Running head: LITERACY INTERVENTION 1

Case Study and Literacy Intervention

Elyse Huesca

University of Redlands
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Case Study and Literacy Intervention

Case Study

The student observed is an 11-year-old male student in the 6th grade. Student is in

a moderate-severe special day class environment with pullout for speech services.

According to student’s Individualized Education Program student’s primary disability

was Autism in the beginning of 2010 when student first qualified for special education

services. Student was assessed for triennial review in 2019 and psychoeducational testing

determined that student qualifies for special education services under Intellectual

Disability and Speech and Language Impairment and no longer is classified as having

Autism. Student is bilingual and qualifies as ELD; primary language spoken at home and

with peers in classroom is Spanish. Student does perform higher in English and

assessments were given in English as well.

Data and Assessments

The triennial assessment the psychologist used the KTEA-3 to determine

student’s present levels in reading, mathematics, written and oral language. Overall

academic performance, based on assessment, is in the very low range with a score of 47,

at the 0.1 percentile. The results of the KTEA testing show that the student is in the very

low range, a score less than 55, in reading composite, letter and word recognition, math

composite, math computation, written language composite, written expression and

spelling. Student tested in the low range, scores between 55 and 69, in reading

comprehension with a score of 60 and math concepts and application with a score of 55.

The ELPAC, English Language Proficiency Assessment for California, was used to

determine student’s progress in learning English in April of 2018. Student’s overall score
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was a 1 out of 4, student received a score of 1 in the areas of speaking, reading and

writing and a score of 2 in listening.

The speech-language pathologist assessed student by observation in class and

using formal assessments. The student is developing appropriately and no major concerns

in the areas of articulation/phonology, fluency and pragmatics. The SPELT-4, Structured

Photographic Expressive Language Test, was used to determine student’s abilities in

word formation and syntax. Speech-language pathologist stated that the testing was not

scored because it is out of student’s testing range and was used to get a better analysis of

the use of English. Student performs below expectations for age and assessment

determined that student does not use past tense irregular verbs consistently. Although the

student is below the level for a child his age, the student can still understand what is

heard, responds appropriately, follow directions and express wants, needs, thoughts and

feelings. The OWLS, Oral and Written Language Scales, was administered in

conjunction with the SPELT and determined that student results were consistent in

semantics, syntax and pragmatics. Since the student is bilingual, assessments were given

to determine his skills in Spanish, assessments were discontinued because the student did

not understand the directions given in Spanish or answered in English more than 90% of

the time. The assessments determined that the student’s language delay is due to a

language disorder and not a language difference.

A psychoeducational assessment was performed to determine the student’s

disabilities and eligibility for special education services, but the report was not readily

available because of the change in disability for eligibility. There was plenty of
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information in the IEP and Speech-Language Pathologist report to determine where the

student has difficulties in literacy.

Observation Journal

Friday-May 17 (1 hour)

On Fridays some of the students from the general education class come to the

SDC classroom to do small group projects. The students sit in small groups to do an

artwork project with the instruction and assistance of a teacher, instructional assistant or

speech-language pathologist. The student I was observing was reserved and shy when the

students from the other class joined them. Although when the teacher asked the student

for assistance with supplies the student was helpful and began work when prompted. That

day the students were working on painting a tree using Q-tips. The student did not have

any major difficulty with the assignment, but needed a visual example before starting the

project. The student seemed to enjoy socializing with other peers and more responsive to

the instructional assistant who was instructing. When I interacted with the student, they

were shy and quiet, but very polite. Student was more interactive with the peers and staff

that they were comfortable around. The student worked well independently with little

assistance, and was also helpful to the other students if needed.

Monday- May 20 (2 hours)

Students were working on reading and reading comprehension and mathematics

during the time of observation. Students were prompted to get their personal notebooks,

student did not need extra direction or prompting to get folder. The student was reading

the story “Birthday Cake” aloud to an instructional assistant. The book contained short 3-

5 word sentences that the student was able to read a majority of the story. When the
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student did not know the word, the student struggled with decoding the word and needed

assistance. The story was referring to social skills and what to do when something bad

happened. After the student read the story the aide verbally asked the student a few

reading comprehension questions. The student was able to verbally answer the questions

verbally, but is unable to read the questions and understand how to answer them. The

aide wrote down what the student answered and the student would copy the sentences.

The student had difficulty using correct grammar in past tense, as shown in IEP. The

student needed little prompting to do the assignment, but did need instructions repeated to

understand the assignment. As student was writing, the aide reminded the student to write

smaller and to pay attention to their handwriting. Student would follow directions after

being told to write neater. The story and reading comprehension questions were taken

from Edmark, which is the program the teacher uses for literacy skills. The work placed

in the student’s notebook corresponds to the student’s levels.

After students worked on English, students worked on mathematics worksheets.

The student was working on real-life scenario math problems. The student would have

grocery advertisements and was required to make a shopping list and add the total of the

items. Student was able to able to add and subtract most one-digit problems, but the

student used a calculator for two-digit problems. Student did need some assistance with

some of the more complex two-digit problems, but was familiar with how to use the

calculator when needed. For some of the problems that the student did on their own, the

student used touch point strategies to add. Student worked well individually and needed

little to no prompting to do assignment. The students work on skills appropriate for their

level and also work on the same worksheets multiple times to improve skills.
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Wednesday-May 22 (1 hour)

Student was observed during part of lunchtime and working with the Speech-

Language Pathologist. During lunch, the student was helpful to the other students with

their lunch and was social with peers. Student followed directions and was cooperative.

Student worked with the Speech-Language Pathologist on identifying high

frequency words in a text. Student was asked to circle high frequency words in the text

and did not have much difficulty in doing the task. Student was able to tell the Speech-

Language Pathologist how many times the word appeared in the text. The student did

have to have assistance with reading some of the words in the text, aside from the high

frequency words. After the student determined the number of times the word appeared,

the student was asked to color the corresponding number on a graph. Student needed

directions repeated of what the task was and the number the student was looking, but was

able identify the number on their own. Speech Pathologist mentioned that they have been

working on high frequency words regularly and decoding. The student still struggles with

decoding, but there has been some improvement especially when given visual aides.

After working on high frequency words the Speech Pathologist had the student read

simple 3-5 word sentences and match it to a picture out of a field of 5. Student was easily

able to match the picture to the text read. The student was comfortable with the Speech

Pathologist and was responsive to questions. The student was very responsive to positive

feedback and joking. The Speech Pathologist said that the student still struggles with

decoding and that when doing reading comprehension the student will answer in English

a majority of the time, but when the student does not know the word in English the
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student will say it in Spanish. She also mentioned that the student rarely is able to use

past tense verbs.

Thursday-May 23 (1 hour)

Student was observed during art time, the students were working on Father’s Day

cards. Students were working on making creative Father’s Day cards and also writing a

message on the card. Students worked in small groups with some of the students from the

general education 6th grade class. The student practiced his handwriting by copying

“Happy Father’s Day” and drew a picture that represented the student and their father.

After the student was asked what they would like to write on the inside of the card and

verbally told the teacher. The student needed some assistance with what message to write

and the student responded with short one to three words. Student received help from the

teacher with what to write and the teacher wrote the sentences down. Student copied the

sentences in the card and needed prompting to write slower and neater.

Other Observations

The student was social with peers and adults, but would speak in Spanish with

peers a majority of the time. The teacher did not speak Spanish; only one of the aides

spoke Spanish. Students seemed more comfortable communicating in Spanish, but the

student would respond in English when doing their work. Student was more comfortable

with peers in SDC class and more shy and reserved with other students from the other

class. The student seemed to prefer to sit with adults during classwork. Student was

cooperative during classroom activities and was helpful to the teacher and other students.

Teacher mentioned that the student is responsible and will be asked to run errands to the

office and will assist other students with getting their binders, lunch and showing them to
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the restroom. The student likes to sit in a rolling chair, student would move side to side

and seemed to work better while sitting in this kind of chair. Each student has a binder

with multiple copies of the worksheets and the work targeted towards their present levels

and goals. The binders contain student work and also their name and address, seasons,

months and days of the week so the students can practice and become more familiar with

the information.
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Goal: ELD/ Reading

Baseline: Student can read the majority of Dolch list 1, 2 and 3 and simple textbooks and

sentences.

Current Goal: In a classroom/community setting, given various

texts/worksheets/activities, student will read and understand 15 community signs with

100% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials (each trial is one opportunity to reach a community

sign) as measured by chart to be evaluated every quarter (9 weeks).

New Goal: Student will read simple sentences and match the sentence with a community

sign in a field of 5 with 100% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by data chart and

student work.

Objective A: Student will read simple sentences and match the sentence with a

community sign in a field of 3 with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by data

chart and student work.

Objective B: Student will read simple sentences and match the sentence with a

community sign in a field of 4 with 90% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by data

chart and student work.

The student’s current goal is structured towards what the student will be learning

in the 7th grade. In the goal student is working on identifying community signs and there

is a focus on improving reading skills. The new goal will focus on reading skills, reading

comprehension and identifying community signs based on text.

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Lesson Plan

Subject: ELA

Unit Name: Community Signs

Standard: RI.6.1 & W.6.2

Activity:

The student will have laminated cards with a sentence about a community sign and will

have 3-5 different options of pictures to match to the sentence. The student will read the

sentence aloud then choose a sign that matches the sentence correctly and place it on the

laminated card. The student will have 5 chances to get the correct picture to match the

sentence. After the student has worked on matching the correct sign to the text the student

will work on their community journals. The student will be then work on their writing

skills and completing sentences with correct endings. The student will first identify the

picture and then write the correct word underneath. Then the student will be given the

start of a sentence and will be asked to finish the sentence with the appropriate ending,

choosing from three different options.

Accommodations:

Student will use visual supports, increased time to complete task, teacher/aide will repeat

task and directions as needed, and modified assignments to match cognitive abilities.
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Literacy Intervention

Subject: ELA Lesson title: Community Signs

Warm Up Common Core Standard Prior Knowledge

The student will have
laminated cards with a
sentence about a community
sign and will have 3-5
different options of pictures
to match to the sentence.
The student will read the
sentence aloud then choose
a sign that matches the
sentence correctly and place
it on the laminated card.
The student will have 5
chances to get the correct
picture to match the
sentence.
RI.6.1 & W.6.2 What does the student
already know about
community signs?
Materials:
Laminated Pictures
Notebook/Journal
Prewritten Sentences for
pictures
Pencil
Prewritten beginnings of
sentences and ending options

Activity/Lesson
After the student has worked on matching the correct sign to the text the student will work on
their community journals. The student will be then work on their writing skills and completing
sentences with correct endings. The student will first identify the picture and then write the
correct word underneath. Then the student will be given the start of a sentence and will be
asked to finish the sentence with the appropriate ending, choosing from three different options.

Modifications
Student will use visual supports, increased time to complete task, teacher/aide will repeat task
and directions as needed, and modified assignments to match cognitive abilities.
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Activities
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Conclusion

When designing the lesson plan I focused on a subject that the student would be

working on in the next grade, but I do not think this was the best strategy. The point is to

get the student to work on his literacy skills and I would use the same strategy of the

activities, but target the lesson toward something the student is interested in or a book the

student chose. If the student learns about something they like it is more likely they will

have more interest and motivation. It will allow the student to build confidence to use the

same skills toward the other subjects.

After observing the student I learned the importance of having an

individualized educational plan that targets students’ needs and goals. The

teacher made binders for each student that kept the student’s work organized and

easy for students to access. I would like to use this idea for my classroom in the

future to keep track of student’s progress and have work samples readily

available. The teacher took initiative to have the SDC students to interact with the

general education students on a regular basis and feel that it helped improve the

student’s social skills and feels more confident in interacting with others. The IEP

seemed to match the student and their levels; work was appropriate for the

student. The dynamic of the classroom was unexpected, because the students

spoke in Spanish most of the time, even though the teacher did not. The student

was comfortable communicating with peers in Spanish, but when it came to

doing the work the student’s skills were better in English. It was a learning

experience observing a Special Day Class because I am more familiar with high

school RSP students who are in general education classes most of the day.