What do you think?

Lupita-- I think the most important thing to keep in mind is the idea of being flexible. In “Marcus: Gifted and Challenging” they say, “Try to be aware of times when you can be flexible in how things can be accomplished or when they are accomplished” (Kostelnick, 72). I feel that especially with an ELL student, they might benefit from an extension on work or a different way of completing it. Mrs. Potter also needs to be sure to include Lupita when doing class work or conducting class discussions. Possibly pairing her with other students can help. From her reaction to the other students with the puzzles, it is obvious Lupita is willing to work with others and has strengths in some areas more than others. One idea that I came across that I feel would be especially useful for a student like Lupita is a PECS book. Since she may not be able to voice her needs or confusion, a PECS book would allow her to communicate through visuals. In “Quick and Easy Adaptations and Accommodations for Early Childhood Students,” it is stated that “One research study on PECS demonstrated the efficacy of the PECS protocol with three children with autism, the emergence of speech, and the collateral gains in social-communicative behaviors and concomitant decreases in problem behavior” (Breitfelder, 11). It goes on to explain that students with behavioral problems decrease their behavioral problems because there is less frustration from not being able to communicate. Although Lupita is well behaved, I feel that if Lupita could possibly communicate better when she does not clearly understand something, Mrs. Potter will be more aware of her and her strengths and weaknesses.

Jonathan—While reading about Jonathan, I am reminded a lot of Marcus from the article, “Marcus: Gifted and Challenging”. It seems as though they both have strong assets, but still tend to struggle with different subjects. Obviously Jonathan has a lot of strengths, but in order to achieve just as well academically, I would do a couple of different things. I feel as though since Jonathan is not asking for help, this may be adding to a negative perception of reading he already possesses. In order to work on correcting this, I would suggest what Marcus’s new teacher did. She did not force reading but instead, provided a time in the beginning of the day for the children to choose their own book and read while others became settled. For Marcus, this was a positive time and he quickly began to choose a book on his own. I feel that if Jonathan had a choice as well, and reading was not forced, there may be less pressure and he would be more apt to read on his own. Along with giving choice, I would also use visual support more often. “According to Tissot and Evans (2003) visual supports as photographs, hand-drawn pictures, graphics, or computer-generated icons actually benefit all students especially those who have difficulty reading” (Breitfelder, 3). It will help Jonathan process language better, as well as still take away some of the confusion he is feeling about reading.

Eddie—From my experience and what I read in the articles, I definitely feel that Eddie may have a case of ADHD. Since he has trouble following directions and sitting still, Mrs. Potter could offer more hands-on activities. It will be better for the student if he is up and doing something rather than sitting still struggling to concentrate. I think Eddie would also benefit from a well laid out schedule. According to Breitfelder, “Many students who have issues with behavior need schedules in place so they have a clear beginning and ending to the task at hand” (Breitfelder, 4). This is important because it allows the child to have a sense of how long they’ll be sitting or doing a certain activity. It is also important for Mrs. Potter to have manipulatives to aid in the children’s learning. Rather than sitting with nothing to do, the students could have something to do with the teacher. This is especially important for students like Eddie. If he had something to play with that aided in his learning, I feel he would maintain his attention much longer. Finally, I would assume that a behavior modification chart may help with Eddie. He may not be aware of what exactly kind of behavior is expected of him during school. The chart will allow Eddie to become more aware of what desirable behaviors are rather than negative behavior