Identifying Struggling Students by Dohui Kim

Identifying Struggling Students

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 08:02:13 UTC

Teacher notices a student struggling in academic performance or classroom activities.
It is critical for struggling readers to have support and encouragement as they overcome the various obstacles they face. Not all young readers have the same background knowledge and sufficient skills to be proficient. Teachers play a vital role in supporting these students. A poor reader will continue to struggle and lose interest without the necessary guidance.

Reference:

Troyer, C. M. (2009). The importance of differentiation for the struggling reader.

Observation

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 08:55:39 UTC

Lack of participation, off-task behavior or reluctance to answer questions.
Consistent lateness or absences, disruptive behavior or show signs of frustration, anxiety, lack of confidence, etc.
Incomplete or missing assignments, have difficulties organizing time and manage materials.
Have difficulties understanding instructions, repeatedly ask for help.

Academic Performance

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 09:00:09 UTC

Low scores on standardized assessments, consistent performance below grade level.
Poor quality of homework and projects, frequent late submissions or non-submissions.
Have difficulties reading comprehension, struggling with whiting(vocabulary, grammar...)

Communication

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 09:04:36 UTC

Ask struggling students if they have any difficulties in class.
Ask parents if their kids struggle with homework or studying at home.
Check comments or concerns from classmates about the struggling student.

Differentiating between a Language Need and a Learning Disability

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 09:26:11 UTC

"In all facets of education, a primary objective has been to match instruction services to the needs of all students." (Zetlin, Beltran, Salcido, Gonzalez, & Reyes, 2010, p. 59), which requires both a clear process as well as clear procedures. In other words, schools must align the identification and assessment with the subsequent placement of ELLs with (or without) a potential learning disability.

Reference:

Sanatullova-Allison, E., & Robison-Young, V. A. (2016). Overrepresentation: An overview of the issues surrounding the identification of English language learners with learning disabilities. International Journal of Special Education, 31(2), n2.

Give instructions in their home language

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 10:25:01 UTC

To differentiate between a language need and a learning disability, I can provide instruction in their mother tongue.

If the students struggle with language, they won't have significant problems handling homework, projects, and following instructions.
However, if they have learning disabilities, the problems will appear the same whether the instruction is in their home language or not.

Address a few key questions

dohuiikim — 2024-07-08 10:29:20 UTC

Early childhood educators must determine their cause: language difference or disability. Teachers attempting to distinguish between a disability and a language difference should begin by addressing a few key questions:

Compared to English, for how long has the child been speaking and exposed to their home language? Keep in mind that it is typical for a child learning a second language to have a silent period.
Are the difficulties present in both the child’s home language and the new language?
Are the concerns evident in multiple settings (e.g., home, childcare)?
Have developmentally appropriate strategies been delivered systematically?
Have these strategies produced any significant differences in the child’s learning and development?

it is particularly important for teachers to keep in mind that a child’s developmental delay or disability will be observable in both languages and across multiple settings.