Students with Learning Difficulties
Special Education Process at White Cliffs Middle School
By: Sarah Arrington
At White Cliffs Middle School, there is a process in place to help every student be successful.
Step 1: Observe
Each teacher should constantly be analyzing each student's behavior, looking to see if the student is growing, stagnant, or backsliding.
Signs of growth:
-Confidence
-Participation
-Engagement
-High grades
Signs of decline:
-Behavior issues
-Work avoidance
-Continual sleepiness
-Disheveled appearance
-Failing grades
-Confused looks
-Etc.
Step 2: Learning Study Team
If these signs are seen consistently, a Student Learning Team is called together. If the LST suspects a disability or issue, they move to Step 3.
This team consists of:
-Team teachers
-Administration
-Counselor
-SpEd Teacher Special Education Teacher)
-Achievement Leader
Duties of the LST:
-Reviews data (test scores, performance, behavior, attendance*, etc.)
-School history data
-Diagnostic information
*A student with incredibly low attendance cannot be evaluated for SpEd until attendance approves
Step 3: SpEd Testing or other accommodations
With the goal of each student being in the "least restrictive environment" as possible.
-SpEd Testing can determine a specific disability a student has.
-"Other accommodations" can be a 504 plan or similar.
Once the student is placed in the least restrictive environment, they the process is over. However, one could also say it is just beginning. The student remains under observation and the school staff continue to seek the best educational pathway for that specific student.
Some disabilities can change with age and environment. For this reason, all IEPs (Individualized Educational Plans) are evaluated each year for relevance and to create new goals for the student.
Before moving to Step 2, various strategies can be used to observe a full spectrum of a student.
Personalized groups: group struggling students with successful students to help create community and curve behaviors
Different learning styles: teach to various learning styles can help a teacher identify if a student is struggling across the board or just with a specific learning style
Vary the pace: a variation in pace can help identify a struggling student. Some students showing behavior issues may stop when the pace is heightened. Reversely, some students may need a slower pace to be fully engaged in content
Color code:
Teal = the process used to identify and help a struggling student
Yellow = Notes correlating to the process
Relationships: be relational with students and talk with them often
Encourage parental involvement: parents can often share information about a student and keep a student accountable while not at school (Szumski & Karwowski, 2017)
References:
CUBoulderSchoolofEd. (2015, March 25). Retrieved from https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFP94yQhBeE
Guignon, A., (2010). Multiple Intelligences: A Theory for Everyone. Retrieved from https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml
Rozenfelde, M. (2018). Support System for Promoting the Process of Inclusion of Learners with Special Needs in General Education Institutions. Education Reform in Comprehensive School: Education Content Research & Implementations Problems, 131–160. https://doi.org/10.17770/ercs2018.3610
Szumski, G, & . Karwowaki, M. (2017). Parents’ engagement in the education of lower secondary school students with and without special educational needs - which strategies bring expected results? EDUKACJA Quarterly, 141(2), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.24131/3724.170204
Various teaching strategies: acquire a
variety of teaching strategies and be able to be use them effectively: adapt material, change working methods, develop programs to best help each student (Rozenfelde, 2018)
One issue with our school's current process is that the State of Arizona requires that each student be tested at the respective general education grade level. For example, if a student is chronologically at an 8th grade level, however they are doing 4th grade work through the SpEd program, they still need to take the 8th grade state exam.
(CUBoulder School Of Education, 2015)
(Guignon, 2010)