1 - Even though I had experienced invigilating students on AA before, I didn’t realized why having a separate room was useful for them as my students didn’t really make full use of the accommodation. Stephanie May in the Headstrong Nation video said that having a separate room allows her to think out loud. She could freely mumble and sound her words out during the exam. The extra time helped as well. She felt that should she was taking her exam with her cohort as per normal, she would not be able to get through her examinations. 

 

2 - From the same video, Jason Shiver mentioned that he will try harder and focus more to overcome his difficulties in learning. To which Ben Foss said that is NOT the way to go. The chap should be able to empower himself. He should be able go to the important people in his school to explain to them that “I have this issue. I NEED this accommodation.”

 

3 - All children with SLI are different. Though they may have SLI, they could possibly be facing other issues such as behavioural issues (social issues, poor friendship development, etc) and emotional issues (anxiety, frustrations, low self-esteem, etc) due to their SLI. 

Part (b) 

1 - Knowing now how students with accommodations should be doing their exams, I would work together with my students to strategise and maximise the students’ extra time and accommodations. (Eg. Visual countdown, teaching students when to move on to the next question, etc.) 

2 - While NIE is teaching us strategies on how to teach students’ learning difficulties, I think at the end of the day, I should be able to empower my students, for them to carry on their life after their schooling years. They should have gain independence and confidence to move on after schooling life. I hope that I am able to empower my students to be comfortable being their own advocate when they go on to higher institutions or the working world.

3 - As much as possible, I should accommodate to every individual students’ needs, and not follow “textbook modules”. The learning environment for when I conduct withdrawal sessions should be a supportive learning environment for my students. I must also work together with the CMT to ensure that while I may be meeting the needs of the students to assist in teaching strategies for his learning, I should also be able to request additional help to meet the student's other needs if needed.  

(b) 

Before I could do any intervention with student who has dyslexia and/or specific language impairment, I need to know what the student needs (especially student with specific language impairment as each case is unique). To have an effective intervention with students with dyslexia, I have to teach the relationship between sounds and letters in an explicit and structured way. In addition, I have to bear in mind not to focus on things like balance or eye movement. When comes to student with specific language impairment, create a supportive learning environment that would improve on his academic as well as his self-esteem.

3 - Everyone needs to be accepted as who they are, building on their strength and helping to build a positive community around people with Dyslexia will make their life better. 

(B) Effectiveness as an AED (LBS):
Firstly, to see the strength in students. To encourage and motivate them. This is the basic as an educator. Being a skilful educator maintaining professionalism. Always use evidence-based intervention. Using the evidence-based approach like Orton-Gillingham approach to teach students with Dyslexia. Finally, to equip students with strategies that will help them with learning.  Instead of just asking them to try harder and focus better, skills and strategies should be taught. Supporting students with tools that are beneficial for their learning. Teaching skills to speak up and to trust and accept themselves. Teaching independence is a very crucial skill to acquire. 

colleagues. Educators should uphold the highest standards in professional practice at all times. Even if the teacher does not ridicule or pass negative remarks about his or her students, students can still pick up and see that the teacher is doing that to their colleagues, students might feel it is okay to ridicule others and follow his example by passing negative comments about their classmates. Teachers should uphold a high code of conduct and professionalism.

 

Teachers should not be commenting or writing confidential information on any online platforms or media. This is not a secure or official communication channel. Teachers should also be aware not to share their private discussions with students. 

How to use what is learnt to improve effectiveness as an LBS
I will mindfully scaffold interventions   where the skill taught should derive meaning first. For reading fluency, explicit and structured teaching regarding rules and how sounds relate to written counterparts should be taught first. Once there is familiarity with the relationship between sound and letters, can reading fluency be taught. 
Another aspect is to allow interventions to be intensive in having students encounter words repeatedly through practice. This would increase exposure to print and commit to visual word memory.
Lastly, in interventions for students with dyslexia, I would also motivate them by catering to their strengths and focus on implementing strategies in a more non sequential approach. Instead of listing explicit steps in an organized manner, I could capitalize on recognizing patterns instead.

 1. Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence and can be noticed before the child is able to read 

 2. The Orton-Gillingham approach is   a direct and multi-sensorial way of teaching reading, writing and spelling skills that are not easy for students with dyslexia. 

 3. SLI looks different to all children and is really hard to understand because we don't know the cause. 

 I would like to use the Orton-Gillingham Approach to assess students' reading skills, strengths, and  challenges. I will adapt strategies to teach skills in a specific order based on students' natural language development. Students must master each skill before moving on, and if they are confused, I will need to teach the skill again. The ultimate goal is for students to apply the skills they have learned to decode words on their own.

b)

No. It is in the ethics of our teachers to do our best to bring out the best in our students. We have to be  role models, inside or outside the classroom. 

 According to Teachers' Creed, it codifies the practices of educators and makes  their unspoken beliefs clear. It provides a guide for teachers to fulfill our responsibilities and commitments and fulfill the promise of achieving professional excellence.

As an AED LBS when we address their literacy needs and equip them with the skill, we are not only giving them the knowledge and skills but giving them confidence, lifting their self-esteem, and opening opportunities for their future. Apart from looking into language and literacy, it is also important to build up their self-esteem. Words of encouragement would help build up their self-confidence and eventually will look forward to self-improvement. 

How I intend to use what I have learnt to enhance my effectiveness as an AED (LBS):

Firstly, my lessons and instructions need to be very explicit. It is not just about providing a supportive learning environment anymore but more importantly teaching the specific skills that can benefit my students. Other than that, I need to touch on the strengths of my students rather than trying to build on their weaknesses. Every individual has their own set of strengths that can be flourished, and most of the time using their strengths can make improving their weaknesses a much smoother and easier process.

 

1)    There can be a range of challenges for students with SLI. The characteristics of SLI differ from student to student and are not static. Students with SLI develop normally. Students develop normally and typically in non-language areas, but have limitations in language areas.

2)     There is a need for a community that can aid and support students with learning disabilities. As a result of receiving support, students with learning difficulties can develop confidence.

3)    An average child and a dyslexic child have different brain functions when reading. Nevertheless, our brains are very changeable, and by teaching students with dyslexia strategies and skills for reading, they can change their brain functions to improve reading abilities.

 

 

It is important to focus on the strengths of students with learning disabilities in helping them with reading. For a student who learns better through visual methods, I should be using more pictures and videos to help the student to understand. There are also multi-sensory techniques that can be used, such as sky writing or tracing letters on sand. Technology has improved very much over the last few years and applications such as audiobooks are proving to be useful for students to enjoy learning stories through hearing them. It is also important for students to be motivated to learn since motivation plays an essential role in their academic success. We need to educate both our students as well as their peers and teachers about their learning conditions. By embracing their learning needs, students are able to recognise what they need to do in order to become successful. They can find out what skills or strategies are most effective for them. Peers can also provide assistance by taking down notes. In the classroom, teachers can make modifications and accommodations to aid in learning and assessment.

1) Dyslexia is a brain-based neurological condition that affects reading, spelling, and writing. It is a lifelong issue one has to handle. Through research the Orton-Gillingham principles are proven to be effective as they are personalized, multisensory, diagnostic and prescriptive, direct instruction, systematic phonics, systematic and structured, and linguistics competence. 

 

2) I feel if any student is diagnosed with dyslexia or ADHD, it is how accepting they are towards the learning disability and carry on with life. Early intervention and getting help will ensure that they are able to perform just like any other student. This will also ensure that they will have equal opportunities just like the rest if they persevere. 

 

3) Instead of judging students, teachers must make time to find out what the real reason is on why a student is not performing up to the potential as they have a critical role in fostering a positive learning environment for students. We also must understand that having learning difficulties will not only affect the academics of the student but also the emotional aspect/mental health of the student. 

 

How do I intend to use what I have learnt to enhance your effectiveness as an AED (LBS)?

I think firstly I will get to know the student and build rapport through playing games. I will also ask the student how he/she feels about having this condition. Hence moving forward, I will motivate and reassure the student by getting some help, there will be an improvement. I can also discuss with the student about famous people who had these conditions and how they had overcome these difficult situations in their own lives and what they have actually achieved. 

Secondly, the student must be willing to work with me. I will provide a safe learning environment for the student and we can ask the student what section he or she needs help with to begin. I will also explain to them how they can make use of their AA arrangements and do better in examinations. I would use explicit instructions and make the worksheets I create more structured so that they will be able to complete the given task.

Lastly for example, if the student does not like writing at all, I will first give a picture and ask him or her to write just 3 sentences and then later increase it to 5 sentences then to a paragraph. As I move from sentence to paragraph, I will also ask what difficulties he or she faces. As we progress, there will be improvements as the task is very small and structured. I will also vary the activities by making it into games (tactile and multisensory). Then after the techniques are taught I will give the bit-sized test to check for student understanding of learning. 

2. Specific Language Impairment (SLI) is a complex condition which makes it difficult sometimes to understand words or even to remember words. Just like dyslexia, it has nothing to do with intelligence. Kids wit SLI can perform normally in non-verbal interactions. 

3. SLI is exhibited through a weak short-term verbal memory resulting in delayed speech, immature sounds or phonemes, irregular grammatical sentence structures among other things. Kids suffering from SLI require support throughout their school years and need language to be explicitly taught to them. Not being able to express themselves easily often leads to these kids being isolated, bullied or ridiculed, hence making it hard for them to have a normal social circle around them, which in turn leads to behavioural problems, due to a lot of frustration and anger. 

What can we as educators do, to be more inclusive? During lessons, we can present information in a variety of ways, including lots of visuals, we can also plan lessons that includes explicit opportunities to build speaking and listening skills. And of course, AED (LBS) and teachers should work hand in hand to create a supportive and flexible environment for kids of different ability levels, allowing enough room for modifications when required. 

A prime example would be when Stephen was belittled by his teacher in front of his whole class when he failed his Science test. We felt that that was unacceptable behaviour by the teacher. A teacher must be responsible for the learning and development of all students. 

Trying to learn as a dyslexic student is already an uphill challenge. Decoding what they’ve heard into writing takes up a lot of cognitive processing and mental strength. When they cannot keep up and they cannot understand why, they blame themselves and their self esteem takes a beating as confirmed by accounts given by Jega.

We often let this particular trait define them wholly as a person and we forget that they are just as human as all of us. Individuals with their own goals, worries and feelings. What’s important and apparent throughout the whole documentary was the importance of familial ties. 

Bar Jimmy’s circumstances, the rest of the individuals are either motivated by the strong support of their loved ones or the drive to be someone their loved ones can be proud of. It drives across the difference it makes having a warm and encouraging community of care around these individuals. 

The message that struck us the strongest was that the value of a person is not defined by what they are capable of. Their value is determined by their attitude, mindset, grit to overcome challenges and the immense effort they put in to overcome challenges.

The best way to go about it is to have a many helping hands approach. Trying to take on everything by oneself is a hill that not a lot would want to conquer. This can be done through engaging the AED(LBS) or TSN for support strategies in the classroom and what other practices they can take up to be better equipped to support the particular student. The next step would be to engage the classmates to help out in supporting the student or even flagging out during learning periods when the student is struggling so that the teacher is made aware of the situation and is able to modify the pace and delivery of the lesson on the go. 

This way, the community of care and burden of responsibility is shared amongst parties working towards a common goal for that particular student. In turn, the student will also be able to feel valued and supported around the community of care because they see the efforts of not one but many.

(b) As educators, we must uphold the highest degree of professionalism and integrity. What traits we portray to our students must also be what traits we portray outside of the classroom. We are placed in a position of trust between students and parents and they have placed faith in us to uphold the highest standards of teaching and integrity. 

If an educator has the capacity to make their peers/colleagues/superiors as the butt of a joke, it would reflect badly on not just them as an educator but also as a person. These traits might even be translated into the classroom environment where students with disabilities are even more vulnerable to bear the brunt of jokes and creates an environment that is unsafe and not encouraging for the student. 

Over time, other students will pick up this habit as well and will translate this to other facets of their lives. Being an educator doesn’t just include being good at teaching subjects. Educators also must uphold the highest order of character

1) Students with SLI faces difficulty understanding words and long instructions and sometimes also some difficulty with communication. SLI is not linked to IQ levels, and it happens to children with normal development. SLI is heterogenous so every student with SLI is different. We need to intervene early to foster language and social growth as both are interrelated. Students with SLI will require ongoing support during their school years to release their fullest potential. 

2) Dyslexia is a brain-based condition, nothing to do with intelligence, and it runs in the families. Students who are diagnosed with dyslexia have difficulty with phonemic awareness and decoding. They will not outgrow dyslexia, but they can change their brains with effective reading interventions to become better readers. Using Orton-Gillingham method, which uses a multisensory technique will help improve reading for students.

3) Researchers are using brain imaging to understand how structured literacy interventions help people with dyslexia. They are also beginning to study visual-spatial skills and strengths that may be linked to dyslexia. Through this study, we can understand better on what we could still do to help learners with dyslexia improve on their learning. The studies will also allow people to know that people with learning disability also have their strength. They might be having difficulties in language and literacy, but they are also capable of achieving in other areas.

How do you intend to use what you have learnt to enhance your effectiveness as an AED (LBS)?

I will be mindful and give explicit instructions when working with the student. Using visuals, e.g., writing on the whiteboard, having cue cards allows for students’ easy reference and aids in understanding. Additionally, presenting information in a variety of ways and making use of technology will also help to engage my students during learning. I will also select books and introduce audiobooks which are of the students’ reading age and interest to develop their interest in reading. Collaborating with the parents of the identified child to find out his/her specific needs will give me a clearer picture when I am planning for intervention sessions. Partnership with my school’s CMT team, to explore accommodations and plan for a wholesome support will enable the child to develop holistically. It is also important to be aware of my student’s emotional needs. More encouragement and praises will help in sustaining student’s willingness to learn as they are assured that they are in a safe learning environment.  

Their difficulties in literacy has affected their performance at work and their self-esteem so they rely heavily on their partners and colleagues to navigate their daily work task.


How does it help reframe and reinforce your thinking about language and literacy?

Incorporate the use of  ICT tools in our teaching. 

Intervene early. Early exposure to prints, reading and writing materials will help learners to grasp the language. 

Home support is important (any form of support is beneficial e.g., emotional support etc)

Motivate learners to persevere and work towards intended goals.

Believe in our students and not to give up on them.

Patience 

Not get too emotionally involved. Able to draw the line between work and self. 

uWork in a team (stakeholders, teachers, parents on board)

Prioritise our work/task

Set achievable expectations

Work on students’ strengths and use their strength to tap on their difficulties 

Understand that how much a student progress is not a reflection of our intervention

B) 
Remember that as a good educator, it’s important to be a good role-model

Important to build rapport with RO 

Build strong bonds with colleagues 

Build a good support system among our department/ friends/ colleagues 

Approach solutions from the facts and not from assumptions and emotional feelings

For people with learning disabilities to succeed, effort alone by their own is not enough. They need to know what resources and methods are available to help them. Who can provide the support and how to make accommodation available for them in their learning? I like how people share their experience and knowledge with those who have same or similar learning condition as shown in the video. With successful sharing on personal experiences, people can learn form one another and pass on to the others. 

Something new to me: Specialized reading instructions approach (Orton – Gillingham). It helps children to break words down into their component sounds, match the sounds to letters and then blend those sounds together. It uses multisensory techniques and tools like audiobooks to help them. Reading aloud together, choosing books that can help to develop an interest in reading and playing rhyming games, reading nursery rhymes, and singing songs can also be a fun way to help younger children build reading skills. 

People with dyslexia have talent that other people don’t have. Dyslexics excel in some kind of occupation (artist, architects, entrepreneurs, engineer). All these mean that they have a holistic outlook on life rather being good on sequential things. They can see or spot figure in a cluttered scenery or their ability to discriminate color. The encounter they have in life made them become resilient. They made many mistakes and have to work their way out around these mistakes and as a consequence, they are extremely determined and successful because they don’t give up which is great to be an entrepreneur. 

What I’ve learnt to enhance my effectiveness as an AED (LBS):

It’s important to identify student’s strength, weakness, and interest. Provide a supportive learning environment. Create classroom with visual support system to promote understanding. Present information in a variety of ways. Undertake professional development to further skills and capabilities. Plan lesson that includes explicit opportunities to build speaking and listening skills which differentiate the class providing challenge at different ability level. Work with other stakeholder, put on place a learning support plan that indicates the accommodation and / or modification that are required for the student. Support them academically, behaviorally, and socially.

 

1.     Children with dyslexia has learning difficulty that affects skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. They have difficulty in phonemic awareness of isolating sound, blending of sound and rhyming of words.

2.     Specific Language Impairment (SLI) is a communication disorder that interferes with the development of language skills in children who have no hearing loss or intellectual disabilities. SLI can affect a child’s speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

3.     Tools like audio reader, reading map, text to audio reader and audio books for children with dyslexia to make the reading task less daunting and they can focus on the learning instead.

 

b)    To enhance my effectiveness as an AED(LBS) :- 

I will plan lessons with explicit teaching instructions and differentiated worksheets according to student’s ability and provide them opportunity to practice the new skill or concept.

I could provide a positive learning environment for my students to have opportunity to give their views and feedbacks through different platforms, such as online posts, blogs, caption, etc.

 

b)how do you intend to use what you have learnt to enhance your effectiveness as an AED (LBS)?
The Orton-Gillingham Approach to assess student's reading skills, strengths and challenges would be useful for me. It is  effective for struggling readers. 

I will present tasks in bite size chunks as breaking it down will be manageable for students with dyslexia. 

I will provide a lot of visual aids, graphic organisers and written instructions based on the student's needs.  

Any assistive technology tools like audiobooks and text-to-speech apps etc can help level the playing field for struggling readers. 

I would adapt multisensory structured literacy instruction engages students through sight, hearing, movement and touch.

Applying evidence based strategies and all the theory that we’ve learned is important. However, learning about their interests, strengths and asking them how they learn best is important. Basing our intervention based on their own specific needs and stimulating different sensory engagement.s