An Analysis of Hughes and Gullos Article on Joyful Learning and Assessment in Kindergarten

An Analysis of Hughes and Gullo's Article on Joyful Learning and Assessment in Kindergarten Joyful Learning and Assessment in Kindergarten, Hughes and Gullo Hughes and Gullo begin their article by painting a picture for us of the increase in prekindergarten enrollment numbers. More and more three and four year olds are being enrolled in kindergarten preparedness programs, such as pre-k or More at Four. They also point out the sharp increase in state mandated age cut-offs for kindergarten enrollment. These changes are both illustrative of how kindergarten academic standards have jumped up significantly in the past few years. Hughes and Gullo tell us that kindergarteners are now primarily taught through academically oriented teacher-directed instruction rather than developmentally appropriate methods of learning. They explain that these dramatic changes in the way kindergartners are taught are believed to be because of the inappropriate assessment tools used to gauge kindergartner’s academic progress. These developmentally inappropriate tools of assessment such as standardized testing and worksheets can be traded in for more appro priate means of assessment for kindergartners. Hughes and Gullo use the rest of their article to explain different characteristics of assessment and how we can adjust our means of assessment to promote individual development amongst kindergarteners. Hughes and Gullo define assessment to further expand our understanding of the issue- â€Å"the progress of a child’s learning over time.† Testing children at the end of a unit undermines this definition of assessment. The authors tell us that learning is a continuum and that assessment be used to help teachers identify where children are individually on that learning continuum. This can be done by learning and recognizing children’s learning sequences and using frequent â€Å"embedded† assessments to gauge their mastery of classroom concepts. The authors of the article go on to explain to us that assessment is a comprehensive process- one simple test or type of assessment will not measure the many areas of learning that need to be measured to determine comprehension. In the final section of the article, Hughes and Gullo tell us that assessment should be integrated into the process of the activities being assessed. By doing this, teachers can use assessme nt to change lessons to suit the individual needs of children, and teachers can see firsthand how effective or ineffective their curriculum is. Hughes and Gullo give an example of a teacher that uses assessment to plan activities based on her student’s interests, experiences, and skills. Hughes and Gullo end their article with a powerful statement: appropriate assessment can lead to joyful learning and joyful teaching.

Hearing, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students' Satisfaction with On-line Essay

Hearing, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students' Satisfaction with On-line Learning - Essay Example Not only can computer technology facilitate a broader range of educational activities to meet a variety of needs for students with mild learning disorders, but also adaptive technology now exists than can enable even those students with severe disabilities to become active learners in the classroom alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. (Hasselbring, 2000) Technological accommodations often involve the use of assistive devices to help a student to communicate or to produce work output e.g. modified keyboard, a computer with a visual display and touch screen or with voice synthesizer, braillers for blind students, greatly enlarged text on a computer screen for a student with partial sight, radio-frequency hearing aids for students with impaired hearing etc. Less sophisticated aids might include school-made communication boards for students without speech, or using symbol or picture card systems for communicating. Technology has also increased the mobility and independence of many students with severe physical disabilities. The specific needs of students with disabilities are usually identified in their individual education plans (IEPs). The IEP should be seen as the main source of advice of the types of differentiation needed by the students. (Westwood, 2003) Deaf and hard of hearing students have great difficulty with phonics as it is usually taught. However, when they learn lip reading, this has a phonic basis in the speaker. If regular students are initially taught to spell phonemically, and the deaf and hard of hearing lip reading students are taught to write what they see in the same phonemic spellings, the two groups of students can communicate in writing thereby making joint educational experiences possible to some extent. (Ives, 1997) American Sign Language (ASL), the language of the deaf is not simply a translation of American English into hand symbols. It is a totally different language, unique in the sense that enables

Why does Mackie think we need an error theory Do you think he is right Essay

Why does Mackie think we need an error theory Do you think he is right to believe that we need it - Essay Example The error theory suggests that morals are not absolute, that what is morally right or wrong vary from one society to another. It is a theory that states that morals are judged, not by the universal moral norms, but according to the society within which a circumstance calls for moral clarification (Dorsey 2006, p.495). When one considers the definition above, it can be stated that the morals are no longer absolute in different societies because of the fact that they have evolved over a long period, changing considerably from one society to another. A good number of the proponents of this theory, such as John Mackie, believe that morality was an invention of societies to maintain control over its members, and it is because of this that morality varies. If, for instance, morals and social norms were universal in all the societies, in the world, then there would have been no differences in morals, and as a result, the error theory would not have been developed. The error theory states th at the idea of morality or the adherence to morals depends on the assumption that they exist; this assumption being false because morals are not based on the reality of the situations being judged. Error theory can be considered a viewpoint where there is the belief that morality is dependent on the norms of the cultures, which practice it. It is these societies which determine whether the actions of individuals is morally right or wrong and those who propagate this theory believe that there is nothing that can be said to be the absolute truth concerning morality because what is considered to be right in one society may not be considered the same in another. If one were to consider Mackie’s statements concerning the error theory, the fact that what is considered morally right in one society may not be so in another show that morality is not a universal norm. There are often chances where what is considered morally right in one culture may be considered wrong in another, an ex ample being the situation of homosexuality. While, in the western world, homosexuality is an accepted norm in society, in other parts of the world, especially in Africa and Middle East, one would find that this practice is frowned upon, and those found in the act tend to be severely punished. Therefore, when it comes to the concept of the error theory, the opinion of what is right or wrong is not judged by norms that would be considered universal because of the fact that it cannot be measured nor do the said morals exist (Delapp 2009, p.8). Morals, if one were to follow Mackie’s argument, are made up by the societies, which put them in force and because of this, these societies become slaves to concepts, which are logically nonexistent. Among the main advantages of using the error theory when considering morals is the fact that a broad range of views concerning morals is taken into consideration. Since there is a wide variety of cultures and practices, it is easier for one to adapt to any situation that one may encounter through the understanding of the motivations behind the development of various cultural norms as well as look upon such morals in an objective way. Moreover, it can be said that the error theory can be used towards the development cultural understanding, which ensures that people are judged, not according to the opinions of other cultures, but according to that of their own cultures and societies. It recognizes that fact that morals are nonexistent and this creates a situation where societies can be studied on an equal footing. Since it is the society which judges what is right or wrong, the people within it have a clear understanding of what is