INSTRUCTIONS NOT FOLLOWED: Reader Response #3: Intro to Contemporary Special Education, Ch. 5

Section 6.4

p.145- As a music therapist one of my passions is using music as a learning strategy or to help reinforce strategies. Organizational tools such as graphic organizers and mnemonic devices are cited in this section as traditional learning strategies, but I think it is also important to keep creative learning strategies in mind. For example, a mnemonic device may be very helpful to remember specific information, but it may be hard for a student to remember what the mnemonic actually stands for. Using a song or rhyme can help accesses different parts of the brain where information is stored, then giving students an even better chance of being able to retrieve the information when needed.

Section 6.5

p. 146- I thought this section was an interesting crossover with the Hehir book. Both discuss the repercussions of movie and media coverage of disabilities. The Hehir book takes a stronger stance on the negative impact of movies and media, whereas the textbook merely cautions us against making conclusions based on movies and media. In my opinion, the impact of movies and media also depend on the viewer. People of different cultural or economic backgrounds may draw different conclusions from the same movie based on background knowledge, education, and experience. So we cannot necessarily deem the movies and media responsible for manipulating public opinion on disabilities, the responsibility also lies with the community to educate its member about disabilities