Week in Review - December 9, 2016

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers
December 9, 2016                                                Vol 12 Issue # 49
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Dear NASET News,

Welcome to NASET'sWEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications from NASET to 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

The Practical Teacher Series

Hospitality in an Inclusive Classroom

This issue of NASET's Practical Teacherwas written by Ernest Solar, Ph.D. from Mount St. Mary's University.  The Individuals with Disabilities Act requires public schools to provide students with disabilities with a free and appropriate education with their nondisabled peers whenever possible.  Inclusion equates to accessibility of the general education curriculum with non-disabled peers; however, inclusion does not equate to hospitality in the classroom.  Hospitality is the intentional act of promoting a learning environment where students with disabilities feel as if they are a part of the classroom community.  This practitioner article defines the importance of inclusive education for students with disabilities, explores the difficulties in implementing an inclusive classroom because of judicial judgments and social acceptance, presents the importance of hospitality in an inclusive classroom, and outlines four principles a teacher can intentionally implement to foster hospitality and acceptance of students with a disability within an inclusive classroom. Read More
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Bullying Rates Remain Higher for Children with Disabilities, Even as They Mature

More than 22 percent of children ages 12-18 say they have been bullied in school within the last month; a significant portion of those children have disabilities. However, little research exists on how bullying rates for individual children change over time. Now, a University of Missouri researcher and bullying expert has determined that children with disabilities are victimized by bullying at a much higher rate over time than their peers without disabilities. The study also revealed that this discrepancy in victimization and bullying perpetration rates remains consistent as children age. Chad Rose, an assistant professor of special education in the MU College of Education, says this indicates that children with disabilities are not developing adequate social skills to combat bullying as they mature. Read More

Autism Spectrum Disorders: New Genetic Cause Identified

Autism spectrum disorders affect around one percent of the world's population and are characterized by a range of difficulties in social interaction and communication. In a new study published in Cell today, a team of researchers led by Gaia Novarino, Professor at IST Austria, has identified a new genetic cause of ASD. Gaia Novarino explains why this finding is significant: "There are many different genetic mutations causing autism, and they are all very rare. This heterogeneity makes it difficult to develop effective treatments. Our analysis not only revealed a new autism-linked gene, but also identified the mechanism by which its mutation causes autism. Excitingly, mutations in other genes share the same autism-causing mechanism, indicating that we may have underscored a subgroup of ASDs." Read More

First Structural Map of Cystic Fibrosis Protein Sheds Light on How Mutations Cause Disease

Rockefeller scientists have created the first three-dimensional map of the protein responsible for cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease for which there is no cure. This achievement, described December 1 in Cell, offers the kinds of insights essential to better understanding and treating this often-fatal disease, which clogs the lungs with sticky mucus, leading to breathing problems or respiratory infections. "With the three-dimensional structure, which we have resolved down to the level of atoms, we can say more about how the cystic fibrosis protein works normally and visualize how it becomes altered in patients," says senior author Jue Chen, William E. Ford Professor and head of the Laboratory of Membrane Biology and Biophysics. Read More

Brain Training Video Games Help Low-Vision Kids See Better

A new study by vision scientists at the University of Rochester and Vanderbilt University found that children with poor vision see vast improvement in their peripheral vision after only eight hours of training via kid-friendly video games. Most surprising to the scientists was the range of visual gains the children made, and that the gains were quickly acquired and stable when tested a year later. "Children who have profound visual deficits often expend a disproportionate amount of effort trying to see straight ahead, and as a consequence they neglect their peripheral vision," said Duje Tadin, associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences at Rochester. "This is problematic because visual periphery -- which plays a critical role in mobility and other key visual functions -- is often less affected by visual impairments."
Read More

Parents Should Avoid Pressuring Young Children Over Grades

New research from ASU suggests parents shouldn't obsess over grades and extracurricular activities for young schoolchildren, especially if such ambitions come at the expense of social skills and kindness. Doing so, the study says, can work against helping kids become well-adjusted and successful later in life. "When parents emphasize children's achievement much more than their compassion and decency during the formative years, they are sowing the seeds of stress and poorer well-being, seen as early as sixth grade," said Suniya Luthar, a Foundation professor of psychology at ASU and one of the co-authors of the study. 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

Sedentary Lifestyle May Impair Academic Performance in Boys

A sedentary lifestyle is linked to poorer reading skills in the first three school years in 6-8 year old boys, according to a new study from Finland. The study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland in collaboration with the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Cambridge was recently published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. "Low levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and high levels of sedentary time in Grade 1 were related to better reading skills in Grades 1-3 among boys. We also observed that boys who had a combination of low levels of physical activity and high levels of sedentary time had the poorest reading skills through Grades 1-3," explains Eero Haapala, PhD, from the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Jyväskylä. Read More

Young Children's Spatial Talk Predicts their Spatial Abilities

It's not how many words a kid knows; it's how they choose them that tells Hilary Miller the most about their spatial skills. That grasp of the layout of their physical word -- understanding where they are relative to a friend, imagining how to rotate puzzle pieces to fit them together, conjuring a mental map of the park -- is important. "We know that better spatial abilities lead to better math skills in early childhood, and they are strong predictors of future interest in careers in science and technology and engineering," says Miller, a graduate student studying child development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "So we're targeting ways to enhance spatial skills at an early age." Read More

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Rena Root, Laurine Kennedy, Melody Owens, Patsy Ray, Olumide Akerele, Prahbhjot Malhi, and Crystal Hubbard who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question.

QUESTION:
Children living in a food desert -- an urban area where it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food - have been shown to be at an increased risk of getting what type of health impairment?
ANSWER:  Asthma

THE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK WILL RETURN ON DECEMBER 23, 2016
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The Bert and Ernie Principle of Sharing: When and Why Do Children Give Others the Bigger Piece of the Pie?

In one episode of Sesame Street, Ernie takes a bigger piece of pie for himself and gives a smaller piece to Bert. Bert responds, "That is not very polite. I mean, if I had two pieces of pie, I'd offer you the big piece and take the small one for myself." Confused, Ernie replies, "Well... you have the small piece, Bert." Fairness is a central concept in the adult world. But how do children learn what is fair and what is not? When do children learn to distribute resources in an equitable manner, and what do they do when it is impossible to divide the pie equally? In a new research, Dr. Shoham Choshen-Hillel of the Jerusalem School of Business Administration at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Dr. Alex Shaw and Prof. Eugene Caruso from the University of Chicago, examined the decisions that children make at different ages when confronted with inequity. Read More

Can Extra Time Outdoors When Young Reduce Nearsightedness?

Spending more time outside early in life may offer some protection against nearsightedness, a new study suggests. The European study authors suspect that additional exposure to the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays may play a role in reducing nearsightedness -- the inability to see clearly at a distance, also known as myopia. "We found that higher annual lifetime UVB exposure, directly related to time outdoors and sunlight exposure, was associated with reduced odds of myopia," the study authors wrote. Read More

Could Low Vitamin D Levels at Birth Mean Higher MS Risk?

Newborns with low levels of vitamin D may have higher odds of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life, new research suggests. Vitamin D deficiency is common among the general population, including pregnant women. But the researchers said it's too soon to routinely recommend "sunshine vitamin" supplements for mothers-to-be. "The study does not prove that increasing vitamin D levels reduces the risk of MS. Further studies are needed to confirm our results," said study leader Dr. Nete Munk Nielsen, a researcher at the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. Read More

First Case of Zika-Linked Glaucoma Diagnosed in Infant

The first case of an infant who developed glaucoma after being exposed to the Zika virus while in the womb has been reported by an international team of researchers. No previous cases have seen a link between Zika infection and glaucoma, a condition that can permanently damage the optic nerve and result in blindness, the researchers said. But other vision problems and devastating brain defects have surfaced in babies born to mothers who were infected with Zika while pregnant. Read More

Demi Lovato Wants to Change the Face of Mental Illness

Since her 2008 breakthrough role in the Disney Channel musical "Camp Rock," singer and actress Demi Lovato has released five best-selling albums and a slew of hit singles. Numerous music awards have followed, as has a stint as a judge on the TV megahit "The X Factor." But for the 44 million American adults struggling with mental illness, it's the 24-year-old's decision to share her own mental health battles that may rank as her most meaningful achievement to date. "I've been very, very open about my story," said Lovato. "I was diagnosed when I was 18 with bipolar disorder," a condition shared by roughly 13 million Americans. "And ever since, I've been doing whatever I could to raise awareness about mental illness, and mental health, in America." Read More
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Insulin Prices Skyrocket, Putting Many Diabetics in a Bind

Insulin, a life-saving medication used to treat diabetes, was discovered nearly 100 years ago, yet the price of the drug has now spiked by 700 percent in just two decades. In early November, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Democrat, pointed out that certain insulins had risen from $21 a vial in 1996 to $255 a vial in 2016.  Some have likened the insulin price boosts to the recent price hikes for EpiPen -- the life-saving medication needed when someone has a serious allergic reaction. Read More

ATV Accidents Can Cause Serious Chest Injuries in Kids

For young people who ride all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) without a helmet, the risk of head trauma is an established and serious concern. New research, however, finds that these vehicles may also pose a high risk for severe chest injuries. "I believe that many parents are unaware of how serious ATV-related injuries can be," said the study's author, Dr. Kelly Hagedorn. She's a radiology resident at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Read More

Pediatricians Can Help When Parents Divorce: Report

A pediatrician can play an important part in helping children adjust when their parents split up, a new American Academy of Pediatrics report says. "The pediatrician can help parents understand their children's reactions to divorce or separation," said report co-lead author Dr. Carol Weitzman, chairwoman of the AAP's Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. "Those reactions will vary, depending on age and stage of development. Parents should be encouraged to answer their children's questions honestly, and allow them to express their own feelings," she said in an AAP news release. Read More

Connection Found Between Memory Mechanisms, Resistance to Epilepsy

A new study undertaken jointly by researchers from the Sagol Department of Neurobiology at the University of Haifa and European researchers, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, exposes a new biological mechanism that, on the one hand, damages a very specific type of memory, but at the same time provides resistance to epilepsy. Research student Elham Taha from the laboratory of Prof. Kobi Rosenblum, who undertook the research, explains: "In both healthy and sick brains, the relationship between the activities of the nerve cells that cause the transfer of information and activities delaying the transmission of information is extremely important. We know that damage to this relationship forms the basis of various brain diseases, such as neuro-developmental diseases and epilepsy. The aim of our study was to isolate molecular components that serve the creation of long-term memories. We were surprised to find that the molecular change we created led to a minor change in this relationship in the hippocampus, but also created resistance to epileptic seizures. Thus the finding creates new possibilities for developing drugs for the treatment of epilepsy." Read More

What Does Nonverbal Learning Disorder Look Like in Children?

The symptoms of nonverbal learning disorder are seldom apparent early in life. Toddlers with NLD are often charming and chatty, and easily compensate for any difficulties with their highly developed verbal skills. Over time, the other symptoms of NLD - poor social skills, motor difficulties, and struggles to make sense of abstract concepts - become more noticeable and difficult to vault. If left undiagnosed, NLD frequently develops into anxiety or depression during a child's teen years, when more than a decade of spatial and social difficulties begin to take its toll. So how can you recognize NLD in a child, and secure treatment before negative consequences take root? Start by understanding what NLD looks like - and how it changes. Read More

Honor Society for Special Education Teachers

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jobs

LATEST JOB LISTINGS POSTED ON NASET


*Executive Director - The Professional Center for Child Development, seeks applictions for the position of Executive Director. The Professional Center's highly skilled and professional staff provide a range of services to support the growth and development of children including: developmental day school for children with disabilities; early intervention for children from birth to three years old with disabilities or who are at risk; preschool for both children with and without disabilities; play groups; pediatric therapy programs; and regional consultation. To learn more -Click here
*Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Special Education - The position will be housed in the early childhood education PK-4 program in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, but will also teach special education for the secondary math education program housed in the School of Science. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Teaches in a Level V educational setting, serving children with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities, often accompanied by learning disabilities. The Special Education Teacher is responsible for developing and implementing plans for meeting the educational needs of students and for improving psychosocial development. To learn more -Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Youth Villages' Residential Treatment programs serve children with emotional and behavioral problems.  Our residential campuses provide the setting for an intensive treatment program that combines the unique balance of structure and freedom. To learn more - Click here
*Teacher Mild/Mod. & Mod./Sev. (Elem. & MS) - The Education Specialist, will serve as classroom teacher in both general education settings as a co-teacher and leading a Learning Center to support students with IEPs in the least restrictive environment. Case management, professionalism, communication, and ability to co-teach/collaborate with colleagues are cornerstones to this position. To learn more - Click here
*Assistant/Associate Professor - Special Education - The Department of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum (TLC) in the School of Education of Drexel University seeks to appoint an Assistant or Associate Professor tenure-track or tenured faculty member in the area of Special Education. The individual should hold expertise to conduct or have an established record of scholarly or applied research. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - The Hoffman Academy is a special education, private, academic school for students identified with social and emotional disorders.  The school is aligned with, and located on the grounds of, Hoffman Homes for Youth- a psychiatric residential treatment facility outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The Hoffman Academy educates approximately 100 students. To learn more - Click here
*The Special Education Specialist- (SPED) provides technical assistance across one or more contracts in administering assessment programs for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Develops special education content materials for professional development, item development and the administration of alternate assessments. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Specialist - The primary responsibility of the Special Education Specialist is to provide instruction and other related services to Special Education students. The Special Education Specialist will also facilitate diagnostic assessment including administration, scoring and interpretation. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - Under general supervision of the House Manager, the incumbent is responsible for teaching and supervising a class of special needs students utilizing various techniques to promote learning. Duties include planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating class activities, developing Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and working with assigned staff, therapists and students to achieve the IEP goals and objectives. To learn more - Click here
*Special Education Teacher - is sought by Barstow Unified School District in Barstow CA. At present there is a single job opening for a full time position for 7 hours a day 185 days per year. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. To learn more - Click here

If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information.

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

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Thomas A. Edison

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