Running head: CASE STUDY ONE 1
Case Study One
Aaron Whited
Liberty University
EDUC 644
CASE STUDY ONE 2
1. Do you think Serge’s skills were assessed adequately? Do you think he was correctly
identified as learning disabled? Why or why not?
Personally, I think Serge is at a normal developmental rate the biggest issue facing him is the
language barrier alongside the culture change. The hardest thing for a developing child to
understand and grasp is a new language as they are trying to fully learn their first language.
Immersion in the new language has been proven to be affective in English as Second
Language students but like with anything, there is going to be a vast learning curve. In the
case of Serge, his test scores do not represent a cognitive learning disability. His reasoning
skills and comprehension skills are on par with the averages but the problem for Serge comes
in when you involve the language component. To me this is not indicative of a learning
disability this would be like an English teacher trying to teach Biochemistry for the first time,
it is going to start out incomprehensible and then over time the person will acclimate to what
is expected of them. Do I think Serge has a learning disability no, do I think he can benefit
from what the diagnosis can assist him with yes but for a set period of time.
2. Do you think a special education placement was appropriate for Serge? Why or why not?
What kind of progress do you think he would have made in a general education setting
without individualized instruction?
Serge is the type of student that English as a Second Language course were invented for.
Yes, I think the special education placement for Serge was very appropriate. He will now
receive individual assessments, help, and teaching. He is now able to have pulled out lessons
and testing, not to mention he will have a faculty member assigned to him to assist him
specifically. This will help Serge to feel more comfortable at school as he will have a
relationship with an adult that he trusts and that he is now accustomed to seeing on a daily
basis. The fact that he will be able to develop a relationship with a faculty member at school
is worth placing him in special education alone. He will be able to understand and ask
CASE STUDY ONE 3
questions in ways that he would not be able to otherwise. If a student like Serge is placed in a
general educational setting, I worry, the student would be viewed as lazy, disinterested, and
possibly develop behavioral issues. As far as from a progress standpoint he would be
destined to fall behind and this could cause irrevocable damage not only in his academic
career but even psychologically. When a student develops a fear of school that becomes a
hard issue to overcome and it can lead to truancy issues, social issues, and once again
behavioral issues. I strongly feel that special education placement and not having Serge
placed in general education was the right decision.
3. Mrs. Evans learned about the cultural background of her students. How do you think this
knowledge impacted her teaching?
I feel as if lessons like this for educators are more important than anything you can learn in a
textbook. This situation helped Mrs. Evans understand the challenges facing ESL students
and that just because they may seem a certain way does not mean that they are that way. It is
easy as an educator to assume that a student is standoffish, lazy, or disinterested in your
class but when you actually understand what is going on behind the scenes the story can
look completely different. It is possible that Mrs. Evans had a preconceived notion about
Serge’s work ethic and social perceptions but now that she has actually seen the background
in which the student has come from she can better understand how to relate to the student.
The best part about lessons like these are they do not have an expiration date they stick with
you forever.
Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats
Leiter Score English Pull-Out
Lessons/Testing
No English in Home
Non-Verbal Test
Scores
Culture Change Small Groups Lack of Mother
Support
Verbal, Reading,
Writing Testing
Individualization Cultural Adaptation
CASE STUDY ONE 4
I think in this scenario I think as an administrator the right option is to do what is best for the
student. Placing him in special education is the best way to ensure the future success of the
student. Even though the student does not necessarily meet all criteria for a learning disability his
language barrier is a learning disability within itself. The fact that every student needs a trusted
adult at school is never going to change. Students from different cultures and backgrounds need
these trusted individuals to help the students adapt to their new surroundings and situations.
Students come and go but the framework and policy of how decisions are made need to be
constant and in the best interest of the student.
