The simulation on reading issues has shown me that students can be faced with a variety of problems when being told to read a word or phrase. I was unaware of the issues that were associated with reading and the simulation highlighted some key factors that were involved in reading such as not being able to read fluently or reading words backward. The simulation showed certain sentences in which the alphabets had been written wrong and had to be corrected. In addition to this, the simulation helped me looked at how words and sentences were formed in the mind of a child when he or she is told to read it out. Before experiencing the simulation, I believed that the students had reading problems because they were not fluent enough and by making them re-read the words, the problem could be fixed. However, the simulation highlighted that it is not the case and proper reading strategies have to be used to help students overcome their reading problems. One of the things that I have learned from watching the video is that meaning formation is one of the major issues that the students face when reading out loud. In order to help students overcome reading problems, one of the strategies suggested by the simulation is to show the kids how changing one letter in a word can change its pronunciation and meaning.
The next simulation was based on writing issues and the video suggested certain strategies that could be used to help the students overcome their problems. The simulation required writing down sentences that were shown on the screen and most words had to be fixed twice before the right word appeared. By watching the simulation, I was able to look at words the way a child does and I realized the different issues that students can have when they are asked to write down sentences. Most of the alphabets had to be fixed a couple times before the correct word was typed. It has made me realize that when dealing with a child such as the one in the video, proper care should be taken. Creativity is a key factor in helping kids learn how to write simple phrases and sentences. Learning to write is just as difficult as it is to read. Knowing that some children have it harder than others, I will use different methods to help them write such as asking them to write on a topic they are most familiar with be it about their family or friends. Kids tend to be able to imagine the things they are familiar with and the writing part becomes easier.
In the third video, the simulation is based on attention issues. Kids are mostly hyper and cannot seem to sit straight. The simulation was helpful as it showed me how kids try to block out all the sounds around them in order to listen to what the teacher is saying, however, it becomes hard to stay focused. The simulation was based on putting the animal cards in different cages. The children were told to place each card such as a bird on a snake. At the end of the simulation, all the cards were flipped over and an elephant appeared. Hearing what the teacher was saying was difficult because of the noise in the background. It showed me how difficult it can be for a child to stay attentive when there is so much movement. By using the child’s name and making eye contact, the child can be kept attentive throughout the class.
In the next video, the issues associated with maths were discussed. Solving math problems can be difficult for kids as they are unable to remember the procedures. Kids get confused when they are faced with a math problem and it can become stressful if the child believes that he or she is not good at maths. The simulation was based on getting the right numbers to pay for the items that appeared on the screen. The first one was simple as it did not involve any addition or subtraction. However, as the simulation progressed, the process became difficult. The simulation was helpful in showing how difficult it can be to remember the different steps that are involved in solving an equation. Even if the steps are known, it can be hard to retrieve the math facts each time there is a different problem. In order to overcome this hurdle, kids should be helped in those areas where they get stuck. Different strategies should be created that the child feels comfortable in using and can have ownership of so that he or she feels comfortable when solving any math problem.
The last video was based on organizational issues and showed that kids can have a difficult time when it comes to organizing their things and also with remembering where they put their books and homework. The simulation was based on collecting shapes in a basket and it started off easy as few shapes appeared one at a time, but with the passage of time, more shapes started appearing and it became difficult to collect the ones that had been required. The simulation helped in understanding how some children can be struggling with putting everything together and being on the same level as the other kids. The simulation shows that the kids showed be given some time so that they are able to gather their things instead of rushing through the class, making it difficult for everyone to be on the same pace as others. Going at an average pace will allow all the students to catch up and work efficiently.
