A recent study from Hong Kong has suggested that the language you speak (and wereraised to read) is linked to structural and functional brain differences.
In this study from Hong Kong Univeristy, English speakers with dyslexia were found to typically have functional abnormalities and less grey matter in posterior parts of the brain, where as Chinese speakers experiencing dyslexia were found to have functional and structural abnormalities in the left middle frontal region of the brain.
So, the same behavioral outcome may result from two very different biological basis. Or is it the demands of the language shape the brain differently for people who have the same cognitive profile? Either way, it's a case for UDL.
If you're interested: Dyslexia Differs by Language
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
UDL!
It's Final Project time, and a I was surfing around youtube, I stumbled across some other school's UDL finl projects!
This is an introduction to an American Civil War Unit. With a great, quick, introduction of what UDL is!
This one focuses on teaching Kindergarteners about math and fractions, with a great introduction on the goal of the lesson explicitly stated a the beginning:
A few more for your perusal:
This is an introduction to an American Civil War Unit. With a great, quick, introduction of what UDL is!
This one focuses on teaching Kindergarteners about math and fractions, with a great introduction on the goal of the lesson explicitly stated a the beginning:
A few more for your perusal:
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Last week's lecture on communication of affect through music made me think of Chinese poetry. Some types of classical Chinese poetry were inspired by music, or conversely inspired music. This being so, these forms of poetry were always read accompanied by music.
Chinese intonations make the language "lyrical" to the Western ear. However, I've also been told that they make the speaker sound angry, no matter what the true emotion is intended to be. So I figured I would test this out.
This is a clip of me reading Ye Si by Li Bai a famous Tang Dynasty poet. Can you tell the affect of this piece? Better yet, any guesses as to what it's about?
*Disclaimer: Be kind to my humble reading, I'm merely a CLL (Chinese Language Learner) ;-)*
Considering most of you probably don't speak Chinese, a quick reading of the test was probably not enough to tell you anything about the poem. So, let's try a little music and a *hint* of a visual:
Not quite enough? Let's put more music in there. And how about some dance?
Feel like you've got a better idea, but still not very confident? Why don't I show you the text!
床前明月光
疑是地上霜
舉頭望明月
低头思故鄉
李白的这首《夜思》
That didn't work for you? Well, that I guess I'll give you the English.
Here's what Altavista's bablefish had to say:
“In front of the bed the bright moonlight doubts is on the frost raises the head the bright moonlight to be low thinks the hometown”
Maybe a better translation is in order:
Night Thoughts by Li Bai
I wake and moonbeams play around my bed
Glittering like hoarfroast to my wondering eyes
Upwards the glorious moon I raise my head
Then lay me down and thoughts of home arise
Translation by: H.A. Giles
What in the world is "hoarfrost?" Let's try another translation:
I watch the bright moon
Lowering my head
I dream that I'm home.
Translated by: Arthur Cooper
How do you feel about your understanding now?
Chinese intonations make the language "lyrical" to the Western ear. However, I've also been told that they make the speaker sound angry, no matter what the true emotion is intended to be. So I figured I would test this out.
This is a clip of me reading Ye Si by Li Bai a famous Tang Dynasty poet. Can you tell the affect of this piece? Better yet, any guesses as to what it's about?
*Disclaimer: Be kind to my humble reading, I'm merely a CLL (Chinese Language Learner) ;-)*
Considering most of you probably don't speak Chinese, a quick reading of the test was probably not enough to tell you anything about the poem. So, let's try a little music and a *hint* of a visual:
Not quite enough? Let's put more music in there. And how about some dance?
Feel like you've got a better idea, but still not very confident? Why don't I show you the text!
床前明月光
疑是地上霜
舉頭望明月
低头思故鄉
李白的这首《夜思》
That didn't work for you? Well, that I guess I'll give you the English.
Here's what Altavista's bablefish had to say:
“In front of the bed the bright moonlight doubts is on the frost raises the head the bright moonlight to be low thinks the hometown”
Maybe a better translation is in order:
Night Thoughts by Li Bai
I wake and moonbeams play around my bed
Glittering like hoarfroast to my wondering eyes
Upwards the glorious moon I raise my head
Then lay me down and thoughts of home arise
Translation by: H.A. Giles
What in the world is "hoarfrost?" Let's try another translation:
Before my bed
There is bright-lit moonlight
So that it seems
Like frost on the ground:
I watch the bright moon
Lowering my head
I dream that I'm home.
Translated by: Arthur Cooper
How do you feel about your understanding now?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Dyslexia in Chinese
A couple weeks ago, the readings for class were about reading and text. It got me thinking about paper I recently read on the differences between Chinese and English Dyslexia.
It makes sense that in such different writing systems, that reading difficulties would have different origins. However, there seem to be more similarities than differences in Chinese and English dyslexia. They conclude that it can be caused by poor orthographic, semantic and phonological processing.
What I found really interesting: They also found that difficulties learning pinyin (the Chinese phonetic system taught to younger kids alongside characters) is more prominent than difficulties learning Chinese characters. It would be interesting to investigate if there's something inherently more difficult for people with dyslexia to understand a romanized-phonetic system of writing, or if it's simply that being taught Chinese characters alongside pinyin offers natural multiple representations of written language and actually help kids with phonetic difficulties.
Although, it is important to note that Dyslexia is not less of a problem in China. So, perhaps, Chinese characters help some kids who have phonetic deficits circumvent their difficulties learning written language, but it also may (perhaps) create difficulties for kids who have mild spacial or visual processing difficulties. It's a pretty good argument for UDL, eh?
If you're interested~
Dyslexia in Chinese: Clues from Cognitive Neuropsychology
It makes sense that in such different writing systems, that reading difficulties would have different origins. However, there seem to be more similarities than differences in Chinese and English dyslexia. They conclude that it can be caused by poor orthographic, semantic and phonological processing.
What I found really interesting: They also found that difficulties learning pinyin (the Chinese phonetic system taught to younger kids alongside characters) is more prominent than difficulties learning Chinese characters. It would be interesting to investigate if there's something inherently more difficult for people with dyslexia to understand a romanized-phonetic system of writing, or if it's simply that being taught Chinese characters alongside pinyin offers natural multiple representations of written language and actually help kids with phonetic difficulties.
Although, it is important to note that Dyslexia is not less of a problem in China. So, perhaps, Chinese characters help some kids who have phonetic deficits circumvent their difficulties learning written language, but it also may (perhaps) create difficulties for kids who have mild spacial or visual processing difficulties. It's a pretty good argument for UDL, eh?
If you're interested~
Dyslexia in Chinese: Clues from Cognitive Neuropsychology
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
UDL Blog
I'm trying to decide if I like this site or LiveJournal better for posting. So far, I'm thinking Livejournal is my best bet. But we'll have to see.
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