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DOLPHIN CHILDREN OR ANGELS OF EARTH

Task 1. Read the text for detail.

Task 2. Make up an annotation of the text.

Extraordinary children are popping up everywhere – like a giant wave that is building momentum.

They've actually been around for quite some time, just like all the other special kids. However, the numbers of these gifted children are increasing worldwide and it is time for their presence to be known – hence, they are all getting a lot of attention now and that is exciting! They bring a new vision with the ability to implement it.

The presence of the Dolphin Children will not come as a surprise to some of you, just like it was no surprise to learn of all the other unique children. We can meet them here and there over the years.

The characteristics of Dolphin Children are interwoven with those of the Psychic Children, the Indigo's, the Star Kids – and vice versa. The most significant difference of Dolphin Children, though, is often their persistent smile and laughter, and their insatiable need to be near water especially the sea.

They have a strong sense of liberty and freedom of spirit. In fact, they will become despondent even severely ill – if they are forced into restrictive life-styles or forced to endure a home environment that is lacking in respect, sensitivity or encouragement.

When they are fortunate enough to be born into a family that honors their special gifts and talents, teach them with kindness, and discipline them with firm yet gentle guidance, they will grow up to be extraordinarily creative individuals.

Dolphin Children are highly sensitive, with empathic natures. They are usually born telepathic and will use and keep this skill if they are not discouraged or taught out of it. Since they are telepathic, Dolphin Children may experience delayed speech, non-speech or symptoms of autism, which can be overcome with appropriate therapies.

They are often found in the healing professions, especially the alternative healing arts. Their strong interest in the ocean and all its living creatures may lead them to pursue occupations like oceanography, sailing, or marine biology. They tend to have natural inclinations toward athletic pursuits – like swimming, scuba diving, water skiing, dancing or gymnastics. They will usually have a strong interest in the field of sound – like toning, singing, music as well as technologies that utilize sound – both audible and inaudible. New technologies that offer nonverbal communication, interaction with the subconscious mind, and dimensional travel will be attractive to many Dolphin Children.

They are lawyers and advocates for the welfare of animals, nature and the environment. They often show particular sensitivity and compassion for the disadvantaged ones: the disabled, the elderly, the weak, and the underdog.

They often have large, clear, beautiful eyes and a frequent smile. They are usually extra sensitive to sounds. Some may have slightly noticeable webbing between their fingers and toes. Some have even learned to move and expand their auric field at will, which can be felt as a calming energy by animals and sensitive people. They may also tend to have frequent out of body experiences at night during sleep and may have lucid dreams of being underwater as a dolphin or swimming with them.



In addition, many adults – even highly credible folk with doctorates in medicine, psychology, and science – secretly believe that they are dolphins incarnated into human bodies. And, of course, until there can be greater public acceptance of such occurrences, these special adults will likely keep their secret and only disclose such information to those who have an open heart and an open mind.

(P. Peterson. Dolphin Children or Angels of Earth/The stories and scholars of gifted education. – L., 2000. / paulapeterson.com> Dolphin_Children.html)

TEXT V

A PARENT'S VIEW OF A SPEECH IMPAIRMENT

Task 1. Read the text for detail.

Task 2. Make up an annotation of the text.

Gloria E. Enlow is the mother of two daughters, now ages 25 and 30. Divorced when the children were 5 and 10 years of age, Mrs. Enlow raised them on her own for five years, until her remarriage. The younger daughter, Samantha Reid, has cerebral palsy. Mrs. Enlow tells her family's story:

Communication is not something that I was thinking about as I held my baby daughter for the first time. As she looked at me with those big, bright brown eyes, though, I knew there was something different about her. She cried a lot, had trouble sucking and chewing, was quite stiff, and startled easily. As time went on and she was not able to sit unassisted or hold objects by herself, my anxiety heightened. Finally, at 18 months of age, she was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy. Samantha's condition is the result of lack of oxygen at birth, causing-brain damage, which, for her, means lack of muscle control, including the larynx and tongue. The latter translates into labored and, often, unintelligible speech.

Relieved to know just what the problem was, we launched into a regimen of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, which continued through high school. Even though Samantha had special problems, we always treated her as just another member of the family, and she fully participated in everything from sledding to religious ceremonies. She was beautiful, happy, well adjusted, and developed a positive self-image. Her own personal desire to be involved in as many normal activities as possible prompted me, her teachers, and school administrators to act as advocates to maximize her potential and tap that obvious intelligence, which was masked by her lack of spontaneous, articulate speech.

We were fortunate that stable and well-established special education programs were in place by the time Samantha was ready for first grade. Even so, I had to search constantly for the proper care, services, and equipment to help her. A major goal was to enhance her speaking capability. As a result, an administrator and speech therapist identified her first augmentative communication device. By age 10, she had learned to program and use the Autocom, which had a digital display, and printout capability. This aid made it easier for her to be integrated into her first regular academic class, a major accomplishment for all of us. Although Samantha liked and appreciated her special education classmates and teachers, she did not want to operate in an isolated environment.

As Samantha's integration increased, people realized that she had academic ability.

From reading this story, you may have the impression that Samantha's life and my life were ordered. But that is not the case. I have not discussed my sustained efforts to identify sources of support and necessary resources. I joined committees, councils, and advocacy groups to learn what options and programs were available and to take part in influencing their direction. For many years, I wrote Samantha's dictated answers to homework assignments, spent countless hours at the library, and was intimately involved in her progression of study to assure that she would meet college enrollment requirements. A full-time aide was authorized for high school only after many sessions with numerous levels of school officials. Samantha is considered to be a unique case because of her intelligence and accomplishments despite multiple disabilities. She is determined to earn her degree, live independently, and earn a living.

(D.D. Smith. Types of speech impairments. From introduction to special education. Teaching in Age of Challenge. – University of New Mexico, 1998.)

 

TEXT VI

A HEARING MOM OF A DEAF MIDDLE SCHOOLER TALKS ABOUT HER SON'S DEAFNESS

Task 1. Read the text for detail.

Task 2. Make up an annotation of the text.

 

Ann Park, Ian's mother, shares her story about how she discovered her son was deaf and how her family's life has changed since this discovery:

In February 1984, I learned that my 17-month-old son was deaf. He had been playing with the stereo controls and inadvertently turned them on. It was so loud that the windows rattled in their casements. Even though Ian was only inches away from the stereo speakers, he did not flinch, blink, startle, or cry. We knew at that moment he did not hear like he should, confirming what we had suspected for almost a year. A couple of weeks later our fears were confirmed. Ian was profoundly deaf!

At that moment, I knew what I could do. I would do everything I possibly could to give my son language and a means to communicate. As we left the audiology booth, I started signing, "Let us go down the hall. Then go home," my son watching my hand as we went.

It has become a family joke of sorts, the irony of life. I had wanted to be a teacher of the deaf since childhood. So every opportunity I could find, I learned or used the sign language I knew.

Ian went to a special preschool for deaf children. When he was 6 year old, he attended a class for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in our local public school. Since second grade, he has been fully mainstreamed. He has had a certified interpreter and been given preferential seating and his classrooms have been specially adapted with acoustical treatments and special carpeting. Ian has also had special equipment such as hearing aids and auditory trainers with an FM microphone worn by his teachers.

Ian has been raised to be independent, to know what his rights are-like having an interpreter. Regardless, the responsibility for communication rests on our shoulders. Ian's oral speech is often intelligible, especially when the content of the topic is known by those who are listening to him. He tries very hard to speak clearly and slowly for people. But the best of situations would be if others knew how to sign. In our home, we sign so that Ian is included in all of our family time together. We also get the benefit of reading the TV as well as hearing it by using closed captions. We have a flashing-light system attached to various lights throughout the house that flash in different sequences to tell us when the doorbell or phone is ringing.

It is my deepest hope that Ian will be a self-sufficient, contributing member of society. Ian is a positive example of what children who are deaf can attain, and I know he will always be a positive example for others. I want Ian to bridge the gap between the hearing and the deaf worlds.

The future for deaf and hard of hearing children is so much better than in the past. Children can remain in their homes, and they and their families can receive support services to help them. Early intervention services are now available as soon as the disability is diagnosed, and language development work can begin much sooner. This is important. The disability, and its effects, cannot be erased; but with knowledge, understanding, and the family, people with this disability can experience together.

(Regional and Nationa Summary Report of data from the 2002-2003 Annual Survey of Deaf and hard of hearing children and youth. – Washington DC: GRI Gallaudet University.)

TEXT VII


Date: 2015-12-11; view: 988


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