5. End of Chapter Questions

Discussion Questions

1. What cognitive processing skills (reported in the psychological assessment) may be influencing Bailey Lynn’s literacy development?
2. According to the academic achievement tests in the psychological assessment, how are Bailey Lynn’s skills developing in the core aspects of literacy development?
3. Comparing the standardized academic achievement tests from the psychological assessment and the results of the PALS assessment, in what skills (if any) does Bailey Lynn seem to demonstrate growth?
4. Based on  both the formal data from the Academic Achievement tests and Bailey Lynn’s PALS scores, for which aspects of literacy should Bailey Lynn receive Specially Designed Instruction?
5. How do the formal assessments, such as the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement, and informal assessments, such as PALS and the Qualitative Reading Inventory, contribute to different understanding of a student’s strengths and needs?
6. What is unexpected about Amir’s performance on the Qualitative Reading Inventory, given his clinical diagnosis of dyslexia (combined type)?
7. What are Amir’s strengths related to reading? What are his difficulties?
8. How might the difficulties identified in the Qualitative Reading Inventory impact Amir’s performance on formal standardized tests such as the Reading SOL?
9. What additional background information could be relevant to understanding Amir’s difficulties with the Reading SOLs?
10. Based on this information, in what areas should Amir receive Specially Designed Instruction?

Family and Guardian Communication

1. How would you paint a balanced and realistic picture of Bailey Lynn’s literacy skills and progress to her mother during a parent-teacher conference?
2. If Bailey Lynn’s mother asked what she could do to support language and literacy skill development at home, what suggestions would you offer? Why?
3. Amir’s family really wanted an IEP goal specifically related to phoneme substitution using nonsense words because they read that it is an important skill for decoding and encoding. How would you discuss the validity of this proposed goal with Amir’s family? How would you address their specific concerns?

Collaboration

1. Work within a small group to review grade level literacy standards for one or both of the case study students. Based on the student’s data, identify 3 specific content standards that could be taught in the general education setting using accommodations or high-quality Universally Designed instruction.
2. Work within a small group to review grade level literacy standards for one or both of the case study students. Based on the student’s data, identify 3 specific content standards that should be addressed through research-based specially designed instruction.
3. Investigate literacy interventions for the skills identified for Specially Designed Instruction and provide a rationale as to why the interventions would or would not be a good fit for Bailey Lynn or Amir.

Instructor Notes

The following activities may be meaningful ways for students to interact with the case studies and introductory content from this chapter:

1. Conduct a feature or error analysis of Bailey Lynn’s spelling. Identify phonetic principles associated with Virginia Standards of Learning in grades K-2 that are mastered, developing, or absent. Using the standards or other scope and sequence documents for phonics instruction (e.g., https://www.readingrockets.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/Keys%20to%20Literacy%20Systematic-Phonics-Scope-and-Sequence.pdf), identify next steps for instruction.
2. Write the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) for Reading and/or Writing for either Bailey Lynn or Amir. Write standards-based IEP goals aligned with the PLAAFP.
3. Explore Virginia’s Approved Supplemental Instructional Programs and Approved Intervention Instructional Programs found at Intervention Instructional Program Guide & Supplemental Instructional Program Guide | Virginia Department of Education. Use the resources published by VDOE, as well as information from the program publisher, What Works Clearinghouse, the National Center for Intensive Intervention, or other reliable sources to understand the features of the programs. Make recommendations for programs that could be used to provide Specially Designed Instruction to Bailey Lynn. Discuss how the approved programs would or would not be relevant to Amir, a middle school student.
4. Explore the Institute of Education Science’s (2022) Practice Guide for upper elementary and secondary students found at WWC | Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9 (ed.gov). What evidence-supported practices could be used to provide SpeciallyDesigned Instruction to Amir? What might implementation look like in secondary settings?
5. Use the information from the introduction of this chapter to develop a program or practice checklist to assist in evaluating alignment of literacy intervention practices with the needs of a student or group of students.

Resources

National Center on Intensive Intervention Academic Progress Monitoring Tools Chart – Academic Progress Monitoring Tools Chart (intensiveintervention.org)

The IRIS Center’s virtual module on Progress Monitoring Reading – IRIS | Progress Monitoring: Reading (vanderbilt.edu)