Brown, Bobby
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES ABC PUBLIC SCHOOLS Privileged and Confidential Report
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Psychoeducational Evaluation
Name of student: Bobby Brown Date of birth: 10/12/2007 Chronological age: 10-1 Grade: 4th School: ABC Elementary Referral Type: Initial Parent(s): Ms. Brown Program: General Education Address: Lily Lane Related Services: n/a ABC, NY 1111 ELL: Yes Home Language: Spanish NYSESLAT (2017): Expanding Dates of evaluation: 11/21, & 11/22/2017 Examiner: Jadwiga Cutrone, NCSP Languages used during assessment: English & Spanish
REASON FOR REFERRAL Bobby is a 10-year, 1-month old youngster attending fourth grade at ABC Elementary School in ABC, NY. Bobby was referred to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) for an initial evaluation by the school team due to academic concerns. The purpose of this evaluation is to measure Bobby’s language proficiency in English and Spanish, cognitive abilities, academic skills, and social-emotional functioning. Results will be used to determine Bobby’s current level of functioning/educational needs and eligibility for special education services.
EVALUATION PROCEDURES AND TESTS ADMINISTERED Informal language samples in English and Spanish English Non-word Repetition Task Spanish Non-word Repetition Task Understanding Spoken Paragraphs-English Understanding Spoken Paragraphs-Spanish Informal reading assessment in Spanish Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children- Second Edition (KABC-II)-Nonverbal Scale Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievement (WJ-IV ACH) Form A (selected subtests) Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition (BASC 3) - Teacher Rating Scale Student interview Parent Interview Input from the classroom teacher Review of Records Behavioral Observations
RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Birth/developmental history and present health status: Ms. Brown, Bobby’s mother, was interviewed to obtain background information and a developmental history. Accordingly, Bobby was born at X Hospital (New York) via C-section after a full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy. At birth, Bobby weighted seven pounds. Ms. Brown reported
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Brown, Bobby that Bobby experienced complications with his kidneys, was in a coma, and received blood transfusions. He remained in the hospital for one month. Bobby did not present with physical or medical complications upon being discharged. In terms of developmental milestones, Ms. Brown noted that Bobby crawled at six months, walked at nine months, and was toilet trained at four years- old. In terms of language, Bobby spoke in words at the age of one, and in sentences at the age of two. Overall, Bobby reportedly did not present with developmental delays. At the present time, Bobby is in good general health, does not present with allergies, asthma or major medical conditions. Bobby does not currently take medication. There were no reports of hospitalization or surgery. Ms. Brown stated that Bobby has always been very “hyperactive.”
Immigration experience and present housing accommodations: Bobby was born in New York. Ms. Brown immigrated to the United States from Honduras fourteen years ago. Bobby resides with his mother, Ms. Brown (age 37), older brother Henry (age 17), and grandfather. Bobby visits his biological father, B. Brown, on the weekends. Bobby reportedly does not get along well with his brother. Ms. Brown also reported that Bobby’s responsibilities at home include doing his homework and helping with cleaning tasks. In his free time, Bobby enjoys playing videogames and spending time with friends. Bobby is described as affectionate and loving. He has a good relationship with his mother. He does not reportedly present with any significant behavioral concerns at home.
School experience: Bobby received all formal schooling in English in the United States. He attended school in Disney Land school district (NY) and then transferred to ABC district in third grade. School records reveal that Bobby was retained in first grade in Disney Land district. Bobby has been receiving instruction in English with the support of ENL services.
Language use: According to the information provided by Ms. Brown, Spanish is Bobby’s first language as it was the language he was initially exposed to from birth. Spanish and English are both spoken at home at this time. Specifically, Ms. Brown communicates with Bobby in Spanish and she is unable to speak in English. Bobby communicates in English with his brother and grandfather. When Bobby visits his father on the weekends, he communicates with him in both English and Spanish. According to self-report of language use, in school, Bobby communicates in both English and Spanish with his friends. When asked about language preference, Bobby indicated that he feels comfortable speaking in English and that he usually thinks in English. He also noted that he does not know how to read or write in Spanish. Ms. Brown also indicated that Bobby was never taught to read or write in Spanish. When Bobby watches television at home, he watches programs in English. Furthermore, according to results from the NYSESLAT administered in the Spring of 2017, Bobby performed at the Expanding level, indicating that he has not attained English language proficiency and continues to be eligible for ENL supports.
Parent concerns: Ms. Brown reported that she does not have any concerns regarding Bobby’s academic skills. He presented with behavior problems in third grade but is doing better this school year.
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Brown, Bobby
BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS
The evaluation was completed at Bobby’s school during one test session. The examiner met Bobby in the main office. Bobby was sent from his classroom to the main office and although he responded to the examiner’s greeting, he appeared guarded. After the examiner explained the evaluation process, Bobby noted that he thought he was being sent to the office because he was in trouble. After reassurance, Bobby accompanied the examiner to the testing room. The testing conditions were optimal, with adequate lighting and no visual or auditory distractions. Bobby is average in height and weight. He was dressed in casual attire and demonstrated appropriate hygiene and grooming. Bobby is right hand dominant. He does not wear glasses. At the onset of the test session, Bobby expressed frustration about missing his gym glass. Despite encouragement, Bobby appeared angry, ripped his bracelet, lowered his head and avoided eye contact. He did not answer questions and became increasingly uncooperative. The examiner suggested to take a walk to his classroom and inquire about a make-up gym period. Bobby followed along. After further encouragement from his teacher and the examiner, as well as an offer of possibly making up gym, Bobby agreed to participate in the evaluation. Once in the testing room, Bobby sat down and began to answer interpersonal questions. Rapport was slow to establish as Bobby appeared reserved and presented with a flat affect. Nonetheless, with time, Bobby was able to actively participate in test activities, and followed directives. Although he participated in dialogue and attempted tasks, Bobby maintained a guarded but respectful demeanor. Moreover, Bobby was distracted infrequently and returned to tasks readily without assistance. He exhibited a typical level of activity, but was somewhat impulsive at times. After being initially frustrated about missing gym, Bobby showed an overall good tolerance for frustration. He attempted all tasks and was persistent on challenging items. Bobby was motivated with minimal support and although he was generally accepting of praise, he was indifferent at times. In terms of interpersonal communication and language skills, Bobby’s speech was clear and coherent, without articulation or pronunciation concerns. He was able to understand and answer basic questions in English. Bobby was able to understand basic questions in Spanish but responded spontaneously in English, unless prompted to speak in Spanish. Please refer to the “Language skills in English and Spanish” section below regarding detailed information about observations pertaining to Bobby’s language skills. Overall, as Bobby attempted all tasks, the present results are considered to be a valid and reliable measure of his current functioning.
PAST TEST RESULTS
Language Proficiency Assessment (6/08/2017)
Bobby’s language proficiency was assessed on 6/8/2017 using the Woodcock-Munoz Language Survey-Revised (WMLS-R) Form A-English, as well as the Spanish form. The WMLS-R, English and Spanish forms, are individually administered clinical instruments that provide a broad sampling of proficiency in oral language, language comprehension, reading and writing. The following results were reported:
English Spanish CLUSTER/Test Descriptive Category Descriptive Category Broad Ability Low Average Extremely Low
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Brown, Bobby
Oral Language Low Average Extremely Low Listening Low Extremely Low Writing Low Extremely Low
Results reveal that Bobby demonstrated Limited Broad English Ability (CALP Level 2) and Negligible Broad Spanish Ability (CALP Level 1). Bobby demonstrated limited to fluent English oral language ability and very limited Spanish oral language ability. The Listening cluster measures listening ability (primarily receptive language skills), comprehension, and linguistic competency. Bobby demonstrated limited listening ability in English and Spanish. According to the results, although below average for his age, Bobby’s language skills are higher in English than in Spanish.
PRESENT TEST RESULTS The present evaluation was conducted in English and Spanish. Formal and informal procedures were used to assess language proficiency and formal tests were used to assess cognitive and academic functioning. Consistent with regulations for the assessment of English Language Learners, and since the formal instruments are not culturally free, only the range of functioning rather than actual scores are presented. The qualitative descriptors of Bobby’s functioning are considered better indicators of his performance than individual test scores, which are not valid due to the limitations in the norms as appropriate for this bilingual population.
Language skills in English and Spanish
Information from informal language samples, assessments and observations
Language samples, observations, and a variety of informal assessments including Understanding of Spoken Paragraphs and the Non-word Repetition Task, were utilized to elicit language and assess Bobby’s skills in English and Spanish. Receptive language skills include the ability to understand spoken information. Language samples reveal that Bobby was able to understand Yes/No questions, as well as WH-questions (who, what, where, when, why) in English and Spanish. In addition, Bobby was administered the Understanding of Spoken Paragraphs task to further assess his receptive language skills. When presented with short stories/passages read aloud, Bobby was able to grasp the main idea of the story. He had a general difficulty with recalling story details but was able to correctly answer more comprehension questions about the story presented in English than the story given in Spanish. While asked questions about the story in Spanish, Bobby commented, “I forgot,” or “I didn’t pay attention.” Bobby was able to problem-solve or generate a solution to the problem in the English story. He had difficulty making inferences about the story in Spanish. In general, Bobby is exposed to Spanish at home and communicates in Spanish with his mother, while he uses English with most other conversational partners including his brother, teachers and friends. He is able to understand basic interpersonal questions used in everyday conversation (BICS) in both languages. During the evaluation, when questions included more abstract information or asked about academic-content, Bobby was better able to process these questions in English than in Spanish. He at times benefited from repetition of longer academic questions (e.g., math word- problems that were read aloud) in English. In terms of expressive skills, language sample reveal that Bobby demonstrates greater fluency when speaking in English. When questions were presented in Spanish, Bobby consistently replied in English. When asked to respond in Spanish, Bobby would code-mix and incorporate
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Brown, Bobby words in English within a sentence. For example, when asked to talk about his favorite videogame, Bobby replied, “Yo hago competencia for speed” ( I do competition for speed.). In general, Bobby produced longer utterances in English and his sentences were characterized by good grammar and sentence structure. Bobby’s speech was clear and coherent in both languages. Moreover, Bobby was administered the Non-word repetition task in English and Spanish. These tasks require skills necessary for language learning, including auditory processing, working memory, and organization of articulatory output. In comparison to standardized language tests, non- word repetition tasks are reportedly unbiased by socioeconomic status and parent education level as they do not test previous linguistic knowledge and skills. This assessment tool is utilized to assess verbal working memory, as well as to differentiate children with and without language impairment. Students with language impairment have a disproportionate difficulty in repeating novel phonological sequences, especially words consisting of three and four syllables. Bobby was asked to repeat, one by one, a set of phonemically balanced non-words between 1 and 4 syllables in English, and between 1 and 5 syllables is Spanish. In English, he performed with 100% accuracy with repeating words with one through three syllables. He had slight difficulty on one out of four words at the four-syllable level. In Spanish, Bobby was able to accurately repeat words at the 1, 2, and 4 syllable level. He repeated words with 87.5% accuracy at the 3-syllable level, and with 77.5% accuracy at the 5-syllable level. Overall, Bobby’s performance was typical and he was generally able to attend to the sounds, hold the sounds in short-term memory, and then repeat the non-words. In terms of pragmatic language skills, Bobby was able to maintain eye contact when speaking, ask relevant questions, share an opinion and take turns in conversation. According to self- report of language preference, Bobby prefers to communicate in English and tends to think in English. He has never been schooled in Spanish and the academic knowledge and skills he has acquired, are in English. Nonetheless, he demonstrates receptive language skills in both languages. His expressive language skills are stronger in English at this time.
Cognitive abilities
Results from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children- Second Edition (KABC-II)
Bobby was administered the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II). The KABC-II is an individually administered clinical instrument designed to measure the processing and cognitive abilities of children and adolescents. The K-ABC II yields a Nonverbal Scale (NVI) which is useful as a measure of general intellectual ability with English Language Learners (ELLs) and is considered a “language reduced” measure as it minimizes expressive language demands for children. The NVI is derived from five subtests that do not require verbal responses, and is considered a valid and reliable indicator of Bobby’s nonverbal abilities. Subtests that contribute to the NVI are drawn from two of the four primary cognitive domains (i.e., the Planning Scale and the Simultaneous Scale), and measure other specific cognitive skills not included in the primary domains. Accordingly, results reveal that Bobby’s performance on the subtests contributing to the Nonverbal Index (NVI) falls in the Below Average range. An analysis of Bobby’s variable performance on the individual subtests offers information about his unique cognitive strengths and weaknesses. As mentioned above, results are presented in a qualitative manner due limitations in the norms as appropriate for English Language Learners (ELLs).
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Brown, Bobby
Planning, also called fluid reasoning, involves the ability to reason and solve problems that often involve unfamiliar information or procedures. Fluid reasoning involves an individual’s ability to reorganize, transform, and use information. Verbal mediation (self-talk, labeling) is needed to solve the novel reasoning problems in the KABC-II. Bobby’s fluid reasoning ability was assessed through a task that required him to choose the correct pictures from a set to complete an incomplete story, as well as a task that required him to view an incomplete visual pattern and select the response option that completed the pattern. These tasks specifically assessed Bobby’s ability to utilize categorical reasoning based on principals of inductive logic. Bobby’s performance was variable on these tasks, revealing strengths and weaknesses in fluid reasoning. Accordingly, he performed in the Average range on the Story Completion task. He was able to examine pictures and decide which pictures were missing. This revealed a good ability to process information in pictures and correctly sequence the pictures to represent a story (e.g., what happened first, next, and last). Bobby performed below the average range on the Pattern Reasoning subtest. He had difficulty analyzing abstract visual information and figuring out a rule that governs a sequential pattern. Fluid reasoning skills are related to Bobby’s ability to draw inferences, solve abstract or unique problems, create solutions to problems, transfer and generalize information, transform or extend a problem or concept (rather than matching or reproducing a stimulus), think conceptually, and problem solve through rule application. His discrepant performance on the two tasks within this scale suggests that Bobby may be better able to problem-solve and draw inferences with information that is more concrete and taps into language-based problem-solving. In addition, he may perform more optimally on tasks that include hands-on components (e.g., physically moving the pictures in the Story Completion task), as opposed to mental manipulation of abstract information (looking at pictures/patterns and deciding which picture fits into the pattern based on characteristics such as shape, color, size, etc.,). Simultaneous (Gv), also called visual-spatial thinking, includes spatial orientation, the ability to analyze and synthesize visual stimuli, and spatial scanning (i.e., the ability to quickly and accurately survey a spatial field or pattern and to identify a path though the visual field/pattern). Bobby’s visual-spatial thinking ability was assessed on the KABC II through various tasks. One task required him to reproduce modeled and printed two-dimensional designs using colored shapes and two-color triangles. On another task, Bobby was asked to count the exact number of blocks in various pictures of stacks of blocks. The stacks are presented in a way in which one or more blocks are hidden or partially hidden from view. Bobby’s performance on these tasks fell below the average range. He especially had difficulty with replicating designs with two-color triangles. Bobby struggled to rotate the triangles and moved the pieces haphazardly. On Block Counting, Bobby was able to correctly count blocks on the initial items. He struggled as the items increased in complexity and had difficulty with visualizing the missing blocks. Overall, Bobby presents with difficulty in visual orientation and understanding of spatial relationships/spatial visualization. These skills are applicable in the ability to assemble puzzles, use patterns and designs in art, geometry, geography, design, build, sense spatial orientation, read maps, graphs, charts, note visual detail, sense spatial boundaries (e.g., fitting, assembly, and packing), and organize. In addition, Bobby was administered the Hand Movements subtest in which he was asked to copy the examiner’s precise sequence of taps on the table with the fist, palm, or side of the hand. This subtest measures sequential processing and short-term memory solely in the visual motor channel. Bobby performed in the average range. He was easily able to replicate two and three movements but began to struggle and was inconsistent with sequences consisting of four and five taps.
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Brown, Bobby
Academic Achievement
Results from the WMLS III and the WJ-IV Tests of Achievement (Form A)
Bobby’s academic skills were assessed through the administration of selected subtests from the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievement (WJ-IV ACH) Form A. The WJ-IV ACH is a standardized, individually administered clinical instrument which measures the achievement of students in grades Prekindergarten through 12th grade. Standard scores are calculated for each administered subtest. Scores range from 0 to over 200, and scores between 90-110 are considered average.
Reading Skills Bobby’s overall reading skills, as reflected by his obtained Reading Cluster score, fall in the Low range, indicating delays in this area relative to peers his age. Bobby’s letter and word recognition skills were assessed by the Letter-Word Identification task in which he had to identify common sight words. Bobby identified the initial items rapidly and accurately but was not able to automatically recognize words he is expected to know. Although Bobby attempted to decode unfamiliar words, he had difficulty applying phoneme-grapheme relationships. Bobby’s letter and sight word recognition skills fall in the Low Average range. A low fund of sight words may affect Bobby’s reading fluency and the ability to process text at his grade level. Furthermore, Bobby’s decoding skills and phonemic awareness were assessed by the Word Attack task in which he had to identify letter sounds and read from a list of nonsense words. He identified the initial items accurately; however, he had difficulty applying structural analysis skills (phoneme-grapheme relationships) to decode the latter words. Bobby’s performance fell in the Low Average range. He is likely to have difficulty decoding unknown words in text, which will hinder his comprehension and fluency. Bobby was also administered the Passage Comprehension task which involves reading short passages and identifying a missing key word that makes sense in the context of the passage (a cloze approach to reading comprehension assessment). Accordingly, Bobby performed in the Low range and he presents with weaknesses in this area. Bobby read the passages slowly and often stopped to decode words. He also had difficulty applying syntactic and semantic cues, as well as with identifying the correct missing word. Thus, Bobby is likely to struggle with reading and understanding grade level text. Moreover, as an informal assessment of reading skills in Spanish, Bobby was presented with a book in Spanish. He had difficulty reading and understanding text. Picture cues did not aid him in figuring out what the text was about. This is expected given that Bobby did not receive formal reading instruction in Spanish. According to the information provided by one of Bobby’s classroom teachers, Bobby is currently reading text on Level G/H (independent/instructional). At the end of third grade, Bobby was reading on Level H/I. However, when assessed following the summer vacation, he performed at Level G, indicating a decline. Furthermore, Bobby participates in a reading group which is given within the classroom five times a week with one other student using the LLI (Leveled Literacy Intervention) program. He also receives the support of the Wilson reading program three times per week. Bobby has difficulty with decoding and retelling stories. The teacher noted that Bobby’s reading delays get in the way of his learning.
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Brown, Bobby
In addition, according to the referral document, Bobby has difficulty reading with expression and demonstrating consistent fluency when reading. He requires support to answer comprehension questions, develop thoughts and recall details from a story, such as character names and events. Bobby has difficulty decoding consistently and requires support to look at each word and decode correctly. Overall, test results and information from the classroom teacher reveal that Bobby presents with delays in reading skills and is performing far below grade expectancy.
Writing Skills Bobby is right hand dominant. His handwriting is legible, however, his letter formation is inconsistent. Bobby’s writing skills were assessed using the Writing Samples task. He was asked to write sentences in response to picture cues and verbal prompts. Bobby performed in the Low Average range. He at times would verbally formulate a response before writing it down, which indicated good planning skills and the ability to apply a strategy. He was able to compose simple sentences to describe pictures. However, he did not follow capitalization rules and most of his sentences began with a lowercase letter. Bobby did not use basic punctuation (e.g., a period at the end of a sentence). He would often reverse the b/d letters (e.g., bog/dog, or bady/baby). His sentences were short and lacked detail. According to the information provided by the classroom teacher, Bobby has difficulty formulating sentences when writing. His spelling skills are not strong but he at times attempts to spell words phonetically. For example Bobby has had the word "any" on his spelling list for several cycles but continues to spell it as "eny." He tries hard with the right motivation but gets easily overwhelmed. According to the referral document, Bobby attempts to bring ideas to his writing but is unable to develop his thoughts in a clear and effective manner. His grammar, punctuation and spelling skills are limited.
Math Skills Bobby was administered subtests measuring math computation skills, math fluency and math problem-solving skills. His overall math skills, as reflected by the Mathematics Cluster score, fall in the Low Average range and below expectancy. On the math calculation subtest, Bobby performed in the Low Average range. He was able to add and subtract two-digit numbers. He had difficulty with three-digit numbers, especially items that required renaming/regrouping. Bobby was able to multiply single digits but was inconsistent with two-digit numbers. Bobby was unable to divide numbers and did not attempt items involving simple fractions. On the Math Facts Fluency subtest, Bobby was asked to solve as many single digit addition, subtraction or multiplication items as he could within three minutes. He performed in the Low range and below expectancy. Bobby worked at a slow pace and made occasional computation errors by not attending to operational signs. For example, he would add instead of subtracting. Moreover, Bobby’s knowledge and application of math concepts and vocabulary was also assessed using the Applied Problems subtest. He performed in the Low Average range. Bobby was able to apply addition and subtraction facts to solve simple, one-step word problems that were supplemented with pictures. He was able to point to an analog clock depicting a given time named by the examiner (e.g., point to the clock that says 6 o’clock). In addition, Bobby was able to identify coins and solve items involving money concepts. He had difficulty with word problems that did not include picture cues, as well as questions in which he had to decipher salient information and choose an operational procedure. According to information provided by the teacher, Bobby demonstrates solid mental math skills when it comes to addition. The referral document reveals that Bobby’s basic math skills are weak. He requires a breakdown of skills and repetition to understand
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Brown, Bobby and generalize information. Bobby performs best in small groups. He also has difficulty learning concepts and generalizing skills within concepts (e.g., place value). Overall, results indicate that Bobby presents with delays in math skills including computation, math facts fluency, and applied problem-solving.
Social-Emotional Functioning
Behavioral observations, a clinical student interview, parent interview, as well as a teacher rating scale were used to assess Bobby’s social, behavioral and emotional functioning. Bobby initially presented as guarded and was reserved in his interactions with the examiner. He appeared upset and angry about having a change in routine, particularly about missing gym. It took a while for Bobby to calm down and accept the demands of the evaluation. Nonetheless, with encouragement and prompting, Bobby became increasingly cooperative and less guarded. Thus, Bobby was able to follow directives but occasionally attempted to test limits. He responded well to structured, fast-paced activities. Bobby was respectful and demonstrated age-appropriate social skills, including sustaining eye contact, asking relevant questions, and sharing his opinion. Bobby was impulsive at times and his tolerance for frustration was variable depending on the task. According to self-report, Bobby has a negative attitude toward school and noted that he does not like school. Bobby noted that his favorite subject is gym, while his least favorite is science. When asked about what he found difficult in school, he noted “Almost everything” and further stated that he hates reading. Thus, Bobby is aware of his academic difficulties, which are impacting his self-esteem. Moreover, Bobby reported that he has friends in class and gets along with classmates. In his free time, Bobby enjoys playing videogames. He also likes sports, including football and basketball. Bobby reported that he does not get along well with his brother. According to Ms. Brown, Bobby is affectionate and loving and does not present with any significant behavior problems at home. Furthermore, the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition-Teacher Rating Scales-Child (BASC-3) was completed by Ms. Smith, one of Bobby’s classroom teachers, to obtain information about Bobby’s functioning in school. The BASC-3 is a questionnaire designed to aid in the identification of emotional and behavioral problems in children. Results reveal that Bobby appears capable of developing and maintaining friendships with others. Nonetheless, in the classroom, Bobby engages in a high number of behaviors that are adversely affecting classmates. He tends to be restless and overactive, and has difficulty controlling his impulses. This is consistent with the input provided by Ms. Brown who noted that Bobby has a history of hyperactivity and is very active at home. In addition, BASC-3 results also indicate that Bobby is often distracted, has difficulty following directions, and sustaining attention on any single task for an extended period of time. These difficulties impact his ability to learn. Bobby struggles to comprehend and complete schoolwork in a variety of academic areas. He has difficulty keeping up with peers in the classroom and performs poorly on assignments. Additionally, Bobby has difficulty regulating his emotions and can become upset, frustrated and/or angered in response to environmental changes. He has difficulty controlling and maintaining his behavior and mood. Moreover, according to information provided by Ms. Smith, Bobby is respectful towards adults most of the time unless he doesn't understand why he is being redirected or reprimanded. In those cases, he gets very defensive and shuts down. Bobby is unable to retell a sequence of events in his day easily, so trying to understand the chain of events that led to a behavior can be
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Brown, Bobby difficult. Bobby can be disrespectful at times, but this is often related to something else (i.e. the work is too hard, another student is bothering him). Bobby gets frustrated in the classroom. Ms. Funaro further noted: “If I can catch him before he shuts down, we can work through the situation pretty easily. If he's really having a tough time, I'll give him a choice to talk or take a break. It's 50/50 what he chooses, but we always talk about the problem before he revisits the situation. He has been receptive to this because I have explained that he is not "in trouble" but that we need to figure out the best way for him to deal with the situation.”
Moreover, Bobby is currently a kindergarten helper and this has been a positive and motivating experience. As such, Bobby would continue to benefit from activities and experiences to help strengthen his self-esteem and to build confidence.
SUMMARY
Bobby is a 10-year, 1-month-old youngster attending fourth grade at ABC Elementary School in ABC, NY. Bobby was referred to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) for an initial evaluation by the school team due to academic concerns. Bobby is an English Language Learner (ELL) and Spanish and English are spoken at home. Results from the NYSESLAT administered in the Spring of 2017, revealed that Bobby performed at the Expanding level, indicating that he has not attained English language proficiency and continues to be eligible for ENL supports. Bobby was born in New York and was never formally school in Spanish. All of his academic instruction has been in English. Bobby transferred to the ABC school district from Disney Land. He was held over and repeated first grade. Past language proficiency screening results from 06/2017 revealed that Bobby demonstrated Limited Broad English Ability (CALP Level 2) and Negligible Broad Spanish Ability (CALP Level 1). Bobby demonstrated limited to fluent English oral language ability and very limited Spanish oral language ability. Although below average for his age, Bobby’s language skills are higher in English than in Spanish. Present results using informal measures of language proficiency indicate that Bobby is able to understand basic interpersonal questions (e.g., Yes/No questions, and WH-questions such as who, what, where, when, and why) used in everyday conversation (BICS) in English and Spanish. During the evaluation, when questions included more abstract information or asked about academic- content, Bobby was better able to process these questions in English than in Spanish. In terms of expressive skills, language samples reveal that Bobby demonstrates greater fluency when speaking in English. When questions were presented in Spanish, Bobby consistently replied in English. When asked to respond in Spanish, Bobby would code-mix and incorporate words in English within a sentence. According to self-report of language preference, Bobby prefers to communicate in English Cognitive test results using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II) reveal that Bobby’s overall performance, as reflected by the Nonverbal Index (NVI) fell in the Below Average range. He presents with difficulties in visual-spatial skills, including the ability to visualize and process visual information, especially abstract stimuli. Bobby showed average short-term memory in the visual-motor modality/channel. He has relative strengths in planning and fluid reasoning skills that can be aided by verbal mediation (self-task while problem-solving). Bobby’s academic skills were assessed through the administration of selected subtests from the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievement- Form A. Bobby presents with delays in sight-
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Brown, Bobby word recognition, decoding, and reading comprehension. In writing, he has difficulty spelling words, composing detailed and descriptive sentences, applying punctuation, and following capitalization rules. In math, Bobby presents with delays in math calculation, math facts fluency, and problem-solving skills. In the area of social-emotional development, Bobby can be guarded or reserved in his interactions with unfamiliar individuals. He tends to be overactive or restless in the classroom and has difficulty sustaining attention. Bobby has poor coping skills, tends to be impulsive and gets frustrated easily by changes in routine. He benefits from structured learning tasks, focus prompts, redirection and direct instruction in coping skills. At home, according to Ms. Brown, Bobby tends to by hyperactive but does not present with significant behavior problems. He is described as loving and affectionate toward his mother.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations for educational placement will be discussed by the multidisciplinary team during the Committee on Special Education (CSE) meeting.
______
Jadwiga Cutrone, NCSP Date Nationally Certified School Psychologist New York State Certified Bilingual School Psychologist
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ADDENDUM
Test Results
Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children- Second Edition (KABC-II) Standard Scores: Mean=100, Standard Deviation= 15 Norms based on age Score description: 131 or greater: Upper extreme 116-130: Above Average 85-115: Average 70-84: Below Average 69 or less: Lower Extreme
Index/Subtest Descriptive Category
Nonverbal Index (NVI) Below Average Story Completion Average Triangles Below Average Block Counting Below Average Pattern Reasoning Below Average Hand Movements Average
Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Achievement (WJ-IV ACH) Form A (selected subtests) Standard Scores: Mean=100, Standard Deviation= 15 Norms based on age Standard Score Range and WJIII Classification 131 and above: Very Superior 121 to 130: Superior 111 to 120: High Average 90 to 110: Average 89 to 80: Low Average 70 to 79: Low 69 and below: Very Low
Composite/Subtest Descriptive Category Academic Applications Low Average Reading Cluster Low Basic Reading Skills Cluster Low Average Letter & Word Identification Low Average Word Attack Low Average Passage Comprehension Low Broad Mathematics Cluster Low Calculation Low Average Applied Problems Low Average Math Facts Fluency Low Written Language Writing Samples Low Average
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