SLD Illustrative (Insert Name) Case...

SLD Illustrative Tara Case ExampleThis case example is intended to be used in training staff to recognize the link between achievement, basic psychological processes, and the next right instructional step. The available data are designed to be a realistic teaching tool and do not represent ideal practice or illustrate issues of compliance. In some instances we have intentionally left out critical information and in others provided both relevant and irrelevant details, so that participants have to actively practice with the content and instructional recommendations.

The following data represents a fictional student but is based on real student data. In preparing this case we make the following assumptions:

The student has participated in 2 research-based interventions that were delivered as intended. The interventions were designed to be sufficient in addressing the gap in achievement and accelerate the student’s rate of learning. The gap in learning has persisted. The order the data is presented in follows the intended model staff should use when gathering data for generating hypotheses and

designing the next step in problem solving.

Student Name: Tara Date: 5/10/2010 School: Bass Lake Middle School Grade 8

DOB: 07/01/96 Age 13

Current Concerns: Tara was identified through persistent low performance on MCA II’s, benchmark, and teacher concerns. The team is currently working through the stages of conducting an evaluation for special education due to poor performance in reading comprehension, written composition, and math problem solving. Despite interventions, Tara continues have difficulties with comprehension and vocabulary questions, written expression, and mathematical problem solving in English, Social Studies, Math and Science classes. The Intervention team has determined that Tara is not accelerating her rate of learning relative to her peers and is not making sufficient gain to reach grade level benchmarks. The last three years of MCA data show stagnant growth in reading and math. Parent input has been obtained and the team understands the importance of consideration of cultural and linguistic factors that may contribute to her lack of progress. Routine sensory/vision screening and health history was completed with results indicating no concerns.

Minnesota Department of Education Teaching Case Draft 2

Not intended to signal instances of compliance or non-compliance 10-1

Marilyn, 05/22/11,

Name made up

Summary of MCA data from 2008-2010Reading

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) Spring 2008– Reading 610Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) Spring 2009—Reading 720Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) Spring 2010—Reading 825

Math

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) Spring 2008__Math 625Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) Spring 2009—Math 720Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA-II) Spring 2010—Math 815

The 8th grade level standards and benchmarks for which Tara is having persistent difficulty in mastering.Vocabulary Standard: The student will use a variety of strategies to expand reading, listening and speaking vocabularies.

o Acquire, understand and use new vocabulary through explicit and indirect vocabulary instruction and independent reading.o Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary or context clues.o Recognize and interpret words with multiple meanings.o Determine word meanings by using definition, restatement, example, comparison or contrast.o Identify and explain analogies, similes and metaphors.

Comprehension Standard: The student will understand the meaning of texts using a variety of strategies and will demonstrate literal, inferential, interpretive, and evaluative comprehension.

o Summarize and paraphrase main idea and supporting details.o Recall and use prior learning and preview text to prepare for reading.



o Comprehend, interpret and evaluate information in a variety of texts using a combination of strategies before, during and after reading.

o Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information from texts.o Use knowledge of narrative and expository text structures in a variety of content areas to summarize information.o Distinguish fact from opinion in two selections on the same topic and give evidence (Tara can do as long as evidence is right

there she is not able to make inferences from prior knowledge or previous passages).o Critically read and evaluate to determine the author’s purpose, point of view, audience and message.

Math Standard: Read, write, compare, classify and represent real numbers, and use them to solve problems in various contexts.

o Classify real numbers as rational or irrational. Know that when a square root of a positive integer is not an integer, then it is irrational. Know that the sum of a rational number and an irrational number is irrational, and the product of a non-zero rational number and an irrational number is irrational.

o Compare real numbers; locate real numbers on a number line. Identify the square root of a positive integer as an integer, or if it is not an integer, locate it as a real number between two consecutive positive integers.

o Determine rational approximations for solutions to problems involving real numbers. o Know and apply the properties of positive and negative integer exponents to generate equivalent numerical expressions.

Read, write, compare, classify and represent real numbers, and use them to solve problems in various contexts.

o Express approximations of very large and very small numbers using scientific notation; understand how calculators display numbers in scientific notation. Multiply and divide numbers expressed in scientific notation, express the answer in scientific notation, using the correct number of significant digits when physical measurements are involved.

Writing Standard: The student will engage in a writing process, with attention to organization, focus, quality of ideas and a purpose.

o Create multiple paragraph compositions that state, maintain and use details in a logical order to support a main idea.o 2. Create narratives that develop settings, people/characters, dialogue, and conflicts using descriptive, concrete language to

engage audiences.



o 3. Create informative reports; including gathering material, formulating ideas based on gathered material, organizing information and editing for logical progression.

o 5. Formulate a position or opinion and provide supporting arguments and evidence for that position.o 7. Consider the intended audience when composing text.

As a representative of the 8th grade team of teachers, Mr. Waters reported teacher concerns of the Language Arts and Social Studies teachers to the building team responsible for determining the need for evaluation.

o Tara’s ability in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and written expression are significantly below grade level and below students with similar language backgrounds that they have taught in the past.

o Tara demonstrates these difficulties in two significant ways that impacts her academic progress: o Tara currently reads a 110 words correct per minute (wcpm) on sixth grade passages. The expected rate for same age peers at

the 25th %ile using 8th grade benchmark assessments is 133 wcpm (benchmark scores do not represent a comparative peer group of culturally similar Learners.) When reading grade level texts that require her to demonstrate her comprehension, Tara misses 90% of inferential and vocabulary questions.

o Her writing reflects poor organization, lack of a sequencing or connection of ideas to support a point. She shows difficulty in writing paragraphs that draw comparisons and contrasts, persuasion, and supporting opinions with facts.

o Her math skills indicate that she has poor problem solving, conceptual understanding of fractions, decimals, solving equations, etc.

Summary of Instructional Interventions to DateInterventions at Bass Lake Middle School: Jan. 2009 – Spring of 2010. The 8th grade teachers discussed various classroom strategies used to increase Tara’s performance.



Core Instruction: The eighth grade English teachers’ classroom interventions, consistent with school-wide improvement efforts, included the use of the evidence-based strategy for clarifying and connecting concepts, semantic maps, word webs, graphic organizers and pre-teaching vocabulary words as deemed appropriate to the content of the class. Content area teachers also frequently provide cooperative learning opportunities for learners to maximize opportunities to reflect and respond with content. These improvements to core instruction led to an increase in reading comprehension scores on the MCA last year, 35% of 8th graders made high rates of growth. This year’s 8th graders are on track achieve the same growth .

Intervention #1: The intervention started in Jan. of 2009. As part of their Professional Learning Community (PLC) work, they concluded that pre-teaching content vocabulary according to Beck and McKeown’s tiered approach to prioritizing vocabulary was an evidence-based intervention. Tara’s comprehension and vocabulary development were supported in small group activities within English and Social Studies classes. This included use of content enhancement routines such as the clarifying routine as well as the continued use of pre-teaching vocabulary and use of graphic organizers to organize material. The clarifying routine is an evidence-based practice that is used to focus on a topic and explore related details and the topics importance and critical ideas and concepts. Using this routine, the teachers can help students master the meaning of targeted words and phrases. Tara’s progress was monitored by use of formative and summative assessments indicating growth in vocabulary across a unit. Tara improved her vocabulary understanding and use from an average of 2 out of 10 words on pre-tests to 4 out of 10 words on post-tests. Teachers also monitored her use of vocabulary in discussions and in classroom work. She uses vocabulary when she is prompted, but is otherwise slow to apply new terms in her discussions.

Intervention #2: The intervention started in Jan. of 2010. Tara received small group instruction in a systematic and explicit approach to reading skill development i.e.: vocabulary strategy instruction and passage reading finding the main idea and making inferences with Ms. McGrew for 45 minutes two times per week. Progress was monitored by teacher assessment and MAZE number of correct replacements. Tara was to increase her replacements to .4 per week; however progress monitoring data indicates that she attained average growth of .2 replacements. Peers of similar cultural and language background made .4 replacements per week. Tara also had to complete comprehension questions after completing the reading fluency probe. Although these strategies have increased Tara’s skills, from successfully answering 10% of inferential questions to 20% of inferential questions over four months, she continues to need intensive supports in order to accelerate her rate of skill acquisition. Tara is reluctant to leave the mainstream class for more than two days of instructional support as she doesn’t want to miss more instruction in courses in which she is already struggling.

Additional supports: Starting in November of 2009 and continuing through the 2010 school year. Tara continued to receive tutoring from Ms. McGrew before and after school as needed.



Marilyn, 05/22/11,

Native Tara has less 1st lang. than Spanish Tara.

Marilyn, 05/22/11,

Because Native language is less predominate than in first Tara (Spanish) Case Study, might it be better to have this dated as March of 2009?

Conclusions from Intervention: Data from interventions within the mainstream and small group instruction indicated low rate of progress as compared with the other members of the group as well as continued below grade level skills. Ms. McGrew, who has also been providing tutoring indicates that there is a significant amount of re-teaching that goes on to help Tara complete homework. Tara is not making sufficient progress to accelerate her achievement towards meeting proficiency on grade-level state content standards. Parents report that despite significant support at home Tara is not making comparable progress relative to her brothers.

Record Review Results:

Relevant medical history: A review of records, parent input, and current sensory screening was completed for problem solving team. At school her vision was screened on 2/2/10 with 20/20 in both eyes. Hearing was within normal limits.

Language Background:

Mother has willingly shared background information about Tara, their first born. There are three children in the family, Tara (13 yrs.), Chaska (11 yrs.), and Len (5 yrs.).

Tara’s mother grew up in a family that was forcefully educated in the boarding schools. English is spoken in the home among the mother, husband (step father), and children, but she is actively working to revive the native language. Mother was born on the Leech Lake Reservation and moved to Bemidji when she graduated from high school.

There is a history of mobility between attending schools in the cities and the reservation from third to fifth grade. Tara’s grandparents provided most of the day and after school care up through fifth grade.

Tara’s step father and family are native to Minnesota. Step father graduated from college with his BS in education, and is employed as a physical education teacher.

Tara’s step father’s helps the children with math homework and more advanced reading and writing skills. Tara and her brothers speak primarily English to each other and sometimes speak Ojibwa with mother and in their cultural community.



Academic history: Tara attended the Circle of Life School starting at the age of 5 and continued in the same school, with a few months of interruption, until

mid-6th grade. Between grades 3 and 5 Tara lived with grandparents in the cities, attending a local charter school for three months at a stretch.

o Her Kindergarten through mid-sixth grade academic experience was all in English with daily Ojibwa cultural classes.o Documentation shows that in the spring of her 3th grade year, the school was concerned that Tara’s rate of progress indicated

some risk in not making grade level targets. There was a note in the school records indicating the team needed to check with the paraprofessional who had been giving Tara extra help to catch up after time attending school in the cities.

o There are no notes or documentation signaling concern in 4th grade. o By the fall of 5th grade grades and achievement scores from the MN state test indicated significant risk although specific scores

have not been available. When the family moved to Bemidji in mid-sixth grade, Tara was enrolled at South Middle School. The change to middle school was

difficult for Tara. There was a significant change in culture, class routines, and level of academic rigor. Tara continued to work very hard on her school work, but 6th grade teachers noticed she was significantly below expectations in reading, writing, and math achievement.

In 8th grade, Tara was brought to the school’s Intervention Team for additional supports, beyond support provided by Ms. McGrew after school, in reading comprehension.

The Group Administered Reading Diagnostic Assessment (GRADE) was administered. The GRADE which measures sentence, passage, vocabulary, listening comprehension, as well as a comprehension composite score. In addition to low average skills in vocabulary (28%ile), passage comprehension (2 stanine), sentence comprehension (6 stainine), listening comprehension (35%ile) and comprehension composite (28 %ile).

Tara’s teacher noted that she has specific difficulty with finding the corresponding word meaning to a word with multiple meanings, drawing conclusions and making inferences when evidence has to be drawn from experience. Tara also shows difficulty in organizing her thoughts and communicating relationships between ideas in a coherent way through writing.

Parents report routinely spending 2+ hours a night helping Tara with homework, and are concerned that Tara is having so much difficulty compared to what they experience with Tara’s brothers. Parents are supportive of the schools identification of Tara’s difficulties, proposed interventions, and welcome communication.

Parents report also having done work with the younger boys and whole family improve their literacy skills. Tara shows the least progress in gaining and retaining the meanings as compared to her brothers.



Marilyn, 05/22/11,

Might this be unrealistic parent expectation ???

Marilyn, 05/22/11,

Made up name



Areas of Achievement—At-a-Glance Data Summary

Areas of Achievement Guiding Questions to Identify Patterns in Achievement DataCan the student meet the instructional demands that apply to culturally and linguistically comparable peers?

List academic/behavioral task requirements the student can meet.

In what areas is the student’s achievement inadequate to meet:

State approved grade-level standards

District or state norms Intellectual development

Instructional interventions or adaptations provided

List instructional supplemental efforts, aligned with grade level standards, implemented to accelerate the student’s rate of learning and level of performance

List what has worked to increase rate of learning, performance, motivation, etc. (consider ICEL matrix)?

Listening

Comprehension

Demonstrates understanding of most classroom instruction and discussion (academic vocab. paired with prior knowledge).

Fall GRADE listening comprehension scores at 35%ile at 8th grade

No data on progress in speaking and listening standards as was not focus of intervention team.

Teacher data on monitoring vocabulary use in discussions indicates that she requires prompting to use vocabulary.

Pre-teaching vocabulary, instruction in figurative language and idioms, the use of framing routine for connecting concepts to prior knowledge and critical ideas

Oral Expression Participates in classroom discussions, converses with adults and peers with ease

Academic language under developed as indicated by anecdotal data provided by content area teachers.

Parents report working on literacy skills with little progress.

Engage in discussions of meaning & interpretation. Build analysis, reasoning, critical thinking. Include Ojibwe speaking students for cooperative and group strategies.

I: extended discussion of meaning & interpretation, C: cultural relevance E: cooperative/small group L: Increased motivation & positive responses within small group.



Marilyn, 05/22/11,

Match with above

Areas of Achievement Guiding Questions to Identify Patterns in Achievement Data

Basic Reading Skills Proficient basic skills in English. Tara can decode multi-syllabic words and apply decoding strategies in context. Sentence level reading skills.

Low average skills in vocabulary (28% ile), passage comprehension (2 stanine), sentence comprehension (6 stainine), comprehension composite (28 %ile),

Small group instruction: pre-teach academic vocabulary, repeated exposure/practice;

I: Explicit instruction on skills, small group setting. C: Text/materials on instructional level, E: Small group L: reluctance to be “separated” from mainstream. Decreased motivation

Reading Fluency WCPM 114 with 6th grade text compared to peer norm of 133.

Replacements at .2 per week vs. .4 for grade level peers and relative peer group. Given results of comprehension monitoring slight improvement may be indicative of vocabulary interventions .

Errors related to decoding unfamiliar, and grade level non-phonetic and academic content specific words

Small group: phonics, word sentence reading, visual strategies, systematic and explicit skill development, Adapt materials, repeat important phrases and emphasize key vocabulary.

I: progress monitoring data shows increase in fluency C: instructional level , E: Small group L: reluctance to be “separated” from mainstream. Decreased motivation

Reading

Comprehension

Recalls main ideas and details when information is explicitly stated, able to follow simple directions in technical text , identifies basic vocabulary words that make sense when context cues are provided.

Monitors own comprehension

Difficulty in achieving grade level standards for inferencing and acquisition of vocabulary starting in 5th grade.

By 8th grade misses 80% of inferential questions on 6th grade level.

Pre-teaching vocabulary, Clarifying Routine

Graphic organizers strategy to organize information and see relationships

Vocabulary strategy instruction

I: A variety of techniques used to make content concepts clear (e.g. visuals, modeling, hands-on activities, etc.; concepts explicitly linked to background experiences, C: graphic organizers;



Areas of Achievement Guiding Questions to Identify Patterns in Achievement Dataand notices when comprehension breaks down.

Passage comprehension 2nd stanine, comprehension composite 28%ile on GRADE

Teacher notes difficulty with multi-meaning words, drawing conclusions, and making inferences

Arranging events in sequential order, summarizing a section, perceiving relationships without coaching in use of graphic organizer as support.

Figurative language low compared to brothers

Explicit instruction figurative language and idioms needs to be added to interventions

Completes homework with quality, but doesn’t do well on tests. Parents support with homework, vocabulary, figurative language, and idiom understanding

scaffolding, E.

Written expression Sentence level writing ok. Difficulty with sequencing thoughts and organization at a paragraph level.

Mathematical

Calculation

Proficient in mastery of basic skills and fluency

(below grade standard)

Mathematical

Problem Solving

Demonstrates knowledge of basic math concepts, application to problem solving

Difficulty with comprehending word problems, translating word problems into mathematical sentences, flexible strategy application, transfer of learning to novel

Pre-teach math vocabulary, order steps in problem, cooperative learning groups to mediate need for reading in problem solving

I: strategies effective but C: grade level curriculum at frustration level L: frustration level



Areas of Achievement Guiding Questions to Identify Patterns in Achievement Dataproblems.

Interview results: Information Provided by Teachers:

Sixth grade teachers indicated they were impressed with Tara’s fluency in English and motivation to do well in school. Seventh grade teachers were initially impressed by the same factors. Parent teacher conferences in the fall, previous school records,

and noticeable academic difficulties were noted. Teachers were noting that Tara is most successful in her core classes when information is factual and explicit. She has difficulty in core

classes when the topics or reading require use of grade level academic vocabulary within the context of the subject, and comprehension of new concepts.

Parents and Tara’s report indicated that the transition from her elementary school to South Middle School has been difficult. Teachers reported that Tara is cooperative, puts forth good effort, and attentive during class time. She has friends in class, is respectful

to peers and adults. She puts forth effort to do her best, but sometimes she appears to become discouraged and will “give up.” Teachers noted that Tara is most successfully when she works with a partner or in small groups on tasks as she converses with adults

and peers with ease, and needs assistance with academic vocabulary. The Social Studies and Science teachers acknowledge that the textbooks are very difficult, but Tara is able to demonstrate increased

knowledge of learned concepts when information is received and expressed orally. Because academic vocabulary and comprehension are difficult, Tara is very reluctant to read orally in class or answer questions in class. She willingly participates in casual class discussion.

Information Provided by Tara: Tara stated that the change from Circle of Life Elementary school to South Middle School in Bemidji was a “big change.” Tara says that

the Ms. McGrew and her parents are helping a lot, but that school is very hard. She wishes she understood more about how to do the homework. She thinks reading and writing are the hardest subjects. Math isn’t so hard as long as she doesn’t have to read. Her friends help her out a lot by re-explaining what the teacher said. She also likes it when Frank, a peer, uses drawings to show how things work.



Parent Interview: Mother has expressed concern that Tara started having difficulties in 3 rd grade, but the issues went unrecognized until 5th grade. She is

happy that Tara is getting extra support in school because the academic requirements seem more difficult than in the past. She has concerns that Tara isn’t able to keep up and that more and more time is required to support her at home.

Mother notes that Tara often needs to verbalize and discuss her assignments. When doing her homework, Tara often times become frustrated and overwhelmed when she has to do reading comprehension, write

paragraphs, or solve multi-step math problems. While Tara is able to remember events that happened years ago as well as recent detailed events, she has difficulty taking what she

knows and applying it in new ways. For example, mother says it is most apparent in the kitchen when she and Tara are cooking. She frequently reminds Tara of how the recipes are similar or the steps are something she has done before. She still has to be reminded how to double a recipe.

Father reports that when Tara is faced with a task that she has not experienced before, she really tries to figure it out but frequently has to be reminded how to use what she knows to solve it. She can be rigid in her thinking and gets stuck if her first plan doesn’t work. Dad is working every night with Tara on Algebra and he has to do a lot of re-teaching. It is as if she doesn’t have the basics down or an understanding of how things relate to each other.

Observation results prior to referral: Tara was observed March 6, 2010 by Mr. Miller, School Psychologist due to a history of concerns in reading fluency, use of academic

vocabulary and comprehension. Interventions have identified further specific areas of weakness within comprehension to be inferential skills such compare and contrast,

using concepts to problem solve, and application. These difficulties can be observed in both her oral and written capacities. Because Tara is fluent in English and also speaks Ojibwe, information on these skills must be considered from multiple sources of data in both languages. This observation is conducted in an English only setting.

Ms. English actively engaged students in review of the previous day’s lesson. As class members volunteered to share, Tara’s materials were in place and ready as she appeared to attentively listen to both instructor and students. After the guided review, the teacher engaged the students in making predictions about the next section based on prior knowledge related to the text.



When called upon, Tara related factual events. When it was Tara’s turn to read aloud, she spoke with appropriate volume, at a slower pace than peers, with little expression. When she did not know how to pronounce a more difficult word, peers chimed in with the correct word, as was common practice within all groups.

Tara actively participated in the guided questions and appeared to enjoy the interaction and discussion sharing her thoughts freely. It was noted that Tara seldom referred back to her reading for information and primarily relied on the verbal input.

Tara was successful when guided questions required factual recall, sequencing of events, emotional aspects of the characters and situation.

Tara had difficulty when required to compare and contrast, make generalizations and predictions as she was tentative and reluctant to share her responses. When the group provided responses to these types of questions, Tara wrote their answers down. The group cooperated to complete the written summary. One member of the group was “elected” to do the writing as other members provided verbal input. Overall, the nature of instruction, curriculum, and environment appeared to support differentiation. Tara seemed most successful when provided structured instruction, cooperative learning that allows for active engagement, positive feedback and encouragement.

In talking with Ms. English after class, she indicated that Tara’s class participation was typical for cooperative group activities. When class times require independent seat work, Tara requires more time, teacher assistance, and modified assignments. Her concerns center on Tara’s difficulty with content vocabulary words, comprehension, and generalization. She stated Tara sometimes “appears lost” in the topic and doesn’t know what to do.

Activity 1: Given the information presented thus far, draft a problem statement outlining the gap between Tara’s current performance and grade level expectations.



Write your hypothesis of areas of cognitive processing that may be weak given Tara’s persistent learning difficulties:

Activity 2: Make your recommendations of proposed assessments or additional relevant data to be collected during comprehensive evaluation:



VWeinberg, 07/20/10,

Leave blank for participants to complete

Activity 3: The following data presents a summary of what was found during comprehensive testing. Integrate the test results and previous data into the Documentation of Basic Psychological Processes Chart. Look for the pattern of strengths and weaknesses. Evaluation Procedures

Tara’s cultural and linguistic heritage was considered based on the ELL Language Matrix for special education evaluation within the state of Minnesota's ELL Companion Manual to Reducing Bias Manual. in Special Education Evaluations. Based on recommendations given by the team, evaluation procedures were conducted using standardized tests in English (scores not reported or interpreted cautiously), and allowing student to respond in either language. Based on parent, teacher, and Tara’s input, an interpreter was not indicated. A cultural liaison was included within the evaluation team.

Test Conditions and Behaviors

Tara presented as a friendly and outgoing young person who willingly agreed to the individual testing. Rapport was easy to establish and maintain during the testing situation. She was cooperative and put forth good effort. The result of this test provides further information regarding Tara’s basic psychological processes that impact her learning.

In Tara’s case, the area most subject to bias involves the use of standardized norm referenced tests due to the concern that the group of subjects may not adequately represent Tara’s linguistic background and cultural experience. The validity of interpretations of such test results may be questionable and the scores may not be reliable in reflecting her true abilities or achievement. Therefore, results are described to performance to peers in a functional manner.

II. REVIEW OF EXISTING DATA, CURRENT ASSESSMENT RESULTS



Category

Description

Percentile

Rank (%)

Standard

Score (SS)

Highly Proficient 76 or higher

111 or higher

Proficient 25th-75th 90-110

Problematic 8th or less 79 or less

Intellectual

Tara’s intellectual functioning was evaluated on 4/2/09, 4/18/09, and 04/29/09 by Britta Harris, school psychologist. Tara was administered the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities - Third Edition and selected subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition, over three sessions.

Because Tara is a student who has been exposed to both Ojibwe and English, it is important to determine to what extent Tara’s performance on norm-referenced tests is influenced by cultural and linguistic factors versus actual ability. Students with cultural and linguistic diversity tend to score lower on tests with higher levels of cultural content and higher degrees of linguistic demand; as a result, Tara’s scores were entered into the Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix to observe Tara’s pattern of scores as compared to the pattern that would be expected for individuals whose cultural and linguistic backgrounds differ from the mainstream. Tara’s pattern of performance was different than what is typically expected of individuals with cultural and linguistic diversity, and so it was determined that Tara’s cultural and linguistic differences are not the primary influence on her test results. It is possible that culture and language are contributing factors, but results indicate that some other variable has influenced the results more than culture and language.

As a result, further analysis of Tara’s cognitive test results was completed using the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of cognitive abilities. A description of each factor as related to Tara’s performance is provided below.

Note that score reporting comes from applying the evidence-based practices of crossing batteries. The explanation of how to derive these scores goes beyond this training, but should inform users as to which cognitive abilities are within, below, or above the normative range.

Comprehension-Knowledge (Crystallized Intelligence (Gc)) Comprehension-Knowledge refers to a person's knowledge base, or general fund of information, that has been accumulated over time. It involves knowledge of the mainstream culture, as well as verbal or language-based knowledge that have been developed during general life experiences and formal schooling. This area most often reflects the culture and language of the norm group. Therefore, individuals from diverse cultural and/or linguistic background or from low socioeconomic levels often obtain lower scores on measures of Comprehension-Knowledge. Tara’s performance was in the Proficient range. (SS=100) the task demands for both tests within this cluster include oral presentation of the items by the examiner and require oral responses from Tara. Tara has the necessary verbal abilities and acquired knowledge to succeed, especially when little reading is involved.



Auditory Processing (Ga): Auditory processing refers to the ability to analyze, discriminate, and manipulate sounds, and is an important ability related to reading. Tara’s performance was in the proficient range. (SS=108; 101-115). Tara’s performance on both subtests fell within the Proficient range, and at scores well above what would be expected as compared to other students with cultural and linguistic diversity indicating that Tara’s broad ability of Ga is considered intact.

Fluid Reasoning (Gf): Fluid reasoning refers to a type of thinking that one uses when faced with a relatively new task that cannot be performed automatically. This type of thinking includes such things as forming and recognizing concepts (how are a dog, cat, and cow alike?), identifying and perceiving relationships, drawing inferences, and reorganizing information Tara was given 3 fluid reasoning subtests: WJ-III Concept Formation, WJ-III Analysis-Synthesis, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC-IV) Matrix Reasoning. Tara’s performance on 2 of the 3 subtests fell at the lower end of the proficient range while her performance on the third subtest fell within the emergent range. It was noted that her lowest score was on a task that required higher levels of linguistic demand; as a result, this score was considered an outlier of her overall fluid reasoning. Tara’s overall fluid intelligence is classified as emergent range (SS=83; 76-87).

Processing Speed (Gs): This factor is a measure of the ability to process simple or routine visual information quickly and effectively, and to then quickly perform tasks based on that information. Tara scored with in the Low Average range (SS=84; 81-87). She found both tasks Visual Matching and Decision Speed very difficult. On the Visual Matching test, a perceptual speed task related to basic reading skills, Tara showed emergent proficiency. To gather further information on these skills, the WJ III Rapid Picture Naming and WISC-IV Coding were given for further information. Tara’s performance on the two subtests that measure the narrow ability of rate-of-test-taking fell within the emergent range, indicating that Tara is able to rapidly perform tests that are relatively easy or that require very simple decisions. Tara’s performance on the one subtest that measures the narrow ability of speed of reasoning fell within the problematic range. On this task, Tara was asked to circle two pictures that went together or were the most alike from a row of pictures. It was observed that although Tara completed many items, most of her responses were incorrect in that she had difficulty determining which two items were conceptually related. Although one aspect of Tara’s processing speed is intact, her ability to quickly process information when more complex reasoning skills are introduced is more difficult for her.

Short-Term Memory (Gsm): Short-term memory includes the ability to hold information in one's mind and then use it within a few seconds. One component of short-term memory is working memory, which includes the ability to attend to verbally or visually presented information, process information in memory, and then formulate a response. Tara scored within the Average range (SS=100; 94-106). Although both tests in this cluster were in the average Minnesota Department of Education Teaching Case Draft 2


range, Tara performance on the memory span task (Memory for Words) was at the high end of the average range; her performance on the working memory task (Numbers Reversed) was at the low end of the average range. It appears that Tara has an overall adequate memory span and working memory.

Long-Term Retrieval (Glr)Long-term retrieval refers to the ability to take and store a variety of information (e.g., names, concepts, ideas) in one's mind and then later retrieve it easily and quickly at a later time using association. Tara’s performance was in the Proficient range (SS=98; 98-111). Tara’s long-term retrieval ability was assessed with two subtests: Visual-Auditory Learning, and Retrieval Fluency. Tara’s performance on both of these subtests was consistent and fell in the Proficient range. When considering Tara’s performance as compared to other students with cultural and linguistic diversity, Tara’s performance on these tasks that require a medium level of cultural knowledge and linguistic demand is comparable to other students.

Visual-Spatial Thinking (Gv): Visual-Spatial Thinking is the ability to analyze, manipulate, and think about visual patterns and visual stimuli. This type of processing also involves the ability to generate, perceive, and manipulate visual patterns and stimuli Examples of this type of ability include putting puzzles together, completing a maze and interpreting graphs or charts. Tara’s performance was in the Highly Proficient range (SS=114; 108-121). She performed within the Superior range on the one task that measures visual memory, which shows her good attention to visual detail. She scored at the 94th percentile, indicating that these types of visual memory task are easy for her. This strength may be related to her interest and success in mathematics.

Summary and Impressions:Current evaluation results using a cross-battery approach while considering Tara’s cultural and linguistic diversity would suggest that Tara is currently exhibiting a cognitive weakness in the broad ability areas of Fluid Reasoning and Processing Speed. These two cognitive abilities are weak both when compared to age mates and when compared to Tara’s own performance overall. Difficulties with Fluid reasoning may be seen in reading and math as they appear to struggle with making generalizations or acquiring principles from the concepts. Processing speed is often viewed as the ability to do simple cognitive tasks quickly over time. In learning this frees up the thinking process so that higher-level thinking can occur.

The chart that follows provides space for teams to integrate the findings of multiple sources of evidence. To increase clarity, a coding system has been provided.



Evidence should be positioned in the appropriate column a normative strength, weakness, or within normal limits. A student’s personal profile may be entered in the normative strength and normative weakness column and coded according to the

following: o RS (relative strength) are relative to the student’s profile o RW (relative weakness) are relative to the student’s profile

If using CHC theory driven assessment each cognitive/academic domain, narrow ability and processing notation may be recorded where known or suspected (e.g., as reported by a teacher).

Teacher Information may be coded as (TI) and Parent/Caregiver Information may be coded as (P-CI).



Documentation of Basic Psychological Processes Chart

Rule Cognitive abilities in research that may also be included

Below Average WeaknessSS<85 and additional data

Within Average LimitsSS 85-115 and additional

data

Average and Above Strength

SS>115 and additional data

Acqu

isitio

n(fu

rthe

r spe

cify

in

repo

rting

)

Attention

Short-term memory

Phonological processing: phonological awareness phonological memory

Speed of processing

Working memory Auditory Visual and spatial (a.k.a) orthographic

Successive processing

Simultaneous processing

Org

anizi

ng p

lann

ing

and

sequ

enci

ng;

Executive functions organizing, planning problem solving, self-monitoring/ meta-cognitionLong-term retrieval- Associative memory Rapid naming Morphographic processing,



Verbal and Non-verbal expression Transfer of information and Motor control for

written tasks

Activity 4: Given profile of strengths and weaknesses in cognitive processing and achievement, summarize the link between achievement and processing. Include the implications of persistent difficulty in making progress in general curriculum.

Summarize a few of the skills, concepts, tasks, or standards that could be a struggle in the future given the student’s profile of strengths and weaknesses.

Activity 5: Make your instructional recommendations.

Relevant accommodations given weaknesses in cognitive processes. Include what is known to currently work that we should keep doing.



Research-based instructional practices that are a best fit with available ICE supports, but that build on previous intervention efforts.



Date post:	03-Feb-2018
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