Case Studies

BACKGROUND

Student: Donna Age: 10.8 Grade: 5th

SCENARIO

EFFECTIVE ROOM ARRANGEMENT LEVEL C • CASE 1 

Donna is a 5th grader who has recently increased the amount of time she spends in her standard classroom to two hours. During this block of time, the class is working for 45 minutes on math, one hour on social studies or science (alternating each week), and 15 minutes in sustained silent reading. Math instruction in Donna’s classroom is typically conducted with pair interactions. Social studies and science instruction varies in format from paired to small group to whole group based on the unit of study. Sustained silent reading is conducted with students seated at their individual desks. The special education teacher anticipates that Donna’s strengths will help her to compensate for her difficulty with reading. Donna has progressed this semester to reading on the second grade level, but is still a shy, reluctant reader.

AREAS OF STRENGTH

• Participates well in group      activities
• Has a strong interest in science      and social studies
• Follows oral directions well

!ASSIGNMENT

• Develop 2 goals for Donna.
• Complete the room arrangement  below by sketching the furniture (e.g., 22 student desks attached) to meet the class’s      instructional needs and support Donna in meeting her goals.
• Designate Donna’s specific seating location (desk) with a star.
• Explain your rationale for both      the sketched classroom arrangement and Donna’s seating location.

Identify which strategies you used in making your decisions. (You may review the STAR sheets if necessary.) Indicate how your decisions support Donna in meeting the two goals.

HTTP://IRIS.PEABODY.VANDERBILT.EDU 

8

BACKGROUND

Student: Heather Age: 8.1
Grade: 3rd

SCENARIO

Encouraging Appropriate Behavior Level A • Case 2 

Heather is a third grader in Ms. Reyes’ classroom of 24 students. Heather enjoys school and often arrives early so she can spend time with friends on the playground. Ms. Reyes, however, is concerned because Heather is disrupting the class. She reports that Heather calls out answers during lessons, speaks over others during class discussion, and talks to neighbors during group and independent work. For 25 minutes each day, Heather and two peers receive resource room support in math. Heather’s resource room teacher has not noticed any of these behaviors. Ms. Reyes decides to set these goals for Heather for the next nine weeks:

· Raise her hand and wait to be called before speaking

· Decrease interruptions and wait for others to finish before adding to discussions

· Complete independent work quietly

POSSIBLE STRATEGIES

· Effective Rules

· Contingent Instructions

· Group Contingency

!ASSIGNMENT

1. Read the STAR Sheets on the possible strategies listed above.

2. Write a summary of each strategy, including its purpose.

3. Describe why each strategy might be used to help Heather meet one or more of her goals.

Textbook: Bos, Candice. S. And Vaughn, Sharon. (2015) Strategies for teaching students with learning and behavior problems. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon