Hello IEP friends,

As I have mentioned before, I have Sensory Integration Issues (http://www.spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder/). Mine is pretty mild, but people who work with me closely have learned it so well, it’s amazing (“What are you doing!? You can’t put that banana peal in Maiko’s trash! She’ll get a headache!”) So, fist of all, THANK YOU 🙂 (Yes, that’s you, Angela, Karen, and Sean)

And, I didn’t know this was a thing, until I started taking my kids to their Occupational Therapist for their Sensory Integration Issues. You know how there are posters on the waiting room that ask you, “Does your child complain about a noise that nobody else can hear? Bright light that is not too bright?” And, one day, I went “… Wait! That’s ME!” (A-ha!)

Anyway, this video was very interesting because I relate to some of them, a lot. The light and the perfume always freak me out.

So, for those IEP teachers and administrators who are neuro-typical – enjoy 🙂

• http://themighty.com/2016/04/alexander-marshall-boy-on-autism-spectrum-new-video-sensory-overload-his-perspective/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Mighty_Page&utm_campaign=AUTISM

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

And just like that, our spring break is over and we are back at work/school! Hope your break was restful.

So, I came across this follow-up article on the dyslexia simulator I shared. It’s nothing ground-breaking as it states the obvious (that no two people with dyslexia are the same), but I thought I’d share.

• http://college.usatoday.com/2016/03/18/dyslexia-simulation-not-accurate/

Happy Spring term, everyone!

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

I came across a simulator that you can customize to fit what you want to learn about. I chose “Attention issues” and grade 12 (since that was the highest grade available). Absolutely fascinating, since I personally never had any attention issues (but a lot of sensory integration issues – but that’s a whole another post!)

• https://www.understood.org/en/tools/through-your-childs-eyes/personalize

Hope you find it helpful!

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

Japanese post alert! It’s interesting, though, to look at the chart – it shows the types of disabilities that higher ed institutions provide accommodations for. The top, light orange part is for the “developmental disability” that includes LDs and autism among others. This is followed by visual, hearing/language, mobility, others.

• http://digital.asahi.com/articles/ASJ35323XJ35UBQU00F.html?_requesturl=articles%2FASJ35323XJ35UBQU00F.html&rm=791

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

I often wondered how it would really feel to have Dyslexia, and thanks to Bob, my co-worker who came across a simulator, I now have a better idea. The most fascinating part about this simulator for me was the quote in the comment section:

With the words moving around in the writing above it is easy for me to read. For people that do not have it I bet they can not even read it. Thank you for sharing I hope others will see how it feels for us.

• http://geon.github.io/programming/2016/03/03/dsxyliea

It was very interesting to see this as it felt a little bit like when I’m having a migraine headache. What are your thoughts?

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

• Beyond the Three R’s: The Missing Links Essential to College Success
• High School to Harvard: My Life with a Learning Disability
• Quick Formative Assessment for Instructional Decision: Making and Identification

Our physical study group at American English Institute, University of Oregon will likely purchase a recording or two. Let me know (hata@uoregon.edu) if you’re in Oregon and would like to join us sometime for our physical study group!

• http://www.intelliquestmedia.com/store/search.php?a=E&c=201602&utm_source=LDA+Orlando+Recordings&utm_campaign=LDAConferenceNews-02062016&utm_medium=email

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

I just found out that our (somewhat) neighbor, Oregon State University, secured a grant to study ways to support ESL students with disabilities. Although it does sound more geared towards K-12, I’d love to learn what they come up with!

“Oregon State University has won a $400,000 grant to study how best to assist students who are English learners and also have disabilities, continuing the work of the Oregon English Learner Alliance.”

• http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2016/feb/new-grant-will-support-osu-study-english-learners-disabilities

– Maiko (American English Institute, University of Oregon – hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

I came across this handy “How to cite social media in scholarly writing” article. Now you can cite anything you find interesting on our blog (https://learningdifferencesinesl.wordpress.com/news/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/learningdifferencesinesl/) 🙂

• http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/literacy/how-to-cite-social-media-scholarly-writing/

– Maiko (hata@uoregon.edu, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata)

We had a very fun, informative LD Study Group session on 2/19/2016 at the American English Institute, University of Oregon (http://aei.uoregon.edu/)! We discussed strategies and accommodations for supporting students with limited/no hearing and/or limited/no vision. We were joined by two wonderful advisors from the University of Oregon Accessible Education Center (http://aec.uoregon.edu/) who shared their expertise. Here are some take-home tips from the discussion:

Accommodations

• Having a transcriber in class for a head-of-hearing student works well in many contexts as some of the teachers testified.
• Compared to a transcript prepared by a teacher beforehand for a listening task, having a live transcriber seems much more helpful for some of the students.
• It seems like a transcriber would have worked better for the deaf students we had in the past who were not proficient in American Sign Language (they had an ASL interpreter then).
• At undergraduate foreign language classes, usually note-takers are sufficient as most of them have limited hearing.
• Having a blind student encouraged one AEI teacher to be hyper-organized, as she would share her powerpoint before the class. She also became very aware how visually-oriented she is.
• Using a certain format would be easier for students to use their “reader” application. We will learn about this more later.
• The way deaf students interact with language is very different, so give them the language they use (e.g. captions on videos even in Speaking/Listening class, TOEFL exam).
• Amplify my professors at University of Oregon (https://education.uoregon.edu/news/now-hear-project-amp-aims-increase-access-students-hearing-loss). Approximately 20% of students have some form of hearing loss. Professors often say “My voice is loud enough” and do not use microphone but using microphones could be really beneficial.

Strategies – activities

• Visual/kinesthetic exercises for pronunciation seem to be helpful (e.g. stretching a rubber band for stress, standing up and down along with pitch, “pronuncercise”).
• University of Iowa “Sounds of Speech” app (http://soundsofspeech.uiowa.edu/) might be helpful as well. He might have been instructed to use this by his speech therapist back home.

Collaboration

• The Accessible Education Center would like to start working with the AEI teachers as soon as possible so that they can coordinate accommodations and start preparing material modifications (e.g. captioning videos, converting textbooks/materials into braille)

– Maiko (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikohata, https://www.facebook.com/learningdifferencesinesl/)