LEARNING DISABILITIES FINAL ASSESSMENT

LEARNING DISABILITIES FINAL ASSESSMENT

Instructions:      You are required to complete 3 questions. You are required to do the questions from Section A, and choose any two questions from Section B. Section A carries 2000 words while each question from Section B should not exceed 1,200 words and should conform to APA 7th edition. Questions should be submitted as one document and references for all questions completed at the end. The similarity index for turnitin should be 20% or less. Include a signed accountability statement.

SECTION A:

Teachers’ Attitude and Knowledge of Students with Disabilities

Instruction

This survey is being done to ascertain teachers’ attitude and knowledge towards students with disabilities. Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated. You are being asked to complete the questionnaire below by ticking the item which best reflects your position or assessment and then providing the data requested below. All information will be kept confidential and your names and email addresses are not required.

Strongly disagree Disagree Agree Strongly agree

My educational background has prepared me to effectively teach students with learning disabilities. I need more training in order to appropriately teach students with learning disabilities I attend conferences/workshops on teaching students with learning disabilities. I feel comfortable in working collaboratively with special education teachers when students need help Students who are 2 or more years below grade level should be in special education classes. Students who are diagnosed with specific learning disabilities need to be in special education classrooms. All efforts should be made to educate students with disabilities in the regular education classroom. I am provided with sufficient in-service training through MOE which allows me the ability to teach students with learning disabilities Regular education teachers should not be responsible for teaching children with special needs. I am comfortable working in an inclusive classroom Students with special learning needs are significantly impacted during COVID-19 Rate your students/class on the following None of them Approximately 25% of them Approximately 50% of them Approximately 75% of them

Difficulty with spelling Difficulty learning letter names Difficulty learning phonics (sounding out words) Read slowly Read below grade or expectancy level Required extra help in school because of problems in reading and spelling Poor understanding of interpersonal space Difficulty knowing how others are reacting Has trouble understanding how others are feeling Makes comments that show a lack of understanding of social situations, such as inappropriate jokes or insensitive remarks Difficulty making or keeping friends Isolates self in social situations Feels anxious or out-of-place in new social situations Handwriting is spatially disorganized Papers look disorganized or messy On arithmetic problems, has difficulty keeping the numbers lined up in columns Drawings look immature for her/his age Worse at math than at reading and spelling Makes careless errors in math, such as adding when the sign indicates subtraction Trouble learning new math concepts such as carrying or borrowing Your demographic information

Sex: Male [ ], Female [ ]

Your age range:

18-24 [ ], 25-35 [ ], 36-45 [ ], 46-55 [ ], 56 and over

Highest educational level (please circle):

Diploma [ ]

Associate Degree [ ]

Bachelors [ ]

Masters [ ]

Doctorate [ ]

HEART/NVQJ [ ]

Level teacher training qualification – Early childhood [ ], Primary [ ], secondary [ ]

At what level of education are you currently employed?

Infant/Basic [ ], Infant and Primary [ ], Primary [ ], Secondary [ ], Vocational [ ], Tertiary [ ]

Years of experience as a teacher _______

Section A (2000 words)

Number 1 (24 MARKS) – Do all questions

You are required to survey 10 teachers on their general attitude towards and their knowledge of students with disabilities (see instrument above – teachers should only respond to one survey). Upload excel data set with assignment.

A. Write a summary of the findings. Indicate the likely attitudes and knowledge that teachers have of students with disabilities with supporting evidence from the literature.

B. Based on the findings:

i. Outline training opportunities for teachers to work with students with disabilities

ii. Explain two implications of teachers’ attitude towards and knowledge of students with disability.

iii. Recommend programme modifications and support that students would need to benefit from the general education curriculum.

Section B (1200 words EACH)

Number 2 (18 MARKS)

It is widely proposed that students diagnosed with learning disabilities can greatly benefit from inclusion with accommodations in some classroom activities, assignments and exams. 

 

Present an essay that both supports and opposes inclusion of the LD student in the regular classroom. In support of the position, indicate the types of accommodations that can be made, and in opposing the position, indicate the possible challenges inclusion presents in the regular classroom setting. In your argument for both positions, be sure to include evidence to support your perspectives.

Number 3 (18 MARKS)

According to Kirk & Elkins (1975), at least 80 percent of students with learning disabilities encounter difficulties in learning to read.  Discuss the nature of the reading problems they face and discuss some of the teaching strategies recommended to address these problems.

Number 4 (18 MARKS)

Excerpts from the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action which was signed and adopted by Jamaica are presented below. Read and critique the Statement as it relates to the policy on inclusion. Define inclusion and indicate the obstacles faced by Caribbean countries to successfully implement inclusion for children with Learning Disabilities, and state how these obstacles can be overcome?

The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education which was adopted by the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality in Salamanca, Spain, June 1994, stated:

We believe and proclaim that:

every child has a fundamental right to education, and must be given the opportunity to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning,

those with special educational needs must have access to regular schools which should accommodate them within a child centred pedagogy capable of meeting these needs,

regular schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all; moreover, they provide an effective education to the majority of children and improve the efficiency and ultimately the cost-effectiveness of the entire education system.

We call upon all governments and urge them to:

give the highest policy and budgetary priority to improve their education systems to enable them to include all children regardless of individual differences or difficulties,

adopt as a matter of law or policy the principle of inclusive education enrolling all children in regular schools unless there are compelling reasons for doing otherwise,