Jan 09 Cohort ~ Group B Discussion

Stacey, Sandra, Hyacinth and Nicole, Hope you are all getting along okay with Unit 1 - please use this thread to discuss any concerns you may have with your work - you are working in similar backgrounds, so I am sure you will be able to benefit from discussing issues together.
All the best
Pauline

Apoligies - I have had to change the groups slightly so Nicole I have moved you to Group A - hope this is okay.
I am sure each group will be happy for any of the cohort to join in on the two discussion groups!
Pauline

Well I have been reading Dyslexia and Inclusion by Garvin Reid and has found it easy reading and very informative and practical. Many subtopics enlightened me differentation teaching he said that differentiation can take place by: task,outcome support we know that but when he shared that it does not mean writing worksheets with reduced content, but change in layout eg. use diagrams etc I immediately taught of summative class assessments at the end of a subject topic measuring attainment of what was taught and I have had teachers asked me to reconstruct that test to have it dyslexia friendly I never taught of differentation by removing written into for example diagram form. I have encouraged assessment by using games. This and other information in his book is enlighting. I think differentation teaching is key to inclusion What do you think???

Many books speak about adaptation of curriculun perspective and planning or are we to accommodate in order to foster inclusion meaning more of differentation in pedagogic approach??? Oh some one let me hear your views. I am hungry for discussion on my tauthts.
The question I have Pauline is when I am writing if I read in Garvin Reid's book a feferrence to for example Hunter (2001) and I want to make reference to that point can I refer to it as Hunter(2001) in my writing.???


Ok I am praying God to have now to the 20th. be time eternal, you see I am new to this country and is not familiar with the American school system so it is only now 20 days before the submissiom of the first unit I think I am getting a hang of things. for example I have been asking for the national policy on inclusion. and no library or school could affirmative this I was really frustrated then the response to students with dyslexic tendencies in the class room was met with vacuity( This is what I met in most Caribbean Islands I lived) I have to start awareness of dyslexia and that is how I became a teacher, I found out that my son is dyslexic as well as I) But this is America!!!! All my studies in SEN are British based.
After lots of visits to schools library and university here and phone calls I am happy to report that their is policy and awareness and here. It is when I remembered reading years ago that even in different states dyslexia is refered to as different names I changed my introduction and asked for SpLD and that was the key to open the door. and the policy is called IDEA this acronym reads Individuals with Disability Education Act this opened a plethora of informationthat I will not have time to 20th to give justice to in reading by the 20th because I am dyslexia with the characteristc of being a slow hummimg under my breath reader. Dyslexia
 
Then we must broaden our or my prespective about learning style.

Any way I still do not know how to use the library as a distance learner. I can now log in but how do we access and read the material? I have not been able to do so. Is there acost factor to it? Does it mean posting to me? Christine has posted a letter to me twice So that I can get aloan for this course of studies and to date from Jan 12th. I have not received it. If it is sent by survice mail it will come at the end of the three years. What can I do some one help. Great getting this media to communicate.

Jassica I think she seem to be ahead of us has been agreat source of assistance. Thank you Jess God bless you.
I do hope I will be there for others too. May be we can scan pages for each other!!!!

I do enjoy reading in this area of education. My problem is managing my time from one aspect of this course to another. OHHHH Bye Hya

I did not realise I wrote so much Hya

Hyacinth,
Thanks for your posting - two practical things re your questions.
Here is the link to the Middx Uni Distance Learning site - which hopefully will answer yours and others questions about borrowing books:
http://www.lr.mdx.ac.uk/ and then click on the Distance Learners link on the left hand side in the light blue boxes.

Secondly with regard to referencing - yes that is how you would reference within the text. If you use a direct quote - you should put the page number in as well. Then make sure you list all of the books that you have referred to in the Reference list at the end of your writing.
I am pleased that you have managed to access so much useful information and hopefully the others in the group will respond to your discussion points.
Speak soon
Pauline

I will try the link for borrowing books and let you know Yesterday I spent 3 hours at yesterday at the local University University of the Virgin Islands as a part of a WEBINER on Co-teaching. I learnt that inclusion in America is called co-teaching and here in St Thomas they are now starting co-teaching. It was a webiner that all states America could hook up to we participated . it was enlightening. I have agood idea of what is expected in the classrooms as --- Teachers are in a marriage-- The importance of teacher communication prior to meeting the kids is so important. To rely on each others strengths and not to highlight our co-teacher's weakness. To understand if for example zero tolerance means the same for you as it is for me. To plan strategies together.
You see my focus was on the students forgetting that if we are not in a happy co-teacher marriage our students will not progress. I go to another next Wednesday and any other in the future. It is exciting!

I will try the link for borrowing books and let you know Yesterday I spent 3 hours at the local University University of the Virgin Islands as a part of a WEBINER on Co-teaching. I learnt that inclusion in America is called co-teaching and here in St Thomas they are now starting co-teaching. It was a webiner that all states in America could hook up and participated . it was enlightening. I now have a good idea of what is expected in the classrooms as ---co- Teachers are in a marriage-- The importance of teacher communication prior to meeting the kids is so important. To rely on each others strengths and not to highlight our co-teacher's weakness but assist. To understand if for example zero tolerance means the same for you as it is for me. To plan strategies together.
You see my focus was on the students forgetting that if we are not in a happy co-teacher marriage our students will not progress. I go to another next Wednesday and any other in the future. It is exciting!

Hello, Stacey, Hyacinth, Nicole and Pauline. I must say I've spent a reasonable amount of time collecting Policies and reading in order to have the discussons (tasks) with my Work-Place Advocate. I have made notes and thought I should submit as part of Unit 1 but I am not sure. I've read about the Education Act and the Warnock Report documents I had sort of forgotten about.

I have made a start on Unit 1 but haven't done any work this week due to our Assessment Week + Inclusion Week rolled into one, I hope to settle down and do a large chunk this weekend because I felt left out when reading how much Hyacinth has learnt about Dyslexia.

I have been reading yes but to do have any thing for the unit1 as yet. I am still lost and is concerned. I have not been able to find policies. Can you give me some links with the virtual tour I find that I am not finding policies.
On the topic of SpLD I read in the BDA web site that “Specific learning difficulties (SpLD). BDA (2007)


These include:
• Dysphasia, speech and language delay and/or deficit.
• Dyspraxia, motor and co-ordination difficulties.
• Attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADD/ADHD).
• Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome.
• Dyslexia.

I did not understand SpLD so broadly. Can you comment Pauline thanks

Sandra can you assist with web sites. I am reading but I can't get my focus on policy, I cannot afford to burrow books from the MDX library because it will take all my money and the month to bet to me. I have to read on line or if copies can be scanned to me. Pauline thank you I am learning to navigate in the library now I am loging in.
I am spending so much time learning to access the course I need to get into the course. Hya

Hyacinth, I would not worry too much about the fact that the term SpLD covers so many learning difficulties, as the policies and practices you are focusing on for this module should cover all SpLDs. Whilst it is very useful to have an understanding of the different SpLDs, it is not necessary to separate them out when considering good overall inclusive pratice.
In the email I sent to you a while back I provided the websites listed below - have they not been any use in finding out about relevant policies which you seem to be having trouble finding? Has anyone else found any useful websites to help with Unit 1?

http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/
 
http://www.csie.org.uk/inclusion/
 
http://www.allfie.org.uk/
 ....
http://www.early-education.org.uk/resources.htm
 
 
http://www.inclusive-solutions.com/
 

 http://www.right-to-education.org/

Other useful sites:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/[…]/45_1.pdf

http://inclusion.ngfl.gov.uk/index.php?i=1

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/[…]/removing-barriers.pdf

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/[…]/

Hope these help


All the best
Pauline

Well it was not easy getting information on policy thank you for the sites Pauline. but to find my own country policies OHHH!!!
Dyslexia No No then I found out it is Co-teaching in the USA (I just started living here and is not working and have no children going to school so I am to learn about the education in this country) I just started to volunteer as i have to learn. inclusion after weeks found out it is Specific Learning Disabilities not difficulties barriers to learning is least restrictive environment Every Child Matters is No Child Left Behind.
I kept asking for National policy in reference to SpLD but this week I found out it is IDEA Individual Disability Education Act. Oh it has not been easy.

It has been an eventful time. Well Hya

Sandra, you seem to be gathering very useful evidence - your inclusion week last week should have provided some useful data for your research.
All the best
Pauline

Willem has posted these links and resource on the other discussion thread - very useful.
Pauline

Links of two papers I found useful for unit 1a:

Internet:

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/[…]/InclusiveSchooling.pdf

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/[…]/SENCodeOfPractice.pdf

Book:

Falvey, Mary A. 'Inclusive and Heterogeneous Schooling',
Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. 1995


Willem

Hyacinth, I must apologise for not coming on line for a few days now, I looked around and panicked when I realised my time now is limited and it's difficult with school duties i.e two parent evenings this week. I've continued to work on the tasks and I worry about my content and presentation. I am not sure about the policies you want to get hold of, for task 5 which require an analysis of national policies I have sort policies which are relevant to removing barriers for special needs pupils because this whill be my focus for the year. I have written briefly about the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement, Ofsted Guidance and Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government Strategy for SEN. These are all I could find and the best is the latter. These may not be suitable for you it depends on what your focus will be for the year. All three document can be found on the net just type in the titles. I am hoping my analysing skills will improve.

I seem to have mislead you when I said I was gathering lots of policies I was refering to our school policies. I will be checking out some of the sites highlighted by Pauline.

I am admiring you right now for doing so much reading, how's the writing coming on ?

Time is of the essence now but I am trying, yes I am reading alot but may be not the things I should be forcusing on now. I have been collecting the American policies and trying to put it together for these task.
Well we need to push on. I am in a funny position not being employed at aschool at this present time . Let us talk about it after Friday by email With God's help push on as I am trying to do Hya

I would prefer one discussion group instead of two...anyone in agreement? just because I feel each time i have been looking at grp a , grp b and the general one for unit one.
also does anyone know which unit two we are supposed to do. it seems like in the handbook there are two unit twos ... pg 29 and pg 51.im going away in april for two weeks so wanted to try get a look before i go.

Sorry everyone I haven't been on for a while as life has kept me busy. It's also time to at least begin writing reports. The term coming up will be a busy one so I am trying to organise myself. Happy Easter to everyone.

Where is every one. This plan for unit 2 should be 1000 words For me A plann seem to take less than 1000 words Can some one assist

Follow pg 52 and 53 in the handbook - if you answer all those questions you should make 1000 words. my problem is i have no idea what to do for the planning data collection part of the assignment. is it just websites and books and discussionsthat you would have or read or research in order to make it a viable plan?

Follow pg 52 and 53 in the handbook - if you answer all those questions you should make 1000 words. my problem is i have no idea what to do for the planning data collection part of the assignment. is it just websites and books and discussionsthat you would have or read or research in order to make it a viable plan?

In my handbook pg 53 is unit 3 Can you give me an idea of what your page 52 says please or if you can scan the page for me . I will check it again also Thanks Hya

Can someone guide me with some reading in reference to methodology Thanks

There is an interesting topic now for discussion Gill I think The Voice

i would really prefer one discussion group as i feel i just look at both discussions every time. I don't feel like we have had so much support for this unit . hope I am doing the right thing. do others feel this way?

there is a handbook on referencing on the main homepage.

PART 2: PLANNING RESEARCH TASKS
 i am not sure exactly what i have to do here. just discuss what websites etc i will be using to help me collect my data?
 
help?

Dear Stacey,
I have sent you two emails in response to your questions. The handbook explains what you have to do for this unit in the handbook on page 53 and 54, but it is just a planning section - so only 1000 words are needed. Where you ask in the last message above what you have to do for "Part 2: Planning Research Tasks" - this is just really a suggestion to you that you can look at the links/websites provided on page 55 to help you with understanding research methodology and how to carry out your data collection, etc.

I will now join up the discussion groups for the next units - it was really just so that you could get to know each other a bit more.

Have a look at the emails and then get back to me if you need to know more
Regards
Pauline

I have how created Discussion 3 for the whole Jan09 Cohort to use - please can you let me know if you can access it okay
Thanks
Pauline

One group let us try. I feel that the hand book needs more support from the tutors it could be confusing
It is a lonley course. You are just going not sure of the direction. No lectures !!! What can we do different to support each other. Some one

Hya

Hi Pauline,I completed unit 2 and sent it to you. The problem is I cannot do unit 3 and gather evidence until we return to school in September.