Savannah Miller
SERP 301c
September 30, 2014
Child Background
Description
For the purpose of this paper the child described will be called Steven. Steven is a six
year old boy, soon to be 7. Steven is defined as developmentally delayed which is mostly a
learning disability. It also causes a few problems physically although not officially documented
in his IEP. Steven is a kind and caring friend to all his classmates. He often gets invited to play
games on the playground by peers and generally has no problems making new friends. He is
always enthusiastic when learning, whether it be reading a new book or learning a new math
concept. Steven can express emotion in a calm and productive way that allows others to know
what he is feeling and thinking. Steven is challenged when trying to do activities such as
crossing the center line. Steven usually knows the sound and written letter m, but most other
letters have been a stretch to remember. Steven can count to 9 or sometimes higher depending on
the day. He can recognize the numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3 without a problem. Although Steven has
had many pull-out sessions to learn other numbers, there has been no significant progress made.
Steven currently lives with Nana. His birth mother has limited visitation rights and the
birth father situation is unknown, but it is our understanding that Nana is the birth father’s
mother. There is no official diagnosis of the child and no know medications he is taking.
Steven has been at the school since Kindergarten making this his second year at the
school. He was supposed to be enrolled at another school for this year, but it fell through and
guardian has chosen to keep him at this school. The following was his IEP created last year.
Individualized Education Plan
Summary of Academic Performance:
Reading – Steven is able to recognize some letter(s) of the alphabet. When listening to group
stories he is able to answer basic “wh” questions using 1 – 2 word utterances. Steven is able to
segment sounds of a CVC word after listening to a word with the help from the teacher. Steven
needs to be able to recognize all of (his) letters, upper case and lower case. He needs to learn all
the letter sounds. Steven is not able to blend sounds together to formulate a basic CVC word. He
is not able to read words or sentences and is not able to answer reading comprehension
questions. Steven has been placed in a small reading intervention group. He has been given oneon-one opportunities and is given visual or textile support when learning sounds. During these
(s)mall group reading activities Steven feels very successful. He is often times first to raise his
hand to volunteer information.
Writing – Steven is able to write the first two letters of his name. He is able to write some letters
both upper and lower case after he is given the sound. Letters (A, T, S). He is able to copy words
from the board. However they may or may not be in order they may be all over the page. Steven
is not able to independently write his name, words, or a sentence. He is not able to express his
thought on paper. Steven does not know all the letters of the alphabet and cannot write the letters
from dictation. Steven has been receiving small group interventions and one-on-one support. He
has been given an alphabet chart to use when he is writing.
Math – Steven knows the shapes square and circle. (He) can rout count to 12. Steven needs to
learn his numbers to 100. He needs to be able to add and subtract numbers to 20. Steven needs to
learn one to one number to object correspondence as well as be able to put numbers in correct
order. Steven has been receiving small group interventions and one-on-one support. He has been
given number lines to use and numerical charts.
Summary of Functional Performance:
Social Skills and Behavior – Steven gets along with his peers. He follows the classroom rules
and is respectful to (his) teacher. He is able to follow classroom routines and participate in all
activities with his non-disabled peers. Behavior does not significantly and adversely impact the
progress in the general curriculum.
Communication – N/A
Physical Development – Steven’s physical development is comparable to (his) grade level peers.
He is able to get up and move about the classroom freely and take care of his personal wants and
needs.
Health concerns: No health concerns listed.
Behavior Intervention Plan: Behavior Intervention Plan does not exist
Summary of Educational Needs
Special Education Services – Basic Reading Skills: 20 minutes per day, Math Reasoning: 20
minutes per day, Written Expression: 20 minutes per day
Related services: Occupational Therapy – 60 minutes per month
Goals:
 By April 2015, Steven will be able to understand the organization of basic print. He will
understand that words make up sentences which turn into paragraphs and stories. This
will be print is read to him or print that he sees and copies from the board. This will be
measured by using break-(it)-down, say-it-fast during the SFA reading block. Also
measured by classroom observation, teacher generated tests.
 By April 2015, Steven will be able to anal(ize) words and be able to decode words using
phonics skills. This will be measured by classroom observation, SFA skill checks during
SFA reading block.
 By April 2015, Steven will be able to write, draw pictures, and use simple sentences to
state an opinion on a story that she has read. It will need to have a beginning, middle and
an end. This will be measured by classroom observation, teacher generated tests and/or
quizzes.
 By April, Steven will be able to add and subtract within 20. He will be able to use
different strategies such as counting on, making ten. This will be measured by classroom
observation, teacher generated tests, benchmarks. This will be measured weekly by
teacher tests and/or quizzes.
Strategies Used
For learning numbers we have tried a few attempts; nothing that has shown to work yet:
1. Journaling the number (taken from log on August 22, 2014) in which the number is
practiced by writing the digit, counting objects of that number and drawing pictures of
that number. This was done for number 4 through 9, one number per day.
2. Activity from Developing Early Number Concepts and Number Sense (p. 103) Activity
8.4 (taken from log on September 14, 2014)
We did this activity with numbers 1-5. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 he was able to
recognize the written number and collect that number of objects correctly. The number 4,
he was able to recognize at first. As we continued the activity (and added the # 5) he was
unable to tell me 4 by looking at the written number. Numbers 4 and 5 we counted
together.
Once we got past 5 this activity was not helping.
3. This is our most recent method so we do not know for certain if this is working for
Steven yet. (Taken from log on September 22, 2014)
Today Steven was pulled aside for math
along with three other students. This was
the worksheet that we worked on
together. I started by asking how many
of the hexagon shapes they saw on their
page. All answered with one including
Steven. Together we practiced tracing
the large 1 and word one on the top of the paper. After, I asked all children to trace the
number one written on the lines below. At first Steven began writing his ones in between
the prewritten ones. It is apparent that they were written crooked or bent; not straight.
Once he was corrected, he began drawing ones on the prewritten lines and they were
much neater. Later on the tallies, I instructed the children to draw tallies starting at the
dot and drawing a straight line all the way down, like you draw a one. He began by
starting at the dot and extending the line upward.
4. For reading and writing, the school provides a program called SFA in which children are
grouped by ability and provided a program for that level of knowledge. Steven is
currently in the same program level as he was in Kindergarten. He did not learn this
material the first time in Kindergarten; he is not grasping the content this time either.
5. During regular class time, he does activities like stamping his spelling words in play
dough instead of writing them. He is often given sentence prompts to copy from rather
than coming up with a completely original sentence to write. He is often given the whole
word he is looking to spell rather than sounding out (Our thinking is that he may be a
whole word learner rather than a phonics learner).
Research/ Findings
In an article found on the NICHCY website, developmental delay should be considered
when “skills don't emerge as expected, more or less on that broad schedule, that parents and
caregivers may become concerned” (p. 1). If there is noticeable difference between the child and
peers that has occurred past the average developmental range, it is wise to consult a professional
such as a pediatrician.
Causes or sources of developmental delay are numerous and generally unknown.
Mychildwithoulimits.org puts out this statement “Developmental delay can have many different
causes, such as genetic causes, or complications of pregnancy and birth. Often, however, the
specific cause is unknown.” The term does not explain much about the child, only that there is
this child has some challenges.
A list of warning signs is provided on howkidsdevelop.com. The types of warning signs
that are pointed out here are in the categories of hearing, sight, behavioral, and motor. Other than
the motor, Steven does not show any signs of the other areas being affected. This is concerning
because there is little evidence that this is just developmental delay. It is possible that there may
just be something happening in Steven’s head that right brain and left brain are not crossing. As
long as tasks do not require both sides of the brain, he can complete them with no difficulty.
http://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.com/2013/10/music-and-early-brain-development-capt.html
This is a picture I found on the website listed above. When looking at the superior and
inferior view of the brain, Steven has challenges related to those that take up space on both sides
of the brain. For example, number 12 on this chart is written and spoken language
comprehension. One of those areas (written comprehension) he has a challenge doing. This
pattern can be seen in multiple areas that cross between right brain and left brain; one or more of
the functions of that part are a stretch for Steven.
References
Anatomy and Functional Areas of the Brain [Online image]. Retrieved September 28, 2014 from
http://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.com/2013/10/music-and-early-brain-development-capt.html
How Kids Develop (2008). What is developmental delay and what services are available if I
think my child might be delayed? Retrieved from http://www.howkidsdevelop.com/
developDevDelay.html
NICHCY (March 2012). Developmental Delay. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/wpcontent/uploads/docs/fs9.pdf
United Cerebral Palsy (2014). General format. Retrieved from
http://www.mychildwithoutlimits.org/understand/developmental-delay/what-causesdevelopmental-delay/