|
|
Contents:
Ray's Voice is a Vision for Listeners By Ray Glier
St. Petersburg, FL - Enrique Oliu, in his chair in the Tampa Bay Rays broadcast booth, describes what he just heard, not what he just saw. "That sound from the fans when Carolos Pena struck out sounded like they were disgusted, so I said on the air, Carlos swung at a bad pitch." Sure enough, on a two-strike changeup, trying to protect himself at the plate, Pena swung at a pitch that was up and away. It was his mind's eye that offered the perfect view. It is that way on every pitch, because Oliu is blind. 
Sibshops create opportunities for brothers and sisters of children with special needs to meet other siblings and gain support in a fun atmosphere. Sibshops conducted by Lekotek reflect our commitment to siblings who have the longest-lasting relationship with their brother or sister. Sibshops acknowledge that being the brother or sister of a person with special needs is for some a good thing, others a notso-good thing and for most somewhere in between. They reflect that brothers and sisters have much to offer each other when given the chance. The Sibshop model intersperses information and discussion activities with icebreakers, fun games and computer activities. Sibshops are not therapy, although their effect may be therapeutic. Sibshops acknowledge that most brothers and sisters, like their parents, are doing well despite the challenges of a family member with a disability.
The Golden Rule of Providing
Support in Inclusive Classrooms:
Inclusion is a way of thinking – a deeply held belief that all children, regardless of ability or disability, are valued members of the school and classroom community. Inclusive classrooms are places where all students are integral members of classrooms, feel a connection to their peers, have access to meaningful curricula and receive collaborative support to succeed. One purpose of including students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms, as opposed to segregating them in special education classrooms, is to help all students (students with and without disabilities) learn to live, work and play together as they will in the community as adults. There is an art to “doing” inclusion well. Effective adult support requires finesse, subtlety and elegance. It requires the most nuanced and careful action and – at times – inaction. Effective classroom support means that students with disabilities are integral members of the classroom and that educators allow them to be themselves. Their membership is a given, and everyone in the classroom works together in visible and invisible ways to make the dance appear effortless. The opposite is also true. When inclusion is done poorly, it is disjointed and unnatural. Frequently, adults providing support unnecessarily draw attention to that support. Their actions are too intensive and invasive. Too often, they cluster students with disabilities together at one table or an adult physically manipulates a child to correct his behavior. Adults are often unnecessarily close to students during lectures or give oral prompts at an overwhelming rate. This invasive support invariably draws undue attention to the student and at the same time interferes with the natural flow of the classroom, student interaction and community membership. When support becomes invasive, it undermines inclusion. The goal should be to fade support. When adult help is consistently present and does not fade, the student learns to expect adult support. Psychologists call this phenomena, learned helplessness, where the student quickly perceives his own lack of control and waits for cues, direction or prompting from an adult. The golden rule for adult support is to support others as we would wish to be supported. In following the golden rule, we should imagine ourselves in the student’s place. We would want to direct and have a say over how and when we’re supported. We would want the support to be discreet. We would prefer unhindered access to our peers, support for a specific purpose and gradually faded support to increase our independence. Adult help can be seamless and effective. For example, instead of sitting next to a student while the teacher takes attendance, the paraprofessional can take attendance while the general education teacher floats around the room checking in with everyone. When the student does not require direct support, the paraprofessional can prepare instructional materials for the class or modified assignments for the student. With knowledge, imagination and the golden rule, educators can furnish adult support that embodies the true philosophy of inclusion.
Mark your calendars for the 11th annual Lekotek Golf Classic to be held at Smoke Rise Golf and Country Club, May 3rd. Sponsors, volunteers and players are needed to support the event. If you are interested in being a member of the Golf Committee, please contact the Lekotek office at 404.633.3430. Technology Center: Chester Mouse Green one-button computer mouse Young children can be confused about whether to use the right or left button on a mouse. Clicking on small objects, using drag-and-drop or click-and-move can be difficult. A standard mouse doesn’t fit into small hands and the buttons are just too far apart. Welcome Chester, a tiny single-button mouse with no scroll wheel. This mouse is easy to control and made of rugged plastic for strength and durability. (www.chestercreek.com; $22.95) Technology Center: Animated Toys II
Animated Toys II is comprised of 26 segments, each containing a toy animated on the computer screen. The toys are activated by the press of a switch, mouse click, or the keyboard "enter" key. The toys facilitate cause & effect skills, increased attention span and visual tracking. Animation speeds, background music preferences, prompt images, and audio prompts can be programed for each individual child. The beauty of this program is that the child plays with 26 switch activated “toys” that never break. (www.judylynn.com; $49) |
By
Judy Lynn