Reed,+Kathryn,+Speech+or+Language+Impairment

This picture is taken at home on the bridge near home. This is a picture of my twin brother and I on Christmas.

My name is Kathryn Reed. Some know me as Katy. You may call me which ever you prefer. I was born and raised in Keizer, Oregon and came to Ashland to pursue education. I have a twin brother named Matthew who I both love and hate at the same time. He is one of my closest friends and in a lot of ways the only person I fully trust. He is 250 miles away from me in Salem, Oregon and we try to talk often. I am very very shy when first meeting people, however, those who know me can say I am anything but quite. I do sometimes struggle with believing in myself, due to being called worthless starting at a very young age and continuing to the present. I am very humble and will help anyone who needs it even if it means sacrificing my own happiness. Overall, I am very laid back and just doing everything I can to be successful.

Explain your education & career goals My education goals are to get my Bachlor's degree in Elementary Education and then proceed to the MAT pprogram to get a Masters in Teaching. As for career goals, I hope to one day teach somewhere within Oregon in a second or third grade classroom.

What brings you joy? There are many things that bring me joy. The first and foremost is my family. I have been very blessed to have a family that has been so supporting with furthering my education even through the hardships my family has faced. In a way, I am the rock in the family, and being 250 miles away can take a toll on me. The road to getting to college and continiung to further myself has been anything but easy. Without my family, I would not be where I am today. Second thing that brings me joy is dance. Dance has been a huge part in my life since I was three years old. I grew up in a dance studio and have not stopped no matter how hard or how injured I have been. The third thing that brings me joy are making differences in others lives. So many of my friends come to me for advice and help and I am always willing to do what I can to help regardless of the situation I am in. I am very giving and will sacrifice my happiness to see someone else happy.

What is your greatest fear about being a teacher? My greatest fear about becoming a teacher would be failing the children I will be teaching. I believe every person who goes into the teaching career is going in expecting to do their best and my fear is not being able to do my best no matter how hard I try.

Did you ever experience a time when something was extremely difficult to learn? The thing that has been hardest for me to learn would have to be learning to read. Growing up I was always encourgaed to look at books and read and write. What people did not realize is that I would go home and memorize what the book said word for word so when asked to read aloud I would be able to "seem" as though I was. I got away with this until second grade. In second grade, the teacher (who is a major inspiration in my life), pulled me aside and had me attempt to read a book. The book was one I had not memorized and she realized that I was hiding a learning disability. Turns out, I have dyslexia and to this day, still struggle to read and write.

Explain that time and **//how it made you feel//**. The entire experience made me feel as though I was not as smart as my peers. Struggling to read and write was something that was not enjoyable. Every chance I got, I would avoid participating. If it were not for the teacher I had stepping up and helping me, I would probably still be very shy about reading and writing. Yes, I still struggle when reading out loud, however, I know that my mistakes are what make me unique and that no matter what, I am pushiing through dyslexia every chance I have.

How might this piece of your history help you connect to students with learning differences? I feel this piece of my history could help me connect with students with disabilities because I have been in a position where I know how it feels to be different. I feel I can be more empathetic and understanding about issues that arise and being able to seek out proper help when I can not give them that help. By having a disability myself, it has made me see the world differently, and I hope to one day show a child that even with a disability they are still very much apart of the world no matter how big or small the disability is.

What do you want to gain from this course? From this course, I hope to gain knowledge about how to help students in many ways if there is a disability. Also, I hope to gain tools that can be passed on to others who may not know much about how to include children.

=__** Introduction to Topic **__=

I chose to research Speech or Language Impairments because of my personal experience. I have always been picked on about having a lisp and have even been forced by teachers to undergo sppech therapy and lots of intervention for the lisp even though nothing truly helped and all therapy did was make me more self conscious. After studying briefly about this in class, I decided that looking deeper into the issue can benefit myself and others because there is so much to be known and understood about the impairments. Having an understanding is the first step to making wise decisions for everyone who is involved.

=**__Top 5 things I learned__**=

1) Speech and language impairments have a wide variety. From simple pronuciation problems to being unable to speak at all and everything in between. 2) Early detection can make a huge difference. Acknowledging there is a problem early can be the difference between a small impairment and drastic impairment. 3) Parents and teachers should work together to find the best possible help for the child. Listening to the needs and concerns of both parties is important. 4) 3%-5% of students have a language or speech impairment. This number is thought to be rising. 5) As a teacher, find out everything you can about an impairment before assuming anything. Make accommodation as needed. DO NOT be afraid to ask for help if unsure of how to help a child who has a speech or language impairment.

=__Top Resource__=

//Speech and Language Impairments //. (n.d). Retrieved May 10, 2012, from National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities website: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/speechlanguage

5 out of 5 stars

This page has lots of information regarding speech and language impairments. There is a PDF attached to the page which has even more information. What stood out about this page was the fact that is touches on many different areas when dealing with an impairment. There is a section for parents which touches on normal struggle and concerns parents may have and how to over come those. There is also a section that talks about what can be done educationally for a child. The final section that stood out was the teacher tip section. So often teachers can feel as though they are helpless. This site I feel gives both teachers and parents tools to help the child be successful.

=**__Additional Resources__** =

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5 out of 5 stars

This video has information regarding how speech and language impairments can cause problems for children. Also gives information about what is considered "normal" speech and what is not. Gives information for parents about what they should watch for when a child is growing. As a child grows certain milestones should be reached; if they are not, it could mean speech or language delays. Also discusses possible reasons for impairments and what to do if one is suspected.

//Speech or Language Impairment //. (2005). Retrieved May 19, 2012, from Maryville City Schools Special Education Department website: http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs/MCSSped/speechlang.htm

4 out of 5 stars

This page gives quick information about how to look for signs of impairments and what is considered irregular. Gives information regarding potential educational problems and what can be done to help the child. There are categories at the top of the page that are designed with parents, teachers and additional resources to help. Site also gives information about other disabilities which I feel is a major plus given the information can be hard to find sometimes. This site encompasses what is important for many different disabilities.

//Speech and Language Impairment //. (2006-2012). Retrieved May 9, 2012, from education.com/Reprinted with the permission of the National Dissemination Center website: http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Speech_Language/

3 out of 5 stars

This page could be used as a quick reference guide to teachers and/or parents. There are characteristics that are listed that can serve as a guide to helping understanding and recognize a speech or language disorder however, should never be used to solely to diagnose a problem. The page also includes educational implications which explains what can be done for a child who is diagnosed with a potential speech or language impairment. At the end of the page there are a list of references that can be used to get further information and help regarding how the impairment can be helped. The page is overall a quick reference for those who need quick facts and information without a lot of detail.

Prelock PhD, P. A., Hutchins PhD, T., & Glascoe PhD, F. P. (2008, June 11). Speech-Language Impairment: How to Identify the Most Common and Least Diagnosed Disability of Childhood. //The Medscape Journal of Medicine //, //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">10 //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">(6), Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2491683/

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">5 out of 5 stars

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">This article is full of useful information. Right away the points that stand out are that this is written by PhD's and that there are many levels of information. This page gives very in depth information while also asking and answering questions for the reader to follow the information. There are step by step directions on how to get help for a child and how to start the evaluation process. Intervention is also written about with what can be done and what can be expected with each strategy. The final piece of the page is case studies that can be used as reference points for teachers and parents who may be faced with the decision of whether or not to seek help for a possible speech or language impairment.

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4 out of 5 stars

This video gives great advice for parents. It gives some warning signs that parents should be aware of. Also gives information as to what is acceptable for speaking to a child and when to correct the child. There are simple tips and ideas on how to help a child and how to work with a child if they begin to show signs of speech or language impairments. There is also a number and website given as a resource for parents to call or look at if they want additional information.

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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Plumley, K. (2009, August 27). //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Communication Disorders in the Classroom //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">. Retrieved May 12, 2012, from Special Needs Education @ Suite 101 website: http://karenplumley.suite101.com/communication-disorders-in-the-classroom-a143234

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica; font-size: 16px;">4 out of 5 stars

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: times,helvetica;">This article gives simple yet in depth tips on how to help a child with a speech of language impairment within the classroom. The tips are simple and easy to implement. There is also a definition of what the impairment involves that can serve as a good reference for teachers who are wondering and do not have time to look up a lengthy explanation. There are links to other sites that can be helpful also given as well as information about the author of the piece.

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3 out of 5 stars

This video gives quick information regarding what speech and language impairments are and how it can effect a child. It is a resourceful video for those looking for a quick glimpse into what a speech and language impairment entails. Great for a parent who has just learned their child has been identified with a speech problem.

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4 out of 5 stars

This video is eye opening. It shows a young girl who struggles to express herself through words. The video also gives information about how the disorder affects the child and statistics on how many children have the disorder. It is just an example of how a child can have a disability and what can be done to help the child.