Ali

Nota:

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1. Possible Special Education Factors
   1. Ali has a very hard time sitting still both on the carpet and at his desk. He is quite impulsive and often interrupts lessons. This may be due to ADHD. He has a hard time with writing, both in terms of flow of ideas as well as fine motor. Although it is too early to tell, he have sequencing, organization and expressive language difficulties. His difficulty with problem solving and critical thinking may be due to problems with mathematical reasoning and difficulty with multi-step problems. It's important to note that we shouldn't make pre-mature assumptions about possible special education factors, as he might just simply need more time. His difficulties might be in large part due to language acquisition rather than to cognitive factors. I am in favour of giving him more time!

1. Ali was born in Egypt, but moved to Saudi Arabia when he was 4. He speaks Arabic (L1) at home, but the main language of instruction was French (L2) as he went to an all French school in Saudi Arabia. He speaks Arabic and French fluently, and can also read and write in these two languages. He learned English (L3) a few times per week.

1. Oral: STEP 2 Reading: STEP 2 Writing: STEP 1
   1. Oral language: Requires assistance with multi-step problems Doesn't hesitate to try speaking in English, although he makes structural errors ("I go washroom").
   2. Reading: Can decode texts with basic understanding, but has difficulty with more difficult comprehension questions.
   3. Writing: Difficulty with generating ideas, writing conventions and fine motor skills
2. Support: Ali receives 40 minutes of ESL support on a withdrawal basis every other day (on English days of the French Immersion program). He works one-on-one or in small groups with the ESL teacher. He also receives occasional classroom support by the ESL teacher.
3. Ali is in French Immersion. As such, he alternates between French one day, and English the next day. English subjects include: Language Arts, Math, 2 strands of Science, Phys. Ed. and Music. French subjects include French Language Arts, 2 strands of Science, Social Studies, Visual Arts, and Drama/Dance.

1. Has a sister in grade 4, and a younger autistic brother who is preschool-aged. Ali loves soccer, and is an avid player. His parents are very motivated to work with him and his siblings. Dad works as an accountant, mom stays home with the children.

1. Ali is proud of his heritage and doesn't hesitate sharing his experiences with the class. He's encouraged to use both French and Arabic as a tool for English acquisition. His parents are eager to integrate and become part of the community, but still hold onto to their values. They have worked with a settlement worker, and have made a good number of Arab family-friends already.

1. A.li has adjusted well so far to his new classroom and community environment. He has a good attitude towards learning and doesn't hesitate to try. He has made a number of friends already, both Arab and non-Arab students in the school He does have difficulty staying still, and is always moving around the classroom. He participates in extra-curricular school activities like pinball, running club, and basketball. He does have a hard time sitting still in class, and is often observed moving around the classroom. He also finds it nearly impossible to sit for long periods on the carpet.

1. Ali would benefit from accommodations, and possible modifications to his program (he does not have any modifications yet). Accommodations might include visuals, graphic organizers, seating with other L1 speakers, sentence-starters, scribing, exemplars, vocabulary lists, etc.
2. Universal Design strategies of co-constructing goals and criteria would be beneficial for Ali. He would also benefit from ongoing feedback and positive reinforcement. Also, Ali should be presented with information using a variety of materials and methods. For instance, he is a kinesthetic and visual learner, so hands-on activities as well as graphics would be good for him.
3. Ali loves using computers and iPads. He would really enjoy the website, "Great Website for Kids" with all those math and language games. He would also enjoy the dual-language books in Arabic-English and French-English. I could see him being motivated to try creating his own as well. He would also really like the Global Trek website and explore different countries around the world. He could also work on these webistes at home. Also, in terms of technology, he would benefit from assistive technology to help with his writing.
4. The classroom environment needs to be print-rich and Ali should have easy access to resources. Ali does feel welcomed, comfortable and safe in the classroom, and his first and second languages as well as his cultural background are valued. It would also be beneficial to involve his peers in his learning (ex. reading buddies, make dual-language labels).

1. Ali would benefit from integrated units that include Language Arts components within Science and Social Studies units. For example, a unit with modified expectations in Pullies and Gears or Habitats integrated with Reading, Writing and Oral Communication, would help Ali make connections between what he is learning in Science while developing his skills in literacy. Mathematics could also be integrated in this unit with critical tasks or problem solving questions related to those Science topics.