Cynthia G. Simpson

Integrating Physical Activity into Academic Pursuits

Children of today may be the first generation in the United States in more than 200 years to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents (Olshansky et al. 2005). Low levels of fitness caused by physical inactivity and poor nutritional habits of many of today’s youth may be a contributing factor. Combating low fitness levels with physical activity is of utmost importance, as physical activity enhances one’s ability to prevent obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and many other ailments that are detrimental to a healthy body (CDC 1996). Integrating Physical Activity into Academic Pursuits

Sensory Processing Meeting Individual Needs Using the Seven Senses

A new born is able to see, hear and sense their body but is unable to organise these senses well; therefore this information means very little. They are unable to judge distances or feel the shape of one object versus another. As the child is exposed to various sensory inputs, they gradually learn to organise them within their brain and are able to give meaning to them. They become better able to focus in on one sensation and as a result performance improves. Their movement changes from being jerky and clumsy, to more refined and they are able to manage multiple amounts of sensory input at one time. By organising sensations the child is able to modulate their response and as a result they seem to be more connected with the world and in control of their emotions.

Exploring Psychosocial Predictors of Bullying Involvement for Students With Disabilities

Students with disabilities are disproportionately involved within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have investigated the interaction between victimization and proactive or reactive aggression, and psychosocial predictors for bullying involvement among school-aged youth with disabilities. This study used structural equation modeling to examine the predictive nature of depression, hostility, and self-esteem on victimization, bullying, fighting, bully-victimization, and reactive-victimization for a diverse sample of 1,183 adolescents with disabilities. Results suggest that victimization predicted bullying and fighting. In addition, lower levels of depression and higher levels of hostility predicted bullying and fighting; higher levels of depression, hostility, and lower levels of self-esteem predicted higher levels of victimization. Finally, higher levels of depression, hostility, and lower levels of self-esteem predicted bully-victim and reactive-victim status. Therefore, schools should begin to incorporate targeted interventions that address skill development, social and emotional learning, and emotion regulation to address escalated rates of bullying involvement for youth with disabilities.

Bullying and Students With Disabilities: Examination of Disability Status and Educational Placement

Abstract. Students with disabilities are disproportionately represented within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have investigated the interaction between disability identification and special education services. The current study evaluated bullying involvement (direct victimization, relational victimization, cybervictimization, bullying, fighting, relational perpetration) among 1,055 students with specific disabilities in inclusive and restrictive settings and their demographically matched (race, gender, grade) peers without disabilities. The results suggest that students with disabilities experience higher rates of victimization and engage in more fighting than students without disabilities. However, students with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders tended to report higher rates of victimization in inclusive environments, whereas students with intellectual disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders reported higher rates of victimization in restrictive settings. Increased fighting was primarily associated with students identified with autism spectrum disorders, emotional and behavioral disorders, and other health impairments within restrictive environments. Implications and future directions are presented.

Authentic Assessment: Establishing a Clear Foundation for Instructional Practices

As children transition from Early Childhood Intervention Services to public education, it is critical that the results from the assessment practices used to identify children for services in public education are translated into instructional techniques that early childhood educators are able to implement in the classroom setting. This article aims to describe best practices in assessment of young children who are transitioning from Early Childhood Intervention Services to public school services with specific emphasis placed on authentic assessment, and the potential benefits of this type of assessment as compared with traditional standardized assessment practices.

Preventing Challenging Behaviors in Preschool: Effective Strategies for Classroom Teachers

arren is characterized as a sweet 4-year-old boy who has recently joined Mrs. Daniels’ preschool classroom. He will be attending Mrs. Daniels’ class 4 days a week for approximately 7 hr a day. In the first few days, Warren has displayed a variety of challenging behaviors, including biting, pinching, tantrums during transitions, and difficulties with expressing his needs and wants. Mrs. Daniels has worked with children in her classroom who have exhibited minor challenging behaviors, but she is concerned about her ability to effectively address Warren’s behaviors. Given the intensity and frequency of these behaviors, Mrs. Daniels knows she will have to act quickly to implement strategies and techniques that are evidence based. However, she wonders what specific strategies will be most effective for Warren and most reasonable for her classroom structure.

Physical Education and Implications for Students with Asperger's Syndrome.

I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when I was 9 years old. Since that time, I have received many educational and social interventions. My experiences have been numerous, some good and some bad. School was tough at times, especially when social interactions came into play. One of the toughest areas for me was physical education. Here, I was bullied, ridiculed, and forced to face up to some of my biggest fears. My experiences in physical education (PE) were mostly negative. The negativity relates to the fact that most tasks in PE were difficult for me; and when I attempted them, my teachers were unsupportive and my peers made fun of me. Things were made even more difficult for me because my parents had serious concerns about my ability to participate in a general education PE class. Most of their concerns were related to teasing, dressing out, and my physical clumsiness. Unfortunately, their concerns were well founded in that I experienced a multitude of problems related to them.

The relationship between school belonging, sibling aggression and bullying involvement: implications for students with and without disabilities

Bullying is grounded in the interactions between an individual and complex social–ecological systems. Therefore, bullying involvement is not just confined to the classroom or school. Recent research suggests that sibling aggression may be a predictor for peer-level aggression. These findings may be more relevant for students with disabilities because studies suggest that students with disabilities are disproportionately involved in the bullying dynamic. Therefore, this study explored the intersection between sibling aggression and school belonging on bullying, victimisation and fighting for 14,508 students, including 1183 students with disabilities and 13,325 students without disabilities in grades 6 through 12. As hypothesised, students with disabilities reported higher levels of victimisation, bullying and fighting. Additionally, high levels of school belonging partially buffered fighting and bullying behaviours for students with and without disabilities. These findings demonstrate the importance of establishing an inclusive and safe environment for school-aged youth.

Reviewing the Roots of Response to Intervention: Is There Enough Research to Support the Promise?.

In the United States, Response to Intervention (RtI) is used to promote the use of evidence-based instruction in educational institutions, with the goal of supporting general and specialized educators and enabling these professionals to work together in a comprehensive, integrated manner. In doing so, RtI provides a protocol for identifying students with specific academic deficits and who demonstrate the need for individualized forms of instruction. Specifically, professional educators utilize quantitative data accumulated from common student assessment scores, which is thought to reflect a student’s response to instruction in the general classroom, in addition to his or her response to more targeted forms of intervention. This article presents a conceptual overview of RtI and discusses key dimensions most salient to its development and implementation within the United States, while carefully reviewing the research supporting the effectiveness of this multi-tiered framework. As RtI gains prominence in other countries, this article serves to educate others on what may well become a more universal response to intervention.

Gender Discrepancies and Victimization of Students with Disabilities.

Students with disabilities have been recognized as disproportionately involved within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have examined the interaction between disability status, gender, and grade level. The current study explored the gender discrepancies among students with and without disabilities in middle and high school on bullying, fighting, relational aggression perpetration, victimization, online victimization, and relational aggression victimizations. Results suggest that students with disabilities are more likely to be involved as victims and perpetrators. In addition, males are more likely to be perpetrators and victims, whereas females are more likely to experience online victimization and relational victimization. Furthermore, students in high school are more likely to report bullying, whereas students in middle school are more likely to report fighting. Interactions between school level, disability status, and gender were significant for victimization and perpetration.