Process for Identifying & Helping
Struggling Students

It is important that ALL children's needs are identified from an early age.

Needs differ from one student to another.

HOW CAN WE KNOW?

Some students need extra help in the classroom because they might be diagnosed with one of the 14 IDEA categories of disabilities.

If students come to school already diagnosed from their doctors, an IEP would be planned ahead of time. Teachers would need to follow the IEP.

Other students, and even their parents might not know that the child has any disabilities, children might be struggling academically and there are some signs that can help us identify a struggling student.

What are the signs that can help us identify the struggling student? (EXAMPLES)

Example 3:Signs of Intellectual Disabilities: Having trouble speaking, finding it hard to remember things, not understanding social rules, having troubles with problem solving, having troubles thinking logically.

Does the student show any of these signs?

NO ❌

Keep on monitoring the student progress. Document progress and document setbacks academically, physically, emotionally.

Student is not making progress

Monitor student with help from other teachers and faculty members also a special education specialist if the school provides any.

No Progress ❌

Does the student need a specially : designed instructions?

Yes

Seek parental consent for special education evaluation.

When Parents AGREE

Pre-referall

Student is provided interventions developed by the parents and a school-based team. Provide the documentation of the child's progress academically and talk about what you think the student is facing. Share ideas with parents and the school and develop strategies that could help the child.

Not Successful ❌

Referral For Evaluation

Eligible ?

No ❌

No disability is noted that impacts educational performance. Special education not required but the student is referred to interventions again.

Yes ✅

IEP determined that a disability impacts
the child's educational performance and eligibility is determined for special education services.

A multi-disciplinary team of parents, general and special education teachers, administrators, and others meets to develop the Individualized Education Program (IEP).

The entire IEP team has the responsibility to ensure that the IEP is implemented.

The IEP team is required to meet each to ensure the correct implementation of the IEP and to create an IEP for the coming year.

Successful ✅

Keep Monitoring Child Progress

Progress ✅

Keep Monitoring Student

Student is now making progress

YES ✅

What areas of adaptive functioning to consider with the student?

Conceptual

Language, Reading, Writing, Math, Reasoning, Knowledge, Memory

Practical

Social

Empathy, Social Judgment, Communication Skills, Ability to follow rules, Making and keeping friendships

Example 1: Signs of Visual Problems: Constant eye rubbing, poor focusing or trouble following objects, inability to see an object at a distance, shows trouble while reading. :

Example 2: Signs of Hearing Problems: Student can't understand unless looking directly at you, is falling behind with communication and speech skills, cannot identify where the sounds are coming from, shows signs of behavioral problems or social difficulties.

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DALIA FARES

Sec. 300.8 Child with a disability. (2018, May 25). Retrieved March 08, 2021, from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.8

The IEP Process Flowchart. (n.d.). Retrieved March 07, 2021, from https://scriptnc.fpg.unc.edu/sites/scriptnc.fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/IEP-Process-Flowchart_0.pdf

What is intellectual disability? (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2021, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/intellectual-disability/what-is-intellectual-disability