A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D., NCSP Senior Educational Consultant Pearson Clinical Assessment Reason for Referral • • • Logan was referred mid-third grade by his school RTI Team for a comprehensive evaluation. 9 years old His parents and teachers were concerned about his behavior, – Inattentive and impulsive, and his growing academic difficulties, primarily in math, reading comprehension, and writing. • Parents recently consulted pediatrician who was considering a medication trial. 2 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Agenda Let’s analyze assessment results to answer the following 3 referral questions: 1. 2. 3. Why has Logan not responded to a series of math interventions provided through general education in both Tier 1 and Tier 2? Does Logan have strengths in areas that may be compensating for weaknesses in others? What can be done to address Logan’s behavioral challenges, so that he is more successful in the classroom? 3 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Introducing Logan. . . 1. Review of test records, discipline reports, and grades 2. Parent, Teacher, & Student Interview 3. Classroom observation History • Family • Birth and Development • Heath/Medical – Paternal hyperactivity – Normal birth; typical to early development – Healthy; normal vision/hearing; accident prone; no hx of head injury • School – Summer school for math between 2nd and 3rd; mid-2nd grade identified as at-risk in math (campus math coach for 30 min twice/week); continued difficulties into 3rd grade 5 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Previous Assessment Results • Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) at the end of kindergarten, and quarterly in first and second grades. – All scores were within the average to above average range. – Beginning in second grade, he was assessed in the fall, winter, and spring using CBM benchmarks for math. • Performance steadily declined from the 45th to the 30th percentile ranking over second grade and to the 25th percentile by the winter of third grade. – Students on his campus are identified as being at-risk when their scores fall at or below the 25th percentile ranking. 6 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Classroom Observation #1 • The first observation occurred in language arts class – Instruction on identifying main idea when reading a passage. – Interacted appropriately with his teacher and classmates and appeared to be listening to instruction, but squirmed in his seat, raised his hand to answer before the teacher finished the question, and played constantly with his pencil and worksheet. – Small groups to complete a worksheet together, Logan left his seat, visited with classmates in other groups, and wandered around the room until his teacher redirected him. – As group work progressed, he participated (loud voice), but he did not write any answers on his worksheet. – When his teacher approached his group, he asked to call his mother about his forgotten lunchbox. – Required redirection and teacher proximity to complete the worksheet. – His handwriting was difficult to decipher, but he answered the first three of the five main idea questions correctly. 7 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Classroom Observation #2 • Occurred 2 days later during math – Class has 4 third-graders, including Logan – Working independently at computers on a set of subtraction problems requiring regrouping, – Teacher worked with another student one-to-one at a table close by. – Logan was attentive and on task; using verbal mediation to talk himself through calculations (student beside him complained about the noise). • Teacher asked Logan to stop talking, he complied, but two minutes later, the self-talk resumed. • Teacher again asked him to be quiet, at which time Logan stopped working altogether. • Teacher directed Logan to the hallway to ―discuss his behavior.‖ When they returned to class, Logan put his head on his desk until the class ended a few minutes later. 8 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Interviews • • • Interviews confirmed that Logan’s observed behaviors were typical. L/A commented that she saw Logan as a bright student, good ideas, who was frustrated by demands to sit quietly, do seatwork, and demonstrate through writing what he has learned. Math viewed Logan’s inappropriate behavior as immature and oppositional. 9 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Assessment Procedures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Behavior Assessment System for Children— Second Edition (BASC-2): Parent Rating Scales (PRS) & Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of VisualMotor Integration, 6th Edition (Beery VMI) Wechsler Individual Achievement Test®–Third Edition (WIAT–III) selected subtests Differential Ability Scales—Second Edition (DASII) selected subtests Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children— Second Edition (KABC-II) selected subtests NEPSY-II selected subtests 10 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Academic Achievement 11 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Sensorimotor Functions • • • Presenting Concerns Current Levels of Functioning Summary of Sensorimotor Processing – Logan demonstrated visual-motor integration abilities similar to others his age. 12 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Attention (selective & sustained) 13 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Attention (shifting) 14 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Behavioral Ratings 15 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Visual Spatial 16 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Language 17 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Memory and Learning 18 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Memory and Learning (cont.) 19 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Integrated Visual-Verbal Memory and Learning • DAS-II – Recall of Objects Immediate and Delayed – Recall of Sequential Order • KABC-II – Atlantis – Rebus 20 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Executive Functions 21 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Cognitive Speed and Efficiency 22 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Results Summary • Distinct pattern of strengths and weaknesses in both cognitive functioning and academic achievement – Strengths often undermined by specific deficits. 23 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Recommendations Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. General • Share findings with pediatrician • Use computer and computer-based games/programs to practice skills and maintain automaticity Encourage verbal mediation to talk his way quietly through problem solving, to use verbal rehearsal to support memory, and to discuss information he is in the process of learning with others Use visual imagery to enhance the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information to help Logan compensate for memory deficits Modification of how he achieves goal, not lowering the actual goal Remediation of executive functions – Support ADHD • • • • 25 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Behavior • • Assigned desk located out of the classroom traffic pattern, with easy access to the teacher, away from the door or windows, and close to students who model appropriate behaviors. More structure and supervision on team projects or when working in a cooperative learning group. – With a well-organized team leader or pairing with classmates less likely to socialize. • • • Allowance for movement during class Behavior management plan for school/home Make the steps of an assignment more explicit and provide frequent stage-gates on longer assignments 26 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Math • Multiplication facts to level of automaticity – Practice addition and subtraction to sustain skills • Errorless learning in math – Guided practice to limit errors • Use mastered number facts to focus mental effort on learning the algorithm rather than retrieving the fact. 27 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 A Case Study: Why Does Logan Struggle with Learning and Behavior? Adam Scheller, Ph.D. Reading and Writing • • • • Explicit and systematic fluency instruction Develop visual imagery Strategies for writing Keyboarding 28 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Resources Bender, W. (2005). Differentiating math instruction: Strategies that work for K–8 classrooms. Corwin: Thousand Oaks, CA. Bley, N. & Thornton, C. (2001). Teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities (4th ed.) Pro-Ed: Austin, TX. Dawson, P. & Guare, R. (2010). Executive skills in children and adolescents: A practical guide to assessment and intervention (2nd ed. ) Guilford: New York. Graham, S. & Harris, K. (2005). Writing better: Effective strategies for teaching students with learning difficulties. Brookes Publishing: Baltimore. Meltzer, L. (2010). Promoting executive function in the classroom. Guilford: New York. Rasinski, T. (2003). The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. Scholastic: New York. 29 | Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved. Customer Service 1-800-627-7271 (USA) 1-866-335-8418 (Canada) Questions and Comments Adam Scheller, Ph.D., NCSP [email protected] Copyright © 2013. Pearson, Inc. All rights reserved. 10
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