Learner Inquiry Gray Area students: Preventing the slow learner trap

Jessica’s story Jessica has struggled with reading and basic math skills since first grade despite academic supports and after-school tutoring. In fourth grade, the school psychologist reported that although Jessica’s test scores for intelligence and achievement were quite low and she had clear educational need, she was not eligible for special education services. Her intelligence test scores were not low enough for her to be considered a student with intellectual disabilities. Neither did the tests indicate that Jessica’s academic skills were lower than would be predicted on the basis of her intellectual ability, so she did not qualify as a student with a learning disability. As a result, Jessica has remained in regular education classes and neither she nor her classroom teachers have received additional support. Instead, Jessica has been labeled a “slow learner” and has been left to struggle, even fail. Progressively, she has lost academic motivation, and now at age 16, she is considering dropping out of school. - NASSP

Gray area? The Specialist Association of Canada states that ‘20% of students do not fit within a designated special needs category but are, nevertheless, not meeting expectations. These "grey area" students include slower learners as well as those with diverse social, emotional, or other learning issues affecting performance, and students who have not yet been identified as having a special-needs designation.’

Definition Students with borderline intelligence have intelligence test scores that fall significantly below the average score of 100 but above the range consistent with intellectual disabilities (that is, below 70). Nationwide, they make up approximately 14% of the student population, more than students in all special education categories combined.

Intelligence These students are often considered to have borderline intellectual functioning. Their intelligence test scores are not low enough for them to be considered a student with intellectual disabilities. Their class work is not presenting results that would be lower than predicted on the basis of their intellectual ability, so they do not qualify as a student with a learning disability.

Common Characteristics The need info to be presented in a concrete fashion. They cannot think abstractly. They do not transfer skills, knowledge, and strategies well They tend to learn what is taught quite well but have difficulty transferring and applying the concepts taught to new situations. They have difficulty cognitively organizing new material and They have difficulty with long-term goals and time management. They benefit from increased time for academics They often require extra practice of a task Communicate more clearly through oral language rather than written.

Risks Nearly always develop academic motivation deficits. Suffer poor self-concept and can develop emotional and behavioral problems. Are at high risk for dropping out.

Maddie On the RTI model, Maddie would be a student within the 10-15% of students in Tier Two. Maddie does not have a formal designation. She is receiving support from many professionals in the school and receives modified instruction.

About MADDIE gets easily frustrated with pencil and paper tasks struggles with sounding out words and manipulating word sounds. has difficulty translating thoughts to paper and thinking abstractly uses an alphasmart 3000 has difficulty organizing and assimilating and remembering new information communicates more clearly through oral than written language is well below the average benchmark reading score for her age level has difficulty focusing on the task at hand and on written instructions is outspoken is proud of her abilities in art and P.E. and loves technology, art, soccer and horses is always willing to try new things

Strategies I encouraged her to use her alphasmart to develop her writing skills I encouraged her to preview, or look ahead at a task, before beginning it. We focused on and plan activities that play on her strengths I provided graphic organizers that helped her consolidate new learning We did Brainstorming before writing

Other methods I expected success from Maddie I rewarded her genuine effort I provided a variety of ways for her to demonstrate competence I paired her with peer mentors I worked with her twice a week on reading I put written instructions on her desk for tasks

Invisible adaptations Preparing students for a transition Writing the schedule on the board Repetition of instructions Oral discussions and brainstorming Partner support Use of student examples Creating a motivating community

Assessment

Whole class instruction These strategies work for the whole class:

A framework from the Department of Educational Psychology 1. The association with previously learned information needs to be made clear. 2. Then, announce that there is something similar, but slightly different, that the class is going to learn today. 3. Next, present the new material. 4. Provide a large number of examples. 5. Practice applying the new skill in a variety of situations. 6. Review. 7. Practice again. 8. Implement generalization strategies

What worked One-on-one instructional time Setting small, attainable goals Preparing Maddie by going over the lesson ahead of time Using prompts Being given choice Using lesson previews revision of work

What didn’t work Written spelling tests Changing of graphic organizers Lack of time for practice Independent work periods without frequent check-ins

Future plans Modify her demonstration of learning so that she can use oral communication (especially during testing) Adjust the amount of material that she must process and produce at one time to lessen the demands on her memory Encourage her to preview, or look ahead at a task before beginning it. Arrange activities that allow students to exercise their active working memory "muscles.“ Seek additional help from the speech pathologist and Learning Assistance Teacher

Word Work Help her become aware of how she applies phonemic awareness abilities (e.g., rhyming, blending, and segmenting sounds in words) Explicitly teaching her how letters and letter groups correspond to distinct speech sounds Integrate reading and writing by linking the decoding of words with the spelling of words Build her independence in reading by promoting the use of decoding strategies. Have her practice sorting words into categories using a variety of approaches Encourage her to self-monitor while she decodes words by giving her guiding questions, such as “Does that sound right?”

Summary “If the phrase “no child left behind” is to be more than empty public relations and rhetoric, then educational programming must be enhanced for the large population of children with borderline intelligence who currently are being left behind.” –Steven R. Shaw