Differentiated Unit Plan: Literacy Unit Plan Assignment
EDSP 524
Appendix A: Student Descriptions
Student 1: Matthew
Disability: Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
IDEA Category: Other Health Impaired
Matthew has MS, an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system. He walks with a cane to help with his balance but can actively participate in class and recreational activities. Generally, he knows when his body needs to rest and take a break physically.
Strengths: Matthew is quiet and reserved, but very kind and personable. He has friends and is very polite. Matthew has no record of behavior issues in school. Matthew has strong math skills and tests above grade level for solving equations, area, volume, and mathematical concepts. His reading level is at or just below average for his grade level.
Weaknesses: Matthew’s disease causes spasticity in his legs - this is sometimes distracting (and embarrassing) to him during quiet seatwork. MS is different day-to-day but will affect Matthew’s concentration, muscle coordination, ability to stay awake (Chronic fatigue), memory, visual disturbances, his ability to regulate his own temperature, bowel/bladder incontinence.
Student 2: Kate
Disability: Juvenile Macular Degeneration
IDEA Category: Visual Impairment
Kate is a 6th-grade student who is legally blind, even with corrective lenses. This is a genetic condition.
Strengths: While Kate has trouble seeing text in front of her, she still has a relatively normal peripheral or side vision. Kate is outgoing and friendly, she has several friends. Kate scored at grade level for math. Kate likes to work independently, and at her own pace.
Weaknesses: Kate scores below grade level in reading and language arts. Kate does not ask for help, even when she does not understand something. She will fall behind in the classroom unless her progress is closely monitored.
Student 3: Jack
Disability: Bipolar Disorder
IDEA Category: Emotional Disturbance
Jack is a funny student who likes to make other students laugh. He is very intelligent, but not highly motivated. He likes to take ‘shortcuts’ to avoid doing more work than he has too. This sometimes leads to incomplete assignments. He is a good test taker but often has missing classwork and homework. Jack plays 3 varsity sports.
Strengths: Jack is a very strong tester. He can remember and recall information in both reading and math. He is at grade level performance for both reading and math.
Areas of need: During the low moods of his disability, Jack is irritable and sometimes irrational. During the high/manic moods, he has lots of energy and is very loud. He has depression that is treated with weekly counseling outside of school. Jack needs support to stay on task, motivated, and to remember to participate appropriately (e.g., raise his hand).
Student 4: Jamie
Disability: ADHD
IDEA Category: Other Health Impaired
Jamie is a 6th-grade student who was found eligible for Special Education Services under the category of Other Health Impairment due to weaknesses in alertness as a result of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Strengths: Jamie is a kind and humorous boy. He is quick to lend a helping hand and encouraging word to anyone who needs it.
Areas of need: Jamie is functioning below grade level in math and reading. Jamie has a difficult time staying on task and completing assignments, comprehending grade-level reading texts, responding adequately to writing prompts, and solving math word problems. Jamie has difficulty initiating tasks and sustaining his attention to complete them. He becomes easily distracted when given assignments. He requires additional time to complete tests and needs frequent prompting when working independently in most subjects. To successfully access the general curriculum, Jamie requires specialized instruction and accommodations to improve self-regulation when given assignments, to learn strategies to improve his reading comprehension and written expression, and to solve grade-level math problems.
Student 5: Eli
Disability: Autism Spectrum Disorder
IDEA Category: Autism
Eli is a quiet student who concentrates very hard on his studies. Eli needs help becoming motivated, but is pleasant when he gets to work. Eli likes a routine and becomes upset when the routine is not followed. He is functioning below grade level in reading and math.
Strengths: Eli likes dinosaurs and knows a huge amount of information about them. This can be a way to communicate with Eli when getting to know him.
Areas of need: Eli’s reading level is one grade level below. His math assessments are two grades below average. He has trouble fitting in socially and misreads social cues. Eli has trouble maintaining eye contact but will respond to others who talk to him or ask him questions. Has trouble staying focused and is agitated when the classroom routine is out of order.
Student 6: Rachel
Disability: Dyslexia
IDEA Category: Specific Learning Disability
Rachel is a sociable girl who likes to talk with her friends in the classroom and online. She is very computer savvy and can assist in many technological things in the classroom.
Strengths: Rachel has a brother with ASD and is very patient with classmates. She is very social and good with technology. She is interested in fashion and make-up.
Areas of need: Rachel tests below average in writing. Rachel can write, but it takes her significantly longer than her peers. She does not enjoy reading because it takes a long time to process what she is seeing. Her reading comprehension assessment is three grade levels below. Rachel tests at the 4th grade level in math. Her dyslexia makes her very self-conscious about her performance in front of her friends.
Student 7: Bryan
English Language Learner (ELL)
Amir and his family recently immigrated to the United States by way of Canada. Amir’s parents are highly educated and Amir attended a private school in Syria that focused on science and technology.
Strengths: Amir’s parents are very vested and involved in his education. Amir is very attentive in class and is motivated to learn English and integrate into his new educational community. Amir received some formal instruction in English in school beginning in 3rd grade.
Areas of need: Amir is comprehending 2nd-grade texts at the instructional level. Amir’s reading comprehension is stronger than his oral comprehension and his ability to produce oral or written language in English. Amir is functioning at grade level in math but struggles with story problems and assignments with complex directions.
Student 8: Missy
Disability: Auricular Atresia
IDEA Category: Hearing Impairment
Missy is a 6th-grade student whose most recent audiogram indicates a unilateral hearing loss due to severe conductive loss in her right ear resulting from auricular atresia and normal levels recorded in her left ear.
Strengths: While Missy has trouble hearing in her right ear, she still has normal hearing in her left ear. Missy uses her time wisely and works very hard to complete assignments. She
is outgoing and friendly. Missy scored at grade level for math.
Weaknesses: Missy currently does not use any form of personal amplification equipment and struggles most with auditory comprehension when background noise is present. This impacts her receptive language abilities. Deficits in hearing have also led to deficits in reading comprehension, decoding skills, and fluency rate. These deficits impact Missy’s ability to take in, synthesize, and correctly retain information presented in a written format. In addition, these deficits impact her ability to comprehend and utilize content vocabulary which impacts her across the content areas. Missy sometimes falls behind because she is unaware, she has missed any information.
Student 9: Bryan
Disability: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, & ADHD
IDEA Category: Specific Learning Disability
Bryan is a 12-year-old African American male in the 6th grade. Bryan has been diagnosed with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and ADHD (inattentive subtype) and was found eligible for special education services for a Specific Learning Disability (SLD).
Strengths: Bryan loves art, music, and excels in Science and PE. His favorite sport is soccer. Bryan is an only child and lives at home with both parents. His parents are very supportive and involved in his education. Brian is generally compliant and respectful toward his teachers and peers.