Case+Study+Critique

Here I will critique a case study from [|www.specialconnections.ku.edu] on how they have identified and supported a child/children with SEN's (Special Education Needs) in their class, how they have met the criteria from the american Universal Design, and how I can relate this to my own classroom expereinces.

The Case Study I have chosen to analyse/evaluate is called: [] A Kindergarten teacher (the only one in her school) has identified 5 children who are struggling in Literacy. Alongside a speech-language pathologist (SLP), teacher analysed the assessment information and noticed that their scores for [|letter and sound identification], rhyming words, and [|concepts about print] were significantly lower than the rest of the class. Using an Oral Language Progress Checklist, the SLP observes teacher's [|literacy block], including a [|read aloud] and [|small group instruction] focusing on identifying letters and sounds that had been previously taught. It became clear that these children were struggling with oral lanugage. Here the SLP decided to do MONDO oral language assessments on the children to see if they were significantly delayed.
 * Look who's talking! Kindergarteners with low language experiences - emergent reader case study.** See link
 * Summarise the Case (Identifying the challenge)** :

When realising that these children needed help, teacher decided to do some research. She read articles that suggested a link between the socioeconomic status of families and vocabulary development. She said "It was so disheartening that I could hardly keep reading". However she read on and decided on an action plan:
 * What are the teacher's doing to support the SEN/Challenges identified?**

__Instructional strategies__ > > __Finding time for these strategies in:__
 * Provide opportunities for [|extended discourse]
 * Use [|rare words]
 * Engage children in [|decontextualized talk]
 * Use sophisticated vocabulary and [|world knowledge]
 * Allow students to hear [|explanatory talk] even if not participating.
 * sharing time
 * center time
 * read aloud time
 * small targeted group instruction

In this situation the teacher and the SLP worked together to formulate an itinery that would best match the routine of the day, and to enhance opportunities for talk to talk place. In terms of specific technology used, tables were used to create a visula timetable, research was found, and frameweorks were accessed in order to come to a conclusion about the 'problem/challenge'. As for technologies used with the children, there were no specific technologies used. In terms of universal design the teacher attempted to combine a variety of ways to express themselves (and convers); she allowed for multiple ways of engagement (through talk partners, pair work, group work and whole class work); as for multiple forms of representation, teacher did use various forms to represent information & results, and the suuporting frameworks. As the teacher did here, I would spend time researching the SEN and the technologies/resources available to support said SEN. Off the top of my head I would also probably use Microspft Word to print off vocabulary for around the classroom, I would encourage the children to keep a word bank either on paper or electronically (if the children were able to write), i would create a home-school link where parents/siblings are encouraged to help the development and assessment of that child. You could use drama to enhance opportunity to converse, communicate and explore language; and I would possibly use 'Audacity' to record their progress in audio files over time...this way i can represent my assessments in different formats...and see hard eveidence for any progress made. Electronic Books are a fun way to encourage talk...especially if the children are allowed to tell )record) their own stories of a story.
 * What types of Technologies are being used?**
 * What I would do in this situation:**