Case Study

(Author’s name)

(Institutional Affiliation)

Current Performance

To understand the activities this case study is about to undertake, one needs to have a clear understanding of the student under evaluation, as well as, the methods and procedures for assisting this student in dealing with his problem. Throughout the study, the student in question shall be referred to as X, as a way of hiding their true identity.

Abilities and Support Needs

The student under study is an 8-year-old female who is currently suffering from dyslexia. She attends a public school and because of her ailment, is forced to spend 50% of her school day in self-containment. Her teachers have decided to put her under self-containment because she is a slow learner, and for that reason, cannot study in the same classroom as her fellow classmates. As her teachers explain, she has a developmental reading disorder that affects the normal learning process for her. This disorder has affected the student so much that she has developed additional behavioral problems, to her inability to progress in her education (Bradford, 2009). Her performance has been stagnant from her first exposure to learning, illustrating that she is not meeting her educational goals as expected.

Past Experiences

Based on the information provided by her teachers and educators, we are made to understand that her problem was first recognized in her first class, and she could not engage in simple learning activities like her fellow students. She has a problem with reading, and has trouble recognizing written words. She also has trouble engaging in simple rhyming activities that are part of the learning process for children her age, and cannot make meaning and ideas of simple sentences. This has, in turn, affected her overall learning experience and outcome, especially in language and linguistics.

IEP Appropriateness

Having established that student X is a special needs student, there is need to develop an individualized education program (IEP) to assist this student in achieving their educational goals. Because student X suffers from dyslexia, the IEP will facilitate the attainment of the student’s educational goals much faster than she otherwise could.

Goals and Objectives

The goals and objectives of this IEP case include:

To ensure that student X meets her educational goals by the end of the year. This will be evaluated through the performance of other students in her class.

To dissuade the behavioral problems that student X experiences and improve the social skills of student X.

To ensure an improvement of perpetual skills in student X, allowing the student to read and understand what she is taught in class.

To train Student X’s educator on the different instructional methods that they can use to help student X attain her educational goals and objectives.

To restructure the regular class curriculum so that it accommodates student X, allowing the student to mix with the others, hence building on her social skills.

Educational Standards

The goals and objectives of this IEP are also aimed at improving the educational standards of the school where student X studies (Bradford, 2009). The relation between the goals and the standards is both theoretical and practical. Theoretically, the goals and objectives will assist both the student and her educator in reaching their individual, set standards for education.

Environmental Demands

To, successfully, implement this IEP case, there are various environmental demands that need to be met, in relation to the classroom setting and the activities to be carried out during this process.

Classroom Arrangement

The classroom arrangement in any IEP case is very crucial for the success of the program. It is through a proper classroom arrangement, that the instructor can effectively, and efficiently, teach student X to ensure educational success. Student X needs to be placed in a classroom that is not too congested and not too spacious to distract the student during learning. Additionally, the arrangement will be in such a way that facilitates group-learning activities such as reading and spelling (Bradford, 2009). This will assist student X in improving their social skills, as well as, reduce her behavioral problems. She will also be allowed to seat at the front of the class so that her instructor always keeps an eye on her during lessons. Large alphabetical writings and other language writings will be hanged around the class so as to familiarize the student with the alphabet and decrease the possibility of memory loss in student X.

Activities Schedule

Because student X has a learning disability, the activities taking place will not be any different from the normal activities in the classroom. This is because, the aim here is to help X reach the same educational level as the rest of her classmate, and because we do not wish to slow the learning process of the rest of the students down. The main activities will include spelling tests, rhyming, reading, and writing (Bradford, 2009). Reading will be done both as group work and as an individual activity, the instructor will be part of these activities as he shall act as a guide for these activities.

Environmental Challenges

Because student X is a special needs student, there are a number of obvious challenges that she will face during this process. For example, she will need to adapt to being around others, as well as, reading out loud without feeling embarrassed.

Task and Instructional Demands

As mentioned earlier, the instructor will play a role in the activities that are scheduled to take place during the IEP plan. The instructor will guide student X all through the learning process so as to ensure that they both reach their educational goals.

Required Typical Tasks

Student X will be required to carry out a number of tasks such as verbal spelling, reading aloud, rhyming, writing, repeating after the teacher, and engaging other students in activities and games (Bradford, 2009).

Appropriateness of Tasks

These tasks are appropriate for the student, as they will assist her in overcoming her learning problem and disability. More specifically these tasks are aimed at assisting student X in comprehending words and their meanings especially in sentences (Bradford, 2009). This, in turn, improves her comprehension and awareness.

Student Directions

Directions will be given to student X in the most basic manner, i.e., the student will be asked to perform a particular activity as per the learning guideline. Avoiding complex instructions is necessary for communication purposes especially since student X suffers from dyslexia (Bradford, 2009). It will assist the educator to know whether student X understands what she is being directed to do.

Teaching Strategies

The three main teaching strategies that will be used for student X include remedial instruction, private tutoring, and the provision of special day classes (Bradford, 2009). This will assist in meeting the needs of the student as it will allow the student to meet their educational objectives with ease.

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a procedure that is carried out to determine the reasons behind a person’s behavior (Bradford, 2009). FBA is necessary when dealing with students with special needs but in this particular case it is not necessary as student X does not display major behavioral problems. She is shy and appears intimidated, and this prevents her from socializing with her fellow classmates. The focus of this study is to assist student X overcome her learning problem, thus an FBA is not required for student X.

Supports Modifications and Accommodations

For the program to take full effect, there is need for the provision of supports by the various parties included. Modifications also need to be made so as to come up with the best strategies, as well as the provision of accommodation for the various activities.

Functional Academics

To assess the curriculum presented to student X the student may need special assistance, which may be provided by her instructor, parents, or other outside parties. Student X will need psychological services, health services, recreational services, as well as, speech-language pathology services (Bradford, 2009).

Behavioral

The behavioral supports and modifications that student X will need are primarily based on increasing her self-esteem and giving her confidence in her educational and social activities.

Social Outcomes

Essentially the social outcomes expected from her education placement is that student X will become more social with her classmates. This will also allow her to improve on her learning so as to effectively socialize with her friends.

Program Evaluation

Having established the problems that need to be addressed when dealing with student X as a special needs child, there is need for a program evaluation to determine whether the program is appropriate for the child.

Evaluation Method

Placement will be evaluated according to the ability to meet the needs of student X accordingly. The program that managed to achieve this with minimal interference will be chosen as the best suited program for student X.

Responsible Parties

There will be specific duties during this program, which will be carried out by different people. These people include the instructor, Student X’s parents, as well as, the student’s therapist.

References

Bradford, J. (2009). Dyslexia Parents Resource: IEPs and the IDEA. Retrieved from:

http://www.dyslexia-parent.com/IDEA.html