Situational Analysis 1

Running Head: INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

Situational Analysis of Luke Spencer France Goulard November 23, 2008 APSY 503

Situational Analysis 2 Application of Situational Analysis Process to Individual Program Planning Note: This report is confidential and access is restricted to those on the distribution list Personal details Name Date of Birth Age Address Telephone Parents/Caregivers Current School/Educational Centre Date of report Sources of information Interviews Ben Green, Student Suzanne and Mark Green, Parents Lizette Hall, Teacher France Goulard, Special Needs Coordinator Louise Halvorsen, Teacher Aide Observations Classroom 08/10/08 Review of school records 24/06/08; 01/10/08 24/09/08; 02/10/08; 03/10/08; 08/05/08; 10/10/08 27/04/08; 19/09/08 24/09/08; 08/10/08 12/10/08 08/10/08 Luke Spencer 28-03-94 12:0 42 Crystal Green Drive, Okotoks (403) 999 1234 Julie & Mike Spencer cole Beausoleil 28 October 2006

Situational Analysis 3 Written work samples 01/10/08 Assessments Wechler Intellingence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) 10/05/08 chelle de Vocabulaire en image Peabody, Forme B 25/05/08 Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test- Form A The Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Intergration Test de rendement individuel de Wechsler (WIAT- II) Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-II) Referral Information Lizette Hall, Lukes classroom teacher, requested an assessment by the intern psychologist. Lizette perceives Luke as a pleasant student who gets adequately involved in his small classroom setting. He likes to help and participates well in discussions. A psychoeducational assessment was requested because of Lukes great difficulties maintaining his concentration in class, applying himself to his work and being motivated. He is getting quite behind in his learning. He also shows frustration when things are repeated for him and is extremely unorganized. Academically, he is very weak in all subject areas and he has difficulty completing his work on time. Julie and Mike Spencer, parents, supported this referral. A consultation meeting with Julie and Mike Spencer, Lizette Hall, and France Goulard (Special Needs Coordinator) was held on 21/04/08. The intern psychologist agreed to gather information regarding factors that may be contributing to Lukes difficulties towards his school subjects. The intern psychologist proposed to present the assessment information 27/05/08 29/05/08 30/05/08 30/05/08 March to June 2008: Reviewed

Situational Analysis 4 to this group at a program planning meeting on 29/05/2008. Background Summary of Information Provided by Mrs. Spencer, Lukes mother Luke was born in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, to English speaking parents. He was born by induction four weeks prior to date. However, his weight already was more than eight pounds. His developmental milestone presented as expected. He lives with his parents and younger sister. He is usually in good health, although he was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) at the age of 9. Examination of family history indicated that his father suffers from ADD. His mother explained that toward the end of his fourth grade, he showed signs of depression. He has also been in counselling for three to four months. He moved to Okotoks at the age of 10 and since then he has been under Dr. Dominiques care (consulting psychiatrist), who monitors his medication (concerta) and provides him and his parents with coping strategies. Visual and auditory examinations reveal no problems but his developmental milestones seemed to have slowed down in the last couple of years. Previous Schooling Experiences Luke started his schooling in the French immersion program at La Ronge School in Saskatchewan where he did kindergarten and grade 1. Then, after moving to Prince Albert, he did grade 2 and 3 at Vickers School before moving to Medicine Hat in Alberta. He completed his grade 3 and grade 4 at Connaught School, French immersion. At the beginning of his grade 5, he was placed in the Francophone program at Les Cypres School. Finally, in May 2007, he moved to Okotoks and came to Beausoleil School, also a French program, to complete his grade 5 where he is still attending.

Situational Analysis 5 Dimensions of the Situation 1. Intellectual Functioning 2. Social Support for Engagement in Reading and other tasks 3. Academic and Motor Skills 4. Routines and Organization of the Learning Environment Intellectual Functioning During class sessions, Luke displays low rates of on-task activity and does not seem to understand most of the given tasks. Luke was given the WISC-IV to assess his general thinking and reasoning skills. This test was administered to him in English, his mother tongue, but French was also occasionally used. The Verbal Comprehension scale measures verbal knowledge, verbal reasoning and understanding obtained through informal and formal education, and it reflects their application in new situations. In this domain, Luke obtained a score which places him in the lower section of the average range when compared to same-aged students. The perceptual Reasoning scale measures the ability to interpret and organize visuallyperceived material. It indicates how well Luke did on tasks that required him to examine and resolve concrete tasks such as designs with blocks and pictures, and to solve problems using eye-hand coordination and working efficiently with visual information. On this scale, he displayed skills which place him at the average range. The Working Memory scale shows the ability of a student to retain and manipulate information and apply it to an assigned task. It requires attention, concentration and reasoning skills. Luke achieved a score in the average range.

Situational Analysis 6 The Processing Speed scale provides information regarding a students perceptual and fluid reasoning, visual-motor integration and efficient use of working memory for visual information. Luke achieved a score in the lower section of the average range. The verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed scores are usually combined into the Full Scale score. The WISC-IV Full Scale score is one way to view a students overall thinking and reasoning skills. Generally speaking, Lukes overall skills appear to be consistent with those of students cognitively functioning in the average range of ability. Social support for engagement in reading and other tasks Luke engages in school tasks when he is working with other people and the tasks are set within his learning range. Luke was able to communicate on a social level with both adults and his peers. He is liked among his friends. He indicated that he is confident in both small and large group discussions but often gets frustrated when his teacher corrects him on his lack of organizational skills and the fact the he never gets his homework done or any of his class activities on time. Luke works with Louise Halvorsen (teacher aide) twice a week in a withdrawal setting on his unfinished activities and homework. He also practices his reading and comprehension which according to Mrs. Halvorsen, he seems to be doing very well one on one. Luke also seemed more engaged in a certain writing, reading or math task when he had constant help and motivation by the teacher and of course, when a reward was offered (ex. Playing the drums during recess) The teacher always gave the students 15 minutes to write in their personal journal, during

Situational Analysis 7 that time Luke seemed very distracted. He could never find his pencil, or he had to sharpen it many times and he also experienced the need to go to the bathroom frequently. This is when offering a reward was also rewarding to the teacher since he would then try and apply himself and come out with at least half a page of writing. He still trailed behind by others who would approximately write 1 and a half to 2 pages. Academic and motor skills Luke has difficulty reading basic text and tends to replace certain words with ones that dont make sense. He does not read at the level expected for children of his age and lacks in knowledge and /or use of reading strategies. He also has difficulties with his basic writing skills (capital letters and periods) and also seems to forget a lot of his basic mathematical equations (additions and subtractions). Teachers have a hard time understanding his handwriting. The WIAT-II was administered to Luke for the purpose of measuring different aspects of reading practice in French and obtaining some indication of his math skills. He achieved as follows: Standard ScorePercentile Reading Word Reading Reading Comprehension Pseudo word Decoding Composite 71 85 101 83 3 16 53 13 3.3* 3.8 6.0 Grade Equivalent

Mathematics

Situational Analysis 8 Numerical Operations Math Reasoning Composite 81 94 86 10 34 18 5.0 5.9

Written Language Spelling Written Expression Composite 74 84 76 4 14 5 3.0 3.3

Luke was rather quick at reading words in the isolation presented, in spite of his difficulties decoding. He achieved a score significantly below the average range. The same difficulties significantly affected his reading comprehension of passages as he also obtained a low score. His spelling was also very weak as well as his ability to write a few sentences about his favourite game. His words were hard to comprehend. In math, Luke made unexpected mistakes on easy operations while he was successful on more difficult ones. On the math reasoning test, he obtained a score in the lower section of the average range. Luke was also given the English version of the WIAT-II to assess his reading comprehension. His result was at the lower section of the average range (S.D.:92, at the low grade 5 level). Luke reads at a level expected at approximately 3 years younger than his 12 years (9.1 years). He demonstrated that he was gaining some meaning from text, using words he knows and some visual information. However, Luke mostly ignored errors and did not attempt to self-correct. When he encountered a problem, he just kept going. He did not wait

Situational Analysis 9 for help and did not independently work toward a solution. At assessment he showed that his reading vocabulary was just adequate for the books he was reading in class and that he was not confident in applying the word recognition skills he had learned. One observation indicated that Luke was replacing many words with ones that started with the same syllables. Routines and organization of the learning environment Classroom routines need to be created to assure direction and a predictable and comfortable learning environment (Caron, J. 1997). Luke had a hard time following class instructions unless directions are given one at a time. He seems to forget a lot of the daily routines even when they are written on the board. He also seems to have minimal organizational skills. He never puts his papers in the right place and always loses his agenda. His homework is never done and he seems frustrated when a teacher asks him to hand in his homework. He often says that he didnt know it was due at that time and then says that he did it but lost it. Lukes teacher makes sure that the class routines are as visual as possible and the instructions are kept simple. He also has a buddy to work with in case he has a question or is not sure what to do with a given task. Analysis Test results from the assessment suggest that Luke is a student who presents average cognitive abilities in all aspects measure by the WISC-IV, an intellectual assessment tool. His receptive vocabulary was assessed in the low average range while he obtained an average score in English. He achieved a superior score on the test designed to measure his visual motor integration abilities. His academic performance has shown significant weaknesses in reading and writing,

Situational Analysis 10 suggesting a learning disability. The graphs presented in figure 1 and 2 show most of Lukss test results. Luke has a lot of catching up to do. He has yet to develop all of the perceptual skills, phonological knowledge and reading strategies that will allow him to read and write comfortably. When it comes to writing tasks, Luke still struggles with his handwriting. He has been granted a laptop and now does most of his writing tasks on the computer, which seems to please him a lot. Although he still practices his handwriting in certain written tasks, most of the longer ones are done by computer. Positive reinforcement seems to work well with him and group activities where he gets to work on his strengths. Other interventions have been applied by his teacher to facilitate his learning and comprehension. These strategies are discussed below in the Priority Dimensions section. His family, teacher and environment are going to play a big role in his IPP plan. Priorities for Intervention The following priorities have been set based on Lukes analysis and results from his dimensions of concern: 1. More and more kids are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) every year. Managing their behaviours can be challenging for teachers and youth program leaders (Caron, J. 1997 p.41). Providing Luke with certain strategies may help his overall learning experience. Differentiated instruction in the classroom is necessary for kids with ADD (Caron, J. 1997). 2. Guided reading and reading aloud to Children with ADD shows better outcomes when it comes to understanding literature (Adams, M.J. 1990). Social Support for Engagement in Reading tasks is essential for Luke.

Situational Analysis 11 3. It is around fourth grade that many children with ADD start to have academic problems, even when they had done quite well in earlier grades (Mahone, M.E. 2008). Academic and motor skills are unfortunately big areas of concern for kids with ADD. 4. Students with decoding problems have difficulty writing effectively due to problems recalling letter/sound relationships to encode into words when writing (Eller, R.G. 1998). Luke has additional problems maintaining his focus and attention while writing which, when combined with his troubles encoding makes writing very effortful to him. Interventions The first step to Lukes intervention program is to provide Luke with structure. Kids with attention problems do best with set schedules and routines (Caron, J. 1997). Lukes teacher has to make sure that the rules and expectations are equally clear, as well as the consequences for not following the rules. When assigning tasks or activities, make sure kids know what theyre supposed to do (Caron, J. 1997). When giving Luke directions, his teacher will need to write them down as well as saying them aloud. Giving him one direction at a time will give him a chance to be more successful and reduce his frustration. Asking him to repeat the direction to the teacher will assure proper comprehension. Luke will also need to sit in front of the class. The wall dcor and other clutter should be kept to a minimum. Lighting has to be adequate but not too bright. Giving him more time to complete a task is also a must. Using proximity is also a great technique for kids with ADD (Caron, J. 1997). Your presence is sometimes enough to help a student get back on track. This technique will benefit Luke, because it will remind him that he is off task and that he

Situational Analysis 12 needs to refocus. It is also important for him to have a buddy that can help him with his task and give him the extra support he needs. Guided oral reading encourages children to read text orally and includes systematic, explicit guidance and feedback from their parent or teacher. Reading with children is a more effective practice for promoting reading skill and fluency (Meyer, L.A. 1999). In 1997 Steve Stahl and colleagues provided further support for this conjecture. They observed significant differences in students reading fluency and comprehension levels as a result of teacher-guided reading practices in a comprehensive study of third grade students. Meta-analyses of guided oral reading have further demonstrated the value of this instructional practice in promoting word recognition, fluency, and reading comprehension across a range of grade levels. Lukes teacher will do some guided reading in the classroom as well as one on one with Luke. To monitor his improvements, Lukes teacher will administer a miscue analysis on Luke every three months. To better his academic and motor skills, Luke will need to be provided with appropriate and effective accommodations at home and in schools and by creating an environment that reduces unnecessary or tangential demands. Executive functions, like most other skills, can be explicitly taught, and with the right training and support, the severity of ADD symptoms can be reduced substantially (Mahone, M.E. 2008). To be able to catch up on his writing, Luke will need to be re-introduced to some basic writing skills. For example, teach writing progressively: words, simple sentences, more complex sentences with punctuation, and paragraphs with several sentences. His teacher will have to develop lists of words for review based on words Luke has difficulty decoding. He will also benefit from writing sentences dictated by another person and be taught self-

Situational Analysis 13 correction and proof reading of written work. Using frequent and brief practice sessions is also favorable for Luke. For example, write three sentences about what you did at recess. Outcomes To assure Lukes improvements in his academics, an Individual Program Plan (IPP) was designed for him with goals and objectives to better his work and monitor his progress.

First long term goal: increase Lukes level of organisation

Short term objectives Luke will have all of his material at his side at the beginning of every course. Luke will use his agenda to better organise himself Strategies - Visual aids - Visual charts - Teacher-aide - his teacher will write - observation important tasks to be done in his agenda - His parents will need to sign his agenda to stay on top of what is going on in Luke will finish his homework on time school. - Luke will write his homework in his agenda - His teacher will email Lukes mom at - check agenda - check homework at the end of each week. Ways of evaluation - observation - self-evaluation Results, comments and recommendations

Situational Analysis 14 the beginning of every week to assure that the homework tasks are done properly.

Second long term goal: increase Lukes level of reading and oral comprehension
Short term objectives Luke will listen attentively to instructions Strategies - Visual aids - step by step instructions - ask him to repeat instructions given Luke will ask questions if he doesnt understand his tasks - one on one work - his teacher will assure Lukes participation in class - his teacher will question him and Luke will read carefully and use strategies to decode unknown words verify his work - his teacher-aid will do some one on one - observation - self-evaluation - observation - self-evaluation Ways of evaluation - observation - self-evaluation Results, comments and recommendations

reading with Luke and - miscuehelp him decode analysis

Situational Analysis 15 unknown words with various strategies - the teacher-aid will then question his level of comprehension before, during and after the reading session

Third long term goal: increase Lukes level of writing

Short term objectives Luke will write basic sentences using care and paying attention to grammar Luke will write using proper sentence structures Strategies - Visual aids - Visual charts - Teacher-aide - his teacher-aid will review important steps on how to write a proper sentence (ex: Luke will write using the proper planning process subject, predicate) - Luke will write using graphic organizers and charts to better organize his ideas - observation - self-evaluation - test - writing journal - observations -self-evaluation Ways of evaluation - observation - self-evaluation Results, comments and recommendations

Situational Analysis 16 - His teacher-aid will assure that he follows the right steps needed for a writing task (ex: introduction, plot, development, conclusion) Reflective Evaluation The situational analysis framework was explained to Luke, his parents and teachers by the school psychologist. Everyone worked together on the analysis of the results and were able to start a preliminary program plan. One of the most important outcome was the collaboration between all parties involved. As the resource teacher, I was able to develop my assessment knowledge and skills given the number and complexity of dimensions involved. The teacher, teacher-aide and myself had a meeting about the dimensions of concern and then worked out a plan for collecting the assessment data and information required to study each of the dimensions. This case was not easy. There were so many possibilities of identifying a number of implications for intervention and trying to find the best ones arent always evident. It is part of a trial and error process. That is why IPPs arent written in stone. It is important to monitor the students progress and his or hers IPP. I have often realized that certain goals taken from a childs dimension was too forthcoming or too unrealistic. A review of the plan at a three month interval gives the parties involved enough time to assess and re-assess the situation if needed. Attending a workshop on how to deal with kids diagnosed with ADD

Situational Analysis 17 would benefit Lukes teacher, the teacher aide and myself. Getting the right strategies and understanding this condition better will only help Luke with his future both in and out of school. Note: This example report has been deliberately composed to represent a real situation. References Adams, Marilyn J. 1990. Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Caron, Jacqueline (1997). Quand revient septembre. Recueil Doutils Organisationnels. Montral, QC. Les editions de la Chenalire inc. Eller, Rebecca G. (1998). The Lexical Development of elementary school kids: Learning from Written Context. Journal of Reading Behavior 20:5-24. Mahone, Mark E. (2008) www.eparent.com/EP MAGAZINE- August 2008

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Figure 1

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Figure 2

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Evaluation of Assignment 2 Situational Analysis of Individual Case

SECTION 1 and 2. REFERRAL RECEIVED AND NEGOTIATED Includes: Sources of information clearly detailed Concise statement of concerns outlined in the referral A clear statement on the negotiation of the referral Details on ethical consent procedures followed Approximate Length = 100 words /3 MARK /3

3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Includes: Detailed and relevant information on background to the situation Clarity and relevance of information obtained and presented Approximate Length = 200 words 4. DIMENSIONS Includes: Dimensions with positive and negative influences identified Completeness and clarity of dimensions in unanalysed form Sources of information are clearly identified Reference to supporting literature Approximate Length = 500 words 5. ANALYSIS Includes:

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Analysis and interpretation of dimensions ( you may include a representative diagram of the situation - optional) Inter-relationships among dimensions Analysis of causes, supports, and functions of behaviours identified Links established between the identified dimensions and relevant literature Approximate Length = 300 words 6. PRIORITY DIMENSIONS /3 Includes: A clear description of priority dimensions Justification for prioritisation with reference to the data gathered Justification for prioritisation with reference to the literature (Approximate Length = 200 words) 7. INTERVENTION PLAN Includes: A clear description of an intervention plan based on the analysis

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Justification/rationale for the intervention in terms of the literature and research Clearly identified links between hypotheses, intervention objective(s), and outcome measures Approximate length = 500 words 8. OUTCOMES (or explanation of how outcomes can be measured) /3 Clear presentation of how objective outcome data and information would be obtained Clear presentation of how data would be presented using graphs, tables, and illustrations (Approximate length = 200 words) (Note: You are not required to do the actual intervention. Instead please propose a plan for measuring the intervention outcomes. If you do have outcome data then you can include it in this section.) 9. REFLECTIVE EVALUATION OF CASEWORK PROCESS Includes: /3

Reflection of casework procedures indicating depth of awareness of own professional practice Reflection guided and supported by literature Identification of opportunities and areas for professional development Reference to examples from this case study