Special Education Inquiry Project
This artifact is my special education
inquiry project that I conducted during my time student teaching. The
purpose of this project was to identify a student in my class who was
struggling with a particular learning or behavioral challenge, study
this through observation and research, and from there choose certain
strategies to implement in an effort to help this student succeed.
Included in this artifact are three reflection papers that track the
progress of my special education inquiry project from the beginning
onward. For my special education inquiry project I worked with a
student who needed to constantly be re-directed from an off-task
activity or behavior. The main strategy that I implemented with this
student involved using a behavior chart where he earned stickers for
every fifteen minute period throughout the day that he was meeting
the goal my cooperating teacher and I set for him of "following
directions first time given". My student was very much involved
in the behavioral chart process and this chart was a good visual that
my student could see throughout the day to assess how they were doing
in terms of meeting their goal. If my student earned a certain number
of stickers on his chart for the day, he was rewarded with a "dragon
star", something that is part of the school-wide behavior
rewards system for following the rules at Kelly Elementary. I also
used this behavior chart to mark down the number of times that I had
to re-direct this student during a fifteen minute time period in the
day using tally marks; this chart also had space to write down
comments to give some context for the re-direction if necessary. My
student genuinely wanted to do well and follow directions, and by
implementing a behavior chart, we were able to collaboratively work
together to meet this goal daily.
I choose to include this artifact in my portfolio under the competency "Adaptations for ELL and students with special needs" because through this project I was able to become familiar with the process of helping a student with a behavior challenge in addition to the resources available to do so. The student that I choose to work with for my special education inquiry project exhibited a behavior that he constantly struggled with, being off task and not following directions, and so creating a behavior chart aimed at meeting a specific goal to address this problem worked well for this student. This artifact also demonstrates the familiarity that I have developed with the process of being able to create an adaptation for a student whose behavior problem was negatively impacting his ability to learn, be present, and be involved with all that the class was doing each day. By putting measures in place such as the behavior chart to help my student succeed, my goal was to open up the avenue for learning that had been blocked to a certain degree by the behavioral challenge he has.
Another reason that I have included this project under the competency of "Adaptations for ELL and students with special needs" is because it has shown me the importance of keeping consistent records of a students' behavioral or academic challenges. This can serve two important purposes, one being it can help the teacher to identify a pattern to the student's struggles and then help them to identify what factor or factors may be causing this issue. A second purpose is that it is helpful in parent teacher conferences to be able to reference or if the assistance of outside aid is needed eventually to help this student a record to justify why a student is being referred for a particular service or services is critical. Through my cooperating teacher is still utilizing a behavior chart for this student, it was wonderful to see the student be excited about earning his stickers for the day and to be able to engage in conversation with him about good choices he could make in order to earn his stickers. This experience has shown me both the positives outcomes that emerge when a teacher takes the time to make an adaptation to help a student succeed and the continuing challenges that require constant flexibility, experimentation, and re-evaluation to determine the best strategies to help a student with a behavioral or academic challenge to succeed.
Special Education Inquiry Project Reflections:
Part I Link
Part II Link
Part III Link
Weekly Behavior Chart:
I choose to include this artifact in my portfolio under the competency "Adaptations for ELL and students with special needs" because through this project I was able to become familiar with the process of helping a student with a behavior challenge in addition to the resources available to do so. The student that I choose to work with for my special education inquiry project exhibited a behavior that he constantly struggled with, being off task and not following directions, and so creating a behavior chart aimed at meeting a specific goal to address this problem worked well for this student. This artifact also demonstrates the familiarity that I have developed with the process of being able to create an adaptation for a student whose behavior problem was negatively impacting his ability to learn, be present, and be involved with all that the class was doing each day. By putting measures in place such as the behavior chart to help my student succeed, my goal was to open up the avenue for learning that had been blocked to a certain degree by the behavioral challenge he has.
Another reason that I have included this project under the competency of "Adaptations for ELL and students with special needs" is because it has shown me the importance of keeping consistent records of a students' behavioral or academic challenges. This can serve two important purposes, one being it can help the teacher to identify a pattern to the student's struggles and then help them to identify what factor or factors may be causing this issue. A second purpose is that it is helpful in parent teacher conferences to be able to reference or if the assistance of outside aid is needed eventually to help this student a record to justify why a student is being referred for a particular service or services is critical. Through my cooperating teacher is still utilizing a behavior chart for this student, it was wonderful to see the student be excited about earning his stickers for the day and to be able to engage in conversation with him about good choices he could make in order to earn his stickers. This experience has shown me both the positives outcomes that emerge when a teacher takes the time to make an adaptation to help a student succeed and the continuing challenges that require constant flexibility, experimentation, and re-evaluation to determine the best strategies to help a student with a behavioral or academic challenge to succeed.
Special Education Inquiry Project Reflections:
Part I Link
Part II Link
Part III Link
Weekly Behavior Chart: