Process for Identifying and Helping Struggling Kindergarten Students.
Early intervention is of utmost importance and I believe that it is my duty as a kindergarten teacher to get to know all my students and their needs while still providing them with the best education that they deserve.
All children come into the education system with needs but some students have needs that are unique and not typical.
Students with atypical needs need special accommodations in the classroom in order for them to reach their full potential. The process for identifying struggling students has eight steps.
Step 1
Identify the student
- Does the student have a recurring problem?
- Is the problem constant?
- Does the problem seem inappropriate for children of this age?
YES
Go to Step 2.
Step 2
Pre-referral
Together with the co-teacher and assistant teachers, set up a meeting with the student's parents. Provide information regarding the problem and discuss more permanent accommodations that can be made for the student. Develop alternative strategies.
Implement alternative strategies and monitor the progress of the student afterwards. Does the student show any improvement?
NO
NO
Go to Step 3.
Step 3
Keep observing student and document any discrepancy in academics, behaviour, emotions and physical ability.
Referral for Special Education Evaluation
Together with the co-teacher, assistant teachers and school nurse, set up a meeting with the student's parents to discuss starting the process of determining if the child is eligible for special education.
Get consent from the parents before beginning any professional evaluation.
YES
Do the parents give their consent?
Continue monitoring the student and use high quality education instruction together with some group remediation and intensive, individualized intervention, depending on how great or small the improvement is.
YES
Go to Step 4
Step 4
Special Education Evaluation
IDEA requires this examination to be multi-factored and non-discriminatory.
The evaluation team consists of the school's psychologist, special educators, relevant service providers, doctors and the student's general teachers.
NO
Go back to the beginning.
As the student's general teacher, I should be available to provide all my notes and documentation that can be used to evaluate the student.
From this evaluation, does the student have a disability?
YES
Go to Step 5.
Step 5
Eligibility
NO
Continue to monitor the students as with any other student and provide relevant accommodations to him/her on a needs basis. For example, if the student has a bad eyesight, ensure that he/she sits in the front row in the classroom. Restart process if necessary.
IDEA states that each child is entitled to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Special Education is one way of accomplishing this.
Does the student's disability negatively impact their education?
REFERENCES
Cohort 7 Module 2 Unit 2 Activity 2 Palesa Skalk
YES
Go to Step 6.
Step 6
NO
Work out a plan to provide other supportive services for the student. For example, if the student has a case of hearing loss, use more hand signals to communicate with him/her and provide extra time with the student to find out how he/she is coping. Communicate regularly with his/her parents.
IEP Meeting
Collaborate with parents and special education teachers to produce an Individualized Education Program for the student.
Help formulate the document which includes the student's profile, the goals for this students, any assistive technology that should be used, for example,hearing aids or glasses. Include the student's special dietary and transportation needs, how regularly I need to meet with the parents, how to help with the student's behaviour, etc.
Does the document provide an efficient individualized education program plan for the student?
YES
Go to Step 7.
NO
Go back to the beginning of Step 6 and reformulate the plan.
Step 7
IEP Implementation
As a member of the IEP team, it is my responsibility to ensure that the implementation of the IEP is done.
Meet frequently with the rest of the team to discuss how the results of the implementation or if the IEP needs to be amended.
Demonstrate good efforts towards achieving the goals set out on the IEP document and continue supporting the student.
Step 8
Reevaluation
Review the IEP and then analyze the strengths and weaknesses and whether it worked or not. Re-evaluate the child.
Students who receive speech therapy from a young age can overcome that impairment so if after a year the student has overcame it, they can gradually exit the special education system and the IEP will be concluded for this student.
- Maddi Bodine (2020). Helping Children with Special Needs Transition to Kindergarten.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/helping-children-special-needs-transition-kindergarten - ProjectIDEAL (n.d). The Special Education Referral Process. Retrieved on 5 August 2020.
http://www.projectidealonline.org/v/special-education-referral-process/ - Deng, Meng & Poon-McBrayer, Kim & Farnsworth, Elizabeth. (2001). The Development of Special Education in China A Sociocultural Review. Remedial and Special Education.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258183441_The_Development_of_Special_Education_in_China_A_Sociocultural_Review - Fu, Wangqian & Lu, Sha & Xiao, Fei & Wang, Mian. (2018). A social–cultural analysis of the IEP practice in special education schools in China. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities. 66. 1-13.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328267163_A_social-cultural_analysis_of_the_IEP_practice_in_special_education_schools_in_China - Kupper & Kohanek (n.d). 10 Steps in the Special Education Process. Retrieved on 4 August 2010.
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/10-steps-special-education-process
Accommodate the student's needs as they arise. If the student complains that she cannot hear, raise my voice a bit. If the student suddenly doesn't want to talk, find out why by using pictures to communicate with the student.
Students who have eye correction surgery may not need to use spectacles any further.