Specific Teaching Methods - Reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Specific Teaching Methods - Reading - Essay Example Partner reading may involve utilizing one peer of a higher ability grouping than another. However, the students can be of the same reading level and still obtain great benefit to this reading strategy. The quality of the feedback given through partner reading provides the students with the opportunity to improve the quality of their reading. Not only do students get the chance to practice reading aloud, they also get the added benefit of listening to the reading of another individual. Therefore, if the partner is of a higher ability then the less fluent reader would have a model from which to follow. The student with less ability then can critique the higher ability student and state where improvement is needed based on a given fluent reading criteria. A third strategy to build reading fluency in students is sustained silent reading (SSR). Sustained silent reading (SSR) refers to the reading of material for an uninterrupted period of time without reading aloud. Thus, one is required to read in one’s mind. The teacher may establish a specific time during the school day for all students and teacher to participate in this activity. Researchers have concluded that SSR with guidance and feedback assists students in reading fluently and consequently in their comprehension skills. SSR allows the student to obtain practice in reading material that is appropriate for the student’s reading level thereby improving the confidence and desire for the student to read. Another strategy that boosts students’ confidence is the reader’s theatre. For the reader’s theatre understanding of the text rather than simply recall of the words is important. Advocates of this strategy assert that students should be given a copy of the text. The teacher should read the text aloud then allow students to read the material several times through echo reading or choral reading. Finally, the teacher

Obesity in Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Obesity in Children - Essay Example An increase in body mass index (BMI) and percentage ideal body weight are good predictors of morbidity, some researchers suggest that visceral obesity represents a variant that is more closely related to excess morbidity. Daniels states that obesity-problems and diseases "once thought applicable only to adults are now being seen in children and with increasing frequency. Examples include high blood pressure, early symptoms of hardening of the arteries, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary disorder, and disordered breathing during sleep" (Daniels 2006, 47). Following Wadden and Stunkard (9) blood volume is increased in obesity in proportion to the increased body mass. Because blood volume increases with obesity proportionally more than does cardiac output, even simple obesity is a volume expanded state. Even in simple obesity, cardiac stroke volume and pulse rate are increased in line with the hypervolaemic conditions mentioned above. Obese patients with co-morbidities have cardiac dilation and hypertrophy demonstrable by echocardiography (Hills 82). ECG diagnosis of hypertrophy is more problematic because of the effect of thickening of the chest wall. Some studies suggest left ventricular mass index is proportional to BMI, others that it is more closely related to percentage of body weight over ideal weight. However, as the strain on the heart persists both impaired systolic function and diastolic function typically develop (Glanz and Sallis 2006). Obesity can impact on lung function, with excess central fat deposition producing a restrictive pulmonary abnormality and increased work of breathing. As a result, respiratory complaints are common in subjects with obesity and conditions such as asthma are often overdiagnosed in obese patients. Obesity is also linked to breathing disorders during sleep, such as sleep apnoea and nocturnal hypoventilation (Wadden and Stunkard 92). Fast food, unhealthy behavior patterns and lack of physical activity lead to increased obesity in children. As the most important, "the industry markets heavily to children with the goal of fostering a fast-food habit that will persist into adulthood" (Murphy, 2000). As with adults, it is critical that children who are overweight or obese at minimum achieve the recommendations of physical activity for health for their age. Two consensus conferences held during the last decade have addressed the activity needs of young people. Achieving standard recommendations has been even more difficult with children than with adults (Hulls 43). The main problem is that children can show deterioration in their health due to low activity levels, because there has been insufficient time, and therefore there are no strong epidemiological endpoints on which to establish relationships (Daniels 2006). As well as reinforcing physical activity behaviors, reducing access to sedentary life style can increase activity levels in obese children. There is a close link between sedentary living (such as the amount of time spent watching television) and obesity, than physically active pursuits and obesity (Karen et al 2005). Helping children make permanent, healthy changes to their eating