Guided Response:  Respond to at least two peers by reacting to their suggestions on the process of determining if Henry may be exhibiting some type of disability.  Have you experienced a similar situation in your own work or personal life?  Share this story in both of your responses to your peers’ post.  You are encouraged to provide additional resources that will assist with your explanation. 

Well as time continues reading material is going to get more difficult not vice versa so if Henry does not have the skills now to understand what he is reading thing are going to become progressively more difficult. According to the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) (n.d) reading provides a fundamental way for individuals to exchange information, and it’s also how the information presented is learned.  If Henry is unable to receive information that he is reading he will continue to struggle. So what is the next step we can’t allow Henry to fall behind so we have to find a solution? According to NASET (n.d) reading problems can be related to deficient language skills, especially phonological awareness. But I believe it would be best to find which category Henry could potentially fall into. First you want to identify the problem, then you want to perform a prereferral intervention, than you have to actually refer him to special education this will include Mr. Franklin, myself and the parents as well as other educational staff. According to Henley, Ramsey, & Algozzine (2009) two primary characteristics are needed to identify an intellectual disability, limited intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior impairment.

Reference

Henley, M., Ramsey, R. S., & Algozzine, R. (2009). Characteristics of and strategies for teaching students with mild disabilities. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson

Mr. Franklin and I both agree that Henry is a bright student, he doesn’t have behavioral issues and loves physical/creative activity. As we are looking through his file, I see many signs of a potential speech or language impairment such as dyslexia or hyperlexia. The next step I feel that we should look into identifying a potential language based learning disability. According to Henley et al, a language based learning disability is “the disorder is language based and occurs in learning situations that involve oral language, listening comprehension, written composition, writing, spelling reading (eg., vocabulary, word-attack skills, decoding, comprehension) or arithmetic (e.g., calculation, reasoning, general problem solving). Due to each student’s specific processing deficit, uneven abilities are manifested in these language-based areas highlighted in academic tasks.” 

The next step I feel needs to be taken is to utilize RTI or response to intervention which according to Henley et al, is a “multitiered approach to providing services and interventions to struggling students.” There are three tiers in RTI; Tier one is screening and group intervention where at risk students are identified using universal screenings and/or results on state or districtwide tests. These students receive supplemental interventions in small groups during the regular school day. Tier two involves more targeted interventions. During early grades interventions are primarily in reading and math. For instance, Henry may be pulled from class during reading time to work with an intervention specialist who specializes in students with reading comprehension struggles. Tier three is by far the most individualized and intensive interventions that involve comprehensive evaluation, the purpose of these interventions is to aggressively work on improving the skills each individual is lacking. The one commonality between the three tiers is that they are heavily data based, through each tier the students progress is followed closely through various forms of assessment from something as simple as comprehension questions based on a small group reading.  

Reference
Henley, M., Ramsey, R. S., & Algozzine, R. (2009). Characteristics of and strategies for teaching students with mild disabilities. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson