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News and updates to http://brains.org and Kathie Nunley's
Layered Curriculum(R) Site for Educators: http://help4teachers.com

~~The NO-MEMBERSHIP-REQUIRED website which blends current
psychology research with education.

You can subscribe to this newsletter at: http://help4teachers.com/newsletter.htm
Unsubscribe & EMAIL CHANGE information link at the bottom of this newsletter
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SECTION ONE: Teaching Tips -
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Teacher Tip # 1: For students who struggle sequencing events and
remembering details of a story, have them jot a couple of facts down
on a sticky note after every few pages and stick it in the book. After
completing, just organize and sequence their sticky notes.
Beth Moser, The St. Michael School, St. Louis, MO.

Teacher Tip # 2: I keep crackers and cups in my room. Any kid can
get a drink from my sink or get a snack as necessary. No name,
workshop participant, Chicago, IL.

Teacher Tip # 3: Keep a blue or green acetate on your overhead at
all times. The color is more pleasing and can help a lot of students
with visual problems. It's easier on the eyes! Never let the white
light show up on the screen. John Talbert, Park Tudor School, IN.

Send your favorite teaching tip to me at Kathie@brains.org
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SECTION TWO: Hot Topics
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HOT TOPIC # 1: Semantic memory failure is of particular interest to both
educators and persons who work with Alzheimer's patients. New research
is showing us the complexity of semantic memory problems. If a student
"can't remember" something, it is due to either a problem with storage of
long term information, or just a problem in the process of accessing it.
We're now seeing that the processing problems may be bigger contributors
to memory problems than storage issues are. Actual loss of knowledge is
associated with trouble in the left temporal lobe. The inability to retrieve or
process the information appropriately is associated with frontal lobe problems.
Persons with Alzheimer's apparently lose some of their ability to make rule-base
judgements which can cause retrieval processing problems.
Azar, B. (2007). Monitor on Psychology, Vol. 38(5), 16-17

HOT TOPIC # 2: One of the biggest reasons many heroin addicts drop out of
treatment is the side effects of the methadone treatment that's traditionally been
used in treatment centers. The National Institute on Drug Abuse announced
promising results in early trials of a new drug called buprenorphine. The drug
has much milder side effects and patients are more likely to complete treatment.
Munsey, C. (2007). Monitor on Psychology, Vol. 38(5), 14.

HOT TOPIC # 3: Working memory and working memory problems are a hot
topic in education. "Working Memory" is a temporary, limited capacity system
which balances items retrieved from long term memory along with processing
events. In other words, you are holding some items for the purpose of doing
something with them. Cognitive load is then divided between the need to hold the
information and circuits required for the processing. The more difficult the
processing, the less resource is available for the holding of information. So
problems for students can stem from too much time and circuitry needs for
processing which leads to a loss of the information stored or interference which
disrupts the processing. The more similar the interference is to the items
being stored, the less likely the children will later retrieve the results correctly.
Barrouillet, P. et al, (1007). Jour. of Experimental Psych: Learning, Memory and
Cognition, Vol 33(3), 570-585.

More Hot Topics at the websites!

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SECTION THREE: Website updates
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******** NEW Layered Curriculum® UNITS
Here's what our colleagues around the globe have sent us this week:

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"Hi Kathie, I read your book (for secondary) and tried it out. For my first time
through it worked great. Unit plan is attached. Thought of some other
assignments on the spot for certain students. Wish I did it at the beginning
of the semester. I changed your CBA layers to "Researcher", "Creator" and
"Connector" layers."
Results:
- Increased student engagement
- Increased student directed learning (choice, perceived choice)
- Increased time on task
- Increased teacher/student; student/student discussion

- Barbara Bout, Business Teacher, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

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Kathie - "I used some examples from the website and adjusted it to the Novel.
I thought some other teachers might find this useful.
- Vanessa Amyotte, St Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School, French Teacher

You can view Barbara and Vaness's units and VIEW ALL THE SAMPLE UNITS AT:
http://help4teachers.com/samples.htm

********************************************************************************
********** The Help4Teachers Bookstore & The BRAINS.ORG SHOP: ************

NEW BOOKSTORE DISCOUNT FOR NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS!

The bookstore now offers $3.00 off most Brains.org Shop books for newsletter
subscribers. Look for the code NLSD (newsletter subscriber discount) after a
book's price. Mention in the "special instructions" section of the shopping cart
that you're a subscriber and we'll take $3.00 off that book for you! Shop the store:
http://brains.org/store/index.htm

Or fax your School's Purchase Order to 208-979-0678.

If you are looking for the Layered Curriculum® text or workbook,
remember you can buy the set discounted at our bookstore:
http://help4teachers.com/books.htm
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SECTION FOUR: Kathie's Email
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Dr Ron Bonnstetter at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln is working on
some large scale testing and research with Layered Curriculum®.
He sent us this from his Layered Curriculum® online Email Forum:

I thought you all would enjoy this little bit of data! We just got all
of our terra nova/ITBS test scores back. My kids, using only Layered
this year, versus the same kids last year who were taught STRICTLY by
traditional methods improved 4.5%! Now, I don't put a lot of stock in
standardized test scores, but this is the first time in my four years
at Seward that they've shown improvement! Hot dog and happy Friday!

--Kendra Matkins, 8th grade, Seward Middle School, Seward Nebraska

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SECTION FIVE: Workshops/calendar schedule/misc
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I hope everyone enjoyed their Mother's Day weekend and that you were able to
make some mother's day a little brighter.

For many of us, mid-May signals the home stretch for the school year. For
others, we still have over a month remaining. (here in New Hampshire, our
last day is June 21 this year). If you are one of those that are closing down
your classroom before this month is over, may I wish you a pleasant summer
vacation.

I want to also thank the teachers in Perrysburg, Ohio for a great day last
week. I'll be anxious to hear from more of you as you develop some units.
Also thank you to the teachers from the Independent Association of
the Central States. We had a terrific Layered Curriculum® session in
downtown Chicago last Wednesday. Next week I'll head to Tennessee to
help finish the year out with teachers in Kingsport.

Currently there are workshops open to outside participants in San Antonio in
June, Paramus, NJ (near NYC) and San Juan Capistrano, CA and
Miles City, MT in August: Midland, MI and Macomb, IL in September, Toronto in
October, Indianapolis in November, and Polson, MT in December.
As workshops are confirmed, you will find contact and registration information
for open workshops at my calendar: http://help4teachers.com/calendar.htm

As always, my best to you and yours,

Kathie
=================================================
Workshop information is available at the website
http://help4teachers.com/workshops.htm
or
call: 603-249-9521
email: kathie@brains.org
Brains.org and Help4Teachers is located at:
54 Ponemah Road
Amherst, NH 03031

Layered Curriculum® is a trademark developed by and registered
to Dr. Kathie F Nunley. Usage information available at:
http://help4teachers.com/usage.htm
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---

Dr Kathie F Nunley

Layered Curriculum(R) . . . because every child deserves a special education (tm)
Brains.org & Help4Teachers.com
54 Ponemah Rd
Amherst NH 03031
PH 603.249.9521
FX 208.979.0678