Students with Emotional or Behavior Disorders - Literature review Example

Instructional Issues (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE) (INSERT NAME OF YOUR UNIVERSITY HERE) Abstract Debates continue to grow regarding how best classroom environments need to respond so as to take care of different abilities of learners. By environment, commentators specifically point at instruction methods that are used to deliver curriculum. When instruction models have issues, classroom conditions adversely affect learners. With this, learners with disabilities are the most vulnerable and may not be able to learn when modes of instruction do not take care of their specific needs. In fact, if such issues are not averted, there is lifelong debilitating side-effects of their classroom. Based on the analysis above, this essay has identified Mental Retardation (MR) and Emotional Behavioral Disability with a view to critically identify two different instructional issues that should be addressed so as to successfully teach learners with the identified disabilities. Introduction In recent years, the number of students diagnosed with disabilities has increased dramatically (Getty and Summy, 2006). In most cases, teachers are faced with problems as such disabilities are not readily observable. In fact, recent survey indicates that some instructors and administrators are reluctant to devise mechanisms of handling students with disabilities believing that students lack the needed capabilities thus faking disabilities (Heward, 2006) However, commentators from the field of education agree that there is a need to devise mechanisms accommodating different disabilities. Just like the approaches needed to handle disability are multifaceted so is its definition. To begin with, Heward (2006) looks at the term as a situation where children have learning difficulties. Such disabilities include language disorder, vision impairment, hearing impairment and mental related conditions. According to recent survey by Mancil and Maynard (2010), there are some disabilities that have become top priority and there need to be identification of instructional issue which that can address common disorders in learners. Mental Retardation, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity, Emotional Behavioral Disability and Learning Disability are some of the commonly encountered problems that need instructional interventions. Mental Retardation and Pronunciation Errors as Instruction Issue Until recently, much research has documented many instruction issues and challenges that inhibit successful teaching of learners with mental retardation. One of such issue is pronunciation errors. As this section deals with mechanism that can be used to avert pronunciation errors for successful teaching of mental retardation, definition of both terms is necessary. Since the instruction issue has been identified to help mild cases, intellectual disability on the one hand, means an individual characterised by below average mental or intelligence levels (Mancil and Maynard, 2010). Therefore, mild mental retardation means having learners who can cope with the process of learning but slower than expected. On the other hand, pronunciation error is defined as presentation of conventional curriculum with no modifications and in language which is not within the context of subject matter (Bambara et al., 2002). Nearly twenty years ago, the survey by Meadow and Trybus (1985) poignantly delineated the frustration and pain mentally retarded learners have when materials in class are presented with pronunciation errors. When this is prolonged they tend to become overwhelmed, flounder or mentally withdraw or tune out from active classroom participation. On the other hand, Bambara et al. (2002) note that one fundamental issue with mentally retarded learners is the time they take to learn. Therefore when materials are presented in a flawed language then they further fail to understand what the teacher is talking about and may become frustrated. On the same note, Mancil and Maynard (2010) find that among the mentally retarded learners interviewed; there was a concern that 2 out of every 8 teachers were making errors such as “seyd” for “said” this, they noted often broke the flow of teaching thus making the process of learning even slower. They decried, “the deliberate confusions to less privileged learners” (p.12). In a separate interview, Burrello and Wright (2009) realised that pronunciation error is one of instructions issues that if avoided when handling mentally retarded learners, their level of competency improves to a certain degree. In this study Burrello and Wright followed group of 20 students from an English class administered in proficient language to French class where the same students were taught by the same teacher struggling to pronounce French words. It was found that although their performance was regarded as low ability by the instructing teacher, the same students were able respond to comprehension questions correctly and fast while in English class as compared to French class. Furthermore, the same learners were able to expand on ideas in story read to in English class. Potential Resources in Pronunciation Errors It is essential to critically identify places, materials or individuals who help in handling the problem of pronunciation error. Basically, this is best known as potential resources to the instruction issue. To begin with, researches on pronunciation errors and its effects on education continue to grow. It is no doubt that the rich resource for pronunciation errors is literary materials that can be reviewed. For instance, research on English Language Learners and Evaluation Effort by Culpepper et al. (2006) give information that can be used to handle different levels of students who are mentally retarded. They explain that the problems of pronunciation among teachers handling mentally retarded students have been detrimental to general performance of such learners. This is compounded by the fact that such teachers view these learners as “language deficient” (p.23) and they feel no need to instruct in proper language. This utopia has led other teachers to merely adopt a watered-down curriculum, including reading material well below the ability of these learners. They further provide useful information by adding that recurrent of this belief denies language minority learners access to the type of instructional material they would have been given to make adequate academic progress out of them. While literary materials remain to be useful resources that can be reviewed regarding this issue, there are academic related places that offer even current and relevant information. For instance, in Australia, New South Wales, Department of Education and Communities (N.S.W.D.E.C, 2012) report suggests that pronunciation error accounts for 1.6% for the failure of students with disabilities to attain the required literacy and numeracy skills. In conclusion, classroom teachers too can be resourceful as they not only understand specific problems faced by the learner but recommend high level of literacy and numeracy skills. Strategies for Dealing with Pronunciation Errors The survey by National Academy of Sciences (2009) as cited in Rowland (2012) concluded that “for numerous reasons, there are strategies that need to be implemented to avert cases where disabled learners are subjected to errors in pronunciation.” (p. 210) Furthermore, early educational research on mentally retarded students suggests theoretical, political and social frameworks that can be used to correct errors in pronunciation. Based on these frameworks, Rowland (2012) suggests introduction of bilingual programme model. This suggestion has received attention in research and in public debate. The Daily Telegraph Australia (2013) argues that introduction of bilingual programmes ensures that learners can able to communicate in at least two different language so in the event the teacher is capacitated in one an alternative can be found. Recently, however, the research focus has shifted to searching for the “best” program model toward identifying useful and feasible instructional practices. For instance, Rowland (2012) suggests that pronunciation errors deny learners the needed competence besides frustrating their efforts to acquire balance between curriculum and their learning abilities. To this regard, the strategy suggested is the complex balance between utilisation of the native language of the learner and the instruction language where the pronunciation error occurs. On the other hand, Culpepper et al. (2006) suggest that native language should be emphasised especially if it is the language that can be understood by all learners in the class. Taking practical example, mentally retarded students from Latino schools utilize model of bilingual education where foreign language comes in but with strong native language component in their curriculum. Culpepper et al. rationale for strong native language component hang on the belief that, “teaching mentally retarded students is one big task that requires proper planning, teaching them in a flawed language on the other hand makes it complicated.” (p.24) Emotional Behavioral Disability and over Emphasis on Testing One key issue with instructing emotional behavioral disability is over emphasis on testing. Concerns have been raised regarding how over emphasis on testing affect students with emotional behavioral disability. To begin with definitions, learners with emotional-behavioral disorders have different challenges among them difficulty in staying on task, lack of proper interaction with environment and difficulty in verbal and writing expression. On the other hand, American Psychiatric Association (1994) defines emotional behavioral disability as affective state of our mind in which sorrow, fear, joy or hate is experienced. Potential problem with contemporary curriculum is the increased emphasis on testing learners with shifting sorrow, fear, joy or hate. In fact, problem is not actually the test per se, but over emphasis on tests that have unintended and potentially bad influences on such learners. But of course in many instances, without tests, these learners could remain invisible and could get the needed remedial to help them cope with their condition. According to Mancil and Maynard (2010) emotional-behavioral disorder is a condition that needs testing that is objective to the needs of learners. However, teachers handling this group argue that it is difficult to understand true indicators of these students on single test (Rowland, 2012). Therefore the more this utopia continues the more the issue of over testing persists. Emphasis on over testing is even frustrating to these learners when most of them have nothing riding on the tests given. There is actually need for standardised tests that reflects on the needs of these learners. Contemporary commentators on the field of education believe that learners with emotional behavioral disabilities need testing model that put a lot of pressure on a teacher to get students to perform (Rowland, 2012). Potential Resources in Emphasis on Testing Information regarding testing and evaluation is readily available in institutions dealing with emotional behavioral disable learners. For instance, social deficits students with emotional-behavioral disorders are so evident in the classroom. Therefore potential resource for this issue is classroom setup. Another source of information is media. For instance, Julia Gillard (The Daily Telegraph Australia, 2013) promised to deliver about $ 4000 to every school student with special needs especially in cases where such students have constant problems with learning. She intends to achieve this by slashing funding to universities. Online surveys are other sources of information. Recent online studies have affirmed the expectations of parents regarding how teachers should handle students with emotional-behavioral disorders (Wehmeyer et al., 2012). Of the 50 parents interviewed, 43 respondents felt that over emphasis on testing do not reflect the abilities of these learners instead; there is a need to device method that reflects needs of these learners. Furthermore, new Australian Curriculum is currently reviewed with planned implementation emphasising on the need for improved literacy and numeracy skills for emotional-behavioral disorders (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2013). Strategies for Dealing with over Emphasis on Testing Strategies dealing with over emphasis on testing must note that emotional-behavioral disorders need to be given education that brings self-advocacy and self-determination so as to avoid problem behaviors and discouragement. Instead of over emphasis on testing there is a need for task management and problem solving skills which are effective in achieving self-advocacy and self-determination. It also needs to be noted that frustrations is a common problem with learners with emotional-behavioral disorders. When these learners are faced with highly demanding examinations and constant testing, they are likely to experience defeat, and misbehave. Therefore, to avoid these and make the learners function well in all their societal realms, there need to be provision of tools of success in writing and reading. Since social deficits of these learners are so evident in the classroom, there need to be academic training that favours social training. That is, the instruction delivered must guard against the tendency to provide these learners with behavior problems limited academic instruction…as there is a need to avoid students’ non-compliance outbursts. Conclusion In most cases, Mental Retardation (MR) and Emotional Behavioral Disability are not readily observable. Though the essay has not captured this, it should be noted that such is a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed for the above mentioned strategies to be meaningful. Further to this, researches reviewed above give strong indication that there is need to understand the implication of learning disabilities. Though the research has not captured relationship between the benefit of correcting the identified instruction issues and students’ performance or career opportunities, dealing with the two disabilities need an integration of feedbacks which are guided and such guidance can only be made possible by explicit teaching. It also needs to be noted that the two identified instructional issues does not exhaust problems encountered when dealing with the two disabilities. Further research is therefore recommended especially on the best writing instructions that suit mentally retarded. References Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, (2013). Student Diversity and the Australian Curriculum. Retrieved fromhttp://foi.deewr.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/portfolio_budget_statements_201112_australian_curriculum_assessment_and_reporting_authority.pdf American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. (DSM-IV). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association. Bambara, L, Fogt, J., Kern, L. (2002) Class-wide curricular modifications to improve the behavior of students with emotional or behavior disorders.  Behavioral Disorders, 27(4), 317-326. Burrello, L.C., & Wright, P.T. (Eds.). (2009). Strategies for inclusion of behaviorally challenging students. Bloomington, IN: Council of Administrators of Special Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 358 654) Culpepper, M., Kamps, D., Wendland, M. (2006). Active teacher participation in functional behavior assessments for students with emotional behavior disorders risks in general education classrooms. Behavior Disorders, 31(2), 128-146 Getty, L.A., & Summy, S.E. (2006). Language deficits in students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Practical applications for teachers. Beyond Behavior, Spring 2006, Retrieved February 8, 2009, from http://www.ccbd.net/documents/bb/BB15(3)%20Language%20Deficits.pdf. Heward, W.L. (2006). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Mancil, G.R., & Maynard, K.L (2010). Mathematics instruction and behavior problems: Making the connection. Beyond Behavior, Spring 2007, Retrieved February 8, 2009, from http://www.ccbd.net/documents/bb/BB16(3)%20Mancil.pdf Meadow, P. K., & Trybus, J. R. (1985). Behavioral and emotional problems of deaf children: An overview. In L. J. Bradford & W. G. Hardy (Eds.), Hearing and hearing impairment (pp. 395-415). New York: Grune & Stratton. NSW Department of Education and Communities (2012). NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre, Policy Support website. Retrieved from http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/support/index.htm Rowland, C., (2012). Communication Matrix for Parents and Professionals, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland. The Daily Telegraph Australia, (2013). Retrieved from http://article.wn.com/view/2013/04/13/Julia_Gillard_pledges_14b_school_funds_boost_while_cutting_2/#/related_news Wehmeyer, M., Shogren, K., Palmer, S., Williams-Diehm, K., Little, T. & Boulton, A., (2012). ‘The impact of the self-determination learning model of instruction on student self determination’, Exceptional Children, vol. 78, pp.135–53. Read More