An Analysis of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author Essay -- Death of th

An Analysis of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author â€Å"The birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author.† – Roland Barthes Must the Author be dead to make way for the birth of the reader? In Roland Barthes’ essay â€Å"The Death of the Author,† Barthes asserts that the Author is dead because the latter is no longer a part of the deep structure in a particular text. To him, the Author does not create meaning in the text: one cannot explain a text by knowing about the person who wrote it. A text, however, cannot physically exist disconnected from the Author who writes it. Even if the role of the Author is to mix pre-existing signs, it does not follow that the Author-function is dead. Moreover, Barthes attributes â€Å"authorship† to the reader who forms meaning and understanding. The reader is, however, an abstraction â€Å"without history, biography, psychology†(Barthes 1469). These contexts – history, biography, and psychology – can only be set by the Author. Thus, the Author is alive and well because the text cannot exist without the Author, the mix ing of signs is the Author’s art, and the reader’s meanings forming abilities are nourished by the Author. According to Barthes’ notion of the â€Å"cut-off hand,† a text’s origin is language itself (Barthes 1468). Moreover, â€Å"linguistically, the author is never more than the instance writing, just as I is nothing other than the instance saying I: language knows a ‘subject’, not a ‘person’† (Barthes 1467). What about the Author’s physical presence? Certainly, language itself does not know its physical creator, but it is akin to shutting one’s eyes on reality to not acknowledge the Author who is â€Å"out there.† Because his texts were considered â€Å"da... ...r-Response Criticism.† October 1998. The College of New Rochelle. March 27, 2004 . O’Brien, John. Milan Kundera and feminism: Dangerous intersections. Minnesota: University of Minnesota, 1995. Project Gutenberg. â€Å"What books will I find in Project Gutenberg?† March 28, 2004 . Zilcosky, John. â€Å"The Revenge of the Author: Paul Auster’s Challenge to Theory.† Studies in Contemporary Fiction 39, 3 (Spring 1998): 195-207. 1 â€Å"Himself†, â€Å"him†, â€Å"his†, and â€Å"he† are used for brevity in expressing pronouns of both the male and female genders. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1][1] â€Å"Himself†, â€Å"him†, â€Å"his†, and â€Å"he† are used for brevity in expressing pronouns of both the male and female genders.

Children Education Special Needs Essay

This first chapter introduces you to an area of education that has greatly affected the lives of countless children in positive way. Together we will take a look at the radical change of thought that has taken place, not only in this country, but also in other parts of the world. This, in turn, has influenced our understanding of how we identify children who require special needs. Here you will see the unfolding scenario that greatly affects all of us as we are being introduced to various groups who are directly or indirectly associated with these children. They include parents, educators, legislators, and even our leaders. But in the very central spotlight are the children who are exceptional or who need special services. As you become acquainted with new terminology, keep your focus on the major trends outlined, especially as these are interwoven into later chapters, as they highlight issues related to groups of children with specific needs or exceptionalities. Focusing Questions 1. How have perspectives on treating individuals with special needs changed over time? 2. What are the major forces that affect individuals with special needs development? 3. How have families been instrumental in obtaining services for individuals with special needs or exceptional children? 4. What trends show that individuals with special needs or exceptional individuals are becoming more integrated into society? Chapter Outline 1. Who are the individuals with special needs or exceptional children? 2. Characteristics of those with special needs or Exceptional Children 3. Identifying students with special needs 4. Methods of educational provisions 5. Instructional strategies 6. Changing perspectives on special needs children or exceptional children 7. Environmental influences on special needs children or exceptional individuals 8. Families of special needs children or exceptional children 9. The special needs children and the school 10. The special needs children in the society 11. Issues Related To The Special Needs Children 12. Inclusive Education in Malaysia: Country Report 1. Who Are the Exceptional Children or Children with Special Need 2. Who Are the Exceptional Children or Children with Special Need Special education is the education of students with special needs or exceptional children in a way that addresses the students’ individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials, accessible settings, and other interventions designed to help learners with special needs achieve a higher level of personal self-sufficiency and success in school and community. Some of the common special needs of these children include: challenges with learning, communication challenges, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders. Special needs students benefit from additional educational services such as different approaches to teaching, use of technology, a specifically adapted teaching area, or resource room. We define a child with special needs or exceptional child as a child who differs from the average or normal child in 1) mental characteristics, 2) sensory abilities,  3) communication abilities, 4) behavior and emotional development, 4) children with multiple and severe handicapping conditions, or 5) physical characteristics. These differences must occur to such an extent that in order to develop his or her unique capabilities, the child requires a modification of school practices, or special educational services. Perhaps the definition given is quite general. You might be asking: what is meant by average or normal? What is special education? How do we decide whether the child requires special education services or not? 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIAL NEEDS OR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF SPECIAL NEEDS OR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Children are considered educationally exceptional only when it is necessary to alter the educational program. As an example, a child is considered exceptional if he or she is unable to read or to master learning in the traditional way; or a child becomes bored by what is being taught in the classroom because he or she is far ahead of others. The term exceptional child can mean different things in education, in psychology, or in other disciplines. In education we usually group children of similar characteristics for instructional purposes. Some typical groupings are as follow: 1. Intellectual differences: This includes children who have high intellectual abilities as well as those who are slow to learner 2. Sensory differences: This includes children with auditory or visual impairments or disabilities 3. Communication differences: This includes children with learning disabilities, or speech and language disabilities 4. Behavior differences: This includes children who are emotionally disturbed or socially maladjusted. 5. Children with multiple and severe handicapping conditions: This includes children with combinations of impairments (for example – cerebral palsy and mental retardation; deafness and blindness) 6. Physical differences. This includes children with non-sensory disabilities that impede mobility and physical vitality When discussing a child as learner, we need to look at the complete portrait of the child itself, including the social and family context in which the child lives. These are the complex and unique forces which influence the child individuality. Once we recognize this, it is easier to choose the most appropriate instructional strategies and the most suitable learning environment. 3. IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 3. IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Some children are easily identified as candidates for special needs from their medical history – diagnosed with a genetic condition that is associated with mental retardation, brain damage, developmental disorder, visual or hearing disabilities, or other disabilities. Less obvious identification are students with learning difficulties. Two primary methods have been used for identifying them: i. discrepancy model – depends on the teacher noticing that the students’ achievements are noticeably below what is expected, and ii. response to intervention model – which advocates to earlier intervention. In the discrepancy model, a student receives special educational services for a specific learning difficulty (SLD) if the child has at least normal intelligence, and his academic achievement is below what is expected of with his or her intelligent quotient (IQ).. The discrepancy model recently has been criticized among researchers because diagnosing SLDs on the basis of the discrepancy between achievement and IQ does not predict the effectiveness of treatment. Low academic achievers who also have low IQ appear to benefit from treatment just as much as low academic achievers who have normal or high intelligence. Therefore an alternative approach has been identified. This approach i. identifies children who are having difficulties in school in their first or second year after starting school. ii. provides problematic children with assistance such as participating in a reading remediation program. iii. focuses on responses of these children on the intervention provided, then determines whether they are designated as having a learning disability. iv. ensures that those few who still have trouble may then receive designation and further assistance. Many experts believe that i. early remediation can greatly reduce the number of children meeting diagnostic criteria for learning disabilities. ii. the focus on learning disabilities and the provision of accommodations in school fails to acknowledge that people have a range of strengths and weaknesses and iii.most parents and teachers place undue emphasis on academics In helping these children, their individual needs should be given a priority. Some of the critical issues need to be taken into considerations are: i. Services for these children should be customized to address each individual student’s unique needs. ii. Special educators should provide a continuum of services, in which students with special needs receive services in varying degrees based on their individual needs iii. Programs need to be individualized so that they address the unique combination of needs in a given student iv.Educational professionals need to use Individualized Education Programs (IEP) when referring to a student’s need v. They are being assessed for educational purposes i. e. to determine their specific strengths and weaknesses vi. All placement, resources, and goals are determined on the basis of the student’s needs vii. Should plan for accommodations and modifications to the regular program which include changes in curriculum, supplementary aides or equipment, and the provision of specialized physical adaptations that allow students to participate in the educational environment to the fullest extent possible. 4. METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION 4. METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION This can be broadly grouped into four categories, (using North American terminology): i. Inclusion: Students with special educational needs spend all, or at least more than half, of the school day with students who do not have special educational needs. Since inclusion can require substantial modification of the general curriculum, most schools use it only for selected students with mild to moderate special needs. Specialized services may be provided inside or outside the regular classroom, depending on the type of service. Students may occasionally leave the regular classroom to attend smaller, more intensive instructional sessions in a resource room, or to receive other related services that might require specialized equipment or might be disruptive to the rest of the class, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or might require greater privacy, such as counseling sessions with a social worker. ii. Mainstreaming: The practice of educating students with special needs in classes with non-disabled students during specific time periods based on their skills.  iii. Segregation: The practice of educating students in a separate classroom or special school. Some of the typical features are: * students with special needs spend no time in classes with non-disabled students * students may attend the same school where regular classes are provided, but spend all instructional time exclusively in a separate classroom for students with special needs * if their special class is located in an ordinary school, they may be provided opportunities for social integration outside the classroom, e.g. , by eating meals with non-disabled students iv. Exclusion: A student who does not receive instruction in any school is thus excluded from school. Exclusion may be described as * Those children with special needs which have been excluded from school, and such exclusion may still occur where there is no legal mandate for special education services, such as in developing and under developed countries * Children who are sick and need to be hospitalized; housebound children, or those detained by the criminal justice system. These children may receive one-on-one instruction or group instruction in hospital, at home, or the place where they are being detained. However, students who have been suspended or expelled from schools are not considered excluded in this sense. 5. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES 5. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Different instructional techniques are used for some students with special educational needs. Instructional strategies are classified as being either accommodations or modifications. An accommodation is a reasonable adjustment to teaching practices so that the student learns the same material, but in a format that is accessible to the student. Accommodations may be classified by whether they change the presentation, response, setting, or scheduling. For example, the school may accommodate a student with visual impairments by providing a large print textbook. This is known as a presentation accommodation. Examples of accommodations i. Response accommodation. Typing homework assignments rather than hand-writing them (considered a modification if the subject is learning to write by hand). Or by having someone else write down answers given verbally. ii. Presentation accommodation. Listening to audio books rather than reading printed books. Agencies like Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and RNIB National Library service in the UK provide a variety of titles on tape and CD. These may be used as substitutes for the text, or as supplements intended to bolster the students’ reading fluency and phonetic skills. Similar options include designating a person to read text to the student, or providing text to speech software. Others include designating a person to take notes during lectures, using a talking calculator rather than one with only a visual display. iii. Setting accommodation. Taking a test in a quieter room. Moving the class to a room that is physically accessible, e. g. , on the first floor of a building or near an elevator; or arranging seating assignments to benefit the student, e. g. , by sitting at the front of the classroom. iv. Scheduling accommodations. Students may be given rest breaks or extended time on tests (may be considered a modification, if speed is a factor in the test). All developed countries permit or require some degree of accommodation for students with special needs, and special provisions are usually made in examinations which take place at the end of formal schooling. A modification changes or adapts the material to make it simpler. Modifications may change what is learned, how difficult the material is, what level of mastery the student is expected to achieve, whether and how the student is assessed, or any another aspect of the curriculum. For example, the school may modify a reading assignment for a student with reading difficulties by substituting a shorter, easier book. A student may receive both accommodations and modifications. Examples of modifications i. Skipping subjects: Students may be taught less information than typical students, skipping over material that the school deems inappropriate for the student’s abilities or less important than other subjects. For example, students whose fine motor skills are weak may be taught to print block letter and not cursive handwriting. ii. Simplified assignments: Students may read the same literature as their peers but have a simpler version, for example Shakespeare with both the original text and a modern paraphrase available. iii. Shorter assignments: Students may do shorter homework assignments or take shorter, more concentrated tests, e. g. 10 math problems instead of 30. iv. Extra aids: If students have deficiencies in working memory, a list of vocabulary words, called a word bank, can be provided during tests, to reduce lack of recall and increase chances of comprehension. Students might use a calculator when other students are not. v. Extended time: Students with lower processing speed may benefit from extended time in assignments and/or tests in order to comprehend questions, recall information, and synthesize knowledge. In addition to how the student is taught the academic curriculum, schools may provide non-academic services to the student. These are intended ultimately to increase the student’s personal and academic abilities. Related services include developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a student with special needs. This includes speech and language pathology, audiology, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, medical services as defined by regulations, parent counseling and training, school health services, school social work, assistive technology services, other appropriate developmental or corrective support services, appropriate access to recreation and other appropriate support services. In some countries, most related services are provided by the schools; in others, they are provided by the normal healthcare and social services systems. As an example, students who have autistic spectrum disorder, poor impulse control, or other behavioral challenges may learn self-management techniques, be kept closely on a comfortingly predictable schedule, or given extra cues to signal activities. 6. CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN 6. CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN In the nineteenth and twentieth century, medical profession was the first profession that gave significant attention to exceptional children. The attention was on the unique characteristics of the children that helped to diagnose their condition and treatment. They gave very little attention to the environment, the family, the culture and its influences on those children. For example if a child was blind or mental retarded, it was accepted that the problem was entirely within the child. The basic problem was to find ways to help the child adapt to the surrounding world. As programs for exceptional children expanded, it became clear that exceptional child involved a mix of the individual’s characteristics which needed to  take into account the demands of the environment on each individual. With this, the concept of exceptionality moved from a medical model, which implies a physical condition or disease within the patient, to an ecological model which sees the exceptional child in complex interaction with environmental forces. 7. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS 7. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON SPECIAL NEEDS In order to understand exceptional children, we have to understand the environment in which the child exists. The child is at the center of a complex network of forces: the family, the school, and the larger society. As the child develops, the impact of each of these forces changed. For example, the family may be very important in early years, but in later years, school and society become more important. Even though t he influence of parents on the child is undisputable, bur psychologists and educators also believe that children have a powerful influence on their parents. A child who is hyperactive or has difficulty giving attention can create negative reaction among other members of the family. This will increase the child problem. Thus we need to look at both the effects of the family and the personal characteristics on the child. On the other hand, the school environment exerts a significant influence on the developing individual. Social forces and values can also influence exceptional children. The acceptance or non acceptance of the society on the handicapped children can affect the parents to cope with the exceptional child. Thus we can say that family, school, and society leave greater impact on the ability to cope with exceptionality than the individual or the nature of the exceptionality itself. 8. FAMILIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN 9. FAMILIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN One of the important elements in the ecological setting of any child is the family. For the exceptional child, the critical role of the family environment is more visible. For normal or able-bodied person, it is difficult to understand what it is like to have a handicapping condition. We can try to understand physical handicap, blindness and deafness through simulation. But still to those who have been handicapped from birth they do not have the visual, auditory and motor memories to help them. In fact it is harder to imagine what it is like to be mentally retarded – i. e. not to understand what is going on around them. Imagine failing at almost every tasks and what that does to an individual. Similarly it is hard to grasp the problems of the gifted of superior ability child, who cannot understand why others cannot see what is so obvious to him or her. Having exceptional children can happen to anyone, regardless of educational background, family status or financial standing. Society at large has begun to appreciate the pain and stress of parents having a child who is handicapped, and to realize the important of external support to maintain their equilibrium under those circumstances. Most parents with a severely handicapped child must cope with at least two major crises. The first is the symbolic death of the child who was to be – the loss of their dreams and hopes. Expectant parents have high hope for the unborn child – for success, for education, and for financial security. The second crisis is more challenging: the problem of providing daily care for their exceptional child. For example, the child who is autistic or cerebral palsied is often difficult to feed, to dress, and to put to bed. The thought that the child is not going to go through normal developmental process weighs heavily on them. 9. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL 9. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL School is not only a center for learning but also a social training ground. School provides opportunities for the child to develop skills and knowledge that will allow him to adapt to the society, to respond to adult requirements, to interact with his peers, to form friendships, and to learn how to work cooperatively with others. For exceptional children school becomes particularly important in getting special kinds of assistance to become productive adults. Schools should carry out the responsibilities of providing a free public education for all children. In the past handicapped students have been deprived of the education because of the perception that these children did not fit into the established program. However in recent decades the schools have accepted their role more positively in giving equal education for all. 10. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN THE SOCIETY 10. THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN THE SOCIETY. The most revolutionary changes over the last few decades were the society’s view and acceptance of exceptional individuals as contributing members of society. However, it is helpful to understand the history of special needs children. The concept of giving education to every child to the highest performance possible is relatively new idea. The use of the term exceptional is itself a reflection of radical change in society’s view of those who differ from the norm. There are roughly four stages in the development of social attitudes toward children and adult with handicaps: 1. During the pre-Christian era where handicapped children were neglected or mistreated. 2. During the spread of Christianity, those children were protected and pities. 3. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where institutions started to be established to provide separate education for exceptional children 4. In the latter part of twentieth century, we see a movement toward accepting people with handicaps and integrating them into society to the fullest extent possible. 11. ISSUES RELATED TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN 11. ISSUES RELATED TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN. 1. At-Risk Students At risk students (those with educational needs that are not associated with a disability) are often placed in classes with students who have disabilities. Critics assert that placing at-risk students in the same classes as students with disabilities may impede the educational progress of people with disabilities. Some special education classes have been criticized for a watered-down curriculum. [ 2. Inclusion The practice of inclusion (in mainstream classrooms) has been criticized by advocates and some parents of children with special needs. This is because some of these students require instructional methods that differ from typical classroom methods. Critics assert that it is not possible to deliver effectively two or more very different instructional methods in the same classroom. As a result, the educational provision for these students who depend on different instructional methods in order to learn often fall even further behind their peers. Parents fear that their children would continue to lack behind from the rest of the class and thereby impair the academic achievements of all students. (NOTE: Discussion on Country Report) 3. Eligibility Criteria Some parents, advocates, and students have concerns about the eligibility criteria and their application. In some cases, parents and students protest the students’ placement into special education programs. For example, a student may be placed into the special education programs due to a mental health condition such as obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, panic attacks or ADHD, while the student and his parents believe that the condition is adequately managed through medication and outside therapy. In other cases, students whose parents believe they require the additional support of special education services are denied participation in the program based on the eligibility criteria. 4. Severely disabled children It is debated whether it is useful and appropriate to attempt to educate the most severely disabled children, such as children who are in a persistent vegetative state. While many severely disabled children can learn simple tasks, such as pushing a buzzer when they want attention, some children may be incapable of learning. Some parents and advocates say that these children would be better served by substituting improved physical care for any academic program. 13. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA: COUNTRY REPORT MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA 14. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA: COUNTRY REPORT MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MALAYSIA National Education Philosophy * To reinforce the direction and goals of national education. * It emphasises holistic and integrated education. * To nurture well-balanced students physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually Vision: Excellent Schools and a Glorious Nation. Mission: Developing Individual Potential through Quality Education Overview of the system: INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: Welcome all learners regardless of their characteristics or disadvantages and addressing the diverse needs of all learners by reducing barriers within the learning environment. Adopting more holistic definition of inclusive education Inclusive education means that all students in a school, regardless of their differences, are part of the school community and can feel that they belong. The mandate to ensure access, participation and achievement for every student is taken as given. (Department of Education, Tasmania, 2006) Building †¦ a school community where students are not only valued and respected but also involves social connectedness and creates a feeling of belonging among the students (DISABLED + NON DISABLED). Inclusive education in Malaysia is illustrated by the opportunity to gain access (without gender bias) to quality education for all, including ‘At Risk’ children/adults, namely: * Children with special education needs; * Indigenous children (Orang Asli & Penans); * Children in hospitals (Schools in Hospital); * Young convicts and juveniles (IS & HGS); * Undocumented or stateless children; and * Indigenous adults (Adult education classes) Malaysia Embraces Inclusive Education * 2003: Compulsory primary education * 2008: Free education or fully funded schooling (No school fees or examination fees) * Support program: Textbooks-on-loan, boarding facilities, scholarships, allowances, food & nutrition and school health. * Curricula for specific groups: Modified/alternative curriculum for children with special needs, special curriculum for indigenous pupils and special learning modules for indigenous adults * Remedial and enrichment programs to reduce gaps in 3Rs. LEGISLATION ACT 550 – EDUCATION ACT (1996) Chapter 3 – Compulsory Education: Minister to provide primary education for all 29A. (1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, prescribe primary education to be compulsory education. Chapter 8 – Special Education 40. The Minister shall provide special education in special schools established under paragraph 34(1) (b) or in such primary or secondary schools as the Minister deems expedient. Power to prescribe the duration of and curriculum on special education 41. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the Minister may by regulations prescribe —. (a) the duration of primary and secondary education suitable to the needs of a pupil in receipt of special education; (b) the curriculum to be used in respect of special education; (c) the categories of pupils requiring special education and the methods appropriate for the education of pupils in each category of special schools; and (d) any other matter which the Minister deems expedient or necessary for the purposes of this Chapter. Below are illustrations of the acts: ACT 685 – PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT PWDs (Persons with disabilities) (2008). 36. (1) The Government and the private healthcare service provider shall make available essential health services to persons with disabilities which shall include the following: a. prevention of further occurrence of disabilities, immunization, nutrition, environmental protection and preservation and genetic counselling; and b. early detection of disabilities and timely intervention to arrest disabilities and treatment for rehabilitation INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION a. Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNESCO (12th December 1989) b. Jomtein World Conference on Education for All, UNESCO (1990) Article 1: Meeting Basic Learning Needs Every person – child, youth and adult – shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs c. Salamanca Statement 1994: School should accommodate all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions d. Dakar Framework for Action (2000) Article 7(i): Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children e. Biwako Millennium Framework for Action 2002: Towards an Inclusive, Barrier Free & Right-based Society for Persons with Disabilities f. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006 TYPES OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES 1. Children with Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD), Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder or PDD-NOS. 2. Children with Specific Developmental Disorders – Speech & Language, Cognitive Skills, Motor Function and mixed specific developmental disorders. 3. Children with chromosomal disorder : (Angelman/Prader Willi Syndrome, Down Syndrome , Klinefelter Syndrome†¦) 4. Children with other Developmental Disorders (Apert Syndrome, Goldenhar, Syndrome, Noonan Syndrome†¦) 5. Children with Specific Learning Difficulties – Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, etc. 6. Children with Emotional Behavioural Difficulties – ADD, ADHD, CD, ODD, etc. 7. Children with multiple disabilities. EARLY IDENTIFICATION & INTERVENTION Early Identification a. Literacy and Numeracy Screening (LINUS) b. Checklist (Screening instrument) : Identify children for special needs to be referred for diagnosis by registered doctors EARLY AND TIMELY INTERVENTION a. Special Education -. * Trained teachers, teaching styles, classroom environment, curriculum, extracurricular activities and assistive devices. * Special Education Service Centres Special Education Service Centre: a. Facilities: * Audiology room * Low vision room * Occupational therapy room * Physiotherapy room * Psychology room * Multi-sensory room * Common Rehab Corner and * Toy library. b. Personnel: * Audiologist * Speech pathologist * Peripatetic * Physiotherapist * Occupational Therapist * Educational and/or Clinical Psychologist. c. Services: * Audiology * Individual/Group Speech Therapy * hearing aids and Braille maintenance * low vision and mob.

Outline Paper Title: the Common Law Tradition and Sources of Law Essay

I. THESIS STATEMENT: A. Common law is a legal system that is largely formed by the decisions previously made by courts and not imposed by legislatures or other government officials. The reasoning used to interpret this type of law is known as casuistry, or case-based reasoning. It is a strict, principle-based reasoning that uses the circumstances of a case to evaluate the laws that are applicable. Decisions that were made about similar cases are valuable, and the case in question is evaluated on the basis of past cases. The strength of the similarity among the cases, in turn, strengthens the reasoning based on them. B. The term â€Å"common law† also underlines the fact that this type of law did not originate from equity, maritime and other special branches of law. Statutes serve as brief explanations of law and therefore are not very explanatory. Codification is the process by which a statue is passed, expressed within a single document, so that it is understood within existing law rather than creating the need for new laws. C. The common-law system prevails in England, the United States, and other countries colonized by England. The common-law system is used in all the states of the United States except Louisiana, where French Civil Law combined with English Criminal Law to form a hybrid system. Anglo-American common law traces its roots to the medieval idea that the law as handed down from the king’s courts represented the common custom of the people. II. WHAT IS COMMON LAW? A. Common Law is the body of law developed from custom or judicial decisions in English and U.S. courts, not attributable to a legislature. III. WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF AMERICAN LAW? A. The United States Constitution and the constitutions of the various states B. Statutory Law – including laws passed by Congress, state legislatures, and local governing bodies. C. Regulations created by administrative agencies (such as the United States Food and Drug Administration). D. Case law and common law doctrines. E. Secondary sources of law are books and articles that summarize and clarify the primary sources of law (i.e., legal encyclopedias, treatises, and articles in law reviews). Several SourcesConstitutional, statutory, and case law—these are your tools. The United StatesConstitution is the overriding document. It is the Supreme Law of the Land. Eachstate has its own constitution. State and federal statutes are interpreted by judgesthrough case law. These sources play in each practice area. For example,constitutional law governs searches and seizures in a criminal matter. Statutesprovide the framework for real estate transactions, and case law interprets andapplies both constitutional and statutory law. There is much to learn.| IV.CONSITUTIONAL LAW A. The Federal Constitution i. The United States Constitution, as amended, is the supreme law of the land. ii. A law in violation of the United States Constitution will be declared unconstitutional and will not be enforced. iii. The United States Constitution sets forth the powers of the three branches of the federal government and the relationship between the three branches. iv. Constitutional Rights 1. The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are commonly known as the Bill of Rights. v. The Courts and Constitutional Law 1. The broad principles enunciated in the Constitution are given form and substance by the courts. 2. Courts Balance the Right to Free Speech a. Even though the First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech, the Supreme Court has made it clear that certain types of speech will not be  protected. 3. Free Speech and the Internet a. The Internet has raised new problems for the courts in determining how to define and apply the protections of free speech. B. State Constitutions i. Each state also has a constitution that sets forth the general organization, powers, and limits of the state government. ii. A state constitution is supreme within the state’s respective borders, so long as it does not conflict with the United States Constitution. C. Constitutional Law and the Paralegal i. Paralegals often assist attorneys in handling cases that involve constitutional rights or provisions. ii. Knowledge of constitutional law is beneficial because the authority and underlying rationale for the substantive and procedural laws governing many areas of law are found in the Constitution. V. STATUTORY LAW A. Statutes are the laws enacted by legislative bodies at any level of government. B. Federal Statutes. i. Federal statutes are enacted by the United States Congress and apply to every state. ii. Any federal statute that violates the United States Constitution will be held unconstitutional. C. State and Local Statutes and Ordinances i. State statutes are laws enacted by state legislatures. ii. Any state law that is found to conflict with the United State Constitution, or with that state’s constitution, will be deemed unconstitutional. D. Uniform Laws i. Uniform (â€Å"model†) statutes are drafted for adoption by the states. ii. A state can adopt or reject all or part of a uniform law, as the state legislature wishes. iii. An example of a uniform law is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). E. The Expanding Scope of Statutory Law i. Legislative bodies and administrative agencies assume an ever-increasing share of lawmaking. F. Statutory Law and the Paralegal i. A paralegal may often assist in cases involving violations of statutory law. ii. A paralegal working on cases governed by statutory law needs to know how to both locate and interpret the relevant state or federal statutes. VI. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW A. Agency Creation and Function i. Administrative agencies are created by legislatures to administer and enforce legislation and to issue rules to implement the goals of specific legislation. ii. Examples of federal administrative agencies are: 1. Environmental Protection Agency 2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 3. Food and Drug Administration. A. Administrative Law and the Paralegal i. Paralegals frequently deal with administrative agencies. 1. Paralegals may also work for administrative agencies, drafting new rules, mediating disputes, and numerous other tasks. Consulting CasesCase law represents judicial opinions. Judicial opinions represent opinions written by judgeson a particular case. Understanding case law can be difficult. It requires analytical skills. Suchskills are acquired over time and after reading many cases. But do not despair. When you findthat perfect case, it will be worth it.| VII. CASE LAW AND THE COMMON LAW TRADITION A. The Origins and Nature of the Common Law i. Common law originated in medieval England with the creation of the king’s court. ii. Courts developed the common law rules from the principles underlying judges’ decisions in actual legal controversies. iii. Judges attempted to be consistent. When possible, they based their decisions on the principles suggested by earlier cases. iv. The practice of deciding new cases with reference to former decisions, or precedents, is a cornerstone of the American judicial system. v. Stare decisis means â€Å"to stand on decided cases.† vi. Under this doctrine, judges are expected to abide by the law as established by previous court decisions. vii. Sometimes a court will depart from precedent if it decides the precedent should no longer be followed. VIII. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PRECEDENT TO THE JUDICIAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS? A. The judicial process is informative, thought-provoking and often insightful, albeit verbose. It is also timely given the intense political nature of current federal judicial confirmation proceedings. Under the doctrine of stare decisis, once a court has set forth a principle of law as being applicable to a certain set of facts, that court and courts of lower rank must adhere to that principle and apply it in future cases involving similar fact patterns. Stare decisis have two aspects: first, decisions made by a higher court are binding on lower courts; and second, a court should not overturn its own precedents unless there is a strong reason to do so. IX. WHAT ARE EQUITABLE AND LEGAL REMEDIES? A. Equitable remedies are judicial remedies developed by courts of equity from about the time of Henry VII to provide more flexible responses to changing social conditions than was possible in precedent-based common law.

Adidas And Reebok Core Competencies Marketing Essay

Adidas And Reebok Core Competencies Marketing Essay Introduction: This reported is presented with intent to draw would the comparison in the marketing communication strategies and mix adopted by the shoes brands Adidas and Reebok. The dual brands are functioning in a non-monopolistic global market environment which imposes the need to be market savvy and creative on the part of the business houses such as Adidas, Reebok and many other established brands to not only retain their existing market segment but also grow into new market on a local, national and international plane. There is a pre-existing need to modify strategies in context to pricing, advertising, product lines, product quality and marketing communication strategies. Failure to do so on the part of the business houses could adversely affect the sales of the product and lead the company and the product to an undesirable state of declination. The fact cannot be denied that the athletic shoe brand market has been emerging to be extremely competitive and a few brand names su ch as Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Puma have successfully captured certain market segments. These brands recognise the need to retain their market position and work towards market growth in the process. Adidas and Reebok, for the sake of exemplification have proven the fact that besides high quality products, a good market communication strategy and mix is vital for survival and simultaneous growth in a market which is constantly driven by a competitive atmosphere. I intent to utilize the following techniques to present a comparative analysis on the strategies adopted by Adidas and Reebok: Primary Research: Consumers would be interviewed and data compiled would be analyzed and inferences would be drawn on that basis. Secondary Research: Secondary Research would be gathering, analysing and segregation of data from websites, business journals and books. Business Analytical Tools: S.W.O.T. Analysis, Marketing Mix Market and Literature Review: Adidas: The German National Adolp Dassler could be credited with the creation of the phenomenal brand â€Å"Adidas†. His nickname â€Å"Adi† and the first syllable of his last name â€Å"Das† put together created the brand name â€Å"Adidas†. History states that Adolf was a shoe fanatic who spent several hours in his workshop designing shoes with intent to perfect it and to surpass anyone in this line of work. His dedication towards his cause led to the creation of this brand which in today’s day and age is the second best global athletic shoe brand commanding a market position of 33% internationally after Nike. This brand came in to limelight with the 1926 Olympic Games wherein the sport star of the Games Jesse Owens wore Adidas shoes which performing at the Olympics. This led to instant recognition of this brand and soon the sales was reported to have gained huge momentum. The Olympic Games was the most crucial turning point in the history of the brand Adidas. From then on, Adidas, the Business house has been essentially sponsoring Global Sports Events, Olympic Games and many such events and has amassed mass popularity for their product lines. This strategy of the organization has helped the brand gain great worldwide media coverage for their product lines and the sales have been reported to grow in continuity.

Assignment 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Assignment 4 - Essay Example In other words, free will is said to be operant whenever an action is seen to be morally responsible or lack thereof. In the same vein, free will is applied to those actions which lead to significant consequences. The second condition is important, for there is no utility in dissecting the intentions of an individual when they do not spring from a will to act. Having said this, sometimes people make the right choices for the wrong reasons. To prevent such pitfalls, Campbell says that ‘inner acts’ is what needs to be considered, as opposed to ‘overt acts’. Campbell goes on to further refine the scope for free will. An individual cannot be held accountable for decisions and actions that are beyond his realm of control. To this extent, only those acts are accounted for, for which the instigator is the sole actor. As Campbell readily admits, his endeavour toward a sound definition of free will is only partially successful. Not only are there too many conditions, but there are also extraneous factors such as heredity and environment which have a bearing on the exercise of free will. Considering all the loopholes and external factors, Campbell adopts a simplified guideline, whereby, an individual can be blamed or praised for his acts, only if he could have acted otherwise. There is some merit to the view that heredity and circumstance can considerably limit human volition. But this premise only sets the scope within which free will can be evaluated. It does not follow that determinism is the overarching explanation for human action. The other major problem with determinism is that it disburdens people from moral responsibility. While Campbell’s success in defining free will could be debated, his essay has a definite utility. It helps the reader understand the various truisms, assumptions, variables, factors and pitfalls that the project entails. Yet, by the end

Principles of Self Management_Wk4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Principles of Self Management_Wk4 - Essay Example The paper also lays emphasis on understanding relationships and the impact of preconceived notions on performance. This topic is very significant as it leads to better understanding of oneself and the environment. Myers and Briggs developed a mechanism for personality assessment. The elaborated on the distinctive traits developed by Jung and supplemented it with their own observations of psychometric procedures 9. MBTI incorporated a set of consistent but uncorrelated measures of: Extraversion-Introversion (EI), Sensing and intuition (SI), Thinking and Feeling (TF) also Judgment and Perception (JP) (McCrae & Costa, 1989). Each one of these indices is dichotomized to indicate a preference and a four letter code is provided to classify them. By means of numeric scores we can determine the strength of each of the preferences which lead to a type of classification upon computation of scores. My assessment of the MBTI self-scored personality assessment indicated that my personality type is ESTJ. An assessment of the â€Å"raw points† in the test indicated that I had a stranger preference for Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking and Judging. I also assessed my Preference Clarity Category which indicated the consistency with which I preferred one pole dichotomy over the other. Although my raw point ranges were moderate but my preference was SJET. Amongst the two types indicated at the end of the test, ESTJ falls in the â€Å"Sensing types†. The characteristics associated with the Sensing type show that I should be: practical, matter-of-fact, decisive and quick to implement decisions. I have a clear set of logical standards which I religiously follow and want other to do the same. I believe in reaching results efficiently and forceful in implementing my plans. The MBTI personality test has provided useful insights that will help me manage my personal and professional

Discussion question Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion question - Term Paper Example (Marshall 15) The devastation to other species of animals and plants through the additional use of land to grow more food will be irreplaceable. We could potentially lose several additional species of animals through the deforestation necessary to use land versus simply advancing our technological approaches. However, the new technology including gene manipulation is cause for alarm due to the potential side effects it brings with it. Another concern is the ethical issues surrounding the patenting of genes, this could potentially lead to major corporations owning humans bodies through the patent on the gene they may carry. One filmmaker spoke regarding this in 2004, she had originally made the film to look at pesticide use, and however, due to her research she became quite alarmed over the genetic manipulations being done by Monsanto Corporation. She called for additional supervision in this area as well as testing before using it in the general market. (Bertino 4) Much of the newer technology has been tested for an adequate length of time to see if negative effects may exist. Some researchers are looking for ways to potentially slow the growth of the human race and even place it at a standstill for a short time. Given the alternatives this may be an appropriate approach as well.