Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Mary Staggs
Committee Member
Carolyn Kent
Keywords
cooperative learning, empowerment, external locus of control, guidance counseling, learning disabilities, leadership, mainstreaming, middle schools, psychologist collaboration, self-concept, self-contained classrooms, severe learning disabilities, social skills, student-directed learning, student leadership, teacher-directed instruction
Abstract
This: practicum was designed to empower six severe learning disabled students In the district's self-contained program for the middle grades. These students exhibited a cluster of observable behaviors that reflected their poor self- concept, external locus of control, and poor social skills. These behaviors and attitudes were detrimental to their learning and success in school.
The writer restructured the self-contained class from a teacher-directed one to a student-directed one that provided dally leadership roles and changed the Instructional Bode from traditional to cooperative. The students were also provided direct instruction In social skills, learning, and learning disabilities, In collaboration with the guidance counselor and the psychologist.
Observations of the students and rating scales revealed that the six learning disabilities students exhibited growth in their social skills, locus of control, and self-concept in the self-contained class. The only student who successfully transferred these skills to the mainstreamed classes was also the only student who had behaviors that were common to a rejected subgroup with behavior disorders. The other students who had behaviors that were common to an Ignored subgroup. may need these cognitive and social interventions with their "regular" peers to be effective.