Katrina Delgado
AUTISM
Myth- Autism is caused by bad parenting.
Fact- In the 1950s, a theory called the "refrigerator mother hypothesis" arose suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.
Myth- Autism is just a brain disorder.
Fact- Research has shown that many people with autism also have gastro-intestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.
Myth- People with autism will have autism forever.
Fact- Recent research has shown that children with autism can make enough improvement after intensive early intervention to "test out" of the autism diagnosis. This is more evidence for the importance of addressing autism when the first signs appear.
Myth- People with autism are just like Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man.
Fact- Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning its characteristics vary significantly from person to person. Knowing one person with autism means just that—knowing one person with autism. His or her capabilities and limitations are no indication of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.
Myth- People with autism are intellectually disabled.
Fact- Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.
MENTAL RETARDATION-
Mental Retardation is a disability that has to do with how well or how fast a person can think and learn. Mentally retarded persons vary in their reading skills and mathematical abilities.
There is difficulty learning and thinking in abstract terms and adapting what she/he hears to everyday situations.
A person who has mental retardation has needs, desires and joys like most of us and wishes to succeed.
MYTH: Hiring employees with disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates.
FACT: Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization's accidnet experience, not on whether workers have disabilities.
MYTH: Emplyees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than emplyees without disabilities.
FACT: Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.
MYTH: Persons with disabilities are inspirational, courageous, and brave for being able to overcome thier disability.
FACT: Persons with disabilities are simply carrying on noraml activities of living when they drive to work, go grocery shopping, pay their bills, or compete in athletic events.
MYTH: Persons with disabilites need to be protected from failing.
FACT: Persons with disabilites have a right to participate in the full range of human experiences - including success and failure. Employers should have the same expectations of, and work requirements for, all employees.
MYTH: Persons with disabilites have problems getting to work.
FACT: Persons with disabilites are capable of supplying their own transportation by choosing to walk, use a car pool, drive, take public transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as varied as those of other employees.
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE
Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
Fact: In reality, the vast majority of people who have mental health needs are no more violent than anyone else. You probably know someone with a mental illness and don't even realize it.
Myth: Mental illnesses cannot affect me.
Fact: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental illnesses do not discriminate-they can affect anyone.
Myth: Mental illness is the same as mental retardation.
Fact: The two are distinct disorders. A mental retardation diagnosis is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, people with mental illnesses-health conditions that cause changes in a person's thinking, mood, and behavior-have varied intellectual functioning, just like the general population.
Myth: Mental illnesses are brought on by a weakness of character.
Fact: Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Research has shown genetic and biological factors are associated with schizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism. Social influences, such as loss of a loved one or a job, can also contribute to the development of various disorders.
Myth: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
Fact: In essence, all jobs are stressful to some extent. Productivity is maximized when there is a good match between the employee's needs and working conditions, whether or not the individual has mental health needs.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who have received effective treatment and have recovered, tend to be second-rate workers on the job.
Fact: Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and punctuality, as well as motivation, quality of work, and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees. Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are compared to other employees.
Myth: Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.
Fact: Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely. Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual's recovery.
Myth: Therapy and self-help are wastes of time. Why bother when you can just take one of those pills you hear about on TV?
Fact: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors, their peers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers in their recovery process. They also use self-help strategies and community supports. Often these methods are combined with some of the most advanced medications available.
Myth: Children do not experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting.
Fact: A report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health showed that in any given year 5-9 percent of children experience serious emotional disturbances. Just like adult mental illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health conditions that are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and sometimes even genetic factors.
Myth: Children misbehave or fail in school just to get attention.
Fact: Behavior problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders, rather than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in school with appropriate understanding, attention, and mental health services.
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
MYTH: Only a few people truly are hearing impaired. Neither you nor I will be among those affected.
Fact: The odds are that you or someone close to you has some degree of hearing impairment. It is estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from some form of hearing impairment.
MYTH: If I suffered from hearing loss or impairment I certainly would know about it.
Fact: This is not necessarily true. Often an impairment develops slowly over the course of time. Our own built-in defenses make it difficult to determine whether we do or don't. A simple hearing test can rectify this.
MYTH: Will hearing aids restore my hearing to normal?
Fact: Hearing aids, as the name implies, are designed to aid a person's hearing. Hearing aids do not restore human hearing nor can they retard the progression of nerve deafness. They are only a part of hearing rehabilitation and may need to be supplemented by auditory training.
MYTH: Will my hearing aids help in the presence of distracting background noise?
Fact: Understanding, especially in a noisy environment, will vary depending on each individual's hearing loss. Overall benefit may depend on proper fit, frequency of use, auditory rehabilitation, the severity of hearing loss, and on the accuracy of the patient evaluation.
MYTH: When someone is hearing impaired, that just means that sounds are not loud enough.
Fact: That's just part of it. Perhaps the person may have trouble hearing in crowds or in groups. Perhaps they hear but don't always understand what is being said. Words may seem mumbled or perceived as running together. These are only a few of the symptoms.
MYTH: Hearing aids are large and unsightly. Most people don't want to wear them.
Fact: Most people are not aware of the latest technological advances that have been made in hearing aids. Many people can wear hearing aids that are extremely small and discreet. These technically advanced hearing aids have made most of the old ones obsolete.
MYTH: Wearing a hearing aid is a sign you're getting old.
Fact: Although hearing impairments are frequently found in older adults, many middle age and younger people are affected as well. There are many factors that determine hearing loss beyond just age. A hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid.
MYTH: I've been informed that my type of hearing loss can't be helped.
Fact: In most cases, nerve deafness can be helped through amplification. Now there is hope for those who have been told they couldn't be helped.
MYTH: The cost is too high for a state-of-the-art hearing aid.
Fact: The very best hearing aids available are well within the economic reach of most people. A hearing aid could be the best investment you make.
MYTH: Hearing tests are expensive and inconvenient.
Fact: This is simply not the case. Contact New York Speech and Hearing today to arrange a test.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Myth 1: When a student looks good, they are fully recovered.
Fact: The better a student looks, the harder it is to recognize their learning and cognitive needs. This is common because physical recovery typically comes before cognitive recovery and happens at a faster rate. Often students are misidentified as having attention or learning problems after their physical injuries have healed.
Myth 2: A mild brain injury (concussion) is mild and less damaging than other brain injuries.
Fact: Although about 90% of people who have concussions recover, this is not the case for everyone. Concussion, whiplash and other "mild" brain injuries can have long lasting, debilitating effects that need intervention.
Myth 3: Younger children heal better - a young brain can heal itself, or the part that may have been damaged isn't developed yet.
Fact: A younger brain is more vulnerable to damage because undeveloped portions mature from the previously damaged areas; this makes future development difficult to predict.
Myth 4: A student who tests in the normal range can learn new material well.
Fact: Evaluations often test previously learned information, not how a student learns new information. A better prediction of a student's ability to learn new information is to teach new information and then test for understanding. Also consider the student's ability to screen out noise and motion, which are constants in most classrooms.
Myth 5: Recovery will take about a year.
Fact: When a child has a brain injury, the concept of recovery may be misleading. Recovery typically means someone has lost abilities temporarily and will regain them such as a broken arm. For a person with a brain injury, although they may look the same the changes are most likely long-lasting and adjustment is an ongoing process.
Myth 6: How quickly a child recovers from a brain injury depends mainly on how hard they work at recovering.
Fact: No two children with brain injuries are alike and recovery varies widely between children with similar injuries. It is unfair to a student to make predictions or judgments about their progress.
Myth 7: If the brain injury were really life changing, the student would have been in the hospital for a long time.
Fact: Some children with serious brain injuries do not have the same choices available to them that adults do for rehabilitation programs. School is where most children get rehabilitation after a brain injury.
- See more at: http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/about-tbi/myths-facts-about-tbi/#sthash.eo2geHCv.dpuf
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES
1. Myth: Learning disabilities (LDs) do not really exist.
Fact: LDs are real. Recent research indicates that (some) people who have learning disabilities do suffer from neurological differences in brain structure and function.
2. Myth: Children with learning disabilities are usually identified in kindergarten and first grade.
Fact: Learning disabilities often go unrecognized for many years. Most LDs are not identified until later on in adulthood, especially if the child is bright. Children with LDs can usually manage to mask their learning difficulties and learn to compensate for their areas of weaknesses. Some kinds of learning problems may not surface until middle school, high school or even college.
3. Myth: People with learning disabilities are less intelligent than their “normal” peers.
Fact: Learning disabilities are not an indicator of an individual’s intelligence. They reflect, however, differences in how a person’s brain receives, processes, and puts out information. Persons with learning disabilities simply learn differently from their peers.
By definition, students with LD are average or above in intelligence. In fact, studies indicate that as many as 33% of students with LDs are gifted. Therefore, students with LDs can learn and succeed in school and may excel in their professional lives.
4. Myth: Young people with learning disabilities are "different".
Fact: Everyone is different and unique in his/her own way. Children with learning disabilities may be markedly different from each other which may necessitate a different way of dealing with it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and each case should be judged individually. If a child has a learning disability, you may need to take it into account when dealing with a problem, but it should definitely not be the only consideration.
5. Myth: People with learning disabilities are lazy.
Fact: Learning disabilities are caused by neurological impairments not character flaws. LD is a permanent disorder that interferes with acquiring, integrating, and demonstrating verbal and nonverbal abilities. Students with LDs process information differently from others who may not be challenged in a similar way. They have a different way of learning such that they may make the same mistakes dozens of times. They may forget homework assignments, may miss a meeting, or do something they have just been told not to do. These issues are related to the way in which their brains process information. This is all part of their struggle and the constant challenges they routinely deal with.
6. Myth: People can out-grow their learning disabilities.
Fact: The general consensus is that learning disabilities, once they manifest themselves, are always present. The learning disability continues throughout the individual’s lifespan. It may intensify during adulthood as tasks and environmental demands imposed on them change. However, the goal of educational programs for students with LDs is to teach them the tools that will help them develop sustainable compensatory strategies for the rest of their lives. To put it succinctly, children with learning disabilities grow up into adults with learning disabilities.
7. Myth: Learning disabilities are invisible.
Fact: Learning disabilities may seem invisible and difficult to diagnose by outside appearance, but the signs and symptoms in children with learning disabilities are clear when you look for them:
•Frustration with school and homework.
•Low self-esteem due to repeated academic low grades and/or social failures.
•The feeling of being treated unfairly even after hard work.
•A constant need for a step-by-step guidance.
•Not understanding the big picture may cause an inability to remember problem solving-steps.
8. Myth: Learning disabilities are all the same.
Fact: Learning disabilities are very complicated indeed. The extent of their impact on a person’s life and the areas of learning they affect vary greatly from one person to another. Learning disabilities may be combined in a variety of ways and may vary depending on contextual situations.
9. Myth: Pretending to be “normal” like everyone else is the key to live successfully with a LD.
Fact: While self-disclosure is required to receive accommodations, many people with LDs do not self-disclose their difficulties and wish to remain anonymous throughout their lives. On the other hand, there are many people who have publicly acknowledged their learning disability and have gone on to have great success in their lives. This seems to have inspired many others to come forth and acknowledge various challenges they are dealing with both academically and personally. Some of the well known inventors, painters, and actors who have succeeded with learning disabilities include Albert Einstein, Richard Branson, Michael Phelps, Keira Knightley and Erin Brockovich.
10. Myth: Learning disabilities affect males more than females.
Fact: While it is true that boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with a learning disability than girls, research does not show any significant difference in the incidences of learning disabilities among girls and boys. Perhaps this is due to certain traditional ideas of gender-based academic skills, or because of the more introverted behavior of girls with learning disabilities and the stigma attached to it, which may make them less likely to be identified and treated for their learning disabilities.
11. Myth: Learning disabilities mostly affect the academic abilities.
Fact: Many students with LDs also have social problems due to difficulties reading body language and other subtle and necessary language cues that help most people understand how to appropriately interact with others. This may cause some students with LDs to have trouble asking faculty for needed clarifications or effectively contributing to classroom discussions.
12, Myth: Children with learning disabilities grow up to be a burden on society.
Fact: Individuals with learning disabilities have enjoyed successful careers in virtually all walks of life, including education, public policy, administration, medicine, physics, and various other professional careers. The role of society is to provide quality special education programs and services that will greatly increase individual's probability of competitive employment and success.
13. Myth: Students with LDs do not have the ability to succeed at university
Fact: Students with LDs, like all other students, have succeeded and continue to succeed at university. Many students with LDs are capable of creative, original thought and have demonstrated these skills in the completion of Doctoral studies. The implementation of reasonable academic adjustments ensures that students with LDs may compete equally well in a learning environment and demonstrate their actual level of ability during their academic career.
14. Myth: Students with LDs are a product of poor teaching practices in school.
Fact: LDs do not develop as a result of poor teaching or inappropriate child management practices. However, a lack of understanding of the child’s needs and inappropriate instruction will affect the academic progress of students with LDs. Students with LDs do not benefit as much as other students from general learning strategies and intensive education instruction. However, academic adjustments (modifications) and classroom accommodations will enable these students to achieve at their true ability levels.
15. Myth: Students with LDs are better suited to positions of employment that do not require academic skills
Fact: While this is true of some people with LDs, it is certainly not true of all. Although many students with LDs find ways to compensate for their difficulties in school by focusing their attention on other venues for self expression to maximize their chances of success in life, many others simply strive to overcome these challenges by wielding all their efforts to excel in academic work. In fact, there are many prominent people who have disproved this myth and include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill among many others.
DEAFNESS
MYTH: All Deaf people can read lips.
FACT: Some Deaf people are very skilled lip readers, but many are not. Only about 30% of spoken English is visible on the lips. This is because many speech sounds have identical mouth movements. For example: p and b look exactly alike on the lips.
Many people that read lips are hard of hearing.
MYTH: All Deaf students are mute.
FACT: Some Deaf speak very well and clearly; others choose not to use their voice if they think that they are difficult to understand or have problems gauging their pitch or volume.
However, most Deaf people do have the physical ability to speak and therefore, they are not technically “mute”.
MYTH: People who are Deaf are "deaf and dumb."
FACT: The inability to hear affects neither native intelligence nor the physical ability to produce sounds. Deafness does not make people "dumb" in the sense of being either stupid or mute. Deaf people, understandably, find this stereotype particularly offensive.
MYTH: People who have unusual sounding speech are mentally retarded.
FACT: There is absolutely no correlation between the physical production of speech and intelligence.
MYTH: All deaf people use sign language.
FACT: Many deaf people use American Sign Language exclusively while others us a variety of educational sign systems. Some who are “medically deaf” do not use sign language.
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MYTH: Deaf people are less intelligent.
FACT: Hearing ability is unrelated to intelligence. Lack of knowledge about deafness, however, has often limited educational and occupational opportunities for deaf people.
MYTH: Deaf people can't use the phone.
FACT: Special telecommunication aids (TTYs/TDDs (teletypewriter)/ videophones and ring signalers) have been developed for deaf people.
MYTH: All deaf people use hearing aids.
FACT: Many deaf people benefit considerably from hearing aids. Some may only be able to hear loud environmental sounds such as a fire alarm or a car horn. Still others may not benefit at all.
MYTH: Hearing aids restore hearing.
FACT: Hearing aids amplify sound, but do not correct hearing. They have no effect on a person's ability to process that sound. In cases where a hearing loss distorts incoming sounds, a hearing aid can do nothing to correct it. In fact, it may make the distortion worse. A hearing aid may enable a person to hear someone's voice, but not be able to understand distinctwords.
MYTH: Deaf people lead totally different lives than other people.
FACT: Most deaf individuals occupy their time just like hearing people. They go to work, marry and raise families, drive cars, use the phone, go shopping and pay taxes. Of course, individual differences exist. Chances are good that when you meet a Deaf person, you will share several similar interests that you can explore together.
MYTH: Deaf people cannot appreciate the arts because they can't hear music, movies, etc.
FACT: Anyone who has ever had the privilege to see a performance by the National Theatre of the Deaf will realize the error in the above statement. Throughout history, deaf individuals have participated in and contributed to the performing arts. Beethoven is one example. Today there are deaf artists, dance troupes, and actors. Captioning of movies and other audiovisual media is helpful for deaf citizens, and this practice should be continued. As long as there is rhythm and visual image, deaf and hard of hearing will be
valued performers and patrons of the arts.
BLINDNESS
MYTH:
If my child has some usable sight, he should certainly rely on that sight at every opportunity. If we expect him to use Braille or other blind techniques, we are making him blind when he really isn't.
FACT:
The methods your child uses in school and in life do not change his physical characteristics. If his vision is, say 20/200, it will be 20/200 regardless of whether he reads print or Braille.
What is affected by methods, though, is his achievement and cempetence. Let's say he can read 100 words per minute in large print, and could learn to read several hundred words per minute in Braille (a common situation). The choice is not, "Will he be more blind or less blind?" The choice is, "Will he be able to achieve more things, more easily, by using efficient techniques -- or will he be severely limited by trying to use sight when it is inadequate?" Or, putting it another way, "Will he be a capable blind person or a not-so-capable blind person?"
He is not any "less blind" if he struggles to use sighted techniques which are not suitable for him. Of course, the use of vision should be encouraged where it is efficient and appropriate to do so.
MYTH:
Only those who are totally blind can receive services from agencies and teachers for the blind.
FACT:
Anyone who has real difficulty using vision to perform the activities of daily life is probably eligible for such services. Inquire of your local agencies, and ask the National Federation of the Blind for help in resolving any problems of eligibility.
MYTH:
When a child with some sight hears the word "blind" applied to her, she will certainly be discouraged and frightened. Therefore we should avoid using the word "blind" and instead use a term such as "visually impaired."
FACT:
In the first place, a child views blindness in the way in which she has been taught and shown examples. If the youngster has met competent and personable blind people; and if the word "blind" is used in a matter-of-fact way, as though describing height or any other characteristic, then she will probably not find the term upsetting. If, on the other hand, there are no competent persons on the scene who really rely on blind techniques; and adults go to great lengths to avoid using the word "blind", then the youngsters will learn that there is much fear and shame associated with blindness.
Indeed, the youngster may actually be reassured to be regarded as "blind". This helps her to realize that she is not expected to rely on her sight when it is inadequate. It frees her to learn and develop alternative techniques not based on sight.
MYTH:
If the rules don't say that you have to be totally blind to receive services from an agency for the blind, then they at least say that your vision must be 20/200 or less.
FACT:
The visual acuity figure 20/200 is indeed a part of the definition of legal blindness in regards to eligibility for some services. However, the full phrasing of that definition also includes persons with a severely restricted field of vision. Again, in practice, agencies are generally able to serve all those who have real difficulty using vision to perform the activities of daily life, as well as those who are losing vision and soon will have such difficulty.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT CATEGORIES OF DISABILITIES
Katrina Delgado
AUTISM
Myth- Autism is caused by bad parenting.
Fact- In the 1950s, a theory called the "refrigerator mother hypothesis" arose suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.
Myth- Autism is just a brain disorder.
Fact- Research has shown that many people with autism also have gastro-intestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.
Myth- People with autism will have autism forever.
Fact- Recent research has shown that children with autism can make enough improvement after intensive early intervention to "test out" of the autism diagnosis. This is more evidence for the importance of addressing autism when the first signs appear.
Myth- People with autism are just like Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man.
Fact- Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning its characteristics vary significantly from person to person. Knowing one person with autism means just that—knowing one person with autism. His or her capabilities and limitations are no indication of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.
Myth- People with autism are intellectually disabled.
Fact- Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.
MENTAL RETARDATION-
Mental Retardation is a disability that has to do with how well or how fast a person can think and learn. Mentally retarded persons vary in their reading skills and mathematical abilities.
There is difficulty learning and thinking in abstract terms and adapting what she/he hears to everyday situations.
A person who has mental retardation has needs, desires and joys like most of us and wishes to succeed.
MYTH: Hiring employees with disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates.
FACT: Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization's accidnet experience, not on whether workers have disabilities.
MYTH: Emplyees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than emplyees without disabilities.
FACT: Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.
MYTH: Persons with disabilities are inspirational, courageous, and brave for being able to overcome thier disability.
FACT: Persons with disabilities are simply carrying on noraml activities of living when they drive to work, go grocery shopping, pay their bills, or compete in athletic events.
MYTH: Persons with disabilites need to be protected from failing.
FACT: Persons with disabilites have a right to participate in the full range of human experiences - including success and failure. Employers should have the same expectations of, and work requirements for, all employees.
MYTH: Persons with disabilites have problems getting to work.
FACT: Persons with disabilites are capable of supplying their own transportation by choosing to walk, use a car pool, drive, take public transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as varied as those of other employees.
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE
Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
Fact: In reality, the vast majority of people who have mental health needs are no more violent than anyone else. You probably know someone with a mental illness and don't even realize it.
Myth: Mental illnesses cannot affect me.
Fact: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental illnesses do not discriminate-they can affect anyone.
Myth: Mental illness is the same as mental retardation.
Fact: The two are distinct disorders. A mental retardation diagnosis is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, people with mental illnesses-health conditions that cause changes in a person's thinking, mood, and behavior-have varied intellectual functioning, just like the general population.
Myth: Mental illnesses are brought on by a weakness of character.
Fact: Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Research has shown genetic and biological factors are associated with schizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism. Social influences, such as loss of a loved one or a job, can also contribute to the development of various disorders.
Myth: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
Fact: In essence, all jobs are stressful to some extent. Productivity is maximized when there is a good match between the employee's needs and working conditions, whether or not the individual has mental health needs.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who have received effective treatment and have recovered, tend to be second-rate workers on the job.
Fact: Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and punctuality, as well as motivation, quality of work, and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees. Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are compared to other employees.
Myth: Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.
Fact: Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely. Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual's recovery.
Myth: Therapy and self-help are wastes of time. Why bother when you can just take one of those pills you hear about on TV?
Fact: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors, their peers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers in their recovery process. They also use self-help strategies and community supports. Often these methods are combined with some of the most advanced medications available.
Myth: Children do not experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting.
Fact: A report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health showed that in any given year 5-9 percent of children experience serious emotional disturbances. Just like adult mental illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health conditions that are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and sometimes even genetic factors.
Myth: Children misbehave or fail in school just to get attention.
Fact: Behavior problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders, rather than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in school with appropriate understanding, attention, and mental health services.
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
MYTH: Only a few people truly are hearing impaired. Neither you nor I will be among those affected.
Fact: The odds are that you or someone close to you has some degree of hearing impairment. It is estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from some form of hearing impairment.
MYTH: If I suffered from hearing loss or impairment I certainly would know about it.
Fact: This is not necessarily true. Often an impairment develops slowly over the course of time. Our own built-in defenses make it difficult to determine whether we do or don't. A simple hearing test can rectify this.
MYTH: Will hearing aids restore my hearing to normal?
Fact: Hearing aids, as the name implies, are designed to aid a person's hearing. Hearing aids do not restore human hearing nor can they retard the progression of nerve deafness. They are only a part of hearing rehabilitation and may need to be supplemented by auditory training.
MYTH: Will my hearing aids help in the presence of distracting background noise?
Fact: Understanding, especially in a noisy environment, will vary depending on each individual's hearing loss. Overall benefit may depend on proper fit, frequency of use, auditory rehabilitation, the severity of hearing loss, and on the accuracy of the patient evaluation.
MYTH: When someone is hearing impaired, that just means that sounds are not loud enough.
Fact: That's just part of it. Perhaps the person may have trouble hearing in crowds or in groups. Perhaps they hear but don't always understand what is being said. Words may seem mumbled or perceived as running together. These are only a few of the symptoms.
MYTH: Hearing aids are large and unsightly. Most people don't want to wear them.
Fact: Most people are not aware of the latest technological advances that have been made in hearing aids. Many people can wear hearing aids that are extremely small and discreet. These technically advanced hearing aids have made most of the old ones obsolete.
MYTH: Wearing a hearing aid is a sign you're getting old.
Fact: Although hearing impairments are frequently found in older adults, many middle age and younger people are affected as well. There are many factors that determine hearing loss beyond just age. A hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid.
MYTH: I've been informed that my type of hearing loss can't be helped.
Fact: In most cases, nerve deafness can be helped through amplification. Now there is hope for those who have been told they couldn't be helped.
MYTH: The cost is too high for a state-of-the-art hearing aid.
Fact: The very best hearing aids available are well within the economic reach of most people. A hearing aid could be the best investment you make.
MYTH: Hearing tests are expensive and inconvenient.
Fact: This is simply not the case. Contact New York Speech and Hearing today to arrange a test.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Myth 1: When a student looks good, they are fully recovered.
Fact: The better a student looks, the harder it is to recognize their learning and cognitive needs. This is common because physical recovery typically comes before cognitive recovery and happens at a faster rate. Often students are misidentified as having attention or learning problems after their physical injuries have healed.
Myth 2: A mild brain injury (concussion) is mild and less damaging than other brain injuries.
Fact: Although about 90% of people who have concussions recover, this is not the case for everyone. Concussion, whiplash and other "mild" brain injuries can have long lasting, debilitating effects that need intervention.
Myth 3: Younger children heal better - a young brain can heal itself, or the part that may have been damaged isn't developed yet.
Fact: A younger brain is more vulnerable to damage because undeveloped portions mature from the previously damaged areas; this makes future development difficult to predict.
Myth 4: A student who tests in the normal range can learn new material well.
Fact: Evaluations often test previously learned information, not how a student learns new information. A better prediction of a student's ability to learn new information is to teach new information and then test for understanding. Also consider the student's ability to screen out noise and motion, which are constants in most classrooms.
Myth 5: Recovery will take about a year.
Fact: When a child has a brain injury, the concept of recovery may be misleading. Recovery typically means someone has lost abilities temporarily and will regain them such as a broken arm. For a person with a brain injury, although they may look the same the changes are most likely long-lasting and adjustment is an ongoing process.
Myth 6: How quickly a child recovers from a brain injury depends mainly on how hard they work at recovering.
Fact: No two children with brain injuries are alike and recovery varies widely between children with similar injuries. It is unfair to a student to make predictions or judgments about their progress.
Myth 7: If the brain injury were really life changing, the student would have been in the hospital for a long time.
Fact: Some children with serious brain injuries do not have the same choices available to them that adults do for rehabilitation programs. School is where most children get rehabilitation after a brain injury.
- See more at: http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/about-tbi/myths-facts-about-tbi/#sthash.eo2geHCv.dpuf
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES
1. Myth: Learning disabilities (LDs) do not really exist.
Fact: LDs are real. Recent research indicates that (some) people who have learning disabilities do suffer from neurological differences in brain structure and function.
2. Myth: Children with learning disabilities are usually identified in kindergarten and first grade.
Fact: Learning disabilities often go unrecognized for many years. Most LDs are not identified until later on in adulthood, especially if the child is bright. Children with LDs can usually manage to mask their learning difficulties and learn to compensate for their areas of weaknesses. Some kinds of learning problems may not surface until middle school, high school or even college.
3. Myth: People with learning disabilities are less intelligent than their “normal” peers.
Fact: Learning disabilities are not an indicator of an individual’s intelligence. They reflect, however, differences in how a person’s brain receives, processes, and puts out information. Persons with learning disabilities simply learn differently from their peers.
By definition, students with LD are average or above in intelligence. In fact, studies indicate that as many as 33% of students with LDs are gifted. Therefore, students with LDs can learn and succeed in school and may excel in their professional lives.
4. Myth: Young people with learning disabilities are "different".
Fact: Everyone is different and unique in his/her own way. Children with learning disabilities may be markedly different from each other which may necessitate a different way of dealing with it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and each case should be judged individually. If a child has a learning disability, you may need to take it into account when dealing with a problem, but it should definitely not be the only consideration.
5. Myth: People with learning disabilities are lazy.
Fact: Learning disabilities are caused by neurological impairments not character flaws. LD is a permanent disorder that interferes with acquiring, integrating, and demonstrating verbal and nonverbal abilities. Students with LDs process information differently from others who may not be challenged in a similar way. They have a different way of learning such that they may make the same mistakes dozens of times. They may forget homework assignments, may miss a meeting, or do something they have just been told not to do. These issues are related to the way in which their brains process information. This is all part of their struggle and the constant challenges they routinely deal with.
6. Myth: People can out-grow their learning disabilities.
Fact: The general consensus is that learning disabilities, once they manifest themselves, are always present. The learning disability continues throughout the individual’s lifespan. It may intensify during adulthood as tasks and environmental demands imposed on them change. However, the goal of educational programs for students with LDs is to teach them the tools that will help them develop sustainable compensatory strategies for the rest of their lives. To put it succinctly, children with learning disabilities grow up into adults with learning disabilities.
7. Myth: Learning disabilities are invisible.
Fact: Learning disabilities may seem invisible and difficult to diagnose by outside appearance, but the signs and symptoms in children with learning disabilities are clear when you look for them:
•Frustration with school and homework.
•Low self-esteem due to repeated academic low grades and/or social failures.
•The feeling of being treated unfairly even after hard work.
•A constant need for a step-by-step guidance.
•Not understanding the big picture may cause an inability to remember problem solving-steps.
8. Myth: Learning disabilities are all the same.
Fact: Learning disabilities are very complicated indeed. The extent of their impact on a person’s life and the areas of learning they affect vary greatly from one person to another. Learning disabilities may be combined in a variety of ways and may vary depending on contextual situations.
9. Myth: Pretending to be “normal” like everyone else is the key to live successfully with a LD.
Fact: While self-disclosure is required to receive accommodations, many people with LDs do not self-disclose their difficulties and wish to remain anonymous throughout their lives. On the other hand, there are many people who have publicly acknowledged their learning disability and have gone on to have great success in their lives. This seems to have inspired many others to come forth and acknowledge various challenges they are dealing with both academically and personally. Some of the well known inventors, painters, and actors who have succeeded with learning disabilities include Albert Einstein, Richard Branson, Michael Phelps, Keira Knightley and Erin Brockovich.
10. Myth: Learning disabilities affect males more than females.
Fact: While it is true that boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with a learning disability than girls, research does not show any significant difference in the incidences of learning disabilities among girls and boys. Perhaps this is due to certain traditional ideas of gender-based academic skills, or because of the more introverted behavior of girls with learning disabilities and the stigma attached to it, which may make them less likely to be identified and treated for their learning disabilities.
11. Myth: Learning disabilities mostly affect the academic abilities.
Fact: Many students with LDs also have social problems due to difficulties reading body language and other subtle and necessary language cues that help most people understand how to appropriately interact with others. This may cause some students with LDs to have trouble asking faculty for needed clarifications or effectively contributing to classroom discussions.
12, Myth: Children with learning disabilities grow up to be a burden on society.
Fact: Individuals with learning disabilities have enjoyed successful careers in virtually all walks of life, including education, public policy, administration, medicine, physics, and various other professional careers. The role of society is to provide quality special education programs and services that will greatly increase individual's probability of competitive employment and success.
13. Myth: Students with LDs do not have the ability to succeed at university
Fact: Students with LDs, like all other students, have succeeded and continue to succeed at university. Many students with LDs are capable of creative, original thought and have demonstrated these skills in the completion of Doctoral studies. The implementation of reasonable academic adjustments ensures that students with LDs may compete equally well in a learning environment and demonstrate their actual level of ability during their academic career.
14. Myth: Students with LDs are a product of poor teaching practices in school.
Fact: LDs do not develop as a result of poor teaching or inappropriate child management practices. However, a lack of understanding of the child’s needs and inappropriate instruction will affect the academic progress of students with LDs. Students with LDs do not benefit as much as other students from general learning strategies and intensive education instruction. However, academic adjustments (modifications) and classroom accommodations will enable these students to achieve at their true ability levels.
15. Myth: Students with LDs are better suited to positions of employment that do not require academic skills
Fact: While this is true of some people with LDs, it is certainly not true of all. Although many students with LDs find ways to compensate for their difficulties in school by focusing their attention on other venues for self expression to maximize their chances of success in life, many others simply strive to overcome these challenges by wielding all their efforts to excel in academic work. In fact, there are many prominent people who have disproved this myth and include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill among many others.
DEAFNESS
MYTH: All Deaf people can read lips.
FACT: Some Deaf people are very skilled lip readers, but many are not. Only about 30% of spoken English is visible on the lips. This is because many speech sounds have identical mouth movements. For example: p and b look exactly alike on the lips.
Many people that read lips are hard of hearing.
MYTH: All Deaf students are mute.
FACT: Some Deaf speak very well and clearly; others choose not to use their voice if they think that they are difficult to understand or have problems gauging their pitch or volume.
However, most Deaf people do have the physical ability to speak and therefore, they are not technically “mute”.
MYTH: People who are Deaf are "deaf and dumb."
FACT: The inability to hear affects neither native intelligence nor the physical ability to produce sounds. Deafness does not make people "dumb" in the sense of being either stupid or mute. Deaf people, understandably, find this stereotype particularly offensive.
MYTH: People who have unusual sounding speech are mentally retarded.
FACT: There is absolutely no correlation between the physical production of speech and intelligence.
MYTH: All deaf people use sign language.
FACT: Many deaf people use American Sign Language exclusively while others us a variety of educational sign systems. Some who are “medically deaf” do not use sign language.
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MYTH: Deaf people are less intelligent.
FACT: Hearing ability is unrelated to intelligence. Lack of knowledge about deafness, however, has often limited educational and occupational opportunities for deaf people.
MYTH: Deaf people can't use the phone.
FACT: Special telecommunication aids (TTYs/TDDs (teletypewriter)/ videophones and ring signalers) have been developed for deaf people.
MYTH: All deaf people use hearing aids.
FACT: Many deaf people benefit considerably from hearing aids. Some may only be able to hear loud environmental sounds such as a fire alarm or a car horn. Still others may not benefit at all.
MYTH: Hearing aids restore hearing.
FACT: Hearing aids amplify sound, but do not correct hearing. They have no effect on a person's ability to process that sound. In cases where a hearing loss distorts incoming sounds, a hearing aid can do nothing to correct it. In fact, it may make the distortion worse. A hearing aid may enable a person to hear someone's voice, but not be able to understand distinctwords.
MYTH: Deaf people lead totally different lives than other people.
FACT: Most deaf individuals occupy their time just like hearing people. They go to work, marry and raise families, drive cars, use the phone, go shopping and pay taxes. Of course, individual differences exist. Chances are good that when you meet a Deaf person, you will share several similar interests that you can explore together.
MYTH: Deaf people cannot appreciate the arts because they can't hear music, movies, etc.
FACT: Anyone who has ever had the privilege to see a performance by the National Theatre of the Deaf will realize the error in the above statement. Throughout history, deaf individuals have participated in and contributed to the performing arts. Beethoven is one example. Today there are deaf artists, dance troupes, and actors. Captioning of movies and other audiovisual media is helpful for deaf citizens, and this practice should be continued. As long as there is rhythm and visual image, deaf and hard of hearing will be valued performers and patrons of the arts.
8.BLINDNESS
MYTH:
If my child has some usable sight, he should certainly rely on that sight at every opportunity. If we expect him to use Braille or other blind techniques, we are making him blind when he really isn't.
FACT:
The methods your child uses in school and in life do not change his physical characteristics. If his vision is, say 20/200, it will be 20/200 regardless of whether he reads print or Braille.
What is affected by methods, though, is his achievement and cempetence. Let's say he can read 100 words per minute in large print, and could learn to read several hundred words per minute in Braille (a common situation). The choice is not, "Will he be more blind or less blind?" The choice is, "Will he be able to achieve more things, more easily, by using efficient techniques -- or will he be severely limited by trying to use sight when it is inadequate?" Or, putting it another way, "Will he be a capable blind person or a not-so-capable blind person?"
He is not any "less blind" if he struggles to use sighted techniques which are not suitable for him. Of course, the use of vision should be encouraged where it is efficient and appropriate to do so.
MYTH:
Only those who are totally blind can receive services from agencies and teachers for the blind.
FACT:
Anyone who has real difficulty using vision to perform the activities of daily life is probably eligible for such services. Inquire of your local agencies, and ask the National Federation of the Blind for help in resolving any problems of eligibility.
MYTH:
When a child with some sight hears the word "blind" applied to her, she will certainly be discouraged and frightened. Therefore we should avoid using the word "blind" and instead use a term such as "visually impaired."
FACT:
In the first place, a child views blindness in the way in which she has been taught and shown examples. If the youngster has met competent and personable blind people; and if the word "blind" is used in a matter-of-fact way, as though describing height or any other characteristic, then she will probably not find the term upsetting. If, on the other hand, there are no competent persons on the scene who really rely on blind techniques; and adults go to great lengths to avoid using the word "blind", then the youngsters will learn that there is much fear and shame associated with blindness.
Indeed, the youngster may actually be reassured to be regarded as "blind". This helps her to realize that she is not expected to rely on her sight when it is inadequate. It frees her to learn and develop alternative techniques not based on sight.
MYTH:
If the rules don't say that you have to be totally blind to receive services from an agency for the blind, then they at least say that your vision must be 20/200 or less.
FACT:
The visual acuity figure 20/200 is indeed a part of the definition of legal blindness in regards to eligibility for some services. However, the full phrasing of that definition also includes persons with a severely restricted field of vision. Again, in practice, agencies are generally able to serve all those who have real difficulty using vision to perform the activities of daily life, as well as those who are losing vision and soon will have such difficulty.
AUTISM
Myth- Autism is caused by bad parenting.
Fact- In the 1950s, a theory called the "refrigerator mother hypothesis" arose suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.
Myth- Autism is just a brain disorder.
Fact- Research has shown that many people with autism also have gastro-intestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.
Myth- People with autism will have autism forever.
Fact- Recent research has shown that children with autism can make enough improvement after intensive early intervention to "test out" of the autism diagnosis. This is more evidence for the importance of addressing autism when the first signs appear.
Myth- People with autism are just like Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man.
Fact- Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning its characteristics vary significantly from person to person. Knowing one person with autism means just that—knowing one person with autism. His or her capabilities and limitations are no indication of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.
Myth- People with autism are intellectually disabled.
Fact- Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.
MENTAL RETARDATION-
Mental Retardation is a disability that has to do with how well or how fast a person can think and learn. Mentally retarded persons vary in their reading skills and mathematical abilities.
There is difficulty learning and thinking in abstract terms and adapting what she/he hears to everyday situations.
A person who has mental retardation has needs, desires and joys like most of us and wishes to succeed.
MYTH: Hiring employees with disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates.
FACT: Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization's accidnet experience, not on whether workers have disabilities.
MYTH: Emplyees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than emplyees without disabilities.
FACT: Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.
MYTH: Persons with disabilities are inspirational, courageous, and brave for being able to overcome thier disability.
FACT: Persons with disabilities are simply carrying on noraml activities of living when they drive to work, go grocery shopping, pay their bills, or compete in athletic events.
MYTH: Persons with disabilites need to be protected from failing.
FACT: Persons with disabilites have a right to participate in the full range of human experiences - including success and failure. Employers should have the same expectations of, and work requirements for, all employees.
MYTH: Persons with disabilites have problems getting to work.
FACT: Persons with disabilites are capable of supplying their own transportation by choosing to walk, use a car pool, drive, take public transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as varied as those of other employees.
EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE
Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
Fact: In reality, the vast majority of people who have mental health needs are no more violent than anyone else. You probably know someone with a mental illness and don't even realize it.
Myth: Mental illnesses cannot affect me.
Fact: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental illnesses do not discriminate-they can affect anyone.
Myth: Mental illness is the same as mental retardation.
Fact: The two are distinct disorders. A mental retardation diagnosis is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning and difficulties with certain daily living skills. In contrast, people with mental illnesses-health conditions that cause changes in a person's thinking, mood, and behavior-have varied intellectual functioning, just like the general population.
Myth: Mental illnesses are brought on by a weakness of character.
Fact: Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. Research has shown genetic and biological factors are associated with schizophrenia, depression, and alcoholism. Social influences, such as loss of a loved one or a job, can also contribute to the development of various disorders.
Myth: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.
Fact: In essence, all jobs are stressful to some extent. Productivity is maximized when there is a good match between the employee's needs and working conditions, whether or not the individual has mental health needs.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who have received effective treatment and have recovered, tend to be second-rate workers on the job.
Fact: Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance and punctuality, as well as motivation, quality of work, and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees. Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are compared to other employees.
Myth: Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.
Fact: Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely. Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual's recovery.
Myth: Therapy and self-help are wastes of time. Why bother when you can just take one of those pills you hear about on TV?
Fact: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors, their peers, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers in their recovery process. They also use self-help strategies and community supports. Often these methods are combined with some of the most advanced medications available.
Myth: Children do not experience mental illnesses. Their actions are just products of bad parenting.
Fact: A report from the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health showed that in any given year 5-9 percent of children experience serious emotional disturbances. Just like adult mental illnesses, these are clinically diagnosable health conditions that are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, social, and sometimes even genetic factors.
Myth: Children misbehave or fail in school just to get attention.
Fact: Behavior problems can be symptoms of emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders, rather than merely attention-seeking devices. These children can succeed in school with appropriate understanding, attention, and mental health services.
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
MYTH: Only a few people truly are hearing impaired. Neither you nor I will be among those affected.
Fact: The odds are that you or someone close to you has some degree of hearing impairment. It is estimated that 20 million Americans suffer from some form of hearing impairment.
MYTH: If I suffered from hearing loss or impairment I certainly would know about it.
Fact: This is not necessarily true. Often an impairment develops slowly over the course of time. Our own built-in defenses make it difficult to determine whether we do or don't. A simple hearing test can rectify this.
MYTH: Will hearing aids restore my hearing to normal?
Fact: Hearing aids, as the name implies, are designed to aid a person's hearing. Hearing aids do not restore human hearing nor can they retard the progression of nerve deafness. They are only a part of hearing rehabilitation and may need to be supplemented by auditory training.
MYTH: Will my hearing aids help in the presence of distracting background noise?
Fact: Understanding, especially in a noisy environment, will vary depending on each individual's hearing loss. Overall benefit may depend on proper fit, frequency of use, auditory rehabilitation, the severity of hearing loss, and on the accuracy of the patient evaluation.
MYTH: When someone is hearing impaired, that just means that sounds are not loud enough.
Fact: That's just part of it. Perhaps the person may have trouble hearing in crowds or in groups. Perhaps they hear but don't always understand what is being said. Words may seem mumbled or perceived as running together. These are only a few of the symptoms.
MYTH: Hearing aids are large and unsightly. Most people don't want to wear them.
Fact: Most people are not aware of the latest technological advances that have been made in hearing aids. Many people can wear hearing aids that are extremely small and discreet. These technically advanced hearing aids have made most of the old ones obsolete.
MYTH: Wearing a hearing aid is a sign you're getting old.
Fact: Although hearing impairments are frequently found in older adults, many middle age and younger people are affected as well. There are many factors that determine hearing loss beyond just age. A hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid.
MYTH: I've been informed that my type of hearing loss can't be helped.
Fact: In most cases, nerve deafness can be helped through amplification. Now there is hope for those who have been told they couldn't be helped.
MYTH: The cost is too high for a state-of-the-art hearing aid.
Fact: The very best hearing aids available are well within the economic reach of most people. A hearing aid could be the best investment you make.
MYTH: Hearing tests are expensive and inconvenient.
Fact: This is simply not the case. Contact New York Speech and Hearing today to arrange a test.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Myth 1: When a student looks good, they are fully recovered.
Fact: The better a student looks, the harder it is to recognize their learning and cognitive needs. This is common because physical recovery typically comes before cognitive recovery and happens at a faster rate. Often students are misidentified as having attention or learning problems after their physical injuries have healed.
Myth 2: A mild brain injury (concussion) is mild and less damaging than other brain injuries.
Fact: Although about 90% of people who have concussions recover, this is not the case for everyone. Concussion, whiplash and other "mild" brain injuries can have long lasting, debilitating effects that need intervention.
Myth 3: Younger children heal better - a young brain can heal itself, or the part that may have been damaged isn't developed yet.
Fact: A younger brain is more vulnerable to damage because undeveloped portions mature from the previously damaged areas; this makes future development difficult to predict.
Myth 4: A student who tests in the normal range can learn new material well.
Fact: Evaluations often test previously learned information, not how a student learns new information. A better prediction of a student's ability to learn new information is to teach new information and then test for understanding. Also consider the student's ability to screen out noise and motion, which are constants in most classrooms.
Myth 5: Recovery will take about a year.
Fact: When a child has a brain injury, the concept of recovery may be misleading. Recovery typically means someone has lost abilities temporarily and will regain them such as a broken arm. For a person with a brain injury, although they may look the same the changes are most likely long-lasting and adjustment is an ongoing process.
Myth 6: How quickly a child recovers from a brain injury depends mainly on how hard they work at recovering.
Fact: No two children with brain injuries are alike and recovery varies widely between children with similar injuries. It is unfair to a student to make predictions or judgments about their progress.
Myth 7: If the brain injury were really life changing, the student would have been in the hospital for a long time.
Fact: Some children with serious brain injuries do not have the same choices available to them that adults do for rehabilitation programs. School is where most children get rehabilitation after a brain injury.
- See more at: http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/about-tbi/myths-facts-about-tbi/#sthash.eo2geHCv.dpuf
SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES
1. Myth: Learning disabilities (LDs) do not really exist.
Fact: LDs are real. Recent research indicates that (some) people who have learning disabilities do suffer from neurological differences in brain structure and function.
2. Myth: Children with learning disabilities are usually identified in kindergarten and first grade.
Fact: Learning disabilities often go unrecognized for many years. Most LDs are not identified until later on in adulthood, especially if the child is bright. Children with LDs can usually manage to mask their learning difficulties and learn to compensate for their areas of weaknesses. Some kinds of learning problems may not surface until middle school, high school or even college.
3. Myth: People with learning disabilities are less intelligent than their “normal” peers.
Fact: Learning disabilities are not an indicator of an individual’s intelligence. They reflect, however, differences in how a person’s brain receives, processes, and puts out information. Persons with learning disabilities simply learn differently from their peers.
By definition, students with LD are average or above in intelligence. In fact, studies indicate that as many as 33% of students with LDs are gifted. Therefore, students with LDs can learn and succeed in school and may excel in their professional lives.
4. Myth: Young people with learning disabilities are "different".
Fact: Everyone is different and unique in his/her own way. Children with learning disabilities may be markedly different from each other which may necessitate a different way of dealing with it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and each case should be judged individually. If a child has a learning disability, you may need to take it into account when dealing with a problem, but it should definitely not be the only consideration.
5. Myth: People with learning disabilities are lazy.
Fact: Learning disabilities are caused by neurological impairments not character flaws. LD is a permanent disorder that interferes with acquiring, integrating, and demonstrating verbal and nonverbal abilities. Students with LDs process information differently from others who may not be challenged in a similar way. They have a different way of learning such that they may make the same mistakes dozens of times. They may forget homework assignments, may miss a meeting, or do something they have just been told not to do. These issues are related to the way in which their brains process information. This is all part of their struggle and the constant challenges they routinely deal with.
6. Myth: People can out-grow their learning disabilities.
Fact: The general consensus is that learning disabilities, once they manifest themselves, are always present. The learning disability continues throughout the individual’s lifespan. It may intensify during adulthood as tasks and environmental demands imposed on them change. However, the goal of educational programs for students with LDs is to teach them the tools that will help them develop sustainable compensatory strategies for the rest of their lives. To put it succinctly, children with learning disabilities grow up into adults with learning disabilities.
7. Myth: Learning disabilities are invisible.
Fact: Learning disabilities may seem invisible and difficult to diagnose by outside appearance, but the signs and symptoms in children with learning disabilities are clear when you look for them:
•Frustration with school and homework.
•Low self-esteem due to repeated academic low grades and/or social failures.
•The feeling of being treated unfairly even after hard work.
•A constant need for a step-by-step guidance.
•Not understanding the big picture may cause an inability to remember problem solving-steps.
8. Myth: Learning disabilities are all the same.
Fact: Learning disabilities are very complicated indeed. The extent of their impact on a person’s life and the areas of learning they affect vary greatly from one person to another. Learning disabilities may be combined in a variety of ways and may vary depending on contextual situations.
9. Myth: Pretending to be “normal” like everyone else is the key to live successfully with a LD.
Fact: While self-disclosure is required to receive accommodations, many people with LDs do not self-disclose their difficulties and wish to remain anonymous throughout their lives. On the other hand, there are many people who have publicly acknowledged their learning disability and have gone on to have great success in their lives. This seems to have inspired many others to come forth and acknowledge various challenges they are dealing with both academically and personally. Some of the well known inventors, painters, and actors who have succeeded with learning disabilities include Albert Einstein, Richard Branson, Michael Phelps, Keira Knightley and Erin Brockovich.
10. Myth: Learning disabilities affect males more than females.
Fact: While it is true that boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with a learning disability than girls, research does not show any significant difference in the incidences of learning disabilities among girls and boys. Perhaps this is due to certain traditional ideas of gender-based academic skills, or because of the more introverted behavior of girls with learning disabilities and the stigma attached to it, which may make them less likely to be identified and treated for their learning disabilities.
11. Myth: Learning disabilities mostly affect the academic abilities.
Fact: Many students with LDs also have social problems due to difficulties reading body language and other subtle and necessary language cues that help most people understand how to appropriately interact with others. This may cause some students with LDs to have trouble asking faculty for needed clarifications or effectively contributing to classroom discussions.
12, Myth: Children with learning disabilities grow up to be a burden on society.
Fact: Individuals with learning disabilities have enjoyed successful careers in virtually all walks of life, including education, public policy, administration, medicine, physics, and various other professional careers. The role of society is to provide quality special education programs and services that will greatly increase individual's probability of competitive employment and success.
13. Myth: Students with LDs do not have the ability to succeed at university
Fact: Students with LDs, like all other students, have succeeded and continue to succeed at university. Many students with LDs are capable of creative, original thought and have demonstrated these skills in the completion of Doctoral studies. The implementation of reasonable academic adjustments ensures that students with LDs may compete equally well in a learning environment and demonstrate their actual level of ability during their academic career.
14. Myth: Students with LDs are a product of poor teaching practices in school.
Fact: LDs do not develop as a result of poor teaching or inappropriate child management practices. However, a lack of understanding of the child’s needs and inappropriate instruction will affect the academic progress of students with LDs. Students with LDs do not benefit as much as other students from general learning strategies and intensive education instruction. However, academic adjustments (modifications) and classroom accommodations will enable these students to achieve at their true ability levels.
15. Myth: Students with LDs are better suited to positions of employment that do not require academic skills
Fact: While this is true of some people with LDs, it is certainly not true of all. Although many students with LDs find ways to compensate for their difficulties in school by focusing their attention on other venues for self expression to maximize their chances of success in life, many others simply strive to overcome these challenges by wielding all their efforts to excel in academic work. In fact, there are many prominent people who have disproved this myth and include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill among many others.
DEAFNESS
MYTH: All Deaf people can read lips.
FACT: Some Deaf people are very skilled lip readers, but many are not. Only about 30% of spoken English is visible on the lips. This is because many speech sounds have identical mouth movements. For example: p and b look exactly alike on the lips.
Many people that read lips are hard of hearing.
MYTH: All Deaf students are mute.
FACT: Some Deaf speak very well and clearly; others choose not to use their voice if they think that they are difficult to understand or have problems gauging their pitch or volume.
However, most Deaf people do have the physical ability to speak and therefore, they are not technically “mute”.
MYTH: People who are Deaf are "deaf and dumb."
FACT: The inability to hear affects neither native intelligence nor the physical ability to produce sounds. Deafness does not make people "dumb" in the sense of being either stupid or mute. Deaf people, understandably, find this stereotype particularly offensive.
MYTH: People who have unusual sounding speech are mentally retarded.
FACT: There is absolutely no correlation between the physical production of speech and intelligence.
MYTH: All deaf people use sign language.
FACT: Many deaf people use American Sign Language exclusively while others us a variety of educational sign systems. Some who are “medically deaf” do not use sign language.
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MYTH: Deaf people are less intelligent.
FACT: Hearing ability is unrelated to intelligence. Lack of knowledge about deafness, however, has often limited educational and occupational opportunities for deaf people.
MYTH: Deaf people can't use the phone.
FACT: Special telecommunication aids (TTYs/TDDs (teletypewriter)/ videophones and ring signalers) have been developed for deaf people.
MYTH: All deaf people use hearing aids.
FACT: Many deaf people benefit considerably from hearing aids. Some may only be able to hear loud environmental sounds such as a fire alarm or a car horn. Still others may not benefit at all.
MYTH: Hearing aids restore hearing.
FACT: Hearing aids amplify sound, but do not correct hearing. They have no effect on a person's ability to process that sound. In cases where a hearing loss distorts incoming sounds, a hearing aid can do nothing to correct it. In fact, it may make the distortion worse. A hearing aid may enable a person to hear someone's voice, but not be able to understand distinctwords.
MYTH: Deaf people lead totally different lives than other people.
FACT: Most deaf individuals occupy their time just like hearing people. They go to work, marry and raise families, drive cars, use the phone, go shopping and pay taxes. Of course, individual differences exist. Chances are good that when you meet a Deaf person, you will share several similar interests that you can explore together.
MYTH: Deaf people cannot appreciate the arts because they can't hear music, movies, etc.
FACT: Anyone who has ever had the privilege to see a performance by the National Theatre of the Deaf will realize the error in the above statement. Throughout history, deaf individuals have participated in and contributed to the performing arts. Beethoven is one example. Today there are deaf artists, dance troupes, and actors. Captioning of movies and other audiovisual media is helpful for deaf citizens, and this practice should be continued. As long as there is rhythm and visual image, deaf and hard of hearing will be valued performers and patrons of the arts.
8.BLINDNESS
MYTH:
If my child has some usable sight, he should certainly rely on that sight at every opportunity. If we expect him to use Braille or other blind techniques, we are making him blind when he really isn't.
FACT:
The methods your child uses in school and in life do not change his physical characteristics. If his vision is, say 20/200, it will be 20/200 regardless of whether he reads print or Braille.
What is affected by methods, though, is his achievement and cempetence. Let's say he can read 100 words per minute in large print, and could learn to read several hundred words per minute in Braille (a common situation). The choice is not, "Will he be more blind or less blind?" The choice is, "Will he be able to achieve more things, more easily, by using efficient techniques -- or will he be severely limited by trying to use sight when it is inadequate?" Or, putting it another way, "Will he be a capable blind person or a not-so-capable blind person?"
He is not any "less blind" if he struggles to use sighted techniques which are not suitable for him. Of course, the use of vision should be encouraged where it is efficient and appropriate to do so.
MYTH:
Only those who are totally blind can receive services from agencies and teachers for the blind.
FACT:
Anyone who has real difficulty using vision to perform the activities of daily life is probably eligible for such services. Inquire of your local agencies, and ask the National Federation of the Blind for help in resolving any problems of eligibility.
MYTH:
When a child with some sight hears the word "blind" applied to her, she will certainly be discouraged and frightened. Therefore we should avoid using the word "blind" and instead use a term such as "visually impaired."
FACT:
In the first place, a child views blindness in the way in which she has been taught and shown examples. If the youngster has met competent and personable blind people; and if the word "blind" is used in a matter-of-fact way, as though describing height or any other characteristic, then she will probably not find the term upsetting. If, on the other hand, there are no competent persons on the scene who really rely on blind techniques; and adults go to great lengths to avoid using the word "blind", then the youngsters will learn that there is much fear and shame associated with blindness.
Indeed, the youngster may actually be reassured to be regarded as "blind". This helps her to realize that she is not expected to rely on her sight when it is inadequate. It frees her to learn and develop alternative techniques not based on sight.
MYTH:
If the rules don't say that you have to be totally blind to receive services from an agency for the blind, then they at least say that your vision must be 20/200 or less.
FACT:
The visual acuity figure 20/200 is indeed a part of the definition of legal blindness in regards to eligibility for some services. However, the full phrasing of that definition also includes persons with a severely restricted field of vision. Again, in practice, agencies are generally able to serve all those who have real difficulty using vision to perform the activities of daily life, as well as those who are losing vision and soon will have such difficulty.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Most Popular Book; The Giving Tree
Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come to play
Swinging from the branches, sleeping in the shade
Laughing all the summer's hours away.
And so they love,
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon the boy grew older and one day he came and said,
"Can you give me some money, tree, to buy something I've found?"
"I have no money," said the tree, "Just apples, twigs and leaves."
"But you can take my apples, boy, and sell them in the town."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
But soon again the boy came back and he said to the tree,
"I'm now a man and I must have a house that's all my home."
"I can't give you a house" he said, "The forest is my house."
"But you may cut my branches off and build yourself a home"
And so he did.
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And time went by and the boy came back with sadness in his eyes.
"My life has turned so cold," he says, "and I need sunny days."
"I've nothing but my trunk," he says, "But you can cut it down
And build yourself a boat and sail away."
And so he did and
Oh, the tree was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
And after years the boy came back, both of them were old.
"I really cannot help you if you ask for another gift."
"I'm nothing but an old stump now. I'm sorry but I've nothing more to give"
"I do not need very much now, just a quiet place to rest,"
The boy, he whispered, with a weary smile.
"Well", said the tree, "An old stump is still good for that."
"Come, boy", he said, "Sit down, sit down and rest a while."
And so he did and
Oh, the trees was happy.
Oh, the tree was glad.
His culture and Poetry Style
A Unique Style
Silverstein's poetry for children is often silly, humorous, and a little strange. The accompanying black-and-white illustrations, amusing and sometimes rather morbid, are an integral part of the poetry, often needed in order to interpret the poem itself. Silverstein has been compared to poets such as Edward Lear, A. A. Milne, and Dr. Seuss. Many of his poems are adapted from his song lyrics, and the influence of his song-writing background is apparent in the poems' meters and rhythms. Eric A. Kimmel, in Twentieth-Century Children's Writers, characterized Silverstein this way: "His poems read like those a fourth grader would write in the back of his notebook when the teacher's eye was turned." Kimmel goes on to say: "that may be precisely their appeal."
To say there is more than one interpretation of Silverstein's work is an understatement. Some believe it is simply amusing and fun; others contend that the silliness hides deeper symbolism. That symbolism has been classified by some as educational; by others as harmful to children. Regardless of the mixed critical reaction, Silverstein's books seem to be everywhere: libraries, classrooms, children dren's bookshelves, and they are being widely used in elementary schools to teach poetry.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/shel-silverstein#ixzz2JZWnko5n
Poems
Bear In There
from the book "A Light in the Attic" (1981)
There's a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire--
He likes it 'cause it's cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He's nibbling the noodles,
He's munching the rice,
He's slurping the soda,
He's licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he's in there--
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.
The Unicorn
from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (1974)
A long time ago, when the earth was green
and there was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen,
and they run around free while the world was bein' born,
and the lovliest of all was the Unicorn.Unicorn
There was green alligators and long-neck geese.
There was humpy bumpy camels and chimpanzees.
There was catsandratsandelephants, but sure as you're born
the lovliest of all was the Unicorn.
But the Lord seen some sinnin', and it caused him pain.
He says, "Stand back, I'm gonna make it rain."
He says, "Hey Brother Noah, I'll tell ya whatcha do.
Go and build me a floatin' zoo.
And you take two alligators and a couple of geese,
two humpy bumpy camels and two chimpanzees.
Take two catsandratsandelephants, but sure as you're born,
Noah, don't you forget my Unicorn."
Now Noah was there, he answered the callin'
and he finished up the ark just as the rain was fallin'.
He marched in the animals two by two,
and he called out as they went through,
"Hey Lord, I got your two alligators and your couple of geese,
your humpy bumpy camels and your chimpanzees.
Got your catsandratsandelephants - but Lord, I'm so forlorn
'cause I just don't see no Unicorn."
Ol' Noah looked out through the drivin' rain
but the Unicorns were hidin', playin' silly games.
They were kickin' and splashin' in the misty morn,
oh them silly Unicorn.
The the goat started goatin', and the snake started snakin',
the elephant started elephantin', and the boat started shaking'.
The mouse started squeakin', and the lion started roarin',
and everyone's abourd but the Unicorn.
I mean the green alligators and the long-neck geese,
the humpy bumpy camels and the chimpanzees.
Noah cried, "Close the door 'cause the rain is pourin' -
and we just can't wait for them Unicorn."
Then the ark started movin', and it drifted with the tide,
and the Unicorns looked up from the rock and cried.
And the water come up and sort of floated them away -
that's why you've never seen a Unicorn to this day.
You'll see a lot of alligators and a whole mess of geese.
You'll see humpy bumpy camels and lots of chimpanzees.
You'll see catsandratsandelephants, but sure as you're born
you're never gonna see no Unicorn
Where the Sidewalk Ends
from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (1974)
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
and before the street begins,
and there the grass grows soft and white,
and there the sun burns crimson bright,
and there the moon-bird rests from his flight
to cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
and the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
we shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow
and watch where the chalk-white arrows go
to the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
and we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
for the children, they mark, and the children, they know,
the place where the sidewalk ends.
Where The Sidewalk Ends
Peanut-Butter Sandwich
I'll sing you a poem of a silly young king
Who played with the world at the end of a string,
But he only loved one single thing—
And that was just a peanut-butter sandwich.
His scepter and his royal gowns,
His regal throne and golden crowns
Were brown and sticky from the mounds
And drippings from each peanut-butter sandwich.
His subjects all were silly fools
For he had passed a royal rule
That all that they could learn in school
Was how to make a peanut-butter sandwich.
He would not eat his sovereign steak,
He scorned his soup and kingly cake,
And told his courtly cook to bake
An extra-sticky peanut-butter sandwich.
And then one day he took a bit
And started chewing with delight,
But found his mouth was stuck quite tight
From that last bite of peanut-butter sandwich.
His brother pulled, his sister pried,
The wizard pushed, his mother cried,
"My boy's committed suicide
From eating his last peanut-butter sandwich!"
The dentist came, and the royal doc.
The royal plumber banged and knocked,
But still those jaws stayed tightly locked.
Oh darn that sticky peanut-butter sandwich!
The carpenter, he tried with pliers,
The telephone man tried with wires,
The firemen, they tried with fire,
But couldn't melt that peanut-butter sandwich.
With ropes and pulleys, drills and coil,
With steam and lubricating oil—
For twenty years of tears and toil—
They fought that awful peanut-butter sandwich.
Then all his royal subjects came.
They hooked his jaws with grapplin' chains
And pulled both ways with might and main
Against that stubborn peanut-butter sandwich.
Each man and woman, girl and boy
Put down their ploughs and pots and toys
And pulled until kerack! Oh, joy—
They broke right through that peanut-butter sandwhcih
A puff of dust, a screech, a squeak—
The king's jaw opened with a creak.
And then in voice so faint and weak—
The first words that they heard him speak
Were, "How about a peanut-butter sandwich?"
Hug O'War
from the book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" (1974)
I will not play at tug o' war.
I'd rather play at hug o' war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Biography
Shel Silverstein began writing when he was twelve years old. He would have preferred to be playing ball with children his age, but he had no athletic ability. Also, girls showed no interest in him, so he began to write. He was not familiar with the style of any famous poets. Since he had no one whom he could mimic, he began developing his own technique. In the 1950's, Silverstein enlisted in the armed forces and served in the Korean War.
During his time in the military, Shel Silverstein worked as a cartoonist for "Pacific Stars and Stripes," a Pacific-based U.S. military publication. After completing his military duty, he was hired as a staff cartoonist for "Playboy" in 1956. Silverstein contributed several poems including "The Winner," "Rosalie's Good Eats Cafe," and "The Smoke-off" and wrote the books "Playboy's Teevee Jeebies" and "More Playboy's Teevee Jeebies: Do-It-Yourself Dialogue for the Late Late Show." In 1963, at the suggestion of fellow illustrator Tomi Ungerer, he was introduced to Ursula Nordstrom who convinced him to begin writing for children.
One of Silverstein's most popular books, "The Giving Tree," was published in 1964. Ironically, just a few years prior, editor William Cole rejected this book, claiming that it would never sell because it fell between the interests of children and adults.
In 1974, Shel Silverstein wrote "Where the Sidewalk Ends," which won the New York Times Outstanding Book Award, 1974, and went on to win the Michigan Young Readers' Award, 1981, and the George G. Stone Award, 1984. He wrote "The Missing Piece" in 1976, a non-traditional books which Silverstein himself sees as being a little "disturbing" because of the unique ending he chose for the book. "A Light In the Attic," a collection of poems and drawings, was published in 1981, and won Best Books, School Library Journal, 1981. This book also won the Buckeye Awards, 1983, and 1985, the George G. Stone Award, 1984, and the William Allen White Award, 1984.
The 1981 publication, "The Missing Piece Meets the Big O," a sequel to "The Missing Piece," won the International Reading Association's Children's Choice Award in 1982. His most recent book, "Falling Up: Poems and Drawings," appeared in bookstores in 1996, and has been praised by critics everywhere. Silverstein currently writes and draws for "Playboy," which published his poem "Hamlet as Told on the Street," in the January 1998 issue.
Shel Silverstein was drawn to folk music in 1960 and later became a respected composer. He wrote the lyrics for and composed "A Boy Named Sue" in 1969, which became a number one hit for Johnny Cash. He appeared in and composed music for the film "Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Such Terrible Things About Me?," which opened in 1971. In 1980, Mr. Silverstein released a country music album that he recorded entitled "The Great Conch Train Robbery." Shel Silverstein co-wrote the soundtrack for the 1990 film "Postcards From the Edge," which was nominated for an Academy Award for best song in 1991, and for a Golden Globe for the same category and year.
Silverstein began writing plays in 1981. One of his best known scripts, "The Lady or the Tiger Show," was a one-act play first produced in New York City in the same year. It was a satire about a game show in which contestants risked their lives by choosing between two doors: behind one is a beautiful woman, and behind the other is a tiger. He also collaborated with David Mamet on the screenplay for the 1988 Colubmia Pictures film "Things Change." He wrote the drama "The Devil and Billy Markham" (see link below for poem and illustrations), which was combined with David Mamet's play "Bobby Gould in Hell" under the collective title "Oh, Hell! Two One-Act Plays," and was produced in New York at the Lincoln Center in 1989.
Shel Silverstein passed away on May 10, 1999 from a heart attack in Key West, Florida.
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