The essay will examine the case study of a male student in third grade level. He is below the grade level of the same age peers in all academic levels also in reading. Difficulties arise in reading with decoding skills and mastery of basic vocabulary words. The reports were made by the teacher that he is easily distracted and impulsive, with poor social skills. Test-takings skills are poor and also the performance its three grade levels below the expected level. The short term and long term objectives and activities are going to be planed. Annual goals and short term instructions to develop skills, knowledge and values on the level needed for his age. School and teacher’s responsibility is to provide those services but since it is not their responsibility if those expectations are not met the other actor need to get involved. Poor fine motor skills that might respond well to the use of specific computer programs. He responds well to the peer tutoring and guided practice activities as well as for individualized instructions. The essay will focus on the providing specific examples of processes and potential options to improve overall student performance. The paper will closely look into the theory that lies behind the case and also made application of theories on this concrete case of a student.
First, the assessment of present levels of performance will be carried out and with it the individual physical education that will be the best for the observed student. The narrative description of students strengths and needs in accordance with gross motor performance and physical education. It is the first component of IEP a mechanism for designing an education that is right for a particular child at the time. Tasks and the environment which will best suit the student will be determined. Along with testing the description of child’s behavior must be observed. For this the start of formal assessment will begin in the native language of student with standard test that will help in the comparison between others students of the same age and with the approval of parents. Medical examination, a psychological evaluation and history will be examined to determine what factors (physical, mental, emotional) contribute to the exact disability. A physical educational teacher with the help of physical therapist can make an evaluation and recommendations (Craft, McCall 2000).
Social-emotional learning programs are developed to address emotional, social and academic needs of the student. There are many different programs, but for this case the recommendation in order to make an assessment of the students social and emotional needs to use behavioral and emotional rating scale. This program can help the male student improve classroom performance and better test score and it is thus crucial for a child’s success in school. The social-emotional needs of the student can be found out with a child self-report, the parents report and teacher or other professional report, that would give an overall picture of this specific case (Elgin, Haggerty, Wolley 2010). This assessment is quick and can show the social and emotional needs from three different perspectives. This assessment can also be used in combination with any other in order to provide better understanding and therefore establish a better plan for the improvement of male students. Social and emotional skills are playing an important role in shaping student achievement and better outcomes. Child Trends (2014) has appointed five key social and emotional skills on which the focus should be in measuring social and emotional skills of students: persistence, self-control, academic self-efficacy, mastery orientation and social competence. If those social and emotional skills are strong also better student achievement can be reached. From this we can see that a lot of work for improvement can be seen in our case with better academic success can be guaranteed, since many of those skills are not fully developed and that is why the low educational success has been seen. Social, emotional needs need to measure in a safe atmosphere, secure environment without stress, addressed to get the individual results, with establishing a support network, with real life connections and in this case this could also be done via individual consulting possibly with computer and presentation since the student is performing better with guided practice activities and individualized instructions. Social-emotional needs of this student are: closeness, individuality, talk, personal attention and small circle to address problems of distraction and impulsiveness, calm, safe and reliable working place to address his inability to work in high level noise locations and other that would describe assessments show when conducted.
When identifying specific disability categories both pre-referral and referral assessment, needs to be identified. Various disability categories can be found in this case: the emotional disability, intellectually disability, specific learning disability, speech language impairment and hearing impairment. Making a referral is a formal process with to determined eligibility with requesting assessments for learning disabilities. Disability categories are defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004. The disability is composed of high and low incidence. To the second belongs deafness, blindness, physical disabilities, traumatic brain injury and pupils are medically diagnosed. In the high incidence disabilities are included emotional and behavioral disabilities, mental retardation and learning disabilities. The second disabilities are being diagnosed by teachers and other school personnel (Banks 2012). IDEA defines 12 categories of disabilities among children: mental retardation, hard of hearing, deaf, speech or language impaired, visually disabled, seriously emotionally disturbed, orthopedically impaired or other health impaired, autistic, deaf-blind, multi-handicapped, specific disabilities and traumatic brain injury.
Pre-referral assessment can be retrieved from the health records. It is obvious that interference with learning is related to sensory, physical issues, but needs to be conformed from looking into the official records. The consequence of premature birth issues in this case can be the result of hearing problems of a student. The statistics show that about 1 in 4 babies that were premature born have a central hearing impairment (Jian, Brosi, 2001). A statement from a medical evaluator is needed and information from parents and teachers how the physical impairment affects the educational process. In order to overcome this problem various possibilities can be used, such as alternative response strategies singing and oral responses that are modified with the printed materials and need for environmental academic modifications that will fit the most to the student (Department of Defense Education Activity 2005). Many identified specific disabilities can have an effect in pre-referral disabilities, since it is possible that because of the hearing impaired student cannot achieve the same levels of academic performance as his aged peers do. If the sole problem of hearing is the main cause the overall performance, distraction, impulsiveness, poor social skills, lack of learning skills and vocabulary can be overcome with specific strategies, plans conducted in individual level with the right personnel involvement. Developmental delays can be improved.
Accommodations are tools and procedures that allow equal access for students with disabilities, without which the equal access to grade level may not be achieved. When talking about the topic differentiation between accommodation and modification exists. First are used to lessen the effects of the student’s disabilities and second to reducing learning expectations (National Center for Learning Disabilities 2005). The accommodations need to be age-appropriate and specially designed to meet his individual needs. The accommodation with technology should be considered noise buffers, video materials, screen reads, auditory trainer, word prediction, audio recorder, TV or computer. Presentation and direction to the student need to be read aloud because of his hearing problems, using of computer, to show visualization that has proved to be the best way to get his attention and to stay focused, more frequent brakes will be imposed.
Marilyn Friend (2012, 15) suggested seven step approach to consider accommodations, modification, instructional strategies that are INCLUDE: Identify classroom environmental, curricular and instructional demands, Note students strengths and needs, Check for potential areas of student success, Look for potential problem areas, Use information gathered to brainstorm instructional adaptations, Decide which adaptation to implement and the last seventh step Evaluate student progress. Hers strategy can be used for students with various learning disabilities. It would be also good to use in our case with centering for weakness and strengths, and also includes curricular, instructional and environmental demands. It would help to learn potential problem areas and student gave the ability to learn to the best of his ability.
Occupational Therapists (OT) are very important in the educational environment and would also be recommended as an additional support service need for this student. OT would prepare students for preform school-related activities such as reading and writing, which student needs and also non-academic issues such as improvement of social skills and involvement in additional curricular activities such as sports. OT could address the student performance skills, patterns, activity demands and student factors. Occupational therapist assistant OTA could be also involved in this case which role would be gathering information and data, administrating the test that will be described below, and writing reports. Physical therapist PT is one more definitely needed in this case to assist the student in meeting of imposing educational goals. PT would develop plans in accordance of Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. He would also assist in determining the right environmental conditions for the student. Additional support services that student needs are speech language pathology SLP that would address the communication process of reading and speaking in order to improve language and communication skills. Further on the including of audiology services that will help the student improve language and hearing problems. In assigning collaborative support personnel psychological services and physical and occupational therapy would suffice to address behavior problems such as temper, distraction and impulsiveness. Along with consulting services in a way of recreation that will improve his motoric skills (Kentucky Department of Education 2012).
Instructional strategy suggestions are various. First the strategy of break down learning tasks can be used with small steps taking. When the student would understand the first step the second would be presented. In this case also a modification of teaching approach can be used. No length verbal directions, but learning with “hands on” with observation and concrete examples. Since our student has hearing problems the third method of learning with visuals should be adopted. Charts, tables, picture could help with visualization. All together should use also a direct feedback (Dombeck, Reynolds, Zupanick 2013). Basic instructions as for all disabled persons strategies should be followed. Clear definition, brief and precise, with more than one way of explaining the issues, summary, the constant repeating, with visuals can be very effective in our case study. The teacher should for this student use differentiating instructions, which means that the response of a teacher is based on student needs, learning profile, readiness and interest. Peer assisted learning strategy could also be used for the students has already showed improvement when being peer instruction. The teacher’s job is to partner students in pairs that can work on various activities that profit both academic needs. There also needs to be the time frame in which students will exchange pairs. The visual print and picture strategy can accompany all before mentioned, and will help our student with cognitive disabilities and improve communication. Vocabulary strategy could also be imposed to encourage the student for independent reading and vocabulary and word learning. Maximum two strategies should be implemented at one time.
Methods should comply with the universal instruction design - UDI, which anticipates the needs of diverse learners. Learning process, content, products and environment should be accustomed that was designed for students with learning disabilities, slow readers and other disabilities. UDI should be implied also in this student’s case, which goal is to maximize the learning of students by applying specific principles. Sole process such involve identification of learning objectives, define the universe, involve students, adopt instructional strategies, plan for accommodations and evaluation. The knowledge and skills can be gained from multiple means of representation, action and expression and means of engagement in accordance with respect for diversity, equality and inclusiveness. Great importance is on the interaction (Universal Design for Instruction). All methods and instructions written in the universal instruction designed could be very useful for our concrete case since the instructions describes the same situation, the most appropriate actions, activities, code of conduct, guide how to act, how to accommodate learning process for special needs and all questions that could rise in confronting and implementing the learning course for disabled person. Forms of instructions should be analytic and synthetic (from whole to parts and from parts to wholes), concrete and abstract (illustrations, without objects), inductive and deductive (from practical to general and other way around), theoretical and practical.
The inclusive student room should be used since the student has already expressed better improvement when working with small groups of peers. The special education room has not been advised since that could hurt the student education improvement. The inclusion of students is extremely important and stated in 2001of No Child Left Behind Act where school systems needed to improve and enhance quality of learning process regardless of their race, socioeconomic or disability status. Because it is evident all student also the students with disabilities has special needs, some adjustment could be made. All students need to be taken as equal and respected, but in the presentations that accompanies the course the visualization of presentations can be available, the computer programs could be implemented so that all would have the equal possibility of the school material.
The availability of teacher after the course is also important. Inside the class the groups could be formed in order to better understand the topic – grouping the student in learning. Encouragement of support through collaborative approaches is important such as peer tutoring, co-teaching, buddy system, cooperative learning. Student with disabilities needs encouragement to get involved in school activities and sports and to take an active role in extracurricular activities. Many challenges are ahead, but can be overcome. Inclusive education refers to educational service where all students are educated together in the same shared community. It is a commitment of non-exclusionary and can be seen as a civil right issue. For our student is extremely important to be involved with inclusive classrooms since the results have shown that students with disabilities improve their social and communication skills and gain more academic success if they are working with nondisabled persons. Further on also the likelihood of success is greater with cooperative learning and peer tutoring. Another most important thing is also that inclusive class does not have a negative impact on the academic and social improvement for nondisabled classmates. Language and systematic shifts of policy and practice mostly be carried out to eliminate social exclusion because of differences (Banks 2012, 1150-1153).
Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a document required for every student eligible for special education services. It consists of assessment data of a team. It is a guide to what student needs to learn through the year. The basic component of the IEP is an individualized family service plan that includes disabilities to age 3. Special team needs to be installed and in it should be teacher, general or special education professional, principal, pathologist and other professional that differ from case to case. It has a different number of participants and parents are one of the key members. IEP components are a description of the current student level of performance (PLOP) including his strengths, test scores, behavior list, annual goals, and short term objectives, decision of special education services, supplementary agencies and aids (Banks 2012).
Worth pointing out the overall summary of the students’ needs can be best shown in the presentation of individual education plans. Individualization of education program for this student has been developed. He needs unique educational needs because of his impulsiveness with evaluating the present level of performance. He will receive social help to learn anger management skills and learn how to control his impulsiveness. Social needs of student are learning how to comply, listen and control his temper. Academic needs and written language are going to be improved by establishing a court that will help him with spelling, punctuation and usage since he is three levels behind his peers in this area. Frequency, duration and location determination for special education and related services to take place is going to be done by teacher and consulter. He will attend this service 3 times a week for half an hour. Because his response to peers is good the peer group will be established and they are going to play two times a week for half an hour with adult supervision, which will help him improve his motor skill through physical activity. Also the learning in the peer group will be established with no more than 5 students every day which will improve his language knowledge. In order to pursue measurable annual goals and short term objectives. For every quarter of the academic year there will be an evaluation where the teachers will give their grades of improvement. The first goal is to improve in one year his language skills for 2 grade levels in vocabulary, reading and spelling (Vesta, Shermis 2011).
References
Banks, A. James. (2012). Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education. United States of America: Sage Publication. Print
Child Trends. (2014). Measuring Elementary Scholl Students’ social and emotional Skills: providing Educators With Tools to Measure and Monitor Social and Emotional Skills that Lead to Academic Success. Retrieved from: http://www.childtrends.org/wp- content/uploads/2014/08/2014-37CombinedMeasuresApproachandTablepdf1.pdf
Craft, Diane, McCall, Renee. (2000). Mowing With a Purpose: Developing Programs for Preschooler of All Abilities. United States: Human Kinetics.
Dombeck, Mark, Reynolds, Tammy, Zupanic, C. E. (2013). Effective Teaching Methods For People With Intellectual Disabilities. Retrieved https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/effective-teaching-methods-for-people-with- intellectual-disabilities/
IDEA (1999).
Elgin, Jenna, Haggerty, Kevin, Wollley, Andrew. (2010). Social-Emotional Learning Assessment. Washington: Raikes Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.schoolclimate.org/climate/documents/RaikesReportFinalOct.pdf
Friend, Marilyn. (2012). Including Students with Special Needs: a Practical Guide for Classroom Teachers. Upper Saddle River: Pearson.
Jiang ZD, Brosi DM, Wilkinson AR. (2001). Hearing impairment in preterm very low birthweight babies detected at term by brainstem auditory evoked responses. United States of America: Acta Paediatr.
Kentucky Department of Education. (2012). Guidance for the Related Services of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech/ Language Therapy in Kentucky Public Schools. Retrieved from http://education.ky.gov/specialed/excep/documents/guidance%20documents/resource %20manual%20for%20educationally%20related%20ot%20and%20pt.pdf
National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2005). No Child Left Behind: Determining Appropriate Assessment Accommodations for Students With Disabilities. Retrieved http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/onlinepubs/NCLD/Accommodations.pdf
Universal Design of Instruction (UDI). Retrieved from: http://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-instruction-udi-definition- principles-guidelines-and-examples
Vest, Francis, Skermis D. Mark. (2011). Classroom Assessment in Action. United Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield Publisher.
