Week in Review - June 22, 2012

WEEK IN REVIEW

NewNASETPublications and Articles of Interest in Special Education and Disabilities That Were Reported This Week

June 22, 2012 - Vol 8, Issue 23


 

Find us on Facebook

 

Forward this issue to a Friend

 

Join Our Mailing List!

In This Issue

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Quick Links
ReadWeek in ReviewonNASET-Click Here

Renew Your Membership onNASET-Click Here(login required)

NASETResources -Click Here

NASETe-Publications -Click Here

Forgot your User Name or Password? -Click Here

Update/Manage Your Member Profile -Click Here(login required)


Dear NASET News,

Welcome toNASET'sWEEK in REVIEWHere, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASETto read and or download, as well as some of the most interesting articles that have happened this week in the field of special education. We hope you enjoy this publication.  Feel free to send us articles for this publication or let us know your thoughts about theWEEK in REVIEWatnews@naset.org.Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,


NASETNews Team

NASET Sponsor - Arkansas State University

Arkansas_State_Univerity

To learn more -Click here

New This Week on NASET - Classroom Management Series VIII, &  Lesser Known Disorders in Special Education

Classroom Management Series VIII
How Teacher Personality and Style Affects the Growth of Self Confidence

Part I: Positive Teaching Characteristics

Introduction

More and more, teachers are becoming a primary influence in children's lives, and in some cases they may be the only healthy adults some children encounter during the day. Twenty five years ago family structures were different, and teachers did not require the depth and variety of social/emotional skills that are required of today's teachers. Teachers today are not only educators, but therapists, parent substitutes, mentors, advocates, and more.

Therefore, it stands to reason that a teacher's personality and teaching style can have a profound impact on children's academic performance and general development. The importance of teaching style in creating a positive environment in which student confidence is fostered is the discussion of this series. It will be very important to step back and evaluate how you are defined as a teacher, your goals in teaching, and the manner in which you present yourself to students. Does your teaching style allow for an environment where confidence, security, performance and well being can really be reinforced or an environment that may actually impede the these and other factors in children?

No single aspect of a teacher's personality may be responsible for improving or impeding the growth of confidence in a student. For example, a very strict teacher who is fair, kind, genuine, logical, and nurturing may facilitate the growth of self confidence and well being despite being very strict. On the other hand, a teacher who is funny but unstructured and disorganized may not facilitate children's self confidence or enhance performance. Despite the fact that the children love the teacher, they may not gain confidence or academic growth if the teacher cannot provide the real-life success experiences necessary for the growth of self confidence, academic performance, security and personal growth.



To read or download this issue -Click here (login required)
______________________________________________________

June 2012 Lesser Known Disorders

In this Issue you will see the following topics:
  • LD 1.05-Auditory Figure Ground Processing Disorder
  • OHI 1.00-Aicardi Syndrome (Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome)
  • OI 1.01-Fibrous Dysplasia
    To read or download this issue -Click here (login required)

Folic Acid Intake During Early Pregnancy Associated With Reduced Risk of Autism in Offspring

A new study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute suggests that women who consume the recommended daily dosage of folic acid, the synthetic form of folate or vitamin B-9, during the first month of pregnancy may have a reduced risk of having a child with autism. The study furthers the researchers' earlier investigations, which found that women who take prenatal vitamins around the time of conception have a reduced risk of having a child with autism. The current study sought to determine whether the folic acid consumed in those supplements was the source of the protective effect. The finding suggests that, in addition to women who already have conceived, those who are attempting to become pregnant should consider consuming folic acid supplements, the authors said. To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly a third of all students aged 12 - 18 reported having been bullied at school in 2007, some almost daily. This article gives a general background on school bullying.

Fragile X Gene's Prevalence Suggests Broader Health Risk

The first U.S. population prevalence study of mutations in the gene that causes fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability, suggests the mutation in the gene -- and its associated health risks -- may be more common than previously believed. Writing this month (June 2012) in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, a team of Wisconsin researchers reports that the cascade of genetic amino acid repeats, which accumulate over generations and culminate in the mutation of a single gene causing fragile X, is occurring with more frequency among Americans than previously believed. The study also shows that as the genetic basis for the condition is passed from generation to generation and amplified, risks to neurological and reproductive health emerge in many carriers. To read more,click here

AASEP Logo

NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

Through an agreement with The American Academy of Special Education Professionals(AASEP), NASET members now have the opportunity to achieve AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) at a reduced fee.  AASEP Board Certification in Special Education - (B.C.S.E.) is a voluntary choice on the part of the candidate. The candidate for Board Certification wishes to demonstrate a commitment to excellence to employers, peers, administrators, other professionals, and parents. From the standpoint of the Academy, board certification will demonstrate the highest professional competency in the area of special education. Board Certification in Special Educationestablishes a much needed standard for professionals, across disciplines, who work with exceptional children.

 

For more information on Board Certification in Special Education,click here

Mom's Smoking Tied to Dangerous Gut Illness in Preemies

Mothers who smoke while pregnant may raise the risk that, if born prematurely, their babies will develop a serious and perhaps life-threatening bowel disease known as "necrotizing enterocolitis," a small new study has found. Although its underlying cause is poorly understood, necrotizing enterocolitis poses the most common gastrointestinal emergency in premature babies, the study authors noted. The disease destroys tissue in the lining of the intestinal walls of newborns. To date, no specific cause for necrotizing enterocolitis has been determined, although many post-birth factors -- including bacterial infection, mechanical ventilation and formula-feeding -- have been implicated in its onset, according to background information in the study. But the current study involving 73 infants suggests maternal smoking could be a key prenatal harbinger of the condition. To read more,click here

Could Roseola Virus Be Behind Epilepsy? Childhood Virus Infection Linked to Prolonged Seizures With Fever

New research shows that human herpesviruses (HHV)-6B and HHV-7, commonly know as roseola virus), account for one third of febrile status epilepticus (FSE) cases. Results of the FEBSTAT prospective study now available in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), suggest that HHV-6B may be involved in the development of epilepsy and further research is urgently needed. FEBSTAT is a multi-center study of the consequences of FSE, designed to identify the factors that increase the risk of injury to the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for long-term memory and implicated in the development of temporal lobe epilepsy. The FEBSTAT study is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

Pack bullying is bullying undertaken by a group. Pack bullying may be physical bullying or emotional bullying and be perpetrated in person or in cyberspace. In person, it can take place in schoolyards, school hallways, sports fields and gymnasiums, classrooms, and on the school bus.

Vision Problems Tied to Extreme Prematurity in Study

Vision impairment in young children who were born extremely premature is associated with brain damage and an eye disease called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a new study indicates. It included 178 preschool children who were born extremely premature (less than 28 weeks of pregnancy) between 2004 and 2006 and a control group of 56 full-term children. The Danish researchers found that global development deficits -- intellectual disabilities that are a sign of cerebral (brain) damage -- and abnormalities in an area of the retina responsible for sharp vision (the fovea) were more common among extremely premature children than in the control group, and increased with retinopathy severity. To read more,click here

NASET Sponsor - Arkansas State University

Arkansas_State_Univerity

To learn more -Click here

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Guess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review.
Congratulations to Emily Oliver, Merril Bruce, Nancy G Johnsen, Beverly Taylor,

Michele Marcel,

Jessica Ebel-Wheat, Shan Ring, Olumide Akerele,  Stacy Slintak, Helma Wardenaar, Joanie Dikeman, Jessica L. Ulmer, Hermie Fuller Speckles, Rhonda Parker, 

Rachelle Beauchesne, Marlene Barnett, Benjamin M. Young, Suzann Armitage, Catherine Cardenas,Prahbhjot Malhi, Marilyn Haile, Pattie Komons, Victoria Eversole, and Elaine Draper for knowing that the quote, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself", is attributed toJohn Dewey

 

THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
School bullying is a serious problem, and research shows that it can have detrimental outcomes for victims, including adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes. According to four nationally representative surveys conducted from 2005 to 2009, an estimated 20 to 28 percent of youth, primarily middle and high school-aged youths, reported they had been bullied during the survey periods. According to the U.S. Department of Education, how many states have adopted school bullying laws?

If you know the answer, send an email tocontactus@naset.org
All answers must be submitted no later than Monday, June 25, 2012 at 12:00 p.m.

Toddler Spatial Knowledge Boosts Understanding of Numbers

Children who are skilled in understanding how shapes fit together to make recognizable objects also have an advantage when it comes to learning the number line and solving math problems, research at the University of Chicago shows. The work is further evidence of the value of providing young children with early opportunities in spatial learning, which contributes to their ability to mentally manipulate objects and understand spatial relationships, which are important in a wide range of tasks, including reading maps and graphs and understanding diagrams showing how to put things together. Those skills also have been shown to be important in Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. To read more,click here

Violence Takes a Toll on Children's Sleep

Witnessing or being the victim of violence can cause long-term disruption to a child's sleep, according to a new study, and the more severe the violence, the greater the impact on sleep. Researchers assessed the sleep of 46 children aged 8 to 16 in Cleveland who were enrolled in a social-service program for children exposed to violence. Sleep data was collected for seven days and follow-up with the children was conducted three months later. Although sleep problems such as insomnia and nightmares have long been linked with exposure to violence, this study found that specific aspects of violence have different effects on children's sleep. To read more,click here

Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium, June 24-29, 2012

Lehigh University's intensive week-long special education law symposium provides a practical analysis of legislation, regulations, and case law relating to the education of students with disabilities. The symposium provides a thorough analysis of the leading issues under the IDEA and Section 504. Special features include: parallel tracks for basic and advanced practitioners, starting with a keynote dinner and presentation by Dr. Alexa Posny, Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, and ending with a post-luncheon crystal-ball session  by Chicago attorney Darcy Kriha; a balance of knowledgeable district, parent, and neutral perspectives; essential topics with proven effective presenters for the basic track; and a brand new set of "hot topics" and faculty presenters for the advanced track.For more information visit http://www.lehigh.edu/education/law. Questions? Contact Tamara Bartolet (tlp205@lehigh.edu or 610/758-3226).

Avatars May Help Children With Social Anxiety Overcome Fears

A principal standing in the hallway says, "You are one of my favorite students!" In class, a smart girl says, "You are the nicest person in our class!" Many children would smile and eagerly return those compliments, but some with social anxiety may be too terrified to respond. Researchers at the University of Central Florida's Anxiety Disorders Clinic and the Atlanta-based company Virtually Better want to give more children with social anxiety the practice they need to become comfortable in social situations. They have developed a new, one-of-a-kind computer simulation program that enables children to interact with avatars playing the roles of classmates, teachers and a principal. To read more,click here

Liberty Mutual Savings

NASET MEMBER'S BENEFIT -

Group Savings Plus from Liberty Mutual

As a member ofNASETyou qualify for a special group discount* on your auto, home, and renter's insurance through Group Savings Plus® from Liberty Mutual. This unique program allows you to purchase high-quality auto, home and renters insurance at low group rates.

 

See for yourself how much money you could save with Liberty Mutual compared to your current insurance provider. For a free, no-obligation quote, call 800-524-9400 or visit

www.libertymutual.com/naset,or visit your local sales office.

*Group discounts, other discounts, and credits are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state.  Certain discounts apply to specific coverage only.  To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.  Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA.

Sleep Apnea in Teens Linked to Social, Behavioral Woes

Teenagers with obstructive sleep apnea are at higher risk of behavioral and learning problems, according to a new study. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops during sleep because the airway is blocked. Common symptoms include snoring and a loud snort or gasp for breath after a pause in breathing, which can happen up to 30 times an hour. Researchers from the University of Arizona, in Tucson, found that children with sleep apnea who continue to have the disorder in their teens have more problems with attention, hyperactivity and aggression; more trouble managing their emotions and social situations; and are less able to care for themselves without help. To read more,click here

Alcohol Abuse May Be Cause, Rather Than Effect of Social Isolation, Poor Grades Among Teens

Rather than gaining "liquid courage" to let loose with friends, teenage drinkers are more likely to feel like social outcasts, according to a new sociological study. Published in the June issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, the study shows alcohol consumption leads to increased social stress and poor grades, especially among students in schools with tightly-connected friendship cliques and low levels of alcohol abuse. For their study, Robert Crosnoe, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, Aprile Benner, an assistant professor of human ecology at the University of Texas at Austin, and Barbara Schneider, a professor of sociology and education at Michigan State University, analyzed National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data on 8,271 adolescents from 126 schools. Add Health, which began in 1994, is the largest and most comprehensive survey of health-related behavior among adolescents between grades 7 and 12. To read more,click here

C-Section Babies May Be More Likely to Fail First Hearing Test

Infants delivered by Cesarean section are three times more likely than babies delivered vaginally to fail their first hearing test, which is performed shortly after birth, new research from Israel finds. However, the researchers noted that parents should be aware of this difference, but not alarmed, because this hearing "problem" is typically temporary. Dr. Tatiana Smolkin, a neonatal researcher at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, who worked on the study, said the loss generally disappears after 72 hours. "Fluids are retained in the middle ear," which seems to affect neonatal hearing, she explained. U.S. experts agreed that parents should take the information in stride. To read more,click here

A Father's Love Is One of the Greatest Influences On Personality Development

A father's love contributes as much -- and sometimes more -- to a child's development as does a mother's love. That is one of many findings in a new large-scale analysis of research about the power of parental rejection and acceptance in shaping our personalities as children and into adulthood. "In our half-century of international research, we've not found any other class of experience that has as strong and consistent effect on personality and personality development as does the experience of rejection, especially by parents in childhood," says Ronald Rohner of the University of Connecticut, co-author of the new study in Personality and Social Psychology Review. "Children and adults everywhere -- regardless of differences in race, culture, and gender -- tend to respond in exactly the same way when they perceived themselves to be rejected by their caregivers and other attachment figures." To read more,click here

Did You Know That....

Emotional bullying is bullying that involves factors other than physical interaction, such as insults, derogatory remarks, name calling, and teasing. Also included are attempts to ostracize the victim, such as being left out or ignored, which is sometimes referred to as social bullying, as distinguished from verbal bullying.

Treating Childhood Anxiety With Computers, Not Drugs

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, one in eight children suffers from an anxiety disorder. And because many anxious children turn into severely anxious adults, early intervention can have a major impact on a patient's life trajectory. The understandable reluctance to use psychiatric medications when it comes to children means child psychologists are always searching for viable therapeutic alternatives. Now Prof. Yair Bar-Haim of Tel Aviv University's School of Psychological Sciences and his fellow researchers are pursuing a new method to address childhood anxiety. Based on a computer program, the treatment uses a technique called Attention Bias Modification (ABM) to reduce anxiety by drawing children away from their tendency to dwell on potential threats, ultimately changing their thought patterns. In its initial clinical trial, the program was as effective as medication and cognitive therapy for children -- with several distinct advantages. The results of the trial were reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry. To read more,click here

Self-Harm Showing Up in Elementary Schools

When young people purposely hurt themselves it's disturbing at any age, but a new study suggests that kids in elementary school cut and otherwise injure themselves at about the same rate as older children. "One of our main messages is: This happens earlier than you think. And then it's: How are kids at different ages doing this and what do you need to look for?" said study author Benjamin Hankin, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Denver. Appearing online June 11 and in the July print issue of Pediatrics, the study included youths aged 7 to 16 from the Denver area and central New Jersey. To read more,click here

Diabetes Rising Rapidly Among U.S. Kids

Diabetes is increasing among U.S. children at an alarming rate, say researchers who report jumps of more than 20 percent since 2001 for type 2 disease, which is linked to excessive weight and sedentary lifestyles, and type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. "Both types of diabetes are increasing," said study co-author Dr. Dana Dabelea, associate dean for faculty affairs at the University of Colorado School of Public Health in Aurora. "For type 2, we have some clues as to why it's increasing, but for type 1, we still need to better understand the triggers of this disease." Many of the type 2 diagnoses are explained by the rise in overweight and obese children. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 percent of U.S. children and teens are obese -- three times the number of a generation ago. To read more,click here

Food For Thought..........

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.

 

Goethe

forgot username or password?