received a bachelor's degree in this field. Kaleigh’s disabilities include: a specific learning disorder and a disorder of written expression. These disorders affect all curricular areas as well as her organization and recall. She suffers from depression, Attention Hyper Activity Disorder and anxiety. She was placed on an Individual Education Plan in grammar school which followed her all throughout her educational career. She continues to state she has problems with concentration, organization and recall. She has been working with her Massachusetts Rehabilitation Counselor to identify appropriate support that could be implemented to help her be successful with her vocational goals. For this reason, an assistive technology evaluation was requested to determine if any, technologies could assist her with the successful completion of this goal.