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6 Weeks Comprehensive Training Plan
6 Weeks Comprehensive Training Plan
Client X is an amateur long-distance runner that aspires to become a professional long-distance running athlete. Long-distance running involves running for distances that cover more than 2 miles, and it requires athletes to have strong mental strength and stamina. As long-distance running is largely an aerobic exercise, strength and conditioning coaches must develop training routines that build endurance, increase running speed, maintain lean muscle mass, and reduce the risk of injury. The key muscles used by long-distance runners include the hip flexors, the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. The exercises chosen to work these muscles should follow a periodization pattern that focuses on building strength while improving the quality of an athlete’s run.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Week
1 Warm-up exercise One hour of cross-training exercises 30 minutes tempo runs and one hill repeat rest 5 miles long runs with 5- minute intervals of easy pace running 5 miles easy pace running rest One-hour cross-training exercises.
2 Warm-up exercise One hour of cross-training exercises
6 miles long runs with 5- minute intervals of easy pace running rest 40 minutes of Tempo runs and two hill repeats One hour of cross-training exercises rest 6 miles easy pace running
3 Warm-up exercise One hour of cross-training exercises 7 miles easy pace running rest 50 minutes tempo runs and 3hill repeats 7 miles long runs with 20- minute intervals of easy pace running rest One hour of cross-training exercises
4 Warm-up exercise One hour of cross-training exercises 8 miles long runs with 15-minute intervals of easy pace running rest 8 miles easy running pace 60 minutes tempo runs and three hill repeats rest One hour of cross-training exercises
5 Warm-up exercise One hour of cross-training exercises 9 miles long runs with 20 minutes intervals of easy pace running rest 60 minutes tempo runs and three hill repeats 9 miles easy running pace rest One hour of cross-training exercises
6 Warm-up exercise One hour of cross-training exercises 5 miles easy pace running rest 5 miles long runs with 5-minute intervals of easy pace running One hour of cross-training exercises rest Thirty minutes tempo runs and one hill repeat.
Exercises
Tempo runs are sustained running efforts that help the body develop endurance to sustain long runs over longer periods. Incorporating tempo runs into the training plan will help build the athlete’s anaerobic threshold. Hill repeats involve running on hills that are about 300 meters long. Hill repeats help build an anaerobic threshold. Long runs and easy-paced runs are important in building the athlete’s endurance. The athlete should perform both the long runs and the easy-paced runs at a comfortable and convenient pace. Cross-training exercises utilize multiple training exercises to help the athlete build specific fitness components (Foster et al., 1995). Since the athlete, in this case, is a long-distance runner, the training exercises that are incorporated into this plan include ellipticals to build endurance, cycling to develop the major leg muscles, and swimming to build lean body muscles and increase endurance. Cross-training exercises are important to long-distance runners as they help the athletes build stability, increase their motivation levels, and increase their power and flexibility (Krause, 2009). The variations in exercises and the difference in the stressors trick the brain and the muscles into developing and strengthening in ways that optimize performance and improve overall health and form. The warm-up exercises incorporated into this training plan include the squat to overhead press, lunges, body planks, hip twists, and leg balances. The athlete should perform alternating sets of 3 repetitions of these warm-up exercises with a two-minute break between each set. These warm-up exercises incorporate components of stretching and joint movement, and flexibility. They help improve a wide range of hip motion movements, and they target all the large leg muscles such as the glutes, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Performing these warm-up exercises is crucial in reducing incidences of injury (Jakobsen et al., 1994).
Overall, this training plan will be effective for the athlete as it helps increase their cardiovascular fitness. Based on the training table, it is apparent that the duration the athlete performs these exercises is increased over time. Increased duration will help improve cardiovascular fitness and gradually acclimatize the athlete’s body to increased efforts and millage. Also, performing the warm-up exercises and training exercises listed will allow the athlete to build core control, improve their balance and gain good form and execution. The peak of the training plan is between weeks 3 to 5. During these weeks, the training intensity is at its highest as it helps the athlete improve the quality of their runs and increase endurance levels. In the last week, the intensity of the exercises performed is drastically reduced to give the body time to recover. Body recovery methods such as massages should be incorporated in this phase. These body recovery methods are crucial in reducing muscle damage and soreness. In the future, the athlete’s training plan will include exercises that focus on overall body strength and help improve the athlete’s weaknesses.
References
Foster, C., Hector, L. L., Welsh, R., Schrager, M., Green, M. A., & Snyder, A. C. (1995). Effects of specific versus cross-training on running performance. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology, 70(4), 367-372.
Jakobsen, B. W., Kroner, K., Schmidt, S. A., & Kjeldsen, A. (1994). Prevention of injuries in long-distance runners. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 2(4), 245-249.
Krause, P. (2009). The benefits of cross-training. AMAA Journal, 22(2), 9-11.
Improving the Reading and Comprehension for Kindergarten Pupils with Autism and Impaired Speech Disability Using Story Struct
Improving the Reading and Comprehension for Kindergarten Pupils with Autism and Impaired Speech Disability Using Story Structure Maps
Name
Institution
Date
Introduction
For years, many schools in America, especially Kindergarten and high schools, have improved their learning facilitation through story structure maps. Story structure maps are visual strategies used as graphic organizers in nearly all learning institutions to facilitate students’ better reading and understanding of concepts, especially those with disabilities (Gardill & Jitendra, 1999). Students have profited from this strategy and improved their grades and overall performance at school. Students with disabilities, particularly autistic students and those with impaired speech, have benefited immensely from the story structure maps (Grunke et al., 2013). Studies show that children with autism spectrum disorder have above average or average intelligence. It means that they grasp knowledge faster and have better information processing than their peers who are not on the spectrum. However, Students with autism struggle to maintain focus and grasp content beyond their interest range. Most children with autism have sensory issues that hinder their concentration while performing tasks or during lessons. Stimulants that barely register in the brain of individuals who are not in the spectrum distract them easily. Examples of these stimulants include but are not limited to sounds, clothing textures, classroom physical sensation and bright lights. Noisy and smelly environments complicate learning for autistic children because it overwhelms and puts too much pressure on them.
To understand how story structure maps and character event maps, it is essential to understand the meaning of reading comprehension. Reading comprehension refers to the extraction of sense from reading or context. It is the ability to construct and extract text from the information presented in written form (Babyak et al., 2000). It includes but is not limited to the ability to flow with passage organization, know the meaning of words, identify literary devices, and extract main concepts from a passage and reference it. Reading comprehension is the most vital part of learning in various institutions (Drill & Bellini, 2022). Instructors strive to help students achieve the lowest level of reading proficiency to crack and complete tasks ahead of them successfully. They develop techniques and adopt various strategies to help students understand concepts and achieve their academic and social goals. Story structure maps
Teachers use reciprocal teaching, an instructional activity to help students synthesize information and make appropriate references to a passage. They actively engage students in conversations and dialogues regarding different passage sections to extract knowledge and construct meaning (Taylor et al., 2002). Graphic organizers are also a technique instructors adopt to help children with autism and impaired speech create meaning from passages. This study tool enables children to reduce semantic information levels needed to process a text and eventually find meaning and understanding.
Statement of the problem
The purpose of the study was to establish how story structure maps and character event maps improve reading comprehension for kindergarten students with speech impairment and an autism spectrum disorder. This research attempted to provide information relevant to kindergarten learning institutions with students with impaired speech and ASD disabilities. The study tried to give instructors at the kindergarten level inferences through data collected on improving their students’ performance using visual representations, particularly the story structure maps. It would be an eye-opener for public school administration in the sense that they learn to appreciate and embrace curriculum changes quickly and positively. This study also focused on the significance of paying attention to students with disabilities in learning institutions. It attempts to broaden the information base of parents with children suffering from ASD and speech impairment and prompt them to evaluate schools, their knowledge administration, students’ wellbeing policies and their performance as well. It is vital to comprehend that instructional activities and an instructor’s enthusiasm and assertiveness influence the performance of autistic and speech impaired disabilities.
Rationale
The current research analysis shows that reading comprehension for ASD and speech impaired students requires complex skill sets in its practice and delivery (Davis, 1994). Although there are similarities in symptoms, academic and social struggles students with ASD and impaired speech suffer from, teachers must treat each individual uniquely and differently. They ought to attend to them individually and comprehend their personality, willingness to learn, and improvement levels to determine how to help them develop and grow their minds healthily (Boulineau et al., 2004). Individual differences make it a sensitive cognitive process requiring instructors to be wholly involved in the practice, dedicate, sacrifice, and be patient with such students. Story maps are the most used graphic organizers in learning institutions because they are easy to implement compared to other forms. Moreover, they give children with ASD and those with impaired speech a clearer perspective of concepts in a text, maximizing their potential to derive meaning, digest and make references where necessary.
Disabilities like ASD and speech impairment slow down students’ ability to concentrate in class, understand concepts and retain them in their memories for future reference. Teachers in different learning institutions, especially those specializing in children with disabilities, don’t grasp the intensity and the need for graphic organizers. This characteristic of such students shows the significance of visual organizers, particularly the story structure maps, in facilitating learning (Narkon et al., 2013). Visual support makes learning interesting for ASD and speech-impaired students. It involves minimal reading and allows them to participate and engage in practical activities with their peers without fear. Arranging topis and concepts’ pertinent aspects into patterns using labels enables such children to visualize and understand abstract contents, identify cause and effect, categorize relevant and irrelevant information and think logically given different circumstances.
Research questions
The following question guided this research paper:
Will the use of Story structure maps/character event maps increase comprehension in Reading for a Kindergarten student with autism?
Literature Review
Learning institutions specializing in tutoring children or students with disabilities understand the importance of educating and enlightening students with disabilities. This aspect explains why they go the extra mile to incorporate visuals and graphic organizers to help them understand and be on the same level as other students (Stone et al., 2008). Autistic children and those with speech impairment must get an education as it affects their perception of things, how they adapt to their environment and social spaces and who they become when they grow up. Research shows a positive correlation between failure to read and unproductivity and failure to grow and thrive in society.
A strong language command in a learning environment is crucial for the growth and development of children. Language is the foundation of all communication, especially among children, as it influences how people socialize, express themselves, experience their environments and most importantly, assess, process and understand information (Jitendra & Gajria, 2011). Studies show that a child’s literary skills correlate with their ability to communicate well verbally. Statistics show that 8% of children in America between the ages of 3-17 have language and speech disorders (Gardill & Jitendra, 1999). Such children find it difficult to interact and socialize with their peers because social spaces trigger them. In addition, they are more likely to struggle with self-esteem issues, confidence, poor grades and general academic performance. It is undeniable that autistic children and those with impaired speech need special attention while learning with their peers in educational setups to boost their confidence, interact with classmates easily and improve their grades and overall academic performance.
Story mapping instruction was specifically designed to intervene and aid children with disabilities directly affecting their learning and constructiveness in class. 30% of grade improvements recorded from autistic children in the lower classes are attributed to story mapping instruction (Drill & Bellini, 2022). The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) published a report recently claiming that 88% of students with ASD in grades 3 and 4 display reading skills below the proficient level. The above percentage is alarming as it translates to many special needs students who still fall below the average performance line. Therefore, special education teachers and their school board should consider developing new strategies and policies to help autistic students and those with impaired speech improve their academic performance. The environment where these children grow up and study is also crucial for their wellbeing. A lot of factors can trigger their disabilities and distort their academic progress. Special education institutions should protect the mental health of these children by exposing them to constructive and positive things while in the school environment. Painting the inner class walls with children-friendly colors and images or structures symbols helps students grasp content without necessarily going through many books.
Story mapping structure instruction is an evidence-based strategy that has helped many students with disabilities, especially those in Kindergarten, develop their reading comprehension skills (Babyak et al., 2000). It increases correct word sequence, number of words in a sentence and story elements they can recall from a passage. The constant display and organization of textual features and the corresponding textual details allows children with disabilities to understand and retain content in their brains over long periods, thus improving their grades and class performance. In addition, the interaction with their peers in class and participation in group activities creates a comfortable environment where they can express themselves, be vulnerable, make mistakes and learn without any fear (Taylor et al., 2002). It is crucial that a child with autism gets comfortable and feels safe as it affects their willingness to interact and learn. Studies show that the subjection of children with autism or speech impairment results in basal comprehension performance and grammar stories.
An autistic child or one with speech impairment must effectively extract meaning from a context as it influences all aspects of their lives, whether in school or at home. Comprehensive reading aids students with disabilities to connect with their passions and hobbies along the way and work towards perfecting them. Not only does it improve their knowledge base and practical skills, but it also allows them to be part of the most enjoyable aspects of their surroundings (Grunke et al., 2013). They can read books when they want to without any difficulty or interact with people on social media platforms without feeling embarrassed. As they grow up, they can carry on their routines by replying to emails, ordering products online and paying bills. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that story structure maps are a fundamental part of the school curriculum, especially in special needs schools.
Dealing with autistic children and impaired speech requires skill, patience, and understanding. Special education teachers play a vital role in facilitating learning for children with disabilities. Teachers in such institutions need proper training on graphic organizers and the most appropriate ones depending on their students’ subject and disability (Gardill & Jitendra, 1999). It allows them to quickly identify areas that particular students struggle with, develop a strategy and teaching instruction that is suitable for them and help improve their performance.
Research Methodology
Research design
The purpose of the study was to establish how story structure maps and character event maps improve reading comprehension for kindergarten students with speech impairment and an autism spectrum disorder
This research used a correlation research design. Correlation research design allows for the establishment of the relationship between two very close variables that are connected (Imam et al., 2013). The research utilized mixed -methods of data collection to obtain qualitative and quantitative results. Quantitative results were obtained by getting accurate scores on the variables in the study and correlating them to determine their relationship. Correlation design was selected because of the nature of the variables in play. The relationship between the variables was thoroughly examined before the conclusion to use correlation design was reached. The study used a mixed data collection method to collect data relevant to the study. It means that the study incorporated both qualitative and quantitative analysis as a data collection method to gather necessary information for the study (Imam et al., 2013). This information would then be subjected to analysis and help the researcher draw accurate conclusions.
Participants
Participants agreed to provide information relevant to this research voluntarily. A school specializing in teaching children with disabilities in Miami, Florida, was selected to provide data and facilitate this study. The researcher narrowed down the study to grade 2 children. The school has a population of eight hundred students. Grade 2 has a total of thirty-two children. A quarter of the children in this class are autistic, while ten students are speech impaired.
Instruments
Since the study evaluated and compared performance data, the instruments used were descriptive and straightforward. It allowed for reliable and comparable data to be obtained, especially from diverse settings. The researcher identified tools necessary to conduct the research then sought approval from the material owners through email.
Advanced story map instruction: Effects on the reading comprehension of students with learning disabilities (Gardill, M. C., & Jitendra, 1999) discussed the various graphic organizers adopted by learning institutions to facilitate students’ learning and better understanding and retention of concepts. It consisted of a five Likert-scale questionnaire with two questions for each subscale in the questionnaire.
Face-to-face interviews consisted of eight open-ended questions. These questions were aligned to the interviewee’s perceptions concerning the effectiveness of story structure maps in enhancing reading comprehension. The interviewees were required to answer the questions provided by the researcher within a time frame of fifteen minutes.
Data collection
The institutional review board of Florida state-approved this research project. The researcher sought permission from the ministry of education to conduct this research in a special needs school (Johnson, 2017). The researcher went further to send requests to the selected school staff to volunteer and participate in the research project. Emails that explain what the research entails were forwarded to the staff members who had agreed to provide information to the project (Johnson, 2017). Information such as the importance of the research and the risks involved were included in the emails. Each survey participant signed the detailed consent form voluntarily. These participants were also required to sign a non-disclosure form provided to them by the researcher, limiting them from sharing any information about the research or questions with third parties. All participants in the study were kept confidential to protect them and the relevant information they provided out of their free will.
The focus group was summoned to one of the schools’ lecture halls. The researcher, together with a studies facilitator, conducted the sessions. The researcher aimed to obtain information through the answers they get from the participants and by observing their body language as they answer those questions. Participants were subjected to further probing on answers that seemed unclear to the researcher. The researcher angled the questions such that the participants gave their genuine opinions where necessary concerning the subject matter. The researcher asked the school administration separately to discover if they shared the same perspective with the students and the teachers. With the participant’s consent, the researcher recorded the conversations with the participant for reference.
The target group for this research was instructors of children with Autisms and those with speech impairment. One hundred questionnaires were rolled out in the selected institution. The participants were given two days to fill out the forms and return them to the administrative office, where the researcher would pick them. Only 50 forms came back. Thirty forms had all the questions answered, while 20 contained at least three unanswered questions
Data analysis
Research Question (s) One:
Will the use of Story structure maps/character event maps increase comprehension in Reading for a Kindergarten student with autism?
The researcher conducted correlations analysis to answer the research question. The paired sample t-test was used to determine the relationship between instructors’ story structure map instruction on children with ASD and speech impairment and their reading comprehension. The story structure map instruction is the independent variable, while reading comprehension is the dependent variable. An improvement in the reading comprehension of a child with impaired speech or autism depends on the teaching instruction adopted by their teacher.
Conclusion
The positive impacts resulting from the application of story mapping structure instruction are evident in learning institutions, especially schools dealing with disabled students. However, the Performance statistics from such schools are still lower compared to the regular schools. Autistic children still struggle with their studies despite the various graphic organizers adopted in many schools. School management, through its teachers, should work closely with such students understand them at an individual level before administering teaching or giving out assignments. In addition, they should also commend them for completing reading assignments and achieving small goals. This action will boost their confidence and motivate them to continue working hard. Parents of children with disabilities should also partner with teachers for a child’s wellbeing. It will be easier to monitor a child’s progress, identify their weaknesses and strengths, and use the proper techniques to help them become better in their extensive reading.
Reference
Babyak, A. E., Koorland, M., & Mathes, P. G. (2000). The Effects of Story Mapping Instruction on the Reading Comprehension of Students with Behavioral Disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 25(3), 239–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874290002500301 Boulineau, T., Fore, C., Hagan-Burke, S., & Burke, M. D. (2004). Use of Story-Mapping to Increase the Story-Grammar Text Comprehension of Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 27(2), 105–121. https://doi.org/10.2307/1593645Davis, Z. T. (1994). Effects of Prereading Story Mapping on Elementary Readers’ Comprehension. The Journal of Educational Research, 87(6), 353–360. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27541943Drill, R. B., & Bellini, S. (2022). Combining Readers Theater, Story Mapping and Video Self-Modeling Interventions to Improve Narrative Reading Comprehension in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04908-xGardill, M. C., & Jitendra, A. K. (1999). Advanced story map instruction: Effects on the reading comprehension of students with learning disabilities. The Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 2–17, 28. https://doi.org/10.1177/002246699903300101Grunke, M., Wilbert, J., & Stegemann, K. C. (2013). Analyzing the effects of story mapping on the reading comprehension of children with low intellectual abilities. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 11(2), 51+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A382086001/AONE?u=anon~699b7fa1&sid=googleScholar&xid=9fe8350cImam, O. A., Abas-Mastura, M., & Jamil, H. (2013). Correlation between reading comprehension skills and students’ performance in mathematics. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 2(1), 1-8.
Jitendra, A. K., & Gajria, M. (2011). Reading comprehension instruction for students with learning disabilities. Focus on Exceptional children, 43(8), 1.
Johnson, R. B. (2017). How to construct a mixed methods research design. KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 69(2), 107-131.
Narkon, W., Drue, E., Wells, & Jenny, C. (2013). Improving Reading Comprehension for Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities: UDL Enhanced Story Mapping. ERIC. Retrieved 10 February 2022, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1023440.
Stone, R. H., Boon, R. T., Fore III, C., Bender, W. N., & Spencer, V. G. (2008). Use of text maps to improve the reading comprehension skills among students in high school with emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 33(2), 87-98.
Taylor, Lorie & Alber-Morgan, Sheila & Walker, David. (2002). The Comparative Effects of a Modified Self-Questioning Strategy and Story Mapping on the Reading Comprehension of Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities. Journal of Behavioral Education. 11. 10.1023/A:1015409508939.
In this article, Crespo-Fernández (2013) delved into the use of words by political speakers
Article Summary
Author’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Article Summary
In this article, Crespo-Fernández (2013) delved into the use of words by political speakers to assert their ideological control over their audiences, thereby persuading them. The purpose of the article is to enlighten the reader about dysphemistic expressions and words found in unforgettable wartime speeches by Winston Churchill following the outcomes of World War II. The author’s analysis and argument were based on two conceptual models, namely, the appraisal theory and critical-political discourse analysis.
Crespo-Fernández clarified that the research methodology followed in this study corresponded to adopting a top-down approach used in explaining data. This approach has three phases, namely, linguistic data selection, data generalizations, and accounting for linguistic items’ meaning to establish the persuasive function they serve in political discourses. The specific methods adopted by this author involved three steps. The first was to collect 27 main samples of political speeches delivered by Winston Churchill around the time of the Second World War. The second step was to sample them to obtain six speeches deemed relevant and useful for the analysis. The third step entailed analyzing the six samples for the identification of dysphemistic lexical items.
As regards the theoretical paradigms, Crespo-Fernández (2013) used the appraisal theory to analyses Churchill’s dysphemistic lexical items because the theory focuses on the speakers’ attitudes, approvals, and disapprovals. It also focuses on their emotions utilized in expressing ideological stances and personal views, criticisms, the language of evaluation, and their positioning of listeners. The author used the critical-political discourse analysis in the theoretical framework because this made it possible to locate political discourses in the broader critical approach to discourse. This was essential in identifying the strategic adoption of linguistic keywords and patterns geared towards attaining particular political objectives and motives. The principal finding of the analysis was that Churchill skillfully adopted dysphemistic language or dysphemism in his wartime political speeches to convey his overt political propaganda aimed at instilling inspirational confidence and courage in his British compatriots in difficult wartimes.
Crespo-Fernández (2013) presented a few main points the first of which was that Churchill’s metaphorical dysphemism was an instrumental tool for condemning the undermining the political, personal, and social status of the Nazis and their autocratic leader, Hitler. This served to reinforce a sense of community and oneness among the British against treats from the Nazis. Churchill also adopted metaphorical dysphemism in depicting the barbarianism and wickedness of the Germans. In essence, metaphorical dysphemism in Churchill’s speeches characterized linguistic xenophobia aimed at demonizing the enemy as a way of instilling courage and confidence.
The second main point was that Churchill used non-metaphorical dysphemism characterized by adjectives with verbal aggression and offensive overtones as the tool to attack the enemies of the British people. By using disparaging words to refer to the enemies and their allies, Churchill persuaded the audience to agree with him in condemning the autocracy, oppression, and murder exercised by the enemies. From a critical outlook, it is evident that both non-metaphorical and metaphorical dysphemism were a part of Churchill’s strategy of expressing extremist contempt toward Britain’s enemies and conveying political propaganda aimed at making audiences react negatively towards these enemies, hence developing confidence and courage.
References
Crespo-Fernández, E. (2013). Words as weapons for mass persuasion: dysphemism in Churchill’s wartime speeches. Text & Talk, 33(3), 311-330.