GREEN MOUNTAIN COLLEGE

Transcription

1 GREEN MOUNTAIN COLLEGE Course Syllabus EDU/PSY : Developmental Psychology and the Exceptional Child Spring 2008 Class Meeting times: Tuesday, Thursday: 11 :00-12: 15 at Terrace 121. Joel Shapiro, Ed.D. (802) Dunton Hall Office Hours: M: 9:30-10:45, 1:00-2:30; T: 11 :00-12:00, 1:00-3 :00; W: 9:30-11 :00; Th: 1 :00-2:00. Any day by appointment. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course combines two disciplines, those of special education and human development. The guiding principle and rationale for this combination is the fact that ability often merges into disability. Additionally, it is the guiding philosophy of the State Education Department of Vermont that the preferred placement for all children is with their peers, be they disabled or not. The course will include a survey of current programs and practices for exceptional children. Diverse types of exceptionality will be considered. Students will also learn the dominant theories of human development, recent research in the field and cross-cultural perspectives across the life span. COURSE OBJECTIVES By the end of the course, the student should be able to: Discuss historical development of the subject under study Discuss critical issues regarding multicultural education and gender differences Discuss implications of court decisions and legislation regarding the disabled Discuss predictable changes in diverse areas of functioning across the lifespan, along with expectable problems due to trauma and dysfunction Explain how a child's environment influences his/her ability to learn and how the community can promote learning REQUIRED TEXT Hallahan. D.P. & Kauffman. lm. (2006). Exceptional Learners: Introduction to Special Education. loth edition. Allyn and Bacon: New York

2 CLASSROOM POLICIES All students are required to attend class on time at the scheduled hours. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend a class, you must make up the work. More than three unexcused absences will adversely affect your grade. More than five constitutes possible grounds for referral to the Dean and may be grounds for failing the course. The instructor may drop students for excessive absences. Illness and/or disability may not be factors taken into account when implementing this policy, as class attendance is an integral part ofthe course. If you must miss class due to illness, family reasons, etc., contact me by as soon as possible. There are many reasons to make attending class an absolute priority. First, there is a direct relationship between your attendance and your grade; i.e., the more classes you attend, the higher your grade is likely to be. Second, the learning in this class will come largely from class discussions; I will not read the book to you in class. Third, you have something to contribute to the class by your presence, even if you do not speak. Finally, remember that you and your parents are paying for the privilege of having you sit in the classroom. Read the assignments before class. Studies show that students who do so get higher grades and understand the material better than students who come to class unprepared. Should you have difficulty with course material, make an appointment to see me! Your success is important to the College and to me as well. You do not have to wait for my posted office hours - contact me, and I will meet with you. Lateness interferes with the smooth flow of instruction and discussion and should be avoided. Similarly, eating and cell phone use are disruptive. Courteous participation is always expected, although diverse opinions are common and may be freely expressed. Assigned work is due ON the date indicated. Late submission will adversely affect your grade by one full level for EACH DAY IT IS LATE! Thus, if your grade would have been a B+, submitting it two days late will change the grade to a B-. Many reasons underlie this strict but reasonable policy. First, these requirements should be a high priority for you and should supercede most other obligations. Second, late submissions without penalty are unfair to other student who have worked diligently to hand in work on time. Third, it is very difficult for me to grade your submission in context with those of other students if there is a gap in submission time. Fourth, doing work on submissions close to final exam time does not permit you to focus carefully on either. Fifth, education professionals often have inflexible deadlines for submission of life-altering documents; I hope to help you to make timely submission a high priority. Sixth, if your work is late, we cannot discuss it in class. Seventh, should your work be part of a joint presentation, you have hurt the work/grades of your colleagues. Plagiarism and cheating are two of the most serious academic offenses. A referral to the Dean's Office is the outcome, with further penalties, including failing the course, possible outcomes.

3 You must take exams at the times listed. If you are too ill to take one, you must bring a note from the College Infirmary, your personal physician, etc. Should you have a disabling condition which affects your ability to benefit fully from the delivery methods of the course, you may be eligible for modifications. The course uses lectures, readings, films, writing assignments, small group work and class discussion as delivery methods. All students should be familiar with the many services of the Writing Center and the Learning Center and take advantage of their offerings. If you have a disability, contact Christina Fabrey at the Learning Center to develop the modifications necessary as soon as possible. Modifications may not be made without Learning Center input. Even with modifications, student must complete all requirements, including attendance, participation, journals and exams. This course outline is tentative. Adjustments may be necessary as the course progresses, depending upon students' developing interests and rates of progress. Content and requirements will be adjusted where necessary. GRADING PROCEDURE Paper Journals Class participation/attendance Midterm Final 20% 20% 10% 25% 25% Jan 24 Orientation to the course. Goals, objectives, requirements, grading standards. Introduction to the fields of development and the exceptional child. Jan 28 Introduction, cont'd. Chapter 1 Jan 31 How do families and diverse communities regard the occurrence of exceptionality in their midst? Divergent theoretical approaches to development, including Erikson, Piaget and others. Chapters 2, 4. Feb 4 Legal bases for providing special education to certain children. Landmark cases, legislation. Understanding and construction of the IEP. F eb 7 Types of schools and classrooms available for exceptional children; different philosophies, such as separate education, least restrictive environment and full inclusion. Chapter 3. Feb 11 Prenatal development; hazards of the environment. Infancy. F eb 14 Development of language. Levels of intelligence and their application to the concept of mental retardation; introduction to syndromes. Chapter 5.

4 Feb 18 Mental retardation. Approaches to education. Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. Feb 21 Middle childhood. Introduction to learning disabilities; historical definitions and approaches. TYPED JOURNAL DUE!! Feb 25 Types oflearning disabilities and educational approaches. Chapter 6. Feb 28 Hyperactivity; myth, fact or both? Chapter 7. Mar lo Hyperactivity, cont'd. Educational approaches. Mar 13 Adolescence. Mar 13 MIDTERM EXAM!!! Mar 17 Introduction to behavior disorders. Chapter 8. Mar 20 Behavior disorders; interruption of normal developmental sequence. Chapter 12. Mar 31 Serious emotional disturbance, including autism. Apr 3 Young adulthood. TYPED JOURNAL DUE!! Apr 7 Resilience Apr 10 Emotional intelligence Apr 14 Communication disorders; aphasias. Chapter 9. Apr 17 Hearing impairment; causes of hearing loss in children. Chapter 10. Apr 17 Hearing impairment; educational strategies, adaptive devices. Apr 21 Visual impairment; physiology of the eye. Causes of vision loss. Chapter 11. Apr 24 PAPER DUE!! Visual impairment; educational strategies, adaptive devices. Apr 28 Other health impairments. Chapters 13, 14. May 1 Theories and characteristics of gifted children. Chapter 15. May 1 Gifted children, cont'd. JOURNAL DUE!! May 5 Review. May 9 FINAL EXAM at 8:00 A.M.!!!

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