Evolution

ADA-Audio Conference Series: Best Practices in Accommodating Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

2010-06-22T14:19:00.002-04:00

This audio conference is an excellent introduction to serving adult students who may have learning challenges. Please post your thoughts on the models discussed, Universal Design for Learning or other topics covered in the audio conference.

Evolution

2010-06-22T14:16:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the Evolution Blog Site. The purpose of this blog is to create a learning community that explores, shares and considers how we serve adult learners in our programs. You will see comments on several topics - feel free to add your thoughts to any discussion or start a new discussion.

2009-01-26T13:31:00.000-05:00

We conducted a tutor training over the weekend and over 25 people attended! I have to give them credit as 23 were college students willing to get out of bed, arrive by 9:30a.m. and participate until 3:10p.m. Of course, Sharon and I love doing these trainings - to us, the information is interesting and useful - we hope to make it so for those who participate in our trainings, visit this blog, read our newsletters, etc.

One of the best resources we use in our trainings is the FAT City video with Rick Lavoie. If you have not seen this video, you are missing out on a true immersion experience. We only show about 10 minutes of this video, and our evaluations reflect it is one of the most valuable pieces of the training. Copies are available from our library (www.ouliteracycenter.org) and through Rick Lavoie's website, www.ricklavoie.com.

In fact, Mr. Lavoie is coming to spend the day with our Literacy Center on Friday, August 7, 2009. We are hosting a Summer Symposium at Hocking College Inn where Mr. Lavoie will present for two hours in the morning and some part of the afternoon. Registration for this event will open in April; we expect a nominal registration fee of $25.

The other part of the day will be break-out sesisons that focus on your needs in the classroom. When working with children or adults with learning disabilities, about what topics do you want more information? We'll select 3-4 topics for our facilitated break-out sesions. Ideally, each group will create 2-3 objectives to achieve in the 2009-2010 school year. A Day of Reflection is scheduled for the following June (2010) to reconvene and share your experiences and findings.

Send me an email with your thoughts (totten@ohio.edu) or post comments here on this blog.

2008-11-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

Ever on the quest for new and exciting websites here are a few dandies to take a look at:

First up is http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/African_Geography.htm. This website was discovered by our dear friend, Robbie James, formerly of the C/SE ABLE Resource Center. Take a look at this site - U.S. and world geography, animals, nutrition, videos, games - right on target with multisensory instruction.

Next, stop by www.headstrongnation.org and watch an amazing video about one man's struggle with dyslexia and how he turned it into a way to serve his community.

This next video is excellent because it gives a very clear definition of dyslexia and takes you inside schools where the Orton-Gillingham method is successfully employed:
www.thinkbright.org/dyslexia/about/default.asp

This final site has quick snippets of videos - the best one (I think) is the 16 minute video of David Chalk discussing what it was like to grow up with undiagnosed dyslexia and the impact of the diagnosis in his early forties: http://www.knowledgenetwork.ca/dyslexia/base_loader.html

Take a moment, after viewing these websites/videos and give us some feedback - what did you think? What did you learn? What difference will it make in your classroom, life, workplace, if any?

Have a great weekend, folks!
mb

On this sunny Monday...

2008-11-10T13:56:00.000-05:00

let's discuss the second principle of instruction in the Orton-Gillingham method: Systematic and Cumulative.

From Clinical Studies of Multisensory Structured Language Education for Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders: "Multisensory language instruction requires that the organization of material follows the logical order of the language.

The sequence must begin with the easiest and most basic elements and progress methodically to more difficult material.

Each step must also be based on those already learned. Concepts taught must be systematically reviewed to strengthen memory."

Yesterday I met with tutors that work in our Tutoring Center. We were discussing Direct Instruction and the importance of modeling behavior, specifically problem-solving strategies. I selected a word on a poster (Robinson) and modeled how I would help a student dissect that word. I began by asking the "student" if she knew the word - nicely she determined that she did not (so that made me demo much more believable!). I said, "If it was me, and trying to read a word I didn't know, the first thing I would do is name all of the letters." Then I selected a different word and named those letters. I asked the student to now, if possible, name the letters in our word, Robinson. From there I modeled making the sounds of the letters and then connecting the sounds to determine the word and had her do the same with our word.

That scaffolding technique - building on what is already known - is the main way to move information from working memory to long term memory.

Next week we'll look at Direct Instruction and maybe Diagnostic Teaching. Enjoy your students this week! Remember, create success!

Correction!

2008-10-27T10:24:00.000-04:00

Previously, I posted a link to NIFL that I though allowed you to participate in the LD discussion list - but the link is incorrect!

Here is the correct link to register for the LD discussion list:

http://nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/learningdisabilities

Thanks!

Coping with Dyslexia

2008-10-13T10:49:00.000-04:00

Last week I promised to discuss ways to work with dyslexic readers, briefly mentioning Orton-Gillingham (O-G) methods. I also referred to a NIFL listserv that specifically addresses learning disabilities - learningdisabilities@nifl.gov and the great discussion happening over there.

Well! The discussion has circled around the argument between a lack of empirical evidence vs. anticdotal accounts of the effectiveness of O-G. Let me give you a brief definition of O-G, the first of five Principles of Instruction, and resources. We'll come back to the argument and my thoughts at the end.

This information is from "Clinical Studies of Multisensory Structured Language Education for Students with Dyslexia and Related Disorders" published by Internaitonal Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC):

"Orton-Gillingham and/or Multisensory Structured Language Approaches: The principles of instruction and content of a multisensory structured language program are essential for effective teaching methodologies. The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) actively promotes effective teaching approaches and related clinical educaitonal intervention strategies for people with dyslexia."

Remember from our discussion last week that the basic definition of dyslexia is an inability to distinguish between sounds like /b/ and /d/ and to identfy those sounds with appropriate letters. One reader contributed this information: "Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction."

So - decoding problems, inability to differentiate sounds, and is a neurological issue.

What's a person to do?

Always begin with explicit instruction:

1. Identify what you want your student to learn.
2. Tell you student how to do it.
3. Show how to do it - model what you want your student to do.
4. Guide their application of new learning.

O-G/Multisensory breaks reading into 6 segments:
* Phonology and Phonological Awareness
* Sound-Symbol Association
* Syllable Instuction
* Morphology
* Syntax
* Semantics

O-G/Multisensory Principles of Instruction:
1. Simultaneous, Multisensory (VAKT): Teaching is done using all learning pathways in the brain (visual/auditory, kinesthetic-tactile) simultaneously in order to enhance memory and learning.
(to be discussed over the coming weeks:)
2. Systematic and Cumulative
3. Explicit Instruction
4. Diagnostic Teaching
5. Synthetic and Analytic Instruction

Let's take Principle #1 (VAKT) and apply it to the first reading segment: Phonology and Phonological Awareness.

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that can be recognized as being distinct from other sounds in the language. Phonological awareness is the understanding of the internal linguistic sturcture of words, thus an important part of phonological awareness is phonemic awareness: the ability to segment words into their components sounds.

How do we apply VAKT to phonemic awareness? O-G/Multisensory instructs us to use as many of the senses that we can during instruction/learning. Here are some examples (follwoing explicit instruction)

1. Tell your student what letters/sounds you'll be working on. "Karen, our goal today is to learn the vowels /a/ and /e/, that is, how they sound and what they look like. Ready?"

2. Draw the letter a (or use flashcards) and tell your student, "This is the letter "a." When you want to remember how the letter "a" sounds, remember this key word, "apple." The letter "a" makes the first sound heard in "apple." (Exaggerate a bit here on the first sound so as to distinguish it from the next sound.)

3. Model for your student how they will read the flashcard or draw the letter. "Okay, Karen, now its your turn. Watch how I do it: "a," apple, /a/. Now you try it, "a," apple, /a/."

4. Listen carefully as your student works on the phonemes. At this point, phonemes are about the sounds the letters make and that's what we want the student to become proficient in - identifying sounds.

Other ways to used VAKT:

* Let students draw letters in sand or rice while saying the name and making the sound of the letter.
* Use magnetic letters on a cookie tray
* Demonstrate hand movements to cue the student (circle your mouth with your index finger will making the long "o" sound).

This has been a long post!

I know I promised more on the Great O-G Debate, but I'll have to make that post later in the week.

In the mean time, please share whatever you use in your classrooms with your students! What is working and what is not? What other information can we get for you on LD?

Dyslexia - Definitions

2008-10-06T14:41:00.000-04:00

I just saw the date of my last post - January, 2008. Yikes! Its now October, 2008 - I would say, "Where does the time go?" but we all know exactly where it goes!

Have you ever participated in the NIFL listservs? Currently I subscribe to the one on learning disabilities (learningdisabilities@nifl.gov) and there was a fantastic discussion regarding dyslexia. Here's a snippet of the conversation defining dyslexia:

"People form a "representation" of a word when the sound of the word matches a visual symbol---in a non-impaired reader this happens on the left side of the brain in the temporal lobe, or more or less on the side of the head around the ear and going towards the back, where the visual images are stored in the occipital lobe. This is the most common form of dyslexia. The dyslexic reader has trouble identifying sounds to match the symbols, that is, the sounds themselves can be heard but not the differences between them--"b" and "d" for example. This is a partial description of dyslexia--one type, and I think the most common type."

Isn't that a great description?

I highly recommend watching these videos:

www.thinkbright.org/dyslexia/about/default.asp (this one is hosted by Bruce Jenner and gives excellent details about dyslexia and programs used to help learners master reading; its about 45 minutes)

www.knowledgenetwork.ca/dyslexia/base_loader.html (this site has brief snippets of information; be sure to watch the video with Dave Chalk [16 min.] - he was diagnosed with dyslexia at 40, quite an amazing story...)

Next week we'll look at some options for helping students with dyslexia (think Orton Gillingham).

In the mean time, feel free to comment on this post (or any post for that matter). Its important that we share our experiences and research to continually improve not only our own understanding but the information we share with our educators and students.

Have a great week!
mb

Three Good Things That Happened Today

2008-01-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

First, of course, Happy New Year! In the world of education our "new year" really begins in August/September: we feel renewed, refreshed, resolved! January finds us catching our second wind and a glimmer of that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

A dear friend of mine has started off 2008 determined to focus on positive events in his life. Encouraged by a listserve he subscribes to, he ends each day by writing down three good things that happened during the day. The author of the listserve indicated that doing this exercise would result in greater optimism. I asked him if he'd experienced "greater optimism."

After a thoughtful pause he replied that in the beginning he had several exciting things to write on his list. We had just come through the holidays and his outlook was quite positive. After several days, he began to notice that he had to "dig a little deeper" to classify something as "good." He realized that the good things happening were not always big events, but rather modest events that only he could truly appreciate. For example, he received a phone call and during the conversation the caller paid him a small but significant compliment. It made the list that day. So? Was this list-thing creating "greater optimism?" He said, "I experience improved motivation and less resistance to getting things done that I want to get done." Quite an endorsement!

Consider our students. For many of them, success in the world of education has been quite limited, especially if they have a learning difficulty or disability. Teaching students to recognize the good things happening during their learning may improve their motiviation and break down resistance to trying new things.

Use part of each lesson to review skills that have been solidly learned. Now they're starting from a perspective of strength and not weakness. Explain how these skills relate to what you're introducing next. By doing so, you are assuring the learners that they do have the skills and knowledge to move to the next step. It sets them up for success!

Students will experience giant leaps as well as tiny steps as they attend classes. Its easy to recognize the big "aha" moments! Eyes light up, small smiles appear, shoulders relax - they get it! Wow! The smaller moments - remembering to capitalize the first word in a sentence, for example, may not register in their conscious mind. But it is equally important as the big "aha"! It demonstrates that attention to detail, consistent work and drills have paid off. It is no longer a cognitive skill, it has become an associative skill.

Call attention to the small successes! You may think the students see them, but often they don't. They are too busy focusing on what they don't know or what they didn't get right or what they have yet to learn.

On my list of three today: an unexpected box of chocolates given as a token of appreciation.

What will make it on your list today?

The Driller

2007-11-06T16:13:00.000-05:00

I have a cousin, David McNamee, who is a dentist in Rocky River, Ohio. I love this guy - he's always cheerful and full of stories. He's a big Notre Dame fan and when he found out I'd gotten a job at Ohio University was instantly full of indignity! NOT Notre Dame? Whaaat? Maybe that's why he forget the novicaine that day...hmm....

Anyway - David has been our family dentist forever! It was my youngest brother, Kyrian who gave David the title of "The Driller." It happened when he spotted a daughter of David's at a high school dance and referred to her as "The Driller's Daughter." Aren't families wonderful?

However, its not only dentists who get to be drillers, but we do as well. When working with our students, drilling is truly one of the most effective tools we have. I'm sure you're ready to click over to another blog or stare out the window instead of reading about drills. But give me just two minutes (check the clock) and go:

Drilling for Gold:

Research tell us that adults with learning disabilities need drills. Of course they also need consistency, a controlled environment and information presented in small chunks. But drills will give the student lots of time to really learn the information. Not just repeat it, not just hope they guess right this time, not just try to make you happy! Some students hate drills, but the learning disabled student loves the opportunity to master a skill. Drills give that student a chance to shine and experience success that comes with constant repetition. Less energy is required when a skill becomes automatic.

Okay - did that take two minutes? No? Oh, well then! Keep reading:

The way to keep your students hooked is be creative with your drills. "Ha!" you think. "Give me just one example of a fun, creative drill." "Ha!" I reply. "Did you think I would come here unarmed?"

1. Language Tool Kits: (Available from our Resource Center; if you don't know how to use it, contact us! We will teach you! totten@ohio.edu)
Drill: names and sounds of vowels and consonants
Activity: After you do a visual drill (review vowels/consonant sounds) make up words with the cards - but make them "non"words. Yeah, just funny nonsense words. The point is you want your student to read phonetically, not from memorization. So lay out the word "m o p" and change the "m" to a "d." Now we have? "d o p" Yeah, dop. Not a real word but your student can read it just the same. You don't even need the Language Tool kit to do this - chalk and a chalkboard will do just fine.

2. Flashcards for Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division (you can color-code them according to operation)
Drill: numbers; number relationships
Activity: write equations on the cards with the answer on the back. Working within your students range of knowledge, ask them to solve the equation. You might also challenge them by showing them the answer and asking for equations that might result in this answer. For example, show them 10 and ask what numbers, when added together, give us 1o? 9+1, 8+2, 7+3, etc. Using color coded flashcards is a great visual signal for the student. You can have them write answers on paper, count out pieces of anything (make sure the pieces are large enough for their adult hands to handle easily). For multi-level classrooms, pair up students who grasp the concept with a partner who needs a little more time.

Okay - I think my two minutes are up. Don't be afraid to use drills to start your students' day or for a brain exercise as you switch from large group work to individual work. Drills aren't meant to be 20-30 minutes long; 5-10 minutes each day will do!

Have a great drill that works with your students? Share your experience with other educators. Contact me, MB Totten, at totten@ohio.edu to have your information published on this blog.

Working "Smarter" not "Harder"

2007-06-25T10:09:00.000-04:00

In our LDS 101/201 training, we talk about the "SMARTER" approach to working with LD students.

S = Shape the Question: Ask your student what they want to do/learn - turn that into a question. Example:I want to read street signs" becomes "How do I learn to read street signs?"

M = Map the Skills and Sub-skills: Visualize what you have to do; draw/outline/map the plan. In your LDS 202 book, pages 40-50 contain some ideas for organizing details. Feel free to make copies of those pages to use with your student.

A = Adaptations: Ask your student, "What strategies do you need to be successful?" Page 21 of your LDS 202 manual has a list of ideas for adaptations in the classroom. Feel free to post this list in your classroom and review it with your students.

R = Resources: What materials will be used? How will they be used? Your Resource Center has many items on hand to help your students adapt in the classroom. Contact them - they are waiting to help you!

T = Tasks and Timelines: Involve your student in the planning; ask them, "What are the steps we are going to take?" Using the completed graphic organizer, cut out each idea and put it in sequential order: Step 1, Step 2 or A, B, C, etc.

E = Evaluate: Has the student learned or done what they set out to do? "How did you do? What did we learn?"

R = Review and Revise: "How could we do this differently next time?" Remember the graphic organizer pieces? Allow the student to rework them - put them in a different order or use different words t0 improve the process for the next time.

How does one use SMARTER in an entire classroom? You might pick a learning outcome as a class and create a SMARTER chart as a visual aid for all to follow. Have students write or draw their goals and post them within the chart. Ask students to work in pairs/small groups to decide what they need (adaptations) to meet this goal and make a list of necessary resources. Make time in the Timeline to review/revise the goal, adaptations and resources as necessary.

How have you used SMARTER in your classroom or with a student? Has it worked? Are there glitches? Take a moment and share your thoughts.

If you'd like to post a column on this topic or another LD topic, please let us know. Email MB at totten@ohio.edu for more information.

Have a fantastic week!

A Deliciously Satisfying Meal

2007-06-18T13:21:00.000-04:00

Think about the last meal you had before reading this blog.

Okay - its just past lunch time here so I had a handful of grape tomatoes, some baby carrots and Cottage Cheese Doubles (have you had these combo cottage cheese/fruit filling packages? Quite good, especially the peach). Was it a great meal? Nope. Satisfying - yes, in someways. Delicious? Not really. If I'd had my druthers it would have been a grilled chicken salad with spinach, romaine lettuce, sliced carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, a little red onion, croutons, sprouts, peas and grated cheese; homemade bleu cheese dressing on the side and a tall glass of something chilled and sweet.

So many things combine to make a meal delicious: freshness of ingredients, the mix of flavors and scents, presentation, time to savor the food, company present while eating, etc.

Don't you find learning is very similar to eating? How is information presented? Are you enjoying the company of the people in your class - whether you're the instructor or the student? Do you have time to learn the material or are you rushed (or rushing)? Is the material stale and dull like cold french fries or more like fresh squeezed orange juice - lively and tangy? When you push away from the table will you think: "Don't need to eat here again" or "I'm making my next reservation on the way out!"

I love to learn and I love to eat. Both events can excite the senses and invite the brain on a magical journey. To me, nothing is more invigorating than learning something new (Windows Math, anyone?) or chomping on a beautifully made BLT (wheat toast, mayo, Diet Coke, pretzels).

When we invite our students to sit at our tables and feast - what are we serving? Is the meal colorful? Do the scents make mouths water and tummies grumble? Are people smiling and their eyes shining with anticipation?

Knowing that between 50 - 80% of our students have learning challenges creates a wonderful opportunity to be creative with our recipes. What's on your menu this week? How will you be adapting lessons so your students can dig in when you ring the dinner bell?

Tonight I'm making taco salad for dinner - one of my summertime favorites. Join us on the front porch with a heapin' helpin' and a tall glass of sweet tea.

Welcome to the LDS Cohort!

2007-06-11T08:44:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our LDS Cohort Blog. Like your favorite diner, we're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is a great place to sit down with a cup of coffee, say hi to folks, and chat about the latest news.

If you just like to read the posts, that's fine; if you have something to add just click on "Comment" at the end of the post to put in your two cents.

Email me at totten@ohio.edu if you have a post for our blog. All ideas are welcome! Lesson plans, student success stories - anything related to learning disabilities in the classroom.

A strong focus of LD training is the various learning styles of students. The word "multisensory" is used to describe the mix of auditory, visual, tactile/kinesthetic input received by the brain to process information. I am more of a visual/tactile/kinesthetic learner. A hearing screening at the age of 39 indicated I may have an auditory processing disorder. It never occurred to me that an "auditory processing disorder" might be responsible for the feeling of "overload" I start to get when there's just too much verbal information to process, like lengthy directions or lots of new complicated information (chemistry or geometry for example!).

I laughed after that screening because so many things suddently made sense! The proverbial missing puzzle piece brought some peace. Up until then I was getting by in the classroom - I learned to take good notes and stay quiet so as not to out myself when confused by complicated information; I knew I could read the book and make my notes work for me. Sometimes I recorded lectures and wrote them out longhand for reading (because no matter how many times I listened it still didn't make sense). After that screening I learned a few more ways to adapt in the classroom: sit close to the front, really focus on the speaker, and if necessary, verify what's been said (after class works best for me). I also find myself repeating things back to people - directions, amounts, names, etc.

How does knowing this about myself influence my actions as a teacher? I make sure books, handouts, overheads - anything visual - are available for students to look at while I'm talking about the topic. I might ask them to write about or draw something relevant to the topic. I also take my time talking about the topic, I repeat key information slowly and write it on the board. I find that pauses help students process information and formulate questions and/or answers.

Tell us about your learning style and how it has affected you as an instructor. How did you discover your learning style? Does your learning style influence your teaching style? If so, how?

Thanks for stopping by - enjoy that coffee! mb