Posted: February 12th, 2023
Read the case study below to inform the assignment.
Case Study: Stephanie
Grade: 5th
Age: 10
Stephanie is a fifth grade student who is intellectually disabled and also has a severe language disorder. She is 10-years-old and spends a great portion of her day in self-contained settings. She receives speech therapy from a speech pathologist for a minimum of 30 minutes, four days a week. The rest of the time her language needs are supported by the special education teacher. She does attend a general education fifth grade classroom daily for 60 minutes for English language arts instruction, per her parent’s request. An instructional assistant accompanies her to class.
Stephanie’s oral expression skills are in the below average range. She struggles with oral expression speech, expressive language, and meanings of words. Her speech is limited and she usually has poor decoding and reading comprehension skills. Her reading level is at a low first grade level, reading simple stories with a Lexile level of 275-400. Her favorite book is If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. Stephanie writes very little and relies on the Picture Exchange System as her primary form of communication.
Stephanie attends the fifth grade English language arts class for exposure to more appropriate grade level content and socialization. She requires frequent breaks and one-on-one support from an assistant when participating in the general education setting. The special education teacher and assistant work with the general education teacher and follow the modified curriculum from the state department of education.
For standardized grade-level testing, Stephanie participates in the yearly Alternate Assessment. The assessment is administered orally by the teacher and a proctor is present. The assessment is multiple choice and the administrator can accept eye gazing, finger pointing, and verbal responses to answer questions. The assessment is not timed and the teacher can apply the 10 response rule: If the student does not respond after 10 questions, the teacher can end the assessment.
Assignment:
Use the “ELA Mini-Unit Template” to complete this assignment.
Part 1: Student Goal
Write a measurable reading comprehension goal for Stephanie’s IEP. Within the goal, incorporate an alternative and augmentative communication system to support her communication and learning.
Part 2: Mini-Unit
Compose a mini-unit of three ELA lesson plans for the general education classroom that incorporates your ELA standards for teaching reading comprehension to fifth graders.
For each lesson plan include differentiated activities and assessments for Stephanie that use the AAC system identified in Part 1 to allow her to access the curriculum and address her measurable IEP goal.
Part 3: Rationale
Provide a 250-500 word rationale that explains how your mini-unit instructional choices are developmentally appropriate for teaching the content standards, and how the differentiated activities and assessment will allow Stephanie to meet her goal and fully access the curriculum. Address how your accommodations and differentiation create a supportive learning environment that encourages self-advocacy, increases independence, and emphasizes safe and ethical use of information and technology for Stephanie.
Support your rationale with 2-3 scholarly resources on best practices regarding semantics/language disorders and the use of assistive technology.
SOLUTION
Stephanie’s special education team is taking a comprehensive approach to support her language development. With a combination of speech therapy, one-on-one support from an instructional assistant, and exposure to grade-level content in a general education setting, Stephanie is receiving a well-rounded education that addresses her needs and strengths.
It’s important to note that Stephanie’s favorite book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, is a great choice for her as it is a simple story with clear language and an engaging plot. This can help her to practice her decoding skills and build her reading comprehension abilities.
In addition, the use of the Picture Exchange System as her primary form of communication is a great strategy. This system allows Stephanie to communicate effectively and can help her build her expressive language skills.
The team is also following the modified curriculum from the state department of education, which ensures that Stephanie is receiving a quality education that is appropriate for her level of ability. With frequent breaks and one-on-one support, Stephanie is able to participate in the general education setting and gain exposure to more appropriate grade level content.
Overall, Stephanie’s special education team is doing a great job of meeting her needs and supporting her development. It is important to continue to monitor her progress and adjust her program as needed to ensure that she continues to make progress.
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