Fall 2015 Reflexions – Page 5

Public Opinion Needed On 10 Year Education Plan

The provincial government is calling for public input into the development of a 10 year education plan for the province. NB scored a D on its first How Canada Performs: Education and Skills report card. In 2014, the conference Board of Canada scored the province 22nd out of 26 jurisdictions; jurisdictions that include the other provinces and top scoring countries. New Brunswick received an A grade on high school attainment and equality outcomes but scored very low in the areas of Math, Reading & Science, receiving a D grade in those areas. The NB government is asking the public to join in the conversation about education. The Government hopes that this will help them find a solution that benefits both distinct education systems here in NB (Anglophone and Francophone systems). “Two distinct education systems means we need a plan that respects the diverse needs of both cultures while contributing to a stronger New Brunswick for our children and our communities.” said Karen Power, co-chair responsible for the development of a 10 year provincial education plan. “We need to develop a plan that truly invests in students by equipping them with the skills they need for lifelong learning and success in the workforce.” said Gino Leblanc, co-chair responsible for the development of a 10-year provincial education plan. The government will be hosting a series of open houses across the province until November 5th 2015. The public is invited to take part in these open houses also the public is invited to take part online or by mail. The deadline for submissions is November 15th, 2015.
For more information on the open house dates please follow this link:
http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/education/news/news_release.2015.09.0922.html

A Focus on Ability : Dyslexia

What a better time than Learning Disabilities Awareness Month to introduce a new feature to our Newsletter? In each of the next four editions of Reflexions, you will find this new feature ‘A Focus on Ability’, which will be looking at one Specific Learning Disability (SLD), such as Dyslexia and giving an overview of the definition and common signs of that SLD, but more importantly, the skills and abilities of persons with that type of Learning Disability.
What is Dyslexia? With an estimated 80% of persons with learning disabilities having difficulty in this area, it is the most common form of learning disability. It is a language-based disability in which a person has trouble processing or under-standing words, sentences, or paragraphs. They may struggle with pronunciation, decoding or comprehension. Dyslexia is typically misunderstood as the condition where letters appear backwards and misshapen, however reading disabilities are much more than that. Dyslexia has been linked to issues with phonological awareness. This means people with Dyslexia will experience issues with decoding words and letter order. Dyslexia is not an issue with sight or hearing and as with all Learning Disabilities, it effects people of normal or above-average intelligence. A person with dyslexia can thrive in other areas of life. It has shown that people with dyslexia are notably talented in the area of creative thinking. A person’s learning disability does not define them.

A person with Dyslexia most often excels in:
arts and music
3-D visual perception
athletics
mechanical ability

 

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