Video Analysis: Amazing Discoveries By Nicole Santana

The first video, aptly named "Amazing Discoveries," discusses the complexities of memory formation in the human brain, and how it can be difficult for us to remember certain factors or situations regardless of how important they may be. It highlights that while certain types of memories, such as procedural, emotional, and spatial memories, are often strong and reliable, memories related to school-based learning may not be as well encoded. For example, a child may remember what video game they played with their friends before going to bed, but may not remember the chemical formula for Benzene. The speaker says factors such as misattribution, misattention, suggestion, erosion, and limited attentional capacity can impact the memorization and understanding
Of the benefits she lists, one of the most notable is the increased interaction and integration of these students, both in the classroom and on the playground, which has created a sense of pride and inclusivity among all students. Mrs. Santana says that the students feel pride in who they are and have stopped treating each other negatively based on their attributes. She also notes the academic growth she has observed in specialized students who are now accessing the general education core curriculum, pushing the students harder than usual, which has thus far led to significant academic progress. Overall, Santana's experience demonstrates the benefits of inclusive education for all students involved. According to the textbook, "The environment that is most appropriate for pupils with learning disabilities is the setting that is most enabling. Placement decisions must be individually determined based on the unique learning needs and characteristics of each student." (pg. 214).
Santana adapts her lessons to the student's style. For students with visual processing disabilities, she implements strategies to help them transfer information from the board to their notebooks more effectively, such as using tools to keep their papers upright. For the students Mrs. Santana helps that have spatial awareness issues, she says the students may benefit from having a hula hoop around their chair to help them focus on the space in front of them. For students with ADHD or other health impairments, Santana uses rubber bands around their feet or chairs to provide movement and help them focus and concentrate. Section 7.3. "The goal of cognitive training, considered by some authorities to be a form of cognitive behavior modification, is not only to modify the pupil’s behavior but also to increase the learner’s awareness of the behavior and the thinking process associated with it. . . Cognitive training has proven to be a beneficial strategy for remediating a wide variety of academic difficulties typically encountered by individuals with learning disabilities..." 216). The adage is a