[senco-forum] exclusion and integration

From: <jeanld at fish.co.uk>

I went through this myself.  I really struggled for the first couple of
years when I attended Primary school, I was well behind the rest of the
class in reading and writing and simply could not copy off the blackboard at
all.  A routine eye test revealed I have really high myopia (without
correction I can just about read the top letter on an eye chart).  With
glasses I never looked back academically, and I went on to pass my Eleven
Plus and get into a really good Grammar school (the measure of academic
success back then).

But as to why no one spotted this problem, I would say that was because I
put a lot of effort into covering it up.  Children don't like to appear
different or have problems.  I knew I couldn't see things properly but I
also "knew" that nobody who was cool, attractive or macho wore glasses.  I
was heartbroken when I had to wear them.

Now I don't know if things have changed in the many years since I was young,
but looking at the media I don't think so.  With the noticeable exception of
Harry Potter and some comedians, I don't see that many pop stars or film
stars, or other people children would aspire to be, who wear glasses all the
time.  And I don't count "fair weather" glasses wearers who occasionally
slip on what appear to be plain glass spectacles to try and appear more
intelligent.

Superman still hides his powers by slipping on glasses to appear a wimp and
when Spiderman got his powers the first thing that improved was his vision!

Jamie

-- 
Jamie Munro
Managing Director
Don Johnston Ltd.
18/19 Clarendon Court
Calver Road
Winwick Quay
Warrington WA2 8QP
Company Registration Number 2899525
Telephone: 01925 256500
Fax: 01925 241745
Mobile Telephone: 0772 0845428
email: jmunro at djsn.co.uk

> From: <jeanld at fish.co.uk>
> Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 15:29:54 +0100 (BST)
> To: Paul and Philippa Bodien <bodien at gmail.com>
> Cc: senco forum <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] exclusion and integration
> 
> A good point, Philippa.  When concerns are raised about a child, whether
> by parent or teacher, the first thing I do is ask the parents whether the
> child has had recent sight/hearing testa; if not, could they make the
> relevant appointments.  On numerous occasions, the concern has been
> resolved by the child wearing glasses or receiving appropriate audiology
> treatment.  Only then do I take steps to establish whether there is
> another difficulty.
> 
> In the past 15 years in this school, I have had only one adverse reaction,
> when such a child did need glasses and subsequently improved in all
> learning areas.  The parents were very angry, because we had not spotted
> this sooner; we took this as a reaction prompted by guilt, as they had not
> noticed anything wrong at home!  The dust eventually settled; the child
> made good progress and the parents calmed down.  Sometimes the solutions
> to difficulties are easier than we might think!
> 
> Regards
> 
> Jean
> 
> S Wales
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Keith Holland did a study on a school for the excluded and found that
>> about
>> 18 of the 20 students he investigated had hidden vision issues.
>> 
>> One of our Y2 students was showing selective listening and we sent him to
>> the Dr for an ear test even though there were no overt symptoms.  He has
>> glue ear and significant hearing loss on one side.  Even the Dr said he
>> would not have picked it up from symptoms.
>> 
>> Steve Chinn spoke of a teenager who had never learned to read.  An eye
>> test
>> showed he needed glasses.  Once he had them he was able to learn to read.
>> 
>> How many students are there who need eyes and ears checked?
>> 
>> Philippa
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 