learning disabilities: foundations, characteristics, and...

SHANNON CASE MATERIALS

Supplement to

Learning Disabilities:Foundations, Characteristics, and Effective

Teaching

Daniel P. Hallahan, John W. Lloyd, James M. Kauffman,Margaret P. Weiss, Elizabeth A. Martinez

Copyright © 2005, Pearson Education, Inc.

Allyn and Bacon75 Arlington StreetBoston, MA 02116

Contents

Sociological Report................................................................................. 3Psychological Report .............................................................................. 5Educational Report............................................................................... 14Notice of IEP ......................................................................................... 23Draft IEP............................................................................................... 24Draft Goals and Objectives .................................................................. 28

WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLSDEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL SERVICES

WASHINGTON, VA

SOCIOLOGICAL REPORT

Name: Shannon Ireland D.O.B. 8-1-88

Grade: 8th Date of Interview: 11-10-02

Reason for Referral:

Shannon was referred for a sociological evaluation as a component of her triennialevaluation for special education services. The last two years Shannon has struggledacademically. .

Circumstances of Interview:

SW met with Mr. and Mrs. Ireland at Memorial Bishop Middle School. A previoussociological report was completed in October of 1993. This report serves as an update.

Medical History:

Generally, Shannon enjoys good health. She has experienced several different strains ofstrep throat. Shannon has not been on any medications for extended periods of time. Atthe time of this interview the Irelands noted that Shannon had a sore throat, and that shewas run down, stressed, and not eating well.

Family History:

Shannon lives at home with her parents and her 8-year old brother. The Irelandsdescribed Shannon’s relationship to her brother as typical. He adores Shannon. She isreceptive, but mostly wants her space.

Shannon feels she should be able to make her own rules and decisions. Her parents donot share this viewpoint. There is much discussion around the home regarding Shannon’srules. Shannon’s father is more often in the role of telling Shannon no. This results ingreater conflict between the two of them. Overall, Shannon enjoys a strong relationshipwith her parents. She recently wrote them a note expressing how much she needs them.

School History:

Shannon attended Washington Elementary School in 1993 while in the third grade.Shannon was found eligible for special education services. Shannon qualified asLearning Disabled with difficulties in long-term factual memory. With the additional

----------------------------------------Copyright 2005, Pearson Education, Inc.

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support the Irelands felt Shannon did very well through the sixth grade. Each dayShannon went to a resource room with Ms. Regents. The Irelands felt this providedShannon with a good foundation. Shannon would take her test in resource. This allowedher needed time, and it gave her an opportunity to ask clarifying questions.

Adaptive Behavior:

In school Shannon had a small peer group of several friends. These kids were always outtogether and there was usually something going on. This year Shannon’s peer group iscomprised chiefly of older kids. The Irelands are very pleased with her selections offriends, and they feel these older kids are good role models for Shannon.

Last year Shannon played on the soccer team. This year she managed the football team.She considered managing the basketball team. The Irelands would not allow her to dothis, as they felt Shannon needed to focus on her studies.

The Irelands described Shannon as strong willed and a good friend. Mrs. Ireland addedthat Shannon has been strong willed since age two, when she had a certain way shewanted her shoes tied and her socks folded. Shannon is generous, and she has a goodsense of humor. The Irelands feel Shannon is a sweet kid.

Shannon enjoys the usual teenage activities, boys, music and makeup. Shannon isartistic. She says she likes reading, but she is not an avid reader. Shannon watches a lotof TV in her room. She enjoys watching football. Shannon is very aware of housesecurity. When her parents leave the home Shannon locks both doors and checks thewindows.

Shannon has not had any legal troubles, and she does not have other behavior problems.Shannon does her own laundry, and she irons her jeans. Shannon is a perfectionist. Mrs.Ireland noted that each evening Shannon cleans her tennis shoes. This fastidiousnessdoes not include Shannon’s room or bathroom.

Summary

Shannon Ireland is an eighth grade student who is struggling academically. She is up forreevaluation for special education services.

Prepared by:

Alicia Mendoza, L.C.S.W.


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WASHINGTON, VA(nnn) nnn-nnnn

Psychological Report

Confidential

Student: Shannon Ireland School: Bishop Memorial M.S.Date of Birth: 08-01-88 C.A.: 13-2 Grade: 8Date of Evaluation: 11-12-02 Psychologist: Mark Chang

Reason for Referral: Shannon was referred for cognitive assessment as a component ofher triennial evaluation for special education services.

Background Information: Shannon was initially determined eligible to receive specialeducation services in December, 1993 (3rd Grade), based upon a Specific LearningDisability with the process of “long-term factual memory.” Shannon’s Verbal,Performance, and Full Scale Cognitive Scores were consistent with her academicachievement. However, upon reconfiguration of the scores, it was determined that herverbal strengths (three verbal subtests) were discrepant from her written languageachievement. Special education has been offered during the last three years in the formof “resource” support with accommodations in the regular education mainstream (longertime for written assignments, opportunity to express ideas verbally before writing, use ofa word bank, etc.). Shannon currently received one period of special education“resource” support as well as collaborative support in her math class.

Mrs. Ireland was interviewed by this examiner to better understand Shannon’s strengthsand needs. She was very forthcoming and was an excellent historian. Mrs. Ireland hasbeen highly invested in Shannon’s academic achievement and supports her in becoming awell-rounded individual. She notes that Shannon’s written language skills are adequatewith the exception of spelling. Shannon checks her spelling by using the PC in her home.Mrs. Ireland reports Shannon’s current difficulties as: “study habits, planning, and needsrepetition of math facts”. She describes Shannon as a very “strong-willed” child whoresists parental intervention with homework. Shannon is shy and as such, does not like tobe singled-out relative to her learning needs or support. Mrs. Ireland reflected Shannon’smany positive qualities which include: visual design aptitude, sense of style and humor,and independence. With the exception of some infections, Shannon’s health history isunremarkable. Her vision and hearing are reportedly normal. Mrs. Ireland would like tosee her daughter “understand herself, learn how best she learns (ex. to test well) andenjoy their time together” in a variety of activities. She would like to see Shannon’s


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current special education class serve as a “study hall” of sorts, wherein Shannon can doher daily homework and study with assistance. Mrs. Ireland has also provided theclassroom teachers with a thorough and insightful profile of Shannon’s individualcharacteristics (available in her confidential file).

Assessment Procedures:

• Record Review• Parent Interview• Teacher Interview• Student Interview• Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III• Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (Completed by Resource and Math/Reading

Teachers Independently)

Assessment Results:

EmotionalPiers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale: Shannon’s endorsement of eighty items onthis self-esteem inventory yielded a score profile that was consistently within averageexpectations as compared with her same-age peers. Her scores are in the normal-rangewith respect to each of the following areas: Behavior, Intellectual/School Status,Physical Appearance/Attributes, Anxiety, and Overall Happiness and Satisfaction.Specific endorsements reflect some doubt about her physical attractiveness and revealanxiety and worry – associated with school performance and parental expectation.

Student Interview: Shannon was then interviewed about her perceptions of her ownacademic needs. She indicated that her “hardest” subject is math in that she is uncertainof what/how to approach studying for tests. She was asked to reflect upon how memorydifficulties might impact her schoolwork and revealed that they most directly impede herachievement on “tests”. Further, she discussed moderate anxiety associated with suchperformance in that: “I get nervous and forget.” She noted that her “nervousness” isexacerbated by worrying about her achievement in advance of and upon receiving thetest. Specifically, she becomes preoccupied with anticipating parental reaction and thedisciplinary consequences she’ll encounter at home, for poor grades.

With regard to support for her academics, Shannon feels that “special education hasn’thelped a lot”. She would instead prefer to attend PE and Health classes with her peersand continue with supportive tutoring (once weekly, after school). Shannon believes thather “tutor… really helped me more than special education…” due largely to theindividual (1:1) support she receives. Shannon reported that she benefits from using thetutorial time to “finish journal entries… and use flashcards”. She notes that sheoccasionally cannot complete her homework due to competing extra-curricular activities(i.e., soccer) but that her social and television privileges are currently limited to one hourper night. Shannon volunteered that the “most helpful” form of academic support would


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be to have a “tutor at my house” (rather than at school) and “more often” than the currentarrangement (of one day per week). Shannon reviewed her current course grades withthis examiner:

Language Arts Cooperative A-Pre-Algebra DSocial Studies APE A+Reading AResource (Sp. Ed.) AScience D

CognitiveTest Administered: WISC-III (11-12-02)

Observation During Assessment: Shannon interacted pleasantly, although somewhathesitantly, with this examiner prior to assessment. She discussed the purpose of theevaluation and her own perceptions regarding needs/abilities. During assessment,Shannon was focused and physically-quiet. She offered little spontaneous conversationand responded with some laughter to examiner praise and comments. She exhibited somehesitancy to risk a response (guess) and her verbal responses were succinct. Shannon’snonverbal strategies (with puzzles, blocks) were largely trail and with both verbal andperformance tasks (ex. she did not gain credit for an accurate block design item as themaximum time elapsed). The achieved scores are considered accurate representations ofShannon’s functioning as measured by the WISC-III at this time.

Scores Summary: (Subtest scores and statistical analysis appear at the end of thisreport).

WISC=III

Scale IQ (avg. = 100) Range (95% Confidence Interval)*Verbal 99 (91 – 106)Performance 90 (83 – 97)Full Scale 94 (91 – 97)

(*Confidence Interval: A built-in measurement of error which indicates that if a childwere assessed 100 times, 95 out of those 100 times the scaled score would fall betweenthe low and high-end scores). Current scores fall within the same range as those from theearlier evaluation.

Interpretation of WISC-III Results:IQ/Index Scores:Shannon’s general cognitive ability is within the average range of intellectual functioningas measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Third Edition. Her overall


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thinking and reasoning abilities exceed those of approximately 34% of children her age(FSIQ = 94; 95% confidence interval = 91-97).

Her ability to think with words is comparable to her ability to reason without the use ofwords. Both Shannon’s verbal and nonverbal reasoning abilities also are in the averagerange. Her verbal reasoning abilities are above those of approximately 47% of her peers(VIQ = 99; 95% confidence interval = 91-106). Her nonverbal reasoning abilities arebetter than those of only approximately 25% of students Shannon’s age (PIQ = 90; 95%confidence interval = 83-97).

Shannon’s ability to sustain attention, concentrate, and exert mental control is belowaverage. She performed better than approximately 15% of her age-mates in this area(Freedom from Distractibility Index = 78; 75% confidence interval = 69-87).

Shannon’s ability in processing simple or routine visual material without making errors isaverage. She performed better than approximately 32% of her age-mates on theprocessing speed tasks (Processing Speed Index = 93; 95% confidence interval = 84-104).

Subtest Profile AnalysisCompared to her mean score for all of the verbal reasoning tasks, Shannon’s performancewas significantly better on the Similarities subtest. Her strong performance on theSimilarities subtest was better than that of most students her age. On the Similaritiessubtest Shannon was required to respond orally to a series of word pairs by explaininghow the words of each pair are alike. This subtest examines her ability to abstractmeaningful concepts and relationships from verbally presented material (Similaritiesscaled score = 13).

Shannon achieved her best performance among the nonverbal reasoning tasks on thePicture Arrangement subtest and lowest score on the Object Assembly subtest. Herperformance across these areas differs significantly, suggesting that these are the areas ofmost pronounced strength and weakness, respectively, in Shannon’s profile of nonverbalreasoning abilities. Her weak performance on the Object Assembly subtest was belowthat of most children her age.

Shannon was required to rearrange each set of randomly-ordered pictures into a logicalstory sequence on the Picture Arrangement subtest. This subtest assesses her abilities toinfer cause and effect in social situations and to properly sequence events in time.Performance on this task also may be influenced by planning ability and attentiveness torelevant details (Picture Arrangment scaled score = 12).

Shannon was required to put together puzzle pieces to form line drawings of commonobjects on the Object Assembly subtest. Her performance on this particular subtest is anindication of her general ability in perceptual organization tasks, that is, tasks that requirementally organizing nonverbal, spatial information into meaningful part-whole


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relationships. Performance on this task also may be influenced by visual-motor ability(Object Assembly scaled score = 6).

Shannon also demonstrated below-average abilities with the sample retrieval from long-term memory (Information SS – 7) of general factual knowledge about the world.Another sample which reflects visual long-term memory and visual alertness to elementsof a picture, also yielded a below-average score (SS = 7).

Learning Disability Evaluation Scale: The LDES is an instrument designed to gatherinformation from classroom teachers about Shannon’s learning behaviors andfunctioning. The scores are then norm-referenced and yield a profile of Shannon’sfunctioning compared with same-age peers. Shannon’s Math teacher (Mr. Taylor) andResource/Language Arts teacher (Ms. Regents) offered their observations of Shannon’slearning behavior. The resulting profiles are highly consistent and indicate one area ofsignificant concern: listening and spelling.

Subscale Score by Math/Reading Score by Clb. Lang. Arts/Teacher (Avg. = 10) Resource Teacher (Avg. = 10)

Listening 06* 07Thinking 09 08Speaking 12 13Reading 12 12Writing 11 11Spelling 06* 06*Math Calculations 09 09

Impressions:1. Shannon is an 13-year-old child who completed the WISC-III. Her generalcognitive ability, as estimated by the WISC-III, is average (FSIQ = 94). Shannon’sverbal and performance ability scores were also both in the average range (VIQ = 99, andPIQ = 90).

2. Relative strength in abstract verbal reasoning and sequential planning. Shedisplays a relative weakness in part to whole perceptual organization, attention, and long-term memory process.

3. Average and above-average achievement in classes with functional difficulty inspelling, math, and science as indicated by teacher report and letter grade.

4. Moderate self-reported anxiety which inhibits test-performance.

5. Reflective, methodical approach to problem solving and memory trace associatedwith longer response time.


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Recommendations:1. The Bishop Memorial Multi-Disciplinary Team is encouraged to consider thesefindings in their discussion of Shannon ’s special education eligibility.

2. Consider the options to supporting Shannon’s academic needs, such as: tutorialopportunities rather than “resource room”, per her request.

3. Consider mainstream accommodations, such as: explicit study skills, assistancein scheduling to budget time, allowance of extra time for test-taking, allowance of use ofspell-check (computer or dictionary).

4. Consider cognitive-behavioral techniques to reduce test-anxiety, such as: makingpositive self-statements, relaxation exercises (tension-reducing). Shannon’s effortstoward skill mastery and task initiative / accomplishment should be met with praise andaffirmation. To the extent possible, correction should be offered in an objective,constructive manner and underscored with praise for her effort. Explicitly identify forShannon how her efforts relate to her accomplishment and perception of herself ascompetent and masterful.

5. Shannon may benefit from:

• learning and planning in a sequential manner• explicit instruction regarding how items/concepts relate to prior learning• presenting an overview or “whole” concept and then breaking it into it’s

components• explicit instruction and practice in budgeting time / effort prior to a test /

project due date – use of a calendar or planning with daily tasks identifiedmight be helpful.

_______________________________________ 11-12-02Mark Chang, Ed.D., NCSP DateSchool Psychologist


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Shannon Ireland

IQ SCORES SUMMARY

90% ClassificationConfidence of Intellectual

Scale IQ Interval PR Functioning Verbal 99 94-104 47 AveragePerformance 90 84-98 25 AverageFull Scale 94 90-99 34 Average

Difference Between VIQ and PIQ = 9 (p < .15, Freq = 49.3%)

INDEX SCORES SUMMARY

90%Confidence

Index Interval PR Verbal Comprehension 100 94-106 50Perceptual Organization 91 85-99 27Freedom from Distractibility 78 71-87 15Processing Speed 93 86-102 32

SUBTEST SCORES SUMMARY

Raw ScaledVerbal Subtests Score Score PR Information (IN) 13 7 16Similarities (SI) 22 13 84Arithmetic (AR) 17 9 37Vocabulary (VO) 28 9 37Comprehension (CO) 23 11 63Digit Span (DS) 14 10 50


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Shannon Ireland

Raw Scaled

Performance Subtests Score Score PR Picture Completion (PC) 17 7 16Coding (CD) 41 8 25Picture Arrangement (PA) 38 12 75Block Design (BD) 36 9 37Object Assembly (OA) 20 6 9(Symbol Search SS) 22 9 37

GRAPH OF SUBTEST SCALED SCORES

VERBAL PERFORMANCEIN SM AR CO DS PC CD PA BD OA SS MZ

19 1918 1817 1716 1615 1514 1413 1312 1211 1110 10 9 9 8 8 7 7 6 6

5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1

SUBTEST IN SM AR CO DS PC CD PA BD OA SS MZ SS 7 13 9 11 10 7 8 12 9 6 9 SEM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2


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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUBTEST SCORES AND MEAN OF SUBTESTSCORES

Diff. Signif.Scaled From of

Subtest Score Mean Diff. Freq. S/W

VERBALInformation (IN) 7 -2.83 .15 25%Similarities (SM) 13 3.17 .05* 10% SArithmetic (AR) 9 -0.83 ns >25%Vocabulary (VO) 9 -0.83 ns >25%Comprehension (CO) 11 1.17 ns >25%(Digit Span DS) 10 0.17 ns >25%

Mean of Six Verbal Subtest Scaled Scores = 9.83Scatter = 6 (p < .05, Freq – 45.2%)

PERFORMANCEPict. Compl. (PC) 7 -1.50 ns >25%Coding (CD) 8 -0.50 ns >25%Pict. Arrang. (PA) 2 3.50 .15 25%Block Design (BD) 9 0.50 ns >25%Object Assembl. (OA) 6 -2.50 ns 25%(Symbol Search SS) 9 0.50 ns >25%

Mean of Six Performance Subtests Scaled Scores = 8.50Scatter = 6 (p < .05, Freq = 62.1%) * significant at the .05 level

WISC-III Writer Windows Version 1.0


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WASHINGTON, VIRGINIA

EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION SUMMARY

Student: Shannon Hope Ireland Evaluator: Mary Hormett

Date: 11/14/02 D.O.B.: 8/01/88

Reason for Referral:

This evaluation was completed as a component for Shannon Ireland’s triennial reviewto determine eligibility for special services.

Background Information:

Shannon was found eligible to receive special education as a Learning Disabledstudent in the area of reading (written language) on 2/1/96. Educational testing revealedaverage abilities in all areas; however, significant internal subtest discrepancies werenoted. Classroom academics revealed better test scores when an answer sheet ormultiple-choice questions were given vs. strictly answering questions from memory. Sheexhibited a significant processing deficit in the area of memory and factual retrieval ofinformation.

Shannon is currently a 8th grader at Bishop Memorial Middle School. She receivesone period of pullout resource assistance daily and one period of collaborative mathdaily. Her academic grades are: English language arts A-, social studies A, earth scienceD, and math D. Her science grade was low because Shannon did not do well on tests.Her teacher reports that she has problems grasping new concepts and applying learnedfacts to new situations. Although she pays attention in class during direct instruction, sheis very unengaged when involved in cooperative learning activities. Her math teacherreports that basic math facts and sequential operations are weak, but basic concepts andproblem solving are a relative strength. She is attentive some of the time, somewhatdisorganized, but turns assignments in on time in math. Shannon’s social studies teacherreports that she does not participate in class discussions, yet seems eager to learn moreabout the subject matter. Her English teacher reports that she likes creative writing andexpressing her opinions about what she has read but still has some problems with somemechanics in writing and spelling. Her special education teacher reinforces whateverskills the language arts teacher is trying to teach. In resource Shannon uses her timewisely; however, sometimes she complains because she wants to use the class as a studyhall instead of a time to get extra drill and practice in her weak areas. Left on her own,though, she seems to forget what she is doing and dawdles and daydreams. Classroomobservations reveal that Shannon sometimes experiences anxiety when taking a test. Forexample, when given a science test, she missed several questions on the first try. Afterexperiencing some success, she was able to go back and correct some of her mistakes.


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Testing Procedures:

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test IIKey MathClassroom Observation

Classroom Observation:

On 11/12/02 Shannon was observed in math class. Shannon had completed herhomework but her notebook was poorly organized. During direct instruction Shannondid not appear to be very interested in the lesson. She played with the straw on the juicecarton and did not look at the board while Mr. Taylor, her math teacher, was givingreview examples of how to subtract fractions. When time was given for guided practice,Shannon spent the first six minutes in the restroom.

Testing Observations:

On 10/09/02 and 10/10/02, Shannon completed the Wechsler Individual AchievementTest which assesses her current level of functioning in specific academic areas. Shannonappeared to be relaxed during the testing sessions. She answered questions easily and didnot appear frustrated by any aspect of the test. She was tested during three differenttesting sessions. One session was for 45 minutes and the other two were 20 minuteseach. It should be noted that when the examiner asked for her birth year, she respondedthat she did not know. On October 29, the Key Math was administered to help evaluatespecific strengths and weaknesses in math. Shannon was very cooperative during theadministration of this assessment and put forth her best effort.

Test Results:

Shannon performed in the average range in overall reading skills, as indicated by herstandard score on the Reading Composite (102). Her skills in this area exceed those ofapproximately 55% of students her age. Shannon performed comparably on tasks thatrequired her to correctly read a series of printed works (Basic Reading standard score =102) and to read paragraphs and answer questions about what was read (ReadingComprehension standard score = 103). She was able to apply decoding skills andcorrectly identify difficult words such as catastrophe and abrupt. Shannon missed oneeasy comprehension question because she answered impulsively. She seemed to applyexcellent strategies to help her pick out relative information and answer comprehensionquestions even when she did not understand every word she was reading.

In overall mathematics skills Shannon performed in the low range, as indicated by herMathematics Composite standard score (90). Her achievement in this area is better thanapproximately 25% of students her age. Shannon’s performance on tasks that requiredher to add and subtract numbers up to three digits and to multiply and divide two-digitnumbers (Numerical Operations standard score = 83) is comparable to her performanceon tasks that required her to understand number and consumer math concepts, geometric


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measurement, elementary graph reading, basic graph usage, and simple one-step wordproblems (Mathematics Reasoning standard score = 92). On the Numerical Operationssubtest, Shannon made one careless mistake reversing her six to a nine (3 + 3 = 9).Shannon was able to correctly solve all single multiplication and division problems.However, she missed problems where she had to multiply a three-digit number by a oneor two digit number and division numbers problems where she had to divide a three-digitnumber by a one-digit number. She was able to add a fraction with the same commondenominator, but she was not able to do any other fraction problems correctly. OnMathematics Reasoning, she was able to write a mixed decimal correctly and compareand order four unit fractions from least to greatest. She was not able to identify acylinder, solve a one-step multiplication problem involving money and extraneousinformation. Shannon missed the question about interpreting a pictograph because shedid not notice the key.

On the Key Math Shannon obtained a grade equivalent of 6.1. Personal strengthswere revealed in the areas of operations of addition and subtraction. Concepts involvingnumeration skills were her strength. Applying concepts dealing with money were also astrength. Personal weaknesses were revealed in operations of multiplication and division,solving word problems, measurement, and fractions. On the Word Problem subtest,Shannon missed two easy questions because she did not pay attention to detail. Shannonwas asked the question, “Six children were playing in a park that has 8 swings. If only 2children are swinging, how many swings are empty?” Shannon responded 3 because thepicture accompanying the question shows three empty swings. She was asked thequestion, “Bob bought a new shirt for $6. The store gave him a $2 belt free. How muchdid he have to pay for his things?” Shannon responded, “Four”. Shannon missed severalquestions dealing with memorization of basic information. For example, she could notremember that Thanksgiving comes in November, and she did not know how many daysare in a year.

Shannon’s skills in writing are diverse and may not be adequately summarized by asingle number. She scored much higher on tasks that evaluated her ability to composeand write a clearly organized letter. (Written Expression standard score +118) than ontasks that required her to correctly spell verbally presented words (Spelling standardscore = 98). Three errors on the Spelling subtest (centrys for centuries, easyer for easier,and begining for beginning) indicate that she has not mastered rules for adding endings.(changing the y to I rule and doubling rule). On the Written Language subtest, Shannonwas able to show good development of ideas with many details extended. Her letter wasfairly well organized with good unity and some transitions were used. Her vocabularyshowed good word choices that were appropriate. Although they lacked “sparkle”, theywere clear in meaning. Shannon’s letter had an adequate amount of sentence variety.Although Shannon’s letter had some mistakes in capitalization and punctuation, they didnot interfere with clarity.


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SUMMARY

According to standard test scores, Shannon is achieving in the average range in allacademic areas except math. In math, her scores fall in the low or low average range.Shannon has made excellent progress in the area of written language as indicated by herstandard scores and classroom work.

Recommendations:

1. Shannon needs instruction in study skills. She needs help learning strategies andtechniques to help her memorize facts for tests.

2. Shannon needs to use a word processor or spell-checker when writing final draftsto help her compensate for her poor spelling skills. Learning spelling rules and how toapply them could help improve her spelling skills.

3. Working with a tutor in a one on one situation could help her with her personalweaknesses.

4. Shannon still needs major supports in math. She probably is not ready for algebra.


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WESCHLER INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST--II

Name: Shannon Ireland Testing Date: 10/09/02

WIAT SUBTESTS STANDARD PERCENTILESCORE SCORE

Basic Reading 102 55

Reading Comprehension 103 58

Numerical Operations 83 13

Mathematics Reasoning 92 30

Spelling 98 45

Written Expression 118 88

COMPOSITES

READING 102 55

MATHEMATICS 90 25

WRITING 105 59


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WASHINGTON, VIRGINIA

STUDENT OBSERVATION

Student: Shannon Ireland Observer: M. Hormett

Observation Site: Math Date: 11/12 Time of Observation: 9:41 to 10:25

Teacher of Class Observed: Taylor

Description of Activities Observed: to add and subtract decimals, (could not read)

Description of Classroom Adaptations Made to Accommodate this Student:Collaborative class______________________________________

Assessment of Student Performance (Place “x” in appropriate boxes):

Key: 1 Good 2 Fair 3 Poor 4 Not Observed

1 2 3 4Enters class on time XBehavior is suitable for peer level XInteracts positively with peers XInteracts positively with teachers XIs attentive XFollows oral directions XFollows written directions XBegins work promptly XCompletes work on time XContributes meaningfully to class discussions XCompletes written assignments satisfactorily X

Comments:Shannon had completed her math homework but her notebook was poorly organized.During direct instruction, Shannon was easily distracted. When guided practicebegan, Shannon spent the first six minutes in the restroom.

Is Additional Observation Recommended: No

(The teacher whose classroom is to be observed should be notified at least one day inadvance of the observation.)Form No. 150.13


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WASHINGTON, VA

TEACHER EDUCATIONAL REPORT

Full Name: Shannon Ireland Date: 11/7/02

Reporting Teacher: David Hightower Subject Area(s): Science

1. INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL(S)

a. Grade level of materials: __________; __________; __________; ____8th____Math Language Social Science

Arts Studies

b. Student’s current grade: __________; __________; __________; ____D______Math Language Social Science

Arts Studies

2. ACADEMIC STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:

Shannon struggles to pays attention in class.She has trouble grasping new concepts.Shannon has trouble applying learned facts to new situations__________________________?

3. WORK HABITS/MOTIVATION:

Shannon is not very social when we are not ________ in direct instruction she willtend to sit near her friends and listen to them rather than work.

4. PEER/ADULT RELATIONSHIPS:

No trouble seen. Shannon has no trouble meeting new students, but she often seemsto be on the periphery. She works well and responds to teacher instruction.

5. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE STUDENT’S LEARNING PROBLEMS:

Un-timed tests Resource help for taking tests

Notes from other students are available


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WASHINGTON, VA


Full Name: Shannon Rose Ireland Date:

Reporting Teacher: Cartwright Subject Area(s): Language Arts


a. Grade level of materials: __________; __8th____; __________; __________Math Language Social Science

Arts Studies

b. Student’s current grade: __________; ___A_____; __________; __________Math Language Social Science

Arts Studies


Strengths Weaknessesclarity & fluency spellingin writing


Shannon has excellent study habits. She sometimes actively participates in classdiscussions and seems eager to learn more about the subject matter (language arts).


Shannon seems to have an excellent rapport with adults and, though she worries abouther popularity, she friends or hangs around with other kids.

5. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE STUDENT’S LEARNINGPROBLEMS:

Shannon receives individualized teaching (one-on-one with a resource teacher). Theresource teacher reinforces whatever skills I am trying to teach with her.

* Resource Class * Collaborative Class with Resource Teacher


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WASHINGTON, VA


Full Name: Shannon Ireland Date: 11/1/02

Reporting Teacher: Winn Taylor Subject Area(s): Math


a. Grade level of materials: ___7-8th___; __________; __________; __________Math Language Social Science

Arts Studies

b. Student’s current grade: ____D____; __________; __________; __________Math Language Social Science

Arts Studies


Basic math facts – still weakSequential operations – weakBasic Concepts/Problem solving – relative strengthsInattentive sometimes when on own


HelpfulAssignments turned in on time


No problems noticedWorks O.K. in cooperative groups

5. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE STUDENT’S LEARNING PROBLEMS:

Working in organized, index binder Reteaching/retesting Working in cooperative groups Collaboratively instructed


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DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL SERVICES

WASHINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLSWASHINGTON, VIRGINIA

Washington Public SchoolsBishop Memorial Middle SchoolForm SS-1050.3Rev: 6-99

NOTIFICATION OF IEP REVIEW

January 14, 2002

Parent(s) name: Danny and Kerrie Ireland

Address: 1930 Prince Court Washington, VA

Dear Parent:

It is time to review Shannon Ireland’s (student’s name) IndividualizedEducation Program (IEP). As you know, this review is conducted annually. You areinvited to participate. A meeting has been scheduled as follows:

Date: Jan. 26, 2002 Time: 8:15 a.m.

Location: Bishop Memorial Middle School

Participants: Ms. Newburg, Ms. Regents, Kerrie Ireland

*Enclosed you will find a draft copy of the 02-03 IEP to look over.

If this time is not convenient for you, please contact me to discuss another time.Enclosed please find a copy of the procedural safeguards. I look forward to meeting withyou.

Sincerely,

Darlene Regents Resource Teacher (Title)

362-8302 (Telephone)

NOTE: Kerrie, I called Diane Weather to invite her, but am not sure she can attend.


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WASHINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLSWASHINGTON, VIRGINIA


INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMDRAFT

1. LEGAL NAME: Shannon Ireland DOB: 8/1/88

PARENT/GUARDIAN: Danny and Kerrie Ireland STUDENT SSN: nnn-nn-nnnn

SCHOOL: Bishop Memorial Middle School GRADE: 8 RACE: 5

BASE SCHOOL: Bishop Memorial Middle School FOSTER CARE: ___YES X NO

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: (if other than Washington County): ----------

2. BEGINNING DATE: 01/26/02 ELIGIBILITY DATE: 12/17/02TRIENNIAL DATE: 12/17/02

3. PRIMARY DISABILITY: Learning DisabilitySECONDARY DISABILITY: ------

4. IEP STATUS (Check all that apply);A. ____ INITIAL B. X_CONTINUED C. ___ TEMPORARYD. ___ RECOMMENDATION FOR DISMISSAL FROM

5. PRESENT LEVEL OF EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE:

According to a Washington Informal Spelling Assessment done 5/01, Shannon scored 100% onlevel one, 84% on level two, 84% on level three, 81% on level four and 77% on level five. Shannon is aconscientious worker who wants to please her teachers. She has improved in her reading fluency andcomprehension this year, even though it was good to start with. She has made progress despite asignificant processing deficit in the area of memory and the retrieval of factual information. This deficitimpedes her progress in written language and math, as well as the retrieval of information on contentrelated tests/quizzes. Although she has strong conceptual writing abilities, she continues to need assistancewith the mechanics of the writing process. Even though she is able to maintain topic cohesion, shecontinues to write run-on sentences. Although her foundation skills are strong, Shannon still struggles withthe correct spellings of both familiar and unknown words. She struggles more with adding morphographsto words (such as following the “final e”, “doubling”, and “changing the y to I rules”) than she does voweland consonant patterns. Math concepts are not fully understood and math facts are not yet automatic.Therefore, Shannon requires more time allotment in math to finish class work, quizzes and tests. Shannontakes content tests, as needed, with the resource teacher because the retrieval of content “facts” is difficultfor her. On tests and quizzes she is more successful with some prompting or uses a word list for “fill-in-the-blanks”. This helps her retrieve facts that are asked on tests. Self-esteem has been low this year. Sheis a very sensitive student and wants to do her best all the time. She “daydreams” less, but it still happens.She complains that she does not have friends.

6. ACCOMMODATIONS:

1. Small group/individualized instruction when necessary2. Tests can be taken with the resource teacher as necessary3. Modifications regarding length of written assignments when needed


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SCHOOL: Bishop Memorial Middle School Page 2

STUDENT: Shannon R. Ireland

4. Additional time to complete written assignments and projects if necessary5. Word list to be used during content tests when appropriate6. Use of spellcheck when needed7. Multi-model presentation of new information

7. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: (see separate sheets)

8. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

A. GENERAL EDUCATION % of Instructional Week: 86%

Homeroom, Math Science Social Studies, Exploratories, Lunch Assemblies, Physical Education, and Language Arts

B. SPECIAL EDUCATION Amount of Date to Date to % of InstructionalAND RELATED SERVICES Time per Week Begin End Week

(in minutes) M/D/Y M/D/YSp. Ed. Instruction _____225_____ 1/26/02 6/5/02 ______14% Math Collaboration _____225_____ 1/26/02 6/5/02 ______14% _________________________ _____________ ______ ______ __________________________________________ _____________ ______ ______ _________________

C. PHYSICAL EDUCATION PARTICIPATION __X__ Regular ____ Modified

D. FAMILY LIFE __X_ Regular ___ Special ___ Opt out Option # ____Partial Opt-Out ____ Exclusions

E. LITERACY PASSPORT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM __X__ Yes _____ NoIf yes, list accommodations. If no, provide rationale:Will take test in resource room if necessary

F. VIRGINIA STATE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM ____ Yes __X__ NoIf yes, list accommodations. If no, provide rationale:Not given at this grade level

G. TRANSPORTATION (Describe student needs):Bus rider


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9. A. ASSURANCES OF LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT DISCUSSED:

__ 1. The school the student would normally attend, if not disabled, is the recommended placement or isthe placement.

___ 2. The quality of services which the student with disabilities requires to meet IEP goals is providedby the placement.

___ 3. The placement providing educational services required meeting the student’s goals is appropriatetaking into account the potential harmful effects to the student with disabilities.

___ 4. The student is educationally integrated with chronological age-appropriate peers withoutdisabilities.

___ 5. The amount of travel time and distance to and from school is appropriate.

9. B. PLACEMENT ALTERNATIVE DOCUMENTED (Check Only One):

After considering all the options on the continuum below, select the appropriate placement and providea written explanation for the placement chosen to include why the less restrictive placements were notappropriate.___ General education with monitoring___ General education with consultative services from special education_X_ General education with part-time instruction from special education___ General education with full-time instruction from special education___ Special education with full-time instruction from general education___ Special education full-time instruction___ Separate day school___ Residential facility___ Homebound___ HospitalPlacement Rationale:Shannon’s needs as documented on the Present Level of Performance would best be served at theabove level.

10. SIGNATURE OF PARTICIPANTS RELATIONSHIP TO STUDENT DATE

Chairperson or LEA Representation


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I GIVE permission for my child ______Shannon_____ to participate in the special education program described in thisIndividualized Education Program (IEP). I understand the contents of this document and I have been informed of my dueprocess rights. I understand that I have the right to review my child’s records and to request a change in the IEP at any time. Ialso understand that I have the right to refuse this placement and to have my child continue in his/her placement pending _____of due process procedures. I have received a copy of the IEP.

____/____/____ Date Signature of Parent/Guardian(s) or _____________

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- OR --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I DO NOT GIVE permission for my child _____Shannon______ to participate in the special education program described inthe Individualized Education Program (IEP). I understand that I have the right to review his/her records and ________ anotherplacement. I understand that the contents described above will not take place without my permission or until due processprocedures have been exhausted. I understand that if my decision is appealed, I will be notified of my due process rights in thisprocedure. I have received a copy of this IEP.

____/____/____ Date Signature of Parent/Guardian(s) or _____________


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WASHINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLSWashington, Virginia

Note: Use Additional Pages as Needed


IEP Goals and ObjectivesStudent Name: Shannon R. Ireland

Goal: Shannon will improve her Math Skills

Facilitator(s): Classroom teacher and Resource Teacher

Implementation Date: 1/26/2002

OBJECTIVES SCHEDULES CRITERIA EVALUATIONShannon will improve her math skills inthe areas of computation, concepts andapplication.

Given multiplication facts withfactors of 12 or less, Shannon will givethe answer verbally or in written form toeach fact within 4 seconds.

Given a paper containing problemsof any operation presented horizontallyor vertically, the student will correctlycompute the answer.

Given 10 examples with any fouroperations with fractions, the studentwill solve the answer.

Given 10 examples with any fouroperations with decimals, the studentwill correctly solve the answer.

Given a paper containing 10problems, the student will estimate theanswer by rounding.

Given 10 examples, Shannon willsolve single step word problems usingany of the four operations.

Given 10 examples, Shannon willsolve multi-step word problems usingany operations.

Assess at the endof each week

Assess at the endof the gradingperiod

100% of thetime

90% of thetime

Timed drillsMad minutesFlash cards

Teacherassessments, tests,quizzes, homework,and classparticipation


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Goal: Shannon will improve her Written Language Skills



OBJECTIVES SCHEDULES CRITERIA EVALUATIONShannon will improve written languageskills.

Shannon will identify sentencefragments and be able to rewrite themcorrectly.

Shannon will identify run-onsentences and be able to rewrite themcorrectly.

Shannon will apply rules ofcapitalization, punctuation, and wordusage when writing sentences.

Shannon will be able to write anarrative composition that develops onemain idea and contains elaborativedetails.

Shannon will be able to write anexpository paragraph that contains atopic sentence, supporting details and aconcluding sentence.

Shannon will revise and edit allwritten work.

Assess at the endof each gradingperiod

90% of thetime

Teacher assessmentson daily/weeklywriting assignments


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Goal: Shannon will improve her Spelling Skills



OBJECTIVES SCHEDULES CRITERIA EVALUATIONShannon will improve her spellingskills.

When given words in dictation,Shannon will spell variant vowel words.

When given words in dictation,Shannon will demonstrate knowledge ofrules for adding endings to words.

When given words in dictation,Shannon will spell using specificsyllabication rules.

Shannon will recognize and correctmisspellings from own writings.

Assess at the endof each gradingperiod

90% of thetime

Teacherassessments,quizzes, tests, andwriting samples


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