Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Students At Risk With Learning Disabilities

The main purpose of this study was to determine the specific learning disabilities, level of self efficacy, self esteem, multiple intelligences, parent and teacher's involvement of students at risks with learning disabilities and their relationships to academic performance of high school students at risk with learning disabilities in order to design a supportive classroom environment for these children.

This study was based on the theory that academic performance of students at risk with learning disabilities is dependent on the self-efficacy, self-esteem, multiple intelligences and parents and teachers' involvement. The self-efficacy includes general self efficacy and social self efficacy. The multiple intelligences includes the Linguistic Intelligence, Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence, Musical Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence, Intrapersonal Intelligence, Spatial Intelligence, and Nature Intelligence. This study hypothesized that there is significant relationship between self-efficacy, self-esteem, multiple intelligence, parents and teachers' involvement to the academic performance of students at risk with learning disabilities.

The research design was descriptive using cross tabulation technique. The study was conducted at Gingoog City Comprehensive National High School,Division of Gingoog City, Region X. Philippines. The respondents of the study involved the thirty four ( 34 ) students at risk with LD. Five ( 5 ) sets of questionnaires were being administered to gather the needed data such as the Self efficacy Scale, Barksdale Self-esteem Evaluation Index ( SEI), Multiple Intelligence Developmental Assessment ( MIDAS) and Parent Involvement Checklist. Each questionnaire has undergone the test of validity and reliability. The statistical tool used were frequency, percentage, weighted mean and cross tabulation analysis.

It is concluded that most of the second year students at risk with learning disabilities have mild dyslexia, mild dyscalculia and mild dysgraphia. These students have suffered low general self efficacy, low and lack of social self efficacy and all of them have lack of self -esteem. Each of these students possesses different types of intelligences and although the said intelligences are low still, none of them has linguistic and logical intelligences and most of them have average general academic performance. The general self -efficacy and social self efficacy, self esteem, multiple intelligences do not significantly affect the academic performance of the students. However, teachers' support play a major role in the academic performance of LD at risk. While there is a low correlation between parents involvement and general self -efficacy and between parent involvement and multiple intelligences, the kind of parental involvement of the students do not affect the social self efficacy, self esteem, and academic performance of the students.

From this conclusion, the supportive classroom environment intended for students at risks with learning disabilities are consist of the following; knowledge about LD, establishing learning centers like reading centers, writing/ spelling centers, multiple intelligence centers, parent involvement nook, teachers' attitude, academic performance update, remedial reading intervention, accommodations and classroom size. With the right interventions in reading with parents, teachers and administrators' support, these children with LD can succeed in their lives and become worthwhile persons in the community and country as a whole.

Enrolling a Teenager With Aspergers Syndrome at a Therapeutic School

Aspergers syndrome is a disability that affects how a person relates to other people. People who have Aspergers may talk a lot about their hobbies but have problems in getting messages across other people or giving them a chance to talk. They may also have problems in understanding other people's feelings or their body gestures. Overall, it can be said that people with Aspergers have impaired communication with other people.

Aspergers is also demonstrated when people like their habits to be stringently observed and organized. They like everything to be at the right schedule and can be seriously frustrated when it is done in the "wrong" manner. The results of Aspergers vary and can range from formalized behavior to aggressive and anti-social behavior.

Secondary school can be highly upsetting for students with Aspergers syndrome given the secondary school's routine. Transferring classrooms and meeting new classmates and teachers can be extremely stressful for someone who likes everything to be "in place" or unchanging. A person who has Aspergers can also extend a lot of effort when speaking with others. While other students have better interpersonal relationship as they get older, people with Aspergers may find it tricky to maintain friendships.

A thesis by Petra Dewrang, a psychologist, investigates individuals with Aspergers from children between 14 and 18 years old. The thesis, which was based on interviews, self-evaluations and tests, found out that people afflicted with Aspergers were as comfortable as the comparison group. Although both Aspergers and comparison group established good relationships with their family, the former seems to have a difficult time building relationships outside the family sphere. With this, a therapeutic school can help people afflicted with Aspergers syndrome to gain more interpersonal skills, which permit them to relate with other people.

Hence, specialty schools such as an Aspergers school can help students get used to the school environment without much trauma. These schools have individualized programs that serve the needs of a person who struggles with a specific difficulty. For example, people with Aspergers can work with groups, such as clubs, that permit them to polish their hobbies. Although they are fascinated about a specific subject and have a difficult time keeping up with other subjects, personalized programs can help these adolescents concentrate on subjects where they are performing poorly.

Adolescents dealing with Aspergers can also experience burnout in terms of school work. Thus, facing homework can be even more daunting when they do not have colleagues to share it with. Therapeutic schools can work out with teachers to modify schoolwork for these students without actually lowering coursework quality. A school counselor can also help these students in developing positive attitudes in dealing with their interpersonal difficulties.

How Programs for Troubled Youth Avoid Bullying

Does your child go home from school annoyed, aloof, and, sometimes, with bruises? Do your neighbors complain about your kid being aggressive, impulsive, and dominating? If you constantly experience these scenarios, you are most likely a parent who has to deal with your child's bullying. Some may not consider bullying serious compared to other incidents of violence, but its effect can mark the victim and perpetrator until their adulthood. Apart from incidents in the classroom and community setting, cyber-bullying can also occur as more children now have access to the Internet.

Consequences of Bullying

Besides the physical injury and damage, bullying victims endure and develop health problems like sleeping difficulties and psychological issues. With depression, low self-esteem, and fear, victims of bullying can also have problems with problems in school especially if they don't receive enough attention from teachers or parents. Bullying can also cause economic costs on law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, and social service organizations.

Prevalence of Bullycide Cases

There are reports of victims of bullying who commit suicide after being bullied for a long time through different forms; this is called bullycide. Bullycide can also refer to a victim's death as perpetrated by a bully. Since the first bullycide case in 1967, thousands of victims have already passed away due to bullying. Aside from the victim's loved ones' who have grieved from their loss, the world could have benefited from those victims. One bullycide victim could have been the one to discover a cure for cancer, suggest a feasible solution to minimize global warming, or even develop a new financial system to address widespread poverty and suffering.

Comprehensive Approach to Education

To tackle the issue, authorities from the government and education sectors have issued laws, directives, and teen programs to protect the nation's youth. Such comprehensive approaches to education accentuate the role of teachers, parents, and community leaders in helping teens cope with their social lives. As authority figures, parents have the obligation to look out for telltale signs of bullying, and to act to protect your child.

Boarding Schools for Troubled Youth

Enrolling your children in an school that offers unique programs for teenagers can be a good way to prevent the harsh effects of bullying. Such schools developed their own curriculums and classroom settings that provide a safe environment for your child's growth and emotional development. They also have dormitories where your child can stay during the school year

Breaking the Myths Surrounding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The disease Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be familiar to most people, but only a few are knowledgeable about its causes. Nevertheless, it is also essential to at least try to understand the medical explanations behind irregular behaviors so that proper cure and prevention can be administered. Unfortunately, most people's notions about ADHD are entangled with various myths and misconceptions that consequently produce a stigma against patients with this psychological deficit.

For that reason, children struggling from this attention and hyperactivity problem have been tagged as troublemakers and spoiled brats, while adult patients are deemed sluggish and not smart. Most people assume that ADHD is not even a medically accepted disorder or that it does not exist at all. So instead of having a concrete support system from their respective communities, individuals with ADHD tend to be detached or isolated.

That scenario is not helpful at all since feeling ostracized and misjudged can worsen their condition. Hence, the best way to deal with the issue is to first fix some of the incorrect perceptions that people have against this behavioral disorder. For example, some believe that ADHD is just a way for drug companies and psychologists to make more money.

However; the truth is that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exists and has been upsetting thousands of children worldwide. If not sorted out immediately, this can be a lifelong burden that individuals and their families have to withstand. Thankfully, there are several residential treatment centers today that can help treat not only the ADHD per se, but also the emotional wounds that other members of society have induced on the patients themselves.

Apart from offering shelter, these establishments also have a fully equipped residential treatment facility that can give the treatment needs of teens with ADHD. This demystifies yet another belief which claims that children who have ADHD are over-diagnosed and over-medicated. Some people think that the illness has become an excuse for all misbehaving youths; however, professional psychologists can confirm that they have valid methods of diagnosing and treating ADHD.

ADHD In Teenagers - Is Your Teen In Need Of ADHD Drugs, Or Are They Feeding Their Addiction?

It would be foolhardy for me, or anyone one else for that matter, to deny the fact that ADHD in teenagers is a growing problem, not only in the United States, but all over the world. After all, statistics don't lie, and if recent statistics are anything to go by, the number of teens living with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has increased tenfold in recent years. The question which many researchers are asking is why.

Some experts believe it's because we have more reliable and more robust ADHD screening procedures in place these days, and that because more people are familiar with the signs and symptoms of the disorder, more cases are being brought to the attention of health care providers.

On the other hand, a lot of people are arguing that many doctors aren't adequately experienced in this field, and are therefore likely to misdiagnose ADHD. In a perfect world, a psychiatrist or pediatrician lacking experience in this field would refer their patient to a different doctor, but as we all know, we don't live in a perfect world.

Many specialists in this field, including many people working in government agencies such as the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believe that many of the cases involving ADHD in teenagers aren't legitimate cases and that many teens are actually faking the disorder. As many have pointed out, it's very easy for a teen to go online in order to familiarize themselves with ADHD symptoms, and then fake those symptoms for the sole purpose of obtaining the prescription drugs which are routinely used for treating ADHD.

Let's take a look at one possible scenario. Your teenage son spends a lot of his time hanging out with all his college pals, some of which might already be taking ADHD stimulant drugs, either legally or illegally. At some point, you son is offered some of these tablets. Maybe he takes them so he can stay awake longer than usual because he wants to study for an important exam. Maybe he's been invited to a party, and wants to stay awake all night just like his friends do.

Because these amphetamine-like ADHD drugs are so addictive, your son soon has a habit over which he has no control. He now has to rely on friends to keep him supplied, but because these drugs are a Class ll Controlled Substance, acquiring them without a prescription could land him in prison. Rather than risk his freedom, he goes online and does some research regarding ADHD symptoms, and before long, he's behaving just as any other ADHD teen behaves. As a parent, you're concerned so you take him to doctor for screening. Not having much experience, the doctor decides your son does indeed have ADHD, and duly prescribes ADHD stimulant drugs.

So, as a parent, how do know if your child really does have ADHD, or if they're simply faking it? In the vast majority of cases, ADHD drugs will produce very noticeable results, and they'll do so almost immediately. Hyperactivity and impulsivity will be gone, and the ADHD child will no longer have difficulty paying attention. If on the other hand a teen is faking the condition, the drugs will almost always result in hyperactivity, rather than quell it. In a nutshell, the drugs have the exact opposite effect on those who don't have ADHD.

How Does Special Education Advocacy Help You With IEP And 504 Plan?

Advocating best interests in an educational process for your child, who has a disability, can be challenging. Schools are sometimes short on resources, which can make them alter, add or even deny any educational service to your child, often without any prior written notice. Parents have to know what is covered in their rights to demand the best for their child from school districts.

Negotiating the best educational plan often can not be done alone. You need to be aware of constantly modified procedures and guidelines to build a strong case for you. You might need professionals by your side to handle this expertly and deliver you the paramount solution without you having to worry.

What is the difference between an IEP and 504 Plan?

The Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) is a program to ensure that a kid with any disability is provided the required resources as per his or her needs. The student receives specialized education services free of any charges in the public school. IEP is periodically reviewed to ensure the fulfillment of educational objectives.

Under the 504 Plan, students with disabilities receive any required accommodation for continuing with their education successfully. It is not like an IEP which is a requirement for students with special education needs. Students needing a 504 Plan are suffering from an impairment which impacts learning. However, they receive general education and do not need any specially designed instructions.

How does an educational advocacy firm help you?

A special educational advocate represents the family and student and is someone who speaks/writes on their behalf or in their defense. The educational advocate will assist you in obtaining the required accommodations for your child to have a successful educational program. For instance, the child might be allowed some flexibility with their assignments, if, under a 504 Plan.

Special education advocates will make sure the child has all the educational facilities required. For a child's specific needs, they will suggest you suitable special education programs or services. Advocates assist parents in getting proper accommodations for the child so he can adequately take part in school activities and educational programs.

You can get a free initial consultation from an educational advocacy firm. The firm will need documentation in the form of report cards, assessment reports and any psycho-educational report. It will help you present your case in IEP meeting at school and place any requests.

Natural Health Courses - Choosing a Healthy Career Path!

Natural health courses offer exciting career alternatives to individuals who want to be in the competitive health industry but for various reasons do not wish to walk the doctor-nurse-therapist career path. Specifically, natural health diploma courses with focus on nutrition and diet are excellent career starters because many health concerns are attributed to food. Hence, people always want to find out which food would help them in their quest for fitness and good health.

Having this diploma from a reputable institution will enable you to work as a nutritionist or weight consultant. You can also become a personal trainer or a dietician depending on additional studies you will combine with courses. Graduates in this course will find plenty of options to be employed in hospitals, clinics, gyms, nursing care institutions, schools and private companies. You can also go freelance and offer consultancy services to enjoy more flexibility.

People today do not have the time to prepare healthy food but the need to eat healthy is forever necessary. If you own a food business or want to start one, this diploma course will come in handy. Perhaps you want to serve food that will appeal to the health conscious consumers or start a new healthy food craze. Some restaurants also hire people who possess natural health diploma. Many are also conscious about their looks and turn to people with this courses for tips to eating healthy.

Healthy hair, glowing eyes and great skin are bonuses to a strong body when proper diet is followed. With such benefits, it is not surprising to know that there are people who enlist in natural health courses without career or money in mind; they simply want to guide themselves and their loved ones to healthy eating. Having a natural health diploma truly has many advantages. Aside from a healthy career, you will also help other people become or stay healthy.Perhaps you want to serve food that will appeal to the health conscious consumers or start a new healthy food craze.

The health industry is booming and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years. For this reason, it will be smart to consider this course today when nutritionists are still in high demand. Before signing up for a natural health diploma program though, make sure that it is duly accredited with instructors who are industry-based. Look for a school that offers support to its students too, especially after course completion.

Executive Education Strategy and Its Administrative Relevance

In the domain of management training and consultation, national education development for executives is accomplished by keeping strategic planning in the mind. Several agencies across the domains are engaged in planning and managing the development of education systems for executives more and more strategically. A number of reasons force organizations to put a straight focus on the implementation of executive education strategy in the best manner possible.

Organizations wish to plan all the educational activities and goals without necessarily achieving the expected outcomes of the strategies. During the strategy resolution process more resources are not applied for the betterment of the results. Experts believe that there is no hard fast rule that ensures a perfect mechanism to conduct strategic planning for executive education strategy. A number of typical management steps however involved to carry out the methods in the proper sequence.

* Education Strategy Analysis
* Strategy Planning
* Planning Implementation
* Strategy evaluation

The primary segment of executive education program is known as Strategy Analysis. The analysis phase conducts data collection on the basis of internal dynamics of the organization. During the sector analysis, experts take care of the entire executive strategy to address the major issues of the setup planet including the educational challenges of the movement. The question asked during the executive education strategy includes the various strategic goals that organizations work on to promote the executives in the best manner possible.

Executives usually want to plan and carry out all the training and education activities without looking across the ultimate goals and business results of the strategies. During the process, it's not necessary that more and more resources and utilities are put in action for the best results. These strategies are however formulated in strict accordance with the different levels of benefits and results. A balanced decision-making process across the strategy consultation helps decision makers to take better decisions on the topics like strategy evaluation, strategy planning, planning implementation and strategy analysis as well.

A strategy building process begins with the primary phase called Analysis. The process analyzes the current situation of a system moves ahead with the critical issues regarding status and functioning of the remedial options available in the organization. The strategy then seriously formulated and appraised on the basis of several important and core issues. This all depends on the overall providing policy orientations and associated mechanism.

When the system analysis is finished, future directions are made and traced to revamp the management decisions. Administrators can further proceed with planning the necessary actions to correct or improve the situation. Finally, operationalization of the education strategy takes place that work ahead with the necessary action reforms and institutional measure to sustain the actual start of the system.

Experts however believe that deliberate planning and subject management are important aspects that influence the feedback-providing operations. The operation usually collaborates three major parts during the process. These parts include monitoring, review and evaluation of the ongoing processes.