Teaching to Students of Different Learning Abilities

Teaching to Students of Different Learning Abilities Teachers in todays classrooms orchestrate instruction for students of various learning styles and ability levels. They make decisions based upon their knowledge of and experiences with the students, while incorporating theory and pedagogy as well as being cognizant of local, state and national policies and procedures. In this course, students will read, reflect and respond to information that is relevant to teaching in a mixed ability classroom. Students will design, prepare, analyze and reflect upon their instruction and upon their pupils responses to instruction. Participants will focus on understanding approaches for differentiating instruction in the classroom. Participants will: discuss the principles of Differentiated Instruction and how they apply to each individual student, learn effective strategies for managing flexible groups, and acquire ideas for providing students with a variety of options. Learning Outcomes: The student will be able to: Design lessons and materials based on differentiated instruction theory and strategies Examine his/her individual philosophy of education and incorporate principles of differentiated instruction Interpret state mandates, requirements and/or standards to develop lesson plans in accordance with these rules and regulations Prepare appropriate, differentiated assessments that correspond with explicit content areas and learning goals at various stages of instruction Analyze student learning needs to apply differentiated instruction methods when preparing lessons for Gifted and Talented students, English Language Learners, Bi-lingual students and Special Education students Describe major theories of learning that are relevant to the content of ones lesson plans and the selection of classroom materials Online Learning with Full Instructor Facilitation Our institution maintains an online platform that automatically grades student pre- and post-assessments, monitors their participation in the lecture, and awards them credit when they post in the discussion area. Instructors will monitor the progress and quality of work the students provide, including the threaded discussions, and will provide feedback and evaluate the midterm and final projects. Weekly Online Lecture Assignments: Week 1 Text Reading: Read Hall, T., Strangman, N., Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved [insert date] from http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstructudl.html Answer Questions (Open Ended) Briefly state your philosophy of education. How is it reflected in your lesson planning and teaching? Now consider the Hall, Strangman and Meyer article. How can you incorporate that information into your philosophy of education? Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lzzZbPN-8splaynext_from=TLvideos=QNXm4P0EbsM Differentiated Instruction: Some Ideas for the Classroom Clip 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkK1bT8ls0Mplaynext_from=TLvideos=QNXm4P0EbsM Assignment: Create a Think-Tac-Toe (T-T-T) lesson for use in your classroom. Provide a rationale for the educational choices you made in the design of your T-T-T. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 2 Text Reading: Read http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/Standards/5982TG_ModelsStandardsImplementation.pdf read pages 1-8 of this article Title: National Education Standards: Getting beneath the Surface. Policy Information Perspective, Author(s):Barton, Paul, http://www.ets.org Parrish, P., Stodden, R. (2009). Aligning Assessment and Instruction with State Standards for Children with Significant Disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 41(4), 46-56. Retrieved from ERIC database. Answer Questions (Open Ended): What did you learn about your states mandates, requirements and/or standards and how will this information drive your lesson planning and instruction? Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAMLOnSNwzA Dalton Sherman makes a keynote speech about educating students Assignment: Locate your states department of education website to review the mandates, requirements and/or standards for addressing the needs of special education students, English Language Learners, bilingual students, and gifted and talented pupils within a general education setting. Why should this drive your instruction or why not? How does what Dalton speaks about in Texas apply to your students and your teaching situation? Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 3 Text Reading: Read http://www.nsdc.org/news/jsd/stiggins202.cfm An Interview with Rick Stiggins, by Dennis Sparks, Journal of Staff Development, Spring 1999 (Vol. 20, No. 2) http://www.readingrockets.org/article/6016 Assessing Learning and Evaluating Progress By: Ann Bauer and Glenda Myree Brown (2001) Answer Questions (Open Ended) What is the relationship between pre assessment, ongoing assessment and post assessment? Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njeK8BGqJq0feature=player_embedded Clip 2: Office Chat with Sharon Russell Fowler regarding assessment in a mixed ability classroom Assignment: Choose a learning goal. Design three assessments, one for pre-assessment, one for ongoing assessment, and one for post- assessment of mastery of the goal. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Midterm Project Due Week 4 Text Reading: Read about Gifted and Talented and ELL Differentiation http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=660 Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom, Susan Winebrenner, Brooklyn, MI http://www.carolyncoil.com/ezine21.htm What is Curriculum Compacting by Carolyn Coil, Ed.D http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=387 NAGC Position Statement: Differentiation of Curriculum and Instruction Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ITZxENq3C Clip 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDJst-y_ptI Assignment: You have decided to use the Curriculum Compacting strategy in your classroom in order to meet the needs of your most able learners. Create a plan that identifies the topic to be compacted, the assessment and identification of targeted students and the alternate activities offered on the topic. Include a rationale that supports your decision to Curriculum Compact and how you will effectively infuse it into your classroom. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 5 Text Reading: Read 1 Read about Special Education differentiation http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=14hid=108sid=10da0a0a-a285-47c0-8bcb-68e34677c7b7%40sessionmgr111 Lawrence-Brown, D. (2004). Differentiated Instruction: Inclusive Strategies for Standards-Based Learning that Benefit the Whole Class. American Secondary Education, 32(3), 34-63. Retrieved from ERIC database. Text Reading: Read 2 http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/differentiationmodule.asp Select the Differentiation Strategies Chart Watch Video Clips Clip 1: Answer Questions (Open Ended) Goldilocks and the Three Bears can be used as a metaphor for guiding differentiated instruction. If instruction is too simple, students become bored. If instruction is too difficult, students become frustrated. How do you determine what materials and instructional methods are just right for each student in an inclusive classroom? Assignment: http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/differentiationmodule.asp Select Differentiation Scenario Using the strategies described and insight gained while reviewing the Differentiation Strategies Chart complete the task described on the Differentiation Scenario page. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Week 6 Text Reading: Read about Maslow, Dunn and Dunn, and Rimm: Read 1 http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htm A Theory of Human Motivation H. Maslow (1943), Originally Published in Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. Read 2 http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/863/884633/Volume_medialib/dunn.pdf Dunn and Dunn Read 3 http://www.sylviarimm.com/parentingarticles.html Read Rimms Laws and select one article from the Parenting Articles tab to read Watch Video Clips Clip 1: http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=72041title=Understanding_the_Basic_Needs_of_Children__ Answer Questions (Open Ended) After watching the video, describe the courage you needed to muster to become an educator? Think of one of your students and draw his/her circle of courage or circle of fear. List at least 2 factors in each quarter of the circle to support your selection of elements. Assignment: Create a three circle Venn Diagram in which you compare and contrast the Hierarchy of Needs, Dunn and Dunns Learning Styles, and Rimms Laws. Then select two points from each article that you recognize as being present or absent from your classroom. Cite evidence from your classes to support your ah-ha moment. Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Final Project Due Discussion Board: Students must submit one unique comment each week in regards to each of the assigned text reading and reply to a fellow students comments at least twice each week. The comments should relate to the material the text reading discusses. Each comment should be at least three sentences in length. The week ends Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time If a student works ahead during the six week course they should still post every week for the automatic scoring software to count the postings. Students are reminded to check the announcement section of the discussion board frequently for items of interest from the faculty. Students are also reminded to use the email, not the discussion board, to ask questions or make comments directed to their facilitator. Methods of instruction: Percentage of Course Credit Video Lectures 20% Textbook/Articles Readings 10% Midterm project 25% Final project 30% Discussion Board interaction (weekly submissions) 10% Participation 5% Grading criteria/system and evaluation activities: A faculty member will be reviewing students answers and providing feedback. Students will be evaluated on their creativity and ability to incorporate techniques from the lecture into the discussion board, research papers, examples, lesson plans and teacher work samples. University Grading Criteria Grade Equivalent 97-100% A+ 93-96% A 90-92% A- 87-89% B+ 83-86% B 80-82% B- 77-79% C+ 73-76% C 70-72% C- 69% or below U Attendance/Participation It is expected that students will attend all instructional sessions, complete all required activities, and field assignments. Students who do not post in the discussion area during the first week of class AND do not notify the instructor in advance will be dropped from the course and may be charged a course drop fee. University Computer Lab/Library Services Please refer to Section VI in the Student Handbook. Disability Services Please refer to Section VII in the Student Handbook. Due dates of major assignments and projects: Midterm Project Due Date: TBA Final Project Due Date: TBA Midterm Project 1: Lesson Plan Activity Using the strategies, concepts and rubrics presented in the course, design a lesson to be taught in an elementary, secondary, or high school classroom. The lesson plan should include the following: Lesson Objectives Correlation with the most recently adopted version of your states content standards Prior Knowledge/ Understandings of Students: Explicitly note the differentiated instruction based upon the varying population in your classroom. Clearly state the basis of your differentiated approach i.e. ability, interests, language acquisition, reading levels, learning styles (or other) Activities: Explicitly note in the lesson plan how the activities connect to the approach you used to customize instruction Materials and Equipment (including technology) Assessment Method (for example, Rubric, Checklist, Anecdotal Notes, etc.) Prior to teaching the lesson, write a reflective statement that focuses on your lesson planning. You may choose to audio or video tape the lesson to assist you in your post teaching lesson analysis. Also, using the Peer Review Checklist template, select criteria to guide a colleague in analyzing your lesson plan. After teaching the lesson, write a reflective statement on your strengths, weaknesses and how you might modify the lesson plan to maximize student success the next time you teach it. An audiotape, if available, of the lesson should be made to assist you in your self-analysis. Using the Self-Peer Review checklist, have a colleague review your lesson plan and provide you with written feedback. You are also to complete the checklist. Discuss the feedback with the peer reviewer. Compare your self-analysis of your strengths and weaknesses with those of the peer reviewer and include your reactions to this comparison in your final reflective statements. Submit a copy of your lesson plan, your reflective statements, the Self-Peer completed checklist, and the comparison of the self analysis to the peer review, to the course instructor. The assignment should be a total of 9-12 pages in length and include 3-5 references. Use APA format: Use the standard Cover Page and submit to your course facilitator. All assignments are done in 12 pt. Times New Roman font and in APA, 5th Edition format. Add a Reference page that lists items of the authors works cited in your document. Use APA format for the items. INSERT Self and Peer Reviewer Lesson Plan Critique Checklist Scoring Rubric for Assignment Total Value: 100 Points Content of Paper Value: 70 points Copy of your lesson plan, your reflections, and the self and peer reviewer lesson plan critique checklist, and the analysis. Quality of Writing Value: 20 points Written work shows superior graduate quality in verbal expression, attention to detail, and correct application of the conventions of the English language. In students written work, paragraphing is appropriate with clear thesis statements and supporting details. Sentences are clear and concise. Students vary sentence structure making use of subordinate clauses. Transitional words and phrases are used effectively. Points and ideas are well organized. Word choice is effective. English language conventions are applied correctly (i.e. spelling, capitalization, punctuation, agreement, pronoun usage, sentence structure).   Format Value: 10 points Cover Page, Reference Page and where applicable, citations and references are used correctly and consistently, with clear efforts made to include a wide range of relevant works. For any work requiring citations, students refer to a wide range of suitable sources. All non original ideas are cited correctly and referenced in a reference list. All works in the reference list are cited in the text. Students  should follow the Writing Format and Style as required by their institution. Should the student not have a home institution, they will follow the APA Format and Style Manual, 5th Edition. Final: Assignment: Critical Issues Report The purpose of the assignment is to increase the knowledge base, add to the repertoire of reading theories, and increase skills of reflection and problem solving through research and reading on topics that are current, controversial, or significant in understanding the theories behind why some students do not achieve at a satisfactory level and why some students surpass the standards set. Select a topic that is personally intriguing and is addressed in the content of the course: Critical issues in special education theory and learning Maslows hierarchy of needs Sylvia Rimms approach to underachievers Opportunities for gifted students to be engaged in appropriately differentiated learning experiences Modified Dunn and Dunn model of learning styles Reasons for pre-testing Knowing how to choose appropriate assessments for evaluation and planning for instruction The Name Card Method for working in pairs Understanding how to work with Gifted Children Understanding how to work with special education children Read a minimum of three (3) reference sources on the selected topic. Write a 8  ½ page report that includes:  · Cover Page  · Introduction: Background Information (1 page)  · Body of Report (6  ½ pages) General review and summary of the articles content Personal reaction to the information that has been summarized with specific attention to synthesizing the ideas found in the research with course concepts and personal background experiences (personal reaction/critique/reflections) Complete responses to each of the following questions: (Elementary Education Competencies and Skills) How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of emergent special education techniques specific to the identification of concepts in the course thus far? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of the Maslow Hierarchy of needs, specific to the developmental stages and the syntactic, semantic, and graphophonemic cueing of the hierarchy? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of the process of constructing meaning from a variety of texts, specific to essential comprehension skills? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of gifted children? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of effective listening and viewing strategies? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of the nature of assessing? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge of developing different learning experiences for each student? How did the information in the selected readings or online lectures increase your knowledge and improve your understanding of how to set up a classroom that will effectively meet the needs of all students? Conclusion (1 page): Recommendations for using your research and knowledge base gain from the course to this point.  · Reference Page: List of cited references, following APA format or format required of your institution. Scoring Rubric for Assignment Total Value: 100 Points Content of Report Value: 70 points Introduction, content review and summary, personal reaction/critique, responses to questions related to Elementary Education Competencies and Skills, conclusion (recommendations for using research in the classroom). Quality of Writing Value: 20 points Written work shows superior graduate quality in verbal expression, attention to detail, and correct application of the conventions of the English language. In students written work, paragraphing is appropriate with clear thesis statements and supporting details. Sentences are clear and concise. Students vary sentence structure making use of subordinate clauses. Transitional words and phrases are used effectively. Points and ideas are well organized. Word choice is effective. English language conventions are applied correctly (i.e. spelling, capitalization, punctuation, agreement, pronoun usage, sentence structure).   Format Value: 10 points Cover Page, Reference Page and where applicable, citations and references are used correctly and consistently, with clear efforts made to include a wide range of relevant works. For any work requiring citations, students refer to a wide range of suitable sources. All non original ideas are cited correctly and referenced in a reference list. All works in the reference list are cited in the text. Students  should follow the Writing Format and Style as required by their institution. Should the student not have a home institution, they will follow the APA Format and Style Manual, 5th Edition.

Anney as a Mother: A Role Dismally Played

Bastard out of Carolina is a novel written by Dorothy Allison; it is a poignant story which speaks about love, family, pain, suffering—and the ultimate price of happiness. In this story, it is seen that the pursuit of happiness sometimes may result in the pain of other individuals: particularly the protagonist's pain—which is indirectly inflicted by her own mother.The story is told by a girl named Bone (whose real name is Ruth Anne), and she tells the reader about her life, and the suffering which she had to endure at as very young and tender age.The story opens with a description of Bone's birth, her mother's coma, and the fact that Bone is an illegitimate child (Millard 155). Bone's life, of course, was interrelated with the lives of her mother, Anney, and her mother's lover, Glen. Bone would have never been who she was if it were not for her mother and mother's lover. However, given the viewpoints of her own mother, Bone's experiences were inevitable. One of the rele vant passages in the story which tells the reader an important fact that pertains to the recurring theme of the story is the following: â€Å"There was only one way to fight off the pity and hatefulness.Mama learned to laugh with them, before they could laugh at her, and to do it so well no one could be sure what she really thought or felt. She got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant† (Allison 10). Analysis of the Passage Relevance of Passage to the Story Although the story indeed, seems to be about the life of the narrator, if one does a careful analysis, it could be seen that the story primarily focuses on the narrator's relationship with her mother.Bone's life, in a sense, is largely affected by her relationship to her mother. As seen in the previous passage, Anney was not exactly a woman who has found happiness. She longs for happiness, yes, and this passage shows that Anney's search for ha ppiness amidst the â€Å"pity and hatefulness† (Allison 10) has cost her more than she would ever bargain for. This passage is particularly relevant in understanding the story, since this passage shows how Anney's search for happiness as an individual has ultimately led to the misery of her own daughter, Bone.The story is a heart-wrenching one, and if one would try to analyze the details of the story, the story is heart-wrenching, not merely because Bone was physically and sexually abused by her stepfather, but also because her mother was a woman who was not able to protect her from such events because of she was a woman who preferred to turn away from problems rather than face them head-on. It is also seen in the story that since Anney was not of much help to her daughter, Bone chose not to disclose to her the horrors which she experienced in the hands of her stepfather.In this particular line, Bone says that â€Å"I lived in a world of shame. I hid my bruises as if they we re evidence of crimes I had committed. I didn't tell Mama. I couldn't tell Mama† (Allison 113). How horrible must it be, if one cannot be able to seek help from one's own mother. Bone was not able to do so, since her mother tends to pretend that everything will turn out fine, and that they must merely laugh about their troubles before someone else laughs at them. It is, of course, necessary to state that one must not take the word laugh literally.It could mean that one must not be fazed by one's troubles, and continue to search for happiness. However, in this case, turning a blind eye in Bone's troubles did not help her at all; Anney merely made things worse for her own daughter by not asserting that Glen should treat her humanely. In the end of the story, much to the annoyance of the reader, Anney chose to be with Bone's abusive stepfather, rather than be with Bone, who is her child (Linkon 275). This ending only proves that Anney was a woman who preferred to find her own hap piness, rather than the happiness of her own child.It cannot be argued that the reader would feel a certain animosity towards her character, for how can she love the man who has continuously hurt her child? Style and Presentation of Text If one is to read the aforementioned passage carefully, it will be seen that the author is using symbolism to send her message to the reader. As discussed in the penultimate paragraph of the previous section, Anney's way of dealing with troubles has an effect on Bone's life.It is not enough to say that Anney laughed at her troubles before anyone could laugh before her—what she did was that she turned her back against these problems and refused to address them appropriately. In fact, when Bone was brought to the hospital for having broken her coccyx when Glen beat her, Anney was desperately trying to shield the fact that Bone was beaten up by anyone (Allison 113). Therefore, given this information, it could be said that when Bone stated that A nney was a woman who preferred to â€Å" learned to laugh with them, before they could laugh at her† (Allison 10), Bone actually meant something deeper.This description of Anney in the aforementioned passage is a symbolism, and must not be taken literally; it was a mere symbolism of the fact that Anney was actually a woman who preferred to convince herself that nothing was wrong, and that, perhaps by believing that nothing is wrong, then nothing would eventually be wrong. Since Anney is trying find her own happiness, she tries to escape reality, and eventually is forced to continuously hurt her child in the process. SummaryThe aforementioned passage is significant to the novel, for it tells the reader that the life of the narrator may have been different if only her mother chose to fight for her—instead of trying to shield the truth from prying eyes and claiming that nothing is wrong with their family. While it is relevant to state that Anney had loved Bone in the best way that she could, Anney, nevertheless, was not as willing to give up the man she supposedly loves. Anney knows how to fight back and protect her children, but she was not able to do so fully, for she refused to fully accept that some things cannot be laughed at.There are a lot of ways a mother could have shown her love for her child, but in many ways, the way she showed her loved in the novel was one of the most eccentric ways that could hurt one's child. In the end, she eventually realized that she had to let go of one of them, and she did let go—of her own child. However, her decision was too late, for the damage was done, and Bone would forever have memories where her own mother refused to see the light for her. Overall, the chosen passage was a good symbolism and it provides the reader with thoughtful insight regarding Bone's mother and how she has affected her life.It may not be obvious at first, but the passage is able to convey something metaphorical which is vital in understanding the life of Bone, a girl who longed for her mother to finally wake up from her trance and realize that it was time to move on instead of insisting that the family they had was real. Works Cited Allison, Dorothy. Bastard out of Carolina. New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. , 1992. Print. Linkon, Sherry Lee. Teaching Working Class. Boston: The University of Massachussetts Press, 1999. Print. Millard, Kenneth. Coming of Age in Contemporary American Fiction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd. , 2007. Print.

Special Education Lecture Notes

Ensuring Ethical Practices in the Delivery of Positive Behavior Introduction Ethics refers to questions of right and wrong. Ethical professional conduct within the field of education ultimately relates to the potential to cause harm (or benefit) to the student. Ethical conduct requires that the practitioner stay within the bounds of the ethical procedures developed for the discipline that the individual is practicing.Ethical conduct standards are based in common sense (in regards to potential harm to individuals/student) as well as cumulative knowledge, formalized as codes and standards developed by professional groups within the field that is not always obvious as a potential cause/source of harm. This information describes the ethical standards of conduct, elaborated as general themes, as they relate to behavior interventions. The Nine Organizing Themes for Understanding Ethical Practices Several professional fields have codes of ethics related to conduct with children who have beh avioral needs.In addition, there is still debate regarding how to influence the behavior of children, but Figure 3-1 of textbook (Wheeler & Rickey, 2009), summarizes the key elements that underpin ethical practice in the field of behavior management. The nine themes in Figure 3-1 are probably more powerful than reading codes of ethics because they strike at the essential core of what is really required to prevent harm and to foster positive outcome for students.It is important to internalize these themes because the understanding of these themes provides an excellent guide toward the right action in most situations involving maladaptive behavior as well as in the design of behavior plans. Behavior Interventions and Ethical Standards of Conduct Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) is very consistent with the ethical themes described in Figure 3-1 in the textbook (Wheeler & Rickey, 2009). Note the consistencies of PBS in relationship to several of the nine themes of ethics. The Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a tool for determining the functional need of a behavior.PBS is proactive in the thoughtful design of behavioral environments and specifically considers the uniqueness of the individual. This includes planning with child and family involvement, including family cultural values. PBS strives to maintain student success in the most inclusive (and natural) setting possible, where the school maintains the responsibility for creating the environment for success. PBS is concerned about future independence for the student, with efforts to maintain natural consequences, as they are more relevant than artificial reward systems.PBS is concerned with using positive interventions realizing that punishment does little to teach adaptive or pro-social behavior. Finally, PBS is concerned about quality of life for the student. To this end, there is also an attempt to develop student skills and attitudes that will enhance their future adaptability to life. In other words, ideally behavior change should be durable and lasting as well as socially significant. It should have relevance across the natural settings students will encounter. Professional Organizations' Standards for Ethical PracticeProfessional groups develop ethical codes to guide the practitioners in their discipline/ field but also to reflect the group's values and mission. As such, each organization has some distinct values that they emphasize. The National Education Association (NEA) is committed to the advancing the cause of public education. This theme is reflected in an emphasis on the magnitude of responsibility inherent in the profession of teaching, particularly the obligation teachers have toward their students. Much of the NEA ethical code specifies proper teacher-student conduct.The Learning First Alliance (LFA) has the mission of improving learning for students, particularly in relationship to academic achievement. The desired outcomes are broad-based and as such, there is an emphasis on fostering school environments that are safe and supportive of learning, including a systematic approach to supporting positive behavior. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the organization charged with improving the educational outcome for individuals with exceptionalities/disabilities. The CEC code of ethics is specific to special education professionals.The Council for Children With Behavior Disorders (CCBD) is the largest division of the CEC and focuses on children/youth with behavioral and emotional problems. All the above organizations support, in some general fashion, systematic approaches to maintaining positive behavior and fostering quality of life potential for students. Conclusion Educational professional organizations have their own ethical codes and standards specific to their targeted aims, but an analysis of each organization reveals that all of them hold core values described within the nine themes discussed above.As can be seen from the codes , standards, and principles of the various educational organizations, behavior and discipline are a significant focus of ethical concern, from the level of the individual student to the level of school-wide discipline. As ethics fundamentally relates to whether professional intervention causes harm or benefit to the student, there is also the critical need to evaluate treatment methods for efficacy (effectiveness).Evidence-based treatment should be the goal of behavior therapy whenever possible. It is an ethical obligation of educators to be cognizant of the optimum methods for intervention as well as to maintain a level of training to implement the intervention with fidelity (ensuring strategies are implemented as intended). References Wheeler, J. , & Rickey, D. (2009). Behavior management: Principles and Practices of Positive Behavior Supports (2nd ed. ). Columbus, OH.  ©Ã‚  2010. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.

Definition and Examples of Dysphemisms in English

Dysphemism is the substitution of a more offensive or disparaging word or phrase for one considered less offensive, such as the use of the slang term shrink for psychiatrist. Dysphemism is the opposite of euphemism. Adjective: dysphemistic. Though often meant to shock or offend, dysphemisms may also serve as in-group markers to signal closeness. Linguist  Geoffrey Hughes points out that [a]lthough  this linguistic mode has been  established for centuries and the term dysphemism was first recorded in 1884, it has only recently acquired even a specialist currency,  being  unlisted in many general dictionaries and reference books (An Encyclopedia of Swearing, 2006). See Examples and Observations  below. Also, see: CacophemismConnotations and DenotationsCursingHow to Flatter an Audience With Euphemisms, Dysphemisms, and DistinctioPejorative LanguagePropagandaSwear Word EtymologyFrom the Greek, a non word Examples and Observations When applied to people, animal names are usually dysphemisms: coot, old bat, pig, chicken, snake, skunk, and bitch, for example.Euphemisms and Dysphemisms for DeathThere is virtually no aspect of human experience free from dysphemism. . . .Death generates such typical  euphemisms as to pass away, to pass on, to depart this life, go to ones Maker, and so on. Parallel dysphemisms would be to snuff it, to croak, and to push up daisies, since these allude graphically and cruelly to the physical aspect of death, down to breathing ones last, the death rattle, and being reincorporated into the cycle of nature.(Geoffrey Hughes,  An Encyclopedia of Swearing. Routledge, 2006)Dysphemisms and Stylistic DiscordSpeakers resort to dysphemism to talk about people and things that frustrate and annoy them, that they disapprove of and wish to disparage, humiliate and degrade. Curses, name-calling and any sort of derogatory comment directed towards others in order to insult or to wound them are all examples of dysphemism. Exclamatory swear words that release frustration or anger are dysphemisms. Like euphemism, dysphemism interacts with style and has the potential to produce stylistic discord; if someone at a formal dinner party were to publicly announce Im off for a piss, rather than saying Excuse me for a moment, the effect would be dysphemistic.(Keith Allan and Kate Burridge, Forbidden Words: Taboo and the Censoring of Language. Cambridge University Press, 2006)Gratuity and TipI used to think gratuity was a euphemism for tip until I discovered that I had got it the wrong way round, and that tip was a dysphemism for gratuity. . . . Gratuity is much older than tip, and originally meant a gift made to anyone, including an equal.(Nicholas Bagnall, Words. The Independent, December  3, 1995)Dysphemisms and SlangWhen we think of euphemisms, we think of words that are substituted because their connotations are less distressing than the words they replace. In slang you frequently have the opposite phenomenon, dysphemism, where a relatively neutral word is replaced with a harsher, more offensive one. Such as calling a cemetery a boneyard. Referring to electrocution as taking the hot seat would be another. . . . Even more dysphemistic would be to fry.(Interview with J. E. Lighter, American Heritage, October  2003)Dysphemisms in ContextA jocular approach to death is only dysphemistic if the Hearer can be expected to regard it as offensive. For instance, if a doctor were to inform close family that their loved one has pegged out during the night, it would normally be inappropriate, insensitive, and unprofessional (i.e., dysphemistic). Yet given another context with quite a different set of interlocutors, the same expression could just as well be described as cheerfully euphemistic.(Keith Allan and Kate Burridge, Euphemism and Dysphemism. Oxford University Press, 1991) Pronunciation: DIS-fuh-miz-im Also Known As: cacophemism