父母應積極面對學障兒

每顆新生命誕生就好像奇妙的恩典，它帶給父母或其家人無限的喜悅和歡樂，父母對子女的未來充滿著期盼，他們會悉心照料子女並給予一切所需。孩子随着時間成長，當父母察覺自己的子女行為有異於其他孩童時，就必須接受這些差異，並要以成熟的態度去尋找補救的方法。可是，很多父母不願意接受自己的寶貝存有這些差距，還假裝其他的可能性，把孩子當作正常來看待，沒有即時補救。在子女就讀幼稚園時，父母會容易承認子女行為有差異；一旦子女升上了小學或中學，被老師發現並指出這些差異，再而提出任何改善的建議時，往往卻遭到家長向學校投訴，埋怨老師沒有適當地照顧這些學童。

如果孩子是學習遲緩或有行為差異，請勿憂慮， 因為現今科技進步帶給我們很多有系統的補救方法，並能有效地改善情況。若強迫孩子就讀常規學校，只會為他們締造更多複雜處境。他們無法應付與正常學童一起學習，卻需要我們特別的關注。

因此， 如果父母發現子女有學習的困難:-
1. 毋須恐慌。
2. 要接受子女有學習上的困難，僅憑這點已可助子女改善問題。
3. 請教專家或醫生，聽取他們的建議。
4. 孩子或需要選讀特殊學校，不要為此感到恐懼或羞恥。
5. 一旦了解孩子的問題， 專家便會提供合適的補救課程，但專家不能提供24小時貼身的服務， 仍須要父母做補足和持續的工作。
6. 基於專家的建議， 父母要投入比教養正常兒童更多的時間， 並採取合作態度以協助子女發展。
7. 隨著時間推移並取決於發展的程度，孩子會有一定改善，可融入常規教育，甚至完成大學課程。
8. 如遵循以上所述， 確信父母為塑造自己的子女做了出色的工作。

然而，有很多父母卻不斷怪責自己，時常問為何要選中我呢？上天知道我們所需的，必成就我們，我們有責任好好善用現有的工具，去幫助和啓發有學習困難的孩子，最終可獲得成功。

文源：Speaking Tree

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T.Jacket 內的充氣氣袋，可以透過手機 App 控制擁抱的力度和位置，讓家長可以在有需要時給予孩子擁抱。當孩子可能出現異常的狀態時，T.Jacket 會通知家長或老師，即時給予擁抱，讓孩子平復下來。

Why American Children Have a High ADHD Diagnoses

In the U.S. at least 9% of students are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But in other countries that number is significantly lower. In France, less than 1% of students are diagnosed with ADHD.

"There are many students in Harrison County schools that have ADHD," said Vic Fisher, Supervisor of Pupil Services.

"On average we do fill a lot of medications for ADHD," said T.J. Ravis, Best Care Pharmacist in Lewis County.

There are a lot of children who have this disorder. The two main symptoms are the inability to pay attention and hyperactivity, like not being able to sit still.

"Typically you're going to see symptoms before age 7 in a child and typically you're going to see symptoms in more than one setting," said Ravis.

After symptoms are seen, it's time to go to a doctor. But how are children tested?

"The diagnosis is really based on behavior in this country," said Dr. Bob Williams, Director of Behavioral Services at United Hospital Center and Executive Director at United Summit Center.

"There is no medical test for ADHD. Therefore it's a subjective evaluation from who ever is considering the diagnosis. Therefore it being a judgment decision there is room for error including some students who are or including some student who really aren't," said Fisher.

So what's the difference between here in the U.S. and outside of the country?

"The Americans see the disorder as more about chemical imbalance and the French see it more as a behavioral imbalance. A quick fix medication for a family issue or of a child acting out is the first solution that we really go toward rather than taking time to properly diagnosis the situation and intervene with individual family therapy," said Dr. Williams.

Fisher said about a decade ago those number increased heavily in Harrison County, but in the past few years it's hit a plateau. And Dr. Williams thinks we're headed into the right direction.

"Mental health in this country, particularly in our area, is beginning to lean more toward the combination of therapy for the child as well as for the family in addition to medications where it's warranted," said Dr. Williams.

Doctors said the main issue with misdiagnosing children is giving medicine to kids who may not need and causing side effects.

HKU CAISE REVIEW Call for papers

HKU CAISE are pleased to announce to you that the 2013 issue of CAISE REVIEW ( ISSN 2305-1922) is coming out. You can view it at: http://vcvc1.wix.com/caise-review

Kindly support this journal by submitting your manuscripts to HKU CAISE.

CAISE REVIEW is a peer-reviewed publication of the Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education (CAISE) of the Faculty of Education at HKU.

The CAISE REVIEW is published annually. Contributions are invited from interested persons, covering any relevant aspects of research, theory, and practice in the general field of education, psychology, guidance and counselling, information communication technology or diversity in learning.

Case studies and literature reviews are also welcome.
All articles submitted will be independently and anonymously reviewed by two referees.
The Editor will be pleased to consider suggestions for any ‘Special Theme’ issues.
Anyone wishing to assist as a ‘Guest Editor’ for a special issue should contact the Editor, Dr. Mantak Yuen (email: mtyuen@hku.hk).

Manuscript Preparation Guide

• Authors of all submissions must follow APA 6th style in terms of overall format, tables, diagrams and referencing.
• Papers should usually not exceed 3500 words including references. For manuscript reporting two or more studies, 
• the length should be within 6500 words.
• All submissions must include an abstract (max. 200 words), and provide up to five key words as descriptors.
• The front page should give the author(s)’s name, current professional affiliation and contact details. 
• One author should be identified as the person responsible for correspondence. 
• A statement should also be included stipulating that the paper is not under consideration elsewhere.
• All submissions should be emailed as an attachment (in MS Word or rich text format) to the Executive Editor, Ms. Virginia Cheung, caise@hku.hk.
• Graphs, diagrams, etc., should be in camera-ready form and must have titles. 
• Written permission must be obtained by the author for the reproduction of tables, diagrams, etc. taken from other sources. 
• A copy of the permission statement should be lodged with CAISE if the paper is accepted for publication.
• Page-proofs of papers will be sent to authors for correction of any typesetting errors, and must be returned promptly. 
• At this final page-proof stage the content of the paper must not be modified by the author.
• Deadline for submissions: 8 September 2013 for publication in January.

「五點執筆法」 - 硬書執筆三字經

短節課多項目 提升學習專注（5-8歲）

【明報專訊】6歲女兒念K3，是大女，很貪玩，做功課不專心，計算更令人氣餒，根本是亂答，數手指變玩手指！學過的東西幾天就忘掉，每次教導都很吃力。老師說她比同學表現遜色一些，但不算專注力不足；帶女兒做IQ評估，結果說她邏輯思維不好，但亦非要跟進。她性格幼稚，很多朋友說是我早年太着重給她開心過日子，而不重教導。我完全不知她如何應付小學，怎樣可以幫她一把？

一般來說，孩子智商在韋氏智力量表測量處於85-115之間，即屬正常，有68%的孩子都屬於這組別內。當然，個別孩子在不同項目上的認知（cognitive profile）水平不盡相同，有強有弱，所以光看一個數字，難以判斷她需要在哪方面拔尖補底以提升學習效率。反而，我們應談談教育孩子的大方向和幾點實用原則。

小孩僅能專注15分鐘
普遍家長傾向展望孩子將來有遠大的理想，但看到孩子目下的水平，自然覺得距離甚大；另一方面，這年紀的孩子缺乏生活經驗，每天要應付的只是大人替她安排甚至是引導下要完成的事，用不着花太多心思去設想未來，心態主宰了她的思維，學習時便容易流露出懶洋洋的樣子。像這位媽媽，目光已瞄準小一，但小女孩並不知道面前將要面對的挑戰，又如何配合得上呢？不過，孩子的潛力需要以耐心發掘，只要找對方法，每個孩子都能進步。
例如修正專注力問題，學前兒童的專注力頂多只能維持15分鐘左右，上了小學，每課35至40分鐘，老師總會準備兩三項不同的項目，如講書、問答、做練習，以不同的活動變化去吸引孩子的注意力。家長只要理解原理，在家中安排孩子學習時，就可針對這小女孩的個人特點設計，把時段分得短一點，讓她慢慢適應。

家中闢寧靜讀書角
另要注意的是學習環境，在家往往給人一種寬鬆的感覺，所以媽媽可以像上學一樣，把時間分成一段段的短節課，安排不同的作業，在兩節之間，給她適當的小息；即使她沒有固定書桌，也應該在固定時間，把餐桌和坐位清理好，在這段時間餐桌位置就是孩子的讀書角。而這段學習時間內，應盡量保持寧靜，這對孩子集中注意學習非常重要。
當然，應把功課項目安排好一點，例如先做一份抄寫，小息後再來一份輕鬆的，接着來一份需要動腦筋的。家長只做引導和啟發的角色，當孩子完成指定項目，可及時給予獎勵，讓孩子樹立目標。孩子習慣了這個模式，省下來的時間又可做些自己喜歡的活動，自然能夠自動自覺地學習。

資料提供﹕協康會教育心理學家姜源貞