Page 44 - Learning for All – A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for All Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013

42 • Learning for All
In each of the sample class profiles, there are notes pertaining to students who may require additional support to help them reach their full potential in learning. In the elementary class profile, one of those students is Mark. In the secondary profile, one of them is Angela. A description of each of these students is provided below, to demonstrate how the details of their stories are incorporated into the class profile:
Elementary Class Profile – Mark’s Story
Mark is a 5-year-old Senior Kindergarten student who enjoys counting, sorting, and sequencing. Mark responds well to routines and consistency in the classroom. He is meticulous about putting other students’ toys away on the toy shelf in a
very particular way. Mark was diagnosed at the age of 2 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In class, Mark struggles to focus and easily becomes overwhelmed. When he feels overwhelmed, Mark takes his blanket and hides in the cloakroom. He can become very anxious and sometimes has loud outbursts. He struggles to communicate with his peers and withdraws if he cannot get his feelings across.
Secondary Class Profile – Angela’s Story
Angela is a 14-year-old girl in Grade 9. She is an avid reader and loves to play the piano. She spends much of her free time on the family’s small hobby farm, caring
for the animals. She aspires to be a veterinarian and to operate her own animal hospital. Angela is currently taking mostly academic courses, as well as the applied mathematics course. She has limited social interactions with her peers and often chooses to work alone. It is evident from Angela’s OSR that IEPs were developed
for her in Grades 7 and 8. The IEPs specified accommodations (only) that Angela required to support her in learning abstract concepts and developing problem-solving skills (e.g., extra time, hands-on activities, concrete materials). The IEPs applied specifically to mathematics.
Developing a Student Profile
The individual student profile provides detailed information about the student to guide the selection of assessment tools, instructional strategies, and, where appropriate, individualized supports that are best suited to that student’s learning style, preferences, strengths, needs, interests, and readiness. A student profile provides the detail teachers need in order to devise assessment and instruction that take into account the student’s particular needs while capi- talizing on his or her particular strengths.
The student profile gives detailed, in-depth information about the learning strengths and needs of the individual student. It supplements the class profile as a tool for planning precise and personalized assessment and instruction for students who need extra attention and support in particular areas of learning.