Learning Disabilities

F.A.T City Video

The F.A.T City Video was nothing like I thought it was going to be. When I first saw that we had to watch an hour long lecture I was not too excited about it but after I started the video I didn't want to stop watching it. It was very informative and the way that Dr. Lavoie explained the information way really interesting because he made the people in the lecture participate which usually doesn't happen. One thing I thought that was extremely interesting was the fact that he asked the adults to do things that seemed so simple but in that situation made it harder to show how LD students interpret it. It made me really think about how to ask students questions and how I need to speak slowly and clearly. 

3 points in the video:

1. "That whenever you decide to use sarcasm with a student you are creating a victim"- I never realized this, I had many teachers who would use sarcasm and I would think nothing of it but that might not always be the case. 

2. If you ask a student a question and they get it right say something to them about how they are right and if they answer a question wrong don't make it a big deal. It will make students not want to volunteer and answer questions because they either aren't recognized or they are made fun of. 

3. Students with Learning Disabilities need Trained Experienced teachers, not helpers. They need to be taught not go and teach them self in the corner.

3 strategies I will use as a teacher:

1. Give direct instruction: this will help with frustration and anxiety because if a student knows exactly what they need to do they won't feel as worried about the assignment.

2. Be patient. If a child doesn't know the answer try to better explain what you are looking for. If they still don't understand the question don't get mad or annoyed, help them to find the answer.  

3. Before calling on a student with a LD stand in front of their desk. This gives them more of an idea that you might call on them. This helps them because students with LD hate surprises but seeing you right in front of them gives them a clue that you might be calling on them next. 

Do the Simulations help you better understand a disability in each area?

The simulations really helped me to understand what it is like to have disabilites in all the different areas. I had a hard time completing many of the simulations either because of distractions or the work was just too complex. I would hate it I had to go through that all the time when trying to work on a problem or read. 

When going through simulations, did you wish you had anything?

Many of the simulations I wished I had more time or that the other students would be quiet so I could actually understand what the teacher was saying. In the reading ones I was reading the passage so fast to try and finish it all I couldnt remember anything that I read. 

Ways to help my students:

-If taking notes in class have a print out to give the students will LD. The print out will include most the the notes that the other students have to write all down but the students with a LD will get notes that has blanks here and there for them to fill out to make sure they are still paying attention but get all the information they need. -Learning/Attention

-If students have a hard time staying on task and remembering all that they have to do create a checklist for them and once they complete an assignment they can check it off. Once the whole checklist is check off they get a ticket for the day- so many tickets equals a prize out of the prize box. Students without LD can also recieve tickets just not this way- Motivation

-Record myself explaining a lesson and/assignment and give to the student to take home and rewatch if they dont completely understand- Learning

- Give students will LD information in a more spread out time. Give students words for a spelling test a week in advance but students with LD more than a week to learn the words or cut back on the amount of words they have on their test. -Learning/Memory 

How did participating in those simulations effect on my future teaching?

Participating in those simulations really made me more open minded on how students with LD's have to learn each and every day. It really made me start thinking of ideas of what I could do to help students like that so that they can learn properly.

VISUAL SUPPORTS:

CLASSROOM DAILY SCHEDULE:

My classroom daily schedule will look something like this where it will say the time and what is looks like on the clock along with what they will be doing or going to at that time. 

 Each of these shows a daily schedule for an elementary classroom but each are a little different. I think if depends on what grade you teach in which one you should use. The younger grades like kindergarten and 1st grade I would use the ones with the pictures of the clocks and the most important things students always ask about. This way it doesnt over whelm them and since it is right next to a clock it might help them to learn how to tell time. The one on the left I would use for 2nd-3rd grade it shows pictures and still has the clock pictures but goes into more detail about things they will be doing that day. The picture below I would use for 4th-6th grade as they are older and can better understand time and not need pictures of the clock. 

 
Having visuals like this would help students stay on task because they know when they are moving onto a new subject and they wont keep asking "when is lunch?" or "when is math time over?". It also shows how long you expect students to do a certain subject. All of these things help students with autism because they dont like to be surprised and it lays out exactly what they are doing and when they are doing it.  I think a visual support could support all students because they all want to know what they are doing when.