Week in Review - July 8, 2016

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

July 8, 2016                                                Vol 12 Issue # 27


Dear NASET News,


Welcome to NASET'sWEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications from NASETto 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 the WEEK in REVIEW at news@naset.org. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

NASET News Team

NEW THIS WEEK ON NASET

NASET Parent Teacher Conference Handout Issue #128


Getting Ready for Healthcare at the Age of Majority

When young people with disabilities reach the "age of majority," they gain the right to manage their own affairs, including choosing their own doctor and seeing to their own healthcare needs. In most states, this happens at age 18. Legally considered as adults, they may take charge of healthcare decisions large and small. But will they be ready to make such decisions for themselves? Will they have the skills and basic information they need? This issue of NASET's Parent Teacher Conference Handout is from the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) and National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO) in collaboration with the Center for Parent Information and Resources and considers steps that parents and others (such as teachers or transition specialists) can take to help their teenager with disabilities learn what's involved in taking care of one's own health and healthcare as an adult.

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NASET The Practical Teacher

Using Music to Teach Reading to Kindergarten Students By Kristen M. Rodriguez

A common struggle for teachers, of typical and ESE students, is teaching the students to learn how to read with fluency. Kindergarten students especially those who are in school for the first time or ESOL students struggle to learn how to read fluently. Songs may offer a change from routine classroom activities and can offer students an alternate approach to learning and uses different learning styles to reach a greater range of learners. Using songs can help students to learn to recognize words easier through repetition. This issue of NASET's Practical Teacher was written by Kristen Rodriguez. It focuses on using music to teach read reading to kindergarten students. Read More

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Australian Study Reveals Reasons for Delays in Early Autism Diagnoses

A new study has found many Australian children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may not be diagnosed until long after initial signs appear, prompting calls for improvements to the diagnostic process. Researchers from QUT's School of Psychology and Counselling conducted a national study of pediatricians, psychologists and psychiatrists to investigate issues related to ASD assessment and diagnosis in children. The study, led by PhD candidate and psychologist Samantha Ward, identified a number of factors that may be influencing the timing of ASD diagnosis in children, including practitioners taking a 'wait and see' approach to diagnosing very young children, the perceived difficulty of the diagnosis and perceived limitations in assessment measures and diagnostic criteria.  Read More

Artificial Pancreas Likely to be Available by 2018

The artificial pancreas -- a device which monitors blood glucose in patients with type 1 diabetes and then automatically adjusts levels of insulin entering the body -- is likely to be available by 2018, conclude authors of a paper in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes). Issues such as speed of action of the forms of insulin used, reliability, convenience and accuracy of glucose monitors plus cybersecurity to protect devices from hacking, are among the issues that are being addressed. Currently available technology allows insulin pumps to deliver insulin to people with diabetes after taking a reading or readings from glucose meters, but these two components are separate. It is the joining together of both parts into a 'closed loop' that makes an artificial pancreas, explain authors Dr. Roman Hovorka and Dr. Hood Thabit of the University of Cambridge, UK. "In trials to date, users have been positive about how use of an artificial pancreas gives them 'time off' or a 'holiday' from their diabetes management, since the system is managing their blood sugar effectively without the need for constant monitoring by the user," they say.  Read More

Vermont Becomes the First State to Offer Universal Pre-K

Gov. Peter Shumlin celebrated the value of pre-kindergarten education at Union Elementary School as the law guaranteeing the program to all Vermont children goes into effect on July 1, 2016. The law was signed by Shumlin in 2014 and makes Vermont the first state to guarantee quality universal pre-K access to all Vermont three- and four-year-olds for the two years before they enter kindergarten, Shumlin said. "I don't think there's a more important bill that ensures kids have a strong start," he said. The program starts this fall and is available to all families, regardless of income. Rebecca Holcombe, secretary of the Vermont agency of education, said that in 2013 and 2014 a study showed that children who went to pre-K were more prepared to learn in Kindergarten.Read More

Board Certification in Special Education Available to NASET Members

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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.Read More

Autism More Likely If Parent, Sibling Have Epilepsy

Individuals with epilepsy, as well as their children and siblings, are at an increased risk for autism, a new study has shown. The Swedish study, the largest so far to look at the link between epilepsy and autism, was published onlinein Neurology on June 15. The authors, led by Heléne E.K. Sundelin, MD, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden, conclude that their findings "have unique implications for the health care of patients with epilepsy." "This group of patients should be screened for ASD [autism spectrum disorder], and if ASD is suspected, assessed for a diagnosis of the disorder," they state. They also point out that the finding that autism is also more common in siblings and offspring of individuals with epilepsy suggests shared etiology and an overlapping inheritanceRead More

Are Modern Standards Breeding a Decline in Cultural Literacy?

"The humanities are over...things that make us human as opposed to just animals is a part of education that is largely dead. Now, education is about achievement, readiness and career. Education is instrumental." So says Mark Bauerlein, English professor at Emory University and award-winning author, who believes that many of his incoming students are unprepared for higher education, particularly when it comes to cultural literacy. Among college instructors, he's not alone in this opinion. A new survey from ACT points to an increase in readiness gaps from high school graduates at the college and career level. Significantly, the study also shows that there are general discrepancies between state academic standards, namely the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the types of qualities and skills colleges and employers say they seek.  Read More

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

THE WEEK IN REVIEW WILL RETURN ON JULY 29,  2016


Risk of Blindness from Spine Surgery Down Significantly

The risk of blindness caused by spinal fusion, one of the most common surgeries performed in the U.S., has dropped almost three-fold since the late 1990s, according to the largest study of the topic to date. Results of the research were published online June 30th inAnesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. "While there are significant complications that can result from spinal-fusion surgery, it seems that blindness, a catastrophic and devastating complication, is one that has become far rarer in recent years," says Dr. Steven Roth, the Michael Reese Endowed Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, and senior author on the paper.  Read More

Research Suggests Important Indicators of Recovery in Treatment of Children with Leukemia

The chemotherapy treatments necessary to treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in children can be grueling on the body, and can cause health-related complications during therapy, as well as long down the road after remission. Children receiving chemotherapy for AML receive 4 to 5 intensive chemotherapy courses, and while some children recover quickly from each course, others may take several months or more, which increases their risk for life-threatening infections. In a recent paper published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Oncology Group, University of Southern California, Hospital for Sick Children, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and University of Washington School of Medicine, discovered a way to predict which children are at highest risk for delayed recovery, a finding that may have significant implications for treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Read More

ADHD Summer Program Helps Kids Focus, Develop Social Skills

Dressed in gym shorts and T-shirts, students practice crossovers and layups on a basketball court. They work on art projects, tinker with toys. At desks, they complete reading and math worksheets. It seems like a typical summer camp. But with an emphasis on strengthening social skills and focus, the programis one of the few ADHD summer treatment programs in the country. ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, varies from child to child in severity and symptoms. Children with ADHD often have trouble focusing on a task or getting along with peers. "(ADHD) can look like a lot of things," said camp director Eric Vinson, who leads the summer program at Currey Ingram Academy in Brentwood.  Read More

'Finding Dory' Demonstrates the Importance of Helping People with Disabilities Establish Independence

It's not often that people with disabilities are represented in mainstream movies, let alone in an accurate, dignified manner - but one movie out in theaters now is different. Finding Dory, the sequel to Pixar's Finding Nemo that broke box-office records on opening weekend, delivers an important message about disability that aligns perfectly with that first pillar of ADEC's mission of "A Life of their Own." Dory, a supporting character in Finding Nemo's rescue mission to find clownfish Nemo after he was scooped up by a boat, lives with chronic short-term memory loss. While her disability was used for comedic relief during the first movie, it turns into a central theme in the 13-years-later sequel. Read More

Prenatal Exposure to Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) May Increase Autism Spectrum and Hyperactivity Symptoms in Children

A new study has found that paracetamol (acetaminophen), which is used extensively during pregnancy, has a strong association with autism spectrum symptoms in boys and for both genders in relation to attention-related and hyperactivity symptoms. The findings were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. This is the first study of its kind to report an independent association between the use of this drug in pregnancy and autism spectrum symptoms in children. It is also the first study to report different effects on boys and girls. Comparing persistently to non-exposed children, the study has found an increase of 30 per cent in the risk of detriment to some attention functions, and an increase of two clinical symptoms of autism spectrum symptoms in boys. Researchers in Spain recruited 2644 mother-child pairs in a birth cohort study during pregnancy. 88 per cent were evaluated when the child was one year old, and 79.9 per cent were evaluated when they were five years old. Mothers were asked about their use of paracetamol during pregnancy and the frequency of use was classified as never, sporadic, or persistent. Exact doses could not be noted due to mothers being unable to recall them exactly.  Read More

Environmental Toxins Linked to Brain Disorders in Children

Scientists and experts from various fields have for the first time come together to support a link between exposures to toxic chemicals in air, water, food and everyday products and children's risks for neuro-developmental disorders. Project TENDR, which stands for "Targeting Environmental Neuro-Developmental Risks," is an alliance of 48 of the top scientists, health professionals and health advocates from the US. In a consensus statement published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, the alliance called for immediate action to significantly reduce exposures to toxic chemicals and protect brain development now and for generations to come. Read More

Kids with Autism Welcome at Dollywood

Many kids on the autism spectrumstruggle with processing sensoryinformation, becoming overloaded by -- or, sometimes, desensitized to -- touch, taste, sight and sound. It makes it extremely difficult for families with children on the spectrum to visit places like amusement parks. According to local news in Nashville, Tennessee, Dollywoodhas partnered with Autism Speaksto create a calming room for children who need a place to go to escape the sensory stimulation of the theme park. "[It] has very sensory friendly objects in it, ones that kids would be using in their therapies for sensory integration," said Maeghan Pawley of Autism Speaks. It is the first room of its kind in a theme park and has already helped families calm their children and enjoy the park longer.  Read More

Students from Georgia Universities Join Forces to Help Children with Disabilities

Isaac Morgan lies in the middle of the therapy table, smiling and looking around him. His parents and students from the University of North Georgia and Georgia Tech talk around him. It is part of the "cREATe" project, a collaboration between UNG physical therapy graduate students and Georgia Tech engineering students to make devices that would help three youngsters with disabilities. The acronym stands for "creating rehab engineering and assistive technology experiences." The two groups - 12 students in physical therapy and nine in engineering - worked together for a week to develop plans for devices or technology to make devices work more conveniently for the youngsters. Read More

3 Types of Parents Who Get Bullied By Their Own Children

Parents often make excuses for their children's outrageous behavior, whether it's a preschooler's tantrum or a teen's sullen refusal to do what he or she has been asked. Children who become unmanageable or verbally abusive to their parents are, in fact, bullies, although most parents don't think of these behaviors in that way. Maybe they should. Sean Grover, a New York psychotherapist, mustered the courage to call such children exactly what they are-bullies-and figured out how frustrated parents can take charge again and restore positive parent-child relationships.  Read More

Clothing Barriers for People with Disabilities

Just like that, his way of life was transformed. When Chuck Graham got into a car accident at the age of 16, he had to start using a wheelchair. Everyday tasks had to be done in new ways, including getting dressed and shopping for clothes. And it wasn't easy. Graham is one of millions of Americans living with a disability who face apparel-related challenges.  "You can't try anything on, except for shirts and shoes," Graham said. "You can't try on pants, which makes things difficult. You have to go through the hassle of going out, picking something and bringing it home. Then, if you find out that it doesn't fit, you have to take it back out, get something else and all that." Read More

Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

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Woman with Intellectual Disabilities Exercises Right to Vote

Rachel Dunbar waited patiently with her mother Tuesday at Patrick Henry Elementary to cast her ballot for Tulsa mayor. The 29-year-old is shy and needs help reading the ballot, but she doesn't miss an election. Her favorite is the presidential race. "It's good to vote," she says. Dunbar has intellectual disabilities but exercises her American right through several legal protections, including the Voting Rights Act (1965), the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (1984), Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), the National Voter Registration Act (1993) and the Help America Vote Act (2002). Dunbar is active in the community with a job at A New Leaf and as a regular competitor in the Special Olympics. As she approached 18, her family doctor encouraged her parents to look into a program that helps people with disabilities get the assistance needed to vote.  Read More

Why So Many Black, Hispanic and Poor Kids Miss Out on Gifted Education

Broward County, Fla., launched a remarkable experiment a decade ago. Instead of depending on teachers and parents to nominate children for IQ testing leading to gifted designations, the district gave a preliminary giftedness test to all second-graders. Most of us assume the way we select gifted children catches nearly all students ready for advanced instruction. But Broward County schools proved otherwise, according to economists David Card of the University of California at Berkeley and Laura Giuliano of the University of Miami. All second-graders took a short test on shapes and designs. Those who scored well were given a three-hour IQ test. That produced a big jump in the number of third-graders who met the IQ standards for the district's gifted program. The additional students were disproportionately poor, black or Hispanic and more likely to have parents who spoke a language other than English. The increase was mind-bending. Read More
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LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


*Resource Specialist - Desire and aptitude to work with students from grades 6-12, provides leadership to the student study team in identifying students with special/ exceptional needs, supports SPED Coordinator with PD for all staff members. To learn more- Click here
*Instructional Specialist - Mitchell College is searching for a highly collaborative Instructional Specialist for Thames Academy. Thames Academy is a residential program for high school graduates with academic challenges, documented learning disabilities, or other learning differences (AD/HD) who are preparing for the transition to college.  Due to the Program's burgeoning enrollment, we are adding several additional positions to support the social and academic endeavours of our students. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teachers - MUSD is looking for Special Education Teachers to provide students with appropriate learning activities and experiences in the core academic subject area assigned to help them fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, and social growth. Enable students to develop competencies and skills to function successfully in society. To learn more -Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Primary Responsibilities:  Responsible for planning and providing for appropriate learning experiences for students based on the district's AKS curriculum as well as providing an atmosphere and environment conducive to the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of individuals. To learn more-Click here
*Special Education Teacher (2 Positions) - For Job Description please visit www.swsd.k12.wa.us and click on Employment; Job Postings; FastTrack and search for Job Postings #160426001 and 160323004. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - The International Community School (ICS) is an International Baccalaureate World School that educates refugees, immigrants and local children, and provides a rigorous and holistic education in an intentionally diverse community of mutual learners. To learn more -Click here
*Intervention Specialist - Breakthrough Schools is looking for Intervention Specialists committed to urban education to join our team at E Prep Woodland Hills. Teaching at Breakthrough Schools is a rewarding experience where you will work on a staff dedicated to making an impact on the lives of Cleveland students. To learn more-Click here
*Assistant Principal - Provide leadership to ECF Kayne Eras School staff. The Assistant Principal will work as part of a team along with the Director of School Programs and the Principal to promote, enhance, and effectively manage all school related programs and activities. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - NYTPS is currently seeking monolingual/bilingual New York State Special Education Teachers to provide Services for Preschool and/or School Age Children. We offer placements throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island).Choose the locations and schedules that work for you! To learn more - Click here
*Upper School Teacher - The Mary McDowell Friends School, a K-12 college preparatory school for students with learning disabilities, is expanding its upper school and is seeking to fill positions for the 2016-17 academic year. To learn more -Click here

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


One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.
Carl Jung

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