Giftedness

Giftedness

Gifted Students: defined generally as a learner who has an “exceptional ability to learn.” Gifted children also have been defined as those who, because of their outstanding abilities, are capable of uncommonly high performance.

Defined by: http://www.fnesc.ca/Attachments/Publications/PDF%27s/pdf/old/gifted_students.pdf


Annotated bibliography – websites:

The Exceptional Child… Resources for Gifted and Special Education
http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/sped/gt/index.cfm
This website that provides mass amount of resources for the gifted child and gifted education. The website is funded by the NEC Foundation of America This websites provides information for teachers and parents about gifted and talented children. It works with the parents and teachers to provide the best learning environment for the gifted child. This website also provides links to many additional articles on giftedness and gifted education from authoritative sources.

Gifted Canada – Canadian information concerning bright and gifted children
http://www3.telus.net/giftedcanada/
This Canadian based website provides a forum for Canadian researchers, educators, organizations and families to share information concerning gifted education. The websites provides sections for parents, teachers, and researchers to share information. This is a great way to see the development of gifted education within Canada.

KidsCollege.org
http://www.kidscollege.org/
KidsCollege.org is an American based website that has been providing parents, educators and researchers with quality information concerning gifted education since 1998. The websites provides examples of gifted children and articles regarding gifted education. The website also provides links to resources that helps parents and educators structure lessons that help aid gifted children.

Gifted Children’s Association of B.C.
http://www.gcabc.ca/
This is a B.C. based webpage that provides resources for gifted children. It provides dates to current events, local resource groups and publications concerning gifted children. This association have been established for over 25 years to provide support and advocacy for the needs of gifted children and their families.

The National Association for Gifted Children
http://www.nagc.org/
The National Association for Gifted Children is an American based webpage based in Washington, DC. For over 50 years, NAGC has worked to increase public awareness for gifted children and gifted education. Their website provides resources for parents, teachers and researchers regarding the topic of giftedness. This website also provides publications information the public about gifted education.


Local contact info:

Coquitlam LMGThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Mailing Address:
Westwood Elementary School The Family Resource Centre
3610 Hastings Street, Coquitlam, BC A1A 1A1
Email: marcandgail@shaw.ca

The Association of the Educators for the Gifted, Talented, and Creative Children of B.C.
Mailing Address:
British Columbia Teachers Federation
550 W. 6th Ave.
Vancouver, BC V5Z 4P2


Characteristics of Giftedness:

Giftedness can vary from child to child. The list below just provide some of the examples of giftedness.

Learning:

- Ask many questions and is very curious

- Possesses a large amount of information

- Good memory/Retains information easily

- Learn new information quickly

- Masters reading skills earlier

- Displays unusual academic achievement

- Finishes class work quickly

- Is interested in many things/Motivated to try new things

- Becomes involved in variety of actives

- Enjoys challanges

- Thinks independently/Expresses unique and original opinions

- Self-motivated

- Uses higher level thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation)

- Makes connections other students don't see/ Considers unusual approaches to problem-solving
Has a strong sense of justice

- Likes to debate current issues and real life problems

- Shows skill in drama/art/music/language

Social skills/Emotional:

- Has a sophisticated sense of humour

- Understands subtle humour

- Demonstrates strong expressive skills

- Is sensitive to feelings of others

- Sometimes perceived as a "know-it-all" by peers

- Is sometimes "bossy" to peers in group situations

- Likes to argue a point

- Is a perfectionist and expects others to be perfect as well

- Tends to be absent-minded regarding practical details/ Forgets homework assignments

- Challenges authority

- Does not handle criticism well

- Does not work well in groups

- Leaves projects unfinished

- May resist working on activities apart from areas of interest/ Is easily bored

- Can become disruptive in class

Curricular modifications or adaptations:

Enrichment programs:
Gifted students can work on projects that are more in-depth than other students in their class. They can also work with students who are in higher grades. Gifted students can also take up apprenticeship programs to further develop their interests.

Classroom adjustments:
Allow projects with open-ended tasks. Encourage gifted students to go more in-depth into topics of their interest. Have projects that explores self-understanding and self-development. These projects will allow students to understand their own abilities and strengths.

Facts:

- When Thomas Edison was a boy, his teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything.

- A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had "No good ideas"

- Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder: People with autism have said that the world, to them, is a mass of people, places and events which they struggle to make sense of, and which can cause them considerable anxiety. In particular, understanding and relating to other people, and taking part in everyday family and social life may be harder for them. Other people appear to know, intuitively, how to communicate and interact with each other, and some people with autism may wonder why they are 'different'.

Defined by: http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=211


Annotated bibliography – websites:

Autism Canada Foundtaion
http://autismcanada.org/
This Canada based website offers support for people who fall under the autism spectrum disorder and support for their families. The website provides general information concerning autism, and its treatments. The website also provides autism research, news and local events. Donations are taken to help support people with autism and autism research.

Families for Autism Treatment of British Columbia
http://www.featbc.org/
The F.E.A.T of BC is a non-profit organization that provides care for all children diagnosed with autism. This organization is made up of mostly parents of children with autism. It provides a wide range of information to help families that have members diagnosed with autism. The website provides support resources, multimedia interviews of children with autism, and local events concerning autism.

Autism Society Canada
http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca/
This is another Canada based website that provides support for autism. The Autism Society Canada website provides information concerning educational needs of autistic children. There are links provided to help teachers, parents and school officials to construct an IEP for autistic children. It also provides resources for parents of autistic children.

Autism Speaks
www.autismspeaks.org
The Autism Speaks websites provides many examples of autistic children through videos and stories. The goal of this organization is to promote social awareness of autism. The organization raises funds to support families with autistic children. The website also provides resources for teachers and parents.

The United Kingdom National Autistic Society
http://www.nas.org.uk/
The websites provides a wide range of resources about autism. It not only deals with education and home life, but it also provides information about autism in the real world. The website offers links to many other websites that provides information about autism.


Local contact info:

Autism Community Training
Website: http://www.actbc.ca/
Email: info@autismcommunitytraining.bc.caThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Mailing Address:
240 – 2250 Boundary Road.
Burnaby BC V5M 3Z3
Phone:
Tel: (604) 205-5467 or (866) 939-5188

Autism Society British Columbia
Website: http://www.autismbc.ca/
Email: info@autismbc.caThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Phone:
Tel: 1-888-437-0880 or (604) 434-0801

Fraser Valley Child Development Centre
Website: http://www.fvcdc.org/
Email: info@fvcdc.orgThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Phone:
Tel: (604) 852-2686 x227
Fax: (604) 852-5794


Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder:

Autism presents itself differently in different people. The degree the symptoms manifest also depends on the individual.

Learning:

- Mono-channelled: Students might not be able to multitask

- Tend to be very good at one things but not good in a lot of other things

- Some may have an accurate and detailed memory for information and facts

- May concentrate a long time on tasks

Physical:

- Visual processing problems

· Image break up into pieces

· Going downstairs weirdly

· Hate fluorescent lights because of the flicker

· Difficulty catching a ball

- Delayed language development

· Echolalia (repeating things a lot)

- Hyper sensitive to of some sensory (hearing, sight, touch, etc.)

Social skills/Emotional:

- Prefer to be left alone. Show no interest in other people

- Hard to be understood by other people and hard understand others

- Prefers to be around people who are older

- Do no pick up facial expressions

- Have trouble talking about their own feelings

- Difficulty controlling emotions

Curricular modifications or adaptations:

ASD students can have great experiences in the art classes. It might be difficult communicating with them at times. Therefore it is very important for teachers to be aware of individual student needs to follow up with the IEPs. Sitting students in different locations within the classroom will also comfort ASD students that have hyper sensitivity.

Short breaks:
Keep the instructional portion of the class shorter. Allow the students to take short breaks decreases their anxiety levels. Short breaks also help the students to focus more when instructions are given. When a student fidgets a lot in class, teachers can provide the student with an object to fidget with.

Instructions:
Instructions need to be simplified. Giving the students a written copy of the instructions is very helpful. Use illustrations and examples will allow the students to understand the materials better. Teachers should limit the amount of instructions given and ask for the student’s feedback on the instructions. Let the students repeat the steps in their own words to check for understanding. Instructions need to be introduced slowly and gradually. Checklists and mind maps can also be very helpful.

Facts:

- Males are at a four times greater risk of developing autism than females

- The incidence of autism is approximately 1 out of every 150 births

- Research indicates that people with autism learn best through a structured environment

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: An umbrella term that covers a range of disorders under this spectrum. The only cause for FASD is by mothers who drink during pregnancy. The alcohol intake damages the development of the fetus’ physical and brain development.

Defined by: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fasd-etcaf/faq-eng.php#1


Annotated bibliography – websites:

Public Health Agency of Canada: FASD
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fasd-etcaf/index-eng.php
The Canada Health Agency website is definitely an excellent website to check up on. This website is funded by the Canadian government and it has a lot of current articles about FASD. The website provides a range of materials from general information and training, to economic impact, government response and reports. This website also provides a list of public resources for mothers who want to find out if their infant has FASD and support for children that have FASD.

Blue Shield of California: FASD
https://www.blueshieldca.com/hw/articles/hw_article.jsp?articleId=HWTK3598
This website is funded by the California blue shield medical insurance company. The website provides general information and answers to some of the common asked questions concerning FASD. Most of the resources found on this website are targeted towards parents. The website also suggests treatments for infant and children with FASD. Although FASD cannot be cured, it will certainly help if children are provided with the resources for improvement. Treatments such as counselling for behaviour problems and communication coaching are some of the suggestions listed on the website.

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
http://www.nofas.org/default.aspx
This website is made by the U.S National Organization for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The NOFAS is dedicated to eliminate birth defects caused by mother’s alcohol intake during pregnancy and to improve the lives of those individual and families that are affected by FAS. This website provides information for educators, advocacy, health care professionals, family planning, and families who are affected by FAS. In the educator section, there is a link that teacher can use to purchase a K-12 Curriculum that introduces the harms of alcohol. This website also provides links to other FASD resources.

BCED: Teaching Students with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effects
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/fas/
The BCED website proves a resource guild book for teachers that will be working with FASD students. The resource book has a clear description of FASD students and their behaviours within the classroom. It also provides teachers with information about the different aspects of FASD, such as attention difficulties, social skills, motor skills, etc. There is also a list of FASD resources such as organizations, books, news articles, etc, for teachers and parents to look into. The websites provides information to help teachers construct an IEP for students with FASD. It also provides example IEPs of students with FASD. This website can be one of the main resources for teachers who work with FASD students.

FAS Community Resource Center
http://www.come-over.to/FASCRC/
The FAS community Resource Center is an U.S funded center. The headquarters of the resource center is located in Arizona. The website has many contributors that provide information concerning FASD. The contributor for this website ranges from medical doctors to mothers who have children with FASD. There are many examples stories of child with FASD on this website. This website also provides a link to an article that the American Academy of Paediatrics wrote about the diagnoses of FASD.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/115/1/39


Local contact info:

The Asante Centre for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Website: www.asantecentre.org
Email: info@asantecentre.org
Mailing Address:
22326(A) McIntosh Avenue,
Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3C1
Phone:
Tel: (604) 467-7101
Fax: (604) 467-7102

This location provides different types of resources and training for teachers, social workers and family to support a child or adult with FASD.

FAS/E Support Network
Email: info@fetalalcohol.com
Mailing Address:
13279 72nd Ave.
Surrey BC V3W 2N5
Phone:
Tel: (604) 507-6675
Fax: (604) 507-6685

Fas/ADD Resource Centre
Website: www.mapleridge-fasadd-rc.com
Email: berylt@telus.net
Mailing Address:
12161 - 221 Street
Maple Ridge, BC V2X 5T2
Phone:
Tel: (604) 463-6750


Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder:

Like all other learning disabilities, FAS varies from one child to the next. Teachers should adjust their teaching methods depending on the individual student. Here is a list of some of common characteristics of FASD.

Learning:

- Have focusing problems much like ADHD

- Students misunderstand or miss out instructions

- Have trouble transitioning between classes

- Memory deficiency

Physical:

- High threshold for pain

- No perception of hunger or satiation

- Difficulty perceiving extreme temperatures

- Difficulty with visual/spatial perception and balance

- Rejection of some sensory (hearing, sight, touch, etc.)

- Growth deficiency (shorter eye slits, no filter above the lips, short height, smaller head size, hockey stick hand)

- Heart, liver and kidney problems are common

- Neurological conditions such as seizure disorders (under developed Amyodala = emotional mirror in the brain)

- Impaired bone and/or joint development

Social skills/Emotional:

- Miss social cues

- Act younger than their age

- Disorganized

- Easily manipulated and led by others

- Poor judgement skills

- Difficulty making and keeping friends

- Overly friendly and affectionate, easily approached by strangers

Information provided by: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/fas/

Curricular modifications or adaptations:

Art classes can be a wonderful experience for the FAS students. It encourages students to be creative and express their thoughts and feelings. It also teaches the students how to communicate with art. This will help to improve the student’s social and communication skills. Some minor adjustments will have to be made for the students.

Group work projects:
working in groups will help FASD students build on their social skills. This will also allow other students to interact with the FAS students. Communication between the different students will be made. This will not only help the FASD students to improve their social skills, but also allows the other students to understand the FASD student. Working on group projects in art will also allow the students to interact in a non-verbal manner.

Short breaks:
Keep the instructional portion of the class shorter. Allow the students to take short breaks decreases their anxiety levels. Short breaks also help the students to focus more when instructions are given.

Instructions:
Instructions need to be simplified. Giving the students a written copy of the instructions is very helpful. Use illustrations and examples will allow the students to understand the materials better. Teachers should limit the amount of instructions given and ask for the student’s feedback on the instructions. Let the students repeat the steps in their own words to check for understanding.

Transition time:
Students might lack the understanding of time. Set up a schedule or check list for the student. Using different colours to highlight different classes or actives is very helpful for the FASD student. A visual timer is also a way to improve the students’ understanding of time. Teacher might also need to demonstrate to the students how to transition between classes and activities.


Facts:

- No amount of alcohol and no time in pregnancy have been established as safe for the fetus.

- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are the biggest single cause of mental disabilities in most industrialized countries, and could be totally prevented if all women abstained from alcohol in pregnancy.

- Some experts estimate that about 1% of North Americans suffer from a fetal alcohol disorder - about four times as many people as those with AIDS/HIV. There are three to five times as many people with ARND as FAS.

Information provided by: http://www.fasworld.com/aboutfasd.asp

- September, 09,1999 is the International FASD awareness day.