InsideInfo September 2011 THE RESILIENCE ISSUE Resilience is an attribute everyone needs in order to cope with the ups and downs of life. How to imbue our children with appropriate coping skills, and the ability to “bounce back”, is a concern for every parent. In this issue of Inside Info, our featured resources provide some pathways for thinking about helping your child develop resilience. RIDBC psychologist, Paul Kallaras, also gives us some thoughts on this issue. We feature a braille reading kit by Trica d’Apice, a new ipod/ipad app for children by Ronnie Lam, and find out about another RIDBC person’s favourite book. Library membership is free for parents of children in RIDBC programs, so contact us to take advantage of the only library in Australia dedicated to education and research in the field of sensory impairment. Julie, marijana and Jason We asked Mike Steer, Senior Lecturer in Vision Impairment WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK Evelyn Waugh’s third novel ‘Black Mischief’ (1932). The novel chronicles the efforts of the English-educated Emperor Seth, assisted by a fellow Oxford graduate, Basil Seal, to modernise his Empire, the fictional African island of Azania, located in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. This has been understood as a reference to Abyssinia and Haile Selassie, though Waugh denied the connection. It’s now considered a controversial book. However, it’s a masterpiece of satire, very funny and a marvellous read. Waugh wrote several of his later novels at a hotel in Devonshire, across the road from my aunt’s house, where we’d stay on summer holidays. I was too young at the time to have been aware of him but must certainly have seen him as a boy. RESILIENCE BOOK REVIEW The Resilience Doughnut : The Secret of Strong Kids by Lyn Worsley 155.41824 WORS http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2998445~S7 Building Resilience with the ‘Resilience Doughnut’. The journey of growing up is full of ups and downs. Physiological, psychological, socio-emotional, and cognitive changes can all contribute to stress. Adding to these internal stressors are the many external challenges and adversities which inevitably occur. Research has shown that children who are Deaf or hearing impaired are more likely to encounter external stressors which affect mental health and well-being. How well an individual can negotiate life’s difficult times is largely determined by the individual’s resilience. Years of research have gone into understanding what makes people resilient. Clinical psychologist Lyn Worsley has brought this research together to create a simple, yet effective model for building resilience in young people – ‘The Resilience Doughnut’. The Resilience Doughnut is a strengths-based model, and is built upon the underlying principle of “if something is not working, do something different. If something is working, do it again.” The Resilience Doughnut is comprised of three internal factors; I have, I am, and I can, which form statements such as: “I have people who help me when I’m sick”; “I am a person people can like and love”; “I can find ways to solve problems that I face”. Often, many of us have internal factors which state: “I haven’t, I’m not, and I can’t.” Further to the three internal factors in the Resilience Doughnut, are seven external factors which feed information back to the internal factors. The seven factors are: the Parent factor, the Skill factor, The Family/Identity factor, the Education factor, the Peer factor, the Community factor, and the Money factor. The role of the ‘Doughnut’ is to assist individuals to identify their three strongest external factors. Once identifying these strengths, individuals are encouraged to find ways in which to make the three factors interact, such as by participating in an activity which utilises each of these factors. An example, of this may be described by looking at Eddie. Eddie’s three strongest external factors have been identified as the Peer factor, Skill factor, and Money factor. Eddie has a close group of friends who he has grown up with. He has been learning to play the guitar for 6 years and it is his favourite thing to do in his free time. He has recently learnt how to play a new song and he is quite excited. Eddie is also really good at saving money. He has been saving his pocket money from his weekend paper-run for the past 18 months to buy a really nice electric guitar, which he will be buying on the weekend. At next week’s school assembly, Eddie has been invited by his music teacher to play his new song. Eddie is particularly excited as he will be playing in front of all of his friends and will be using his new guitar. This situation will be utilising Eddie’s three strongest factors, and is what Lyn Worsley has termed as a ‘doughnut moment’. Identifying and combining three factors into an activity is critical to the model, as theoretically and practically there is a greater chance of enhancing optimism within the internal factors, leading to increased resilience. The Resilience Doughnut is applicable with any age group within virtually any setting or context. If you would like to know more about the Resilience Doughnut please see Lyn Worsley’s book, “The Resilience Doughnut: The Secret of Strong Kids” or visit: www.theresiliencedoughnut.com.au. Paul Kallaras, Psychologist, MAPS BOOKS ON RESILIENCE Resilience by Anne Deveson 155.24 DEVE http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2094900~S16 Resilience in deaf children : adaptation through emerging adulthood edited by Debra H. Zand and Katherine J. Pierce 362.42 ZAND http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2997238~S7 Resilience in the classroom : helping students with special needs by Lisa Medoff 371.9043 MEDO http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2995686~S7 Black deaf students : a model for educational success by Carolyn E. Williamson 371.912 WILL http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2388252~S7 Children's resilience : working with the early years learning framework by Pam Linke and Judy Radich 372.210994 LINK http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2975829~S7 Helping children with complex needs bounce back : resilient therapy for parents and professionals by Kim Aumann and Angie Hart 618.928917 AUMA http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2449591~S7 DVDs An introduction to the Resilience Doughnut [videorecording]/ presented by Lyn Worsley DVD 155.41824 WORS http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2998448~S7 Building resilience [videorecording] : VEA lifeskills 3 DVD 155.24 BUIL http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2999249~S7 Developing resilience [videorecording] : Peter Quarry interviews Esther Orioli DVD 155.24 DEVE http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2999252~S7 Standing tall [videorecording] : stories of resilience DVD 155.51824 STAN http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2999248~S7 WEBSITES http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/emotional_foundations_for_learning/resilience/about_resilience.html http://www.theresiliencedoughnut.com.au includes an online game http://www.learninglinks.org.au/pdf/infosheets/LLIS%2023_Resilient%20Children.pdf http://www.assnvic.org.au/storage/attachments/Resilience.pdf Building Resilience for the HSC with Emily Scanlan http://www.hsccoach.com.au/node/29 Resilience (coping skills) http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=122&id=1739 Fact sheet from the Parenting and Child Health website, SA. NEW BOOKS And baby makes three : the six-step for preserving marital intimacy and rekindling romance after baby arrives John M. Gottman and Julie Schwarz Gottman 646.78 GOTT http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2995638~S16 Being with babies : understanding and responding to the infants in your care Beverly Kovach, Denise Da Ros-Voseles Q649.122 KOVA http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2421936~S7 Books that teach kids to write Marianne C. Saccardi Q028.5 SACC http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2997418~S16 Caring for your baby and young child : birth to age 5 editor-in-chief, Steven P. Shelov ... [et al.] 649.12 SHEL http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2798926~S7 Children’s grief : a guide for parents Pam Heaney 155.937083 HEAN http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2795927~S7 Hearing, feeling, playing : music and movement with hard-of-hearing and deaf children edited by Shirley Salmon ; [foreword by Evelyn Glennie] 615.8916540872 SALM http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2995631~S16 Inside the teenage brain : parenting a work in progress Sheryl Feinstein; foreword by Eric Jensen 649.125 FEIN http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2832442~S7 Keeping your smile : caring for children with joy, love, and intention Jeff A. Johnson 158.72 JOHN http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2995634~S16 Music for special kids : musical activities, songs, instruments and resources Pamela Ott 780.833 OTT http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2997210~S16 Parenting a child who has intense emotions : dialectical behavior therapy skills to help your child regulate emotional outbursts & aggressive behaviors Pat Harvey, Jeanine A. Penzo 649.154 HARV http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2997379~S7 Story solutions : using tales to build character and teach bully prevention, drug prevention, and conflict resolution Kevin Strauss Q372.67 STRA http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2997447~S7 Storytelling : art and technique Ellin Greene and Janice M. Del Negro; foreword by Jack Zipes 372.677 GREE http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2837036~S7 Your babycare bible contributing editor Dr A. J. R. Waterston 649.122 WATE http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2995639~S16 KITS Cochlear implants [kit] : answers to your questions by Cochlear Ltd 617.882 COCH-6 http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b3008012~S16 Dangerous decibels [kit] : a teacher training program for use with the dangerous decibels teacher resource guide by Dangerous Decibels Q617.8 DANG http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b3008048~S16 NEW IN THE LIBRARY I do like it : braille reading program by Tricia d’Apice KIT 411.07 DAPI http://library.newcastle.edu.au/record=b2999403~S16 reviewed by Fran Gentle The RIDBC Renwick library has recently acquired the UEB braille reading program titled “I do like it”, which has been produced by Tricia d’Apice of RIDBC Teleschool. The purpose of the program is to promote braille reading fluency in contracted (grade 2) braille through the literacy technique of repeated reading. The program consists of a CD containing seven stories, six supplemental readers, and a training manual. The stories and readers can be produced in braille, large print and regular print formats, with the option to modify the stories for individual learners. I wish to commend “I do like it” as a valuable resource for teaching braille to teenagers, adults, and “reluctant” readers, as well as children starting in their first year of schooling. The program is available for loan from the Renwick library, or you may purchase your own copy from Tricia d’Apice, email triciadapice@gmail.com. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE VI FAMILY NETWORK? The VI Family Network is a website which has been set up to host the Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register. You can find it at: www.vifamilynetwork.org.au. The website gives families the facility to join the Register online. It also gives registered families access to an online forum where they can meet other families, chat, exchange ideas and support one another. The VI Family Network is hosted by RIDBC and is supported by Guide Dogs, Vision Australia, Cando4kids, the Senses Foundation and other low vision groups. The website has access to information on each support group and advertises upcoming low vision events across Australia. It also has a large repository of resources that families are finding very useful. Please take a moment to check it out: www.vifamilynetwork.org.au NEW ON THE WEB Disability Care and Support Productivity Inquiry Report July 2011 http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support/report Near Vision Test for Children (NVTC) http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/CUlowvision.shtml Unified English Braille Primer : Australian edition http://www.ebility.com/roundtable/downloads/aba/brailleprimer20080301.pdf Powerhouse Museum Cochlear Implant Timeline http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/hsc/cochlear/history.htm Accessible science activities for vision impaired students http://www.perkins.org/resources/curricular/accessible-science/activities/ My read: strategies for teaching reading in the middle years http://www.myread.org/index.htm Physical as anything This new website contains both medical and educational information on more than 50 medical, developmental and psychological conditions. There are videos, online resources and information to help parents, carers, teachers and healthcare professionals to support students. http://www.physicalasanything.com.au/general_info/index.htm RIDBC IPHONE AND IPAD APP: OLD MACDONALD Created by Listening and Spoken Language Specialists in conjunction with Early Childhood Teachers, Old MacDonald is a highly interactive learning experience. The app is full of wonderful educational ideas, interactive games, and engaging sounds to encourage the development of listening and language skills in young children. Families of children who have reduced hearing or language problems will find the app particularly useful. Old MacDonald has been designed as a cooperative app for parents and children so they can participate in a variety of shared activities together. Children and parents will be delighted with the beautiful animations, playful dialogue, and fun animal noises. Ideas The app includes strategies, techniques and instructional videos on how to best use Old MacDonald to develop listening and language skills. This is achieved through interactive play, ideas for craft activities, and ideas on how to sing the nursery rhyme song in different ways. This information is organised according to your child’s language level – whether their language is emerging, they are putting words together or they are putting sentences together. Games The app provides a variety of fun, fully animated games. With help from mum or dad, your child can choose to play a game that consolidates and extends their current listening and language abilities, including an introduction to farm animals and the sound they make game, a ‘Guess Who’ game, a record your own sounds game, and a Help Old MacDonald game. Music The Music section teaches your child the lyrics to Old MacDonald and related songs. A karaoke style sing-a-long to Old MacDonald involves your child in singing and helps them to develop their speech and language skills. The great news is the app is available at only 99c! For further information, and a link to download the app visit: http://www.ridbc.org.au/resources/app_old_macdonald.asp QUOTES "The block of granite which is an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong." -- Thomas Carlyle. "We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough." -- Helen Keller “All the darkness in the world can't extinguish the light from a single candle.” --St. Augustine