Instructions
Read the following fictional case summaries, and select one for your Elementary Case Study project. In making this selection you should consider your interests in further developing an area relative to your professional growth.
Elementary Case Summary 1: Matthew
Matthew is 5 years old and is currently in kindergarten. Developmental milestones for Matthew were age appropriate for things like walking and toilet training but his speech development was delayed. When he was 4 years old, a speech/language pathologist diagnosed him with an articulation disorder as well as receptive and expressive language delays. Matthew attended a specialized preschool program and received support for his speech/language concerns. He has improved but is still difficult to understand, and has difficulty comprehending in the classroom. Matthew has become quiet in class, and his communication with other students involves a great deal of gestures.
Elementary Case Summary 2: Amber
Amber is a 9-year-old student in grade four. She has always enjoyed school in the past, but is starting to find some parts too challenging. Amber has always done very well in math; however, she has always struggled to acquire reading skills. Amber appears to lack phonemic awareness, and her spelling has been difficult to decipher. Amber has good ideas for her writing but cannot seem to get them down on paper. Amber enjoys hearing stories read by someone else, and can answer even the most difficult comprehension questions afterward; however, if she is expected to read the story independently, her answers to comprehension questions are often wrong. Amber’s teacher reports that she has always been a pleasant and eager student, but she is beginning to show signs of frustration around her reading and writing abilities. Amber’s parents are concerned because there are now times that Amber does not want to go to school, and completing homework has become an arduous task.
Elementary Case Summary 3: Jason
Jason is 11 years old and is about to enter grade six. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when he was in grade two. Jason had difficulty sitting still in class, was not able to attend to instructions, had difficulty completing assignments, and struggled with social relationships. Jason’s parents divorced when Jason was 8 years old, and he feels he doesn’t see his father enough. Both parents are having problems with him at home. Homework has become impossible, and generally ends in anger and frustration for all concerned. Jason has become so defiant and angry, both at home and at school, that a psychologist was called to assess and offer support. It was discovered that his behaviours currently meet criteria for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Jason’s teacher and parents are hoping they can develop an appropriate academic/behavioural/emotional plan with support from the psychologist to set Jason up for success and to help him with self-control in preparation for junior high school.
Elementary Case Summary 4: Christine
Christine is 8 years old and in grade three. She lives with her grandparents as her mother died of a drug overdose when Christine was 2 years old. A multidisciplinary team of medical professionals in a hospital assessed Christine. The results of this comprehensive assessment indicated that Christine has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). She was also diagnosed with a mild intellectual disability and a severe language delay. Christine is a beginning reader and can write a few words. She struggles a great deal with math. Christine loves school, and especially likes being with other children, but she has trouble with social interactions. She can sometimes have temper tantrums, and her behaviour can be challenging for the teacher. She doesn’t seem to understand consequences as she does the same troublesome behaviours over and over again.
- Each of your case studies will have four parts: an introduction, gathering of background information, developing an inclusive education plan, and a conclusion. The case studies are to be written in paragraph form. Please do not include tables or point-form lists. This is not an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
- In order to gather important background information, conduct a brief literature search, and select a minimum of 3 primary sources that focus on the area of exceptionality your case study involves. Primary sources are articles/studies published in professional journals. Consult the Library Services section of the Student Manual for detailed information on the types of resources available to you. You should also cite the course text as a secondary source for your case studies.
- Review the grading criteria for the required content and organization of your case studies. As you work on your papers, review your progress frequently with respect to fulfilling the requirements of the grading criteria.
- Your finished case study should be 8 to 10 double-spaced pages using a standard 12-point font size. Your case study will begin with a title page and end with a reference list, which are not included in the total page count.
- The paper is to be written in APA style — refer to The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.), the Purdue Online Writing Lab, the Writing Resources section of Athabasca University’s Psychology Resources (AUPR) website, the course textbook, and the articles you selected. You are expected to use APA format for the title page, in-text citations, and reference list.
- Submit your assignment to the Elementary Case Study Drop Box. Your tutor will mark your papers and return them with feedback to the Assignment DropBox for you to pick up.
- Your paper will be graded according to how well you demonstrate your knowledge, comprehension, and analysis of the area of exceptionality you choose. The following grading criteria delineate the expectations for this assignment
