RACHEL RAY IEP 1

Rachel Ray IEP

Colleen Hall

University of Kansas
RACHEL RAY IEP 2
Table of Contents

Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3

Summary ............................................................................................................................. 4

Observation………………………………………………………………………………..5

Instructional Plan………………………………………………………………………….5

Interview…………………………………………………………………………………..8

MAPS………………………………………………………………………………….…11

Tables ................................................................................................................................ 15

Figures................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

RACHEL RAY IEP 3
Abstract

Rachel is a six-year-old in first grade who is very energetic, thoughtful, empathetic, and helpful. She is a

learner with an individual education plan (IEP) that is being assessed and evaluated. Rachel’s IEP is being

evaluated to determine the strengths, success, and weakness of the document. I utilized MAPS interviews,

observations, and created a MAPS diagram and an instructional plan. As a result of this process, it has been

determined that overall the IEP is robust with the exception of the communication and collaboration between

team members. In the conclusion section I discuss various ways to strengthen Rachel’s support system, class

setting, and academic modifications.

RACHEL RAY IEP 4

Summary

Rachel has a learning and speech disability and has been placed in an inclusion class where she is seated

in close proximity to the teacher and the board. She sits next to the teacher when they meet on the carpet.

Rachel is given directions twice and is checked on frequently during a task. Also, she is given extra time to

complete work. When she is focused, she can complete it independently. However, Rachel also works well in

small group and appreciates working alongside her peers.

In addition to environmental changes, Rachel also receives pull-out speech services 25 times a year in

small group or individually. She has bilateral hearing loss and is being treated by a physician. Therapy for this

consists on focusing on Rachel’s articulation skills, hyponasality, and the pace of her speech. The time

requirement for each speech session is 30 minutes.

Rachel’s reading level is currently on pace with her peers. She likes to read with her mom at night and

prefers the Power Rangers or superhero books. She likes to buddy read but can become distracted when she is

reading independently. During read aloud Rachel rarely volunteers or participates. When she reads, she can

become restless and should be given the option to read around the room.

Rachel is at grade level for math. She needs more reminders to stay focused during whole group lessons,

but flourishes during math centers and small group instruction, in which she has a tendency to get right to work.

Currently, Rachel continues to show more independence in math, and she appears to stay on task longer as the

year progresses.

Rachel continues to struggle to speak during whole class instruction. In addition, when she is being

redirected or reprimanded, she has a tendency to “baby talk” and whisper. Rachel speaks fast and has a hard

time getting her words out when she initially speaks. Therefore, she is reminded to slow down and think about

what she wants to say before she says it.

RACHEL RAY IEP 5
Observation

Before I began to discuss my current observation of Rachel with my mentor teacher, I reviewed her IEP,

which was very informative, and I thought it would be very useful in the planning stages. I discovered the

personnel (principal, teachers, speech therapist, and child study team) and systems (in class supplemented

support for Math, English Language Arts, and Speech Therapy) that are in place to assist Rachel. After an

extensive discussion with my mentor, we established the area of observation that has become an enormous

concern to Rachel’s teachers. During the last marking period, Rachel’s language arts grade began to plummet.

During independent work time she is completing assignments with a high error rate. Her teacher would like me

to observe Rachel to determine why this is the case. I decided to use a duration and latency recording to

establish how much time Rachel is using during her independent time to complete her task (Umbreit, Ferro,

Liaupsin, & Lane 2007). According to Umbreit (2007) the latency directions measured the amount of time

Rachel displayed the measurable behavior. Three observations took place during ELA independent practice. The

time ranged from 10 – 15 minutes of independent practice and this included the additional time that is requested

in Rachel’s IEP. The latency recording table I implemented was created by The IRIS Center (Latency

Recording,” 2002) and has been approved by the University of Kansas. The figure 1. Table results show Rachel

averaging 3 minutes and 20 seconds of latency time. The numbers correlate with the time the teacher provides

independent work directions to the time independent work ends.

The observation was planned to determine the success rate of accurate work completion for Rachel

based on the number of individual cues provided by the teacher and her seating placement. The plan was to

reduce the amount of individual cues Rachel would receive during her independent work. The first instruction

was delivered to the entire class and a timer was placed on the board. During the first observation, the teacher

walked up to Rachel during the first two minutes and asked her if she understood the directions. Rachel shook

her head affirmatively and proceeded to commence working. Prior to this, Rachel was making faces at a student

across the room. Rachel stopped work again when one of her table mates got up and placed their completed

assignment in the bin and grabbed a computer. She watched the entire process and started looking over their

shoulder and staring at the computer screen. The teacher gave the students the one minute warning. At this
RACHEL RAY IEP 6
point, Rachel had completed two problems out of five. The majority of the class had completed the assignment

and turned it in. Rachel completed the three remaining questions in less than a minute and turned it in when the

bell rang. Her accuracy was two out of five for this worksheet.

She proceeded to display a similar pattern during my second observation. In addition to making faces

and whispering with a student near her, she took out an additional paper and began to draw comic book

characters. Her assignment at the time of the observation was phonics based decoding of regularly spelled one

syllable words. She completed six words out of ten by the one minute warning, and she completed the final four

within the last minute. She had been allotted 15 minutes to complete the task.

The final observation was very interesting. During this, one of the teachers in the two-teacher classroom

had to cover another class. Because the teacher was shorthanded, she did not have the opportunity to touch base

with Rachel during her independent practice. This was due to several issues that needed to be addressed

immediately. Rachel was off-task until the teacher gave her the one minute warning. At this juncture, Rachel

completed five problems in less than one minute out of the ten minutes she was provided, and she got them all

wrong. One important finding I came across is that Rachel’s off-task behavior is very quiet and it could be

missed by her teachers due to some of the boisterous personalities that dominate the attention of the class.

Instructional Plan

Rachel’s instructional plan will focus on what information needs to be collected and when, what types of

support are required and how they will collaborate, and what modifications will be provided to instruction and

assessment. Information regarding academics and speech progression will be collected quarterly in the form of

progress reports and report cards. Teachers, administrators, and the speech therapist will conduct semi-annual

meetings about the data collected. Furthermore, the child study team will conduct an annual meeting regarding

the individual education plan.

Rachel’s supports are provided by the principal/director who will be available for consultations with the

teachers, parent, and child study team. The case manager will serve as the liaison between the personnel

implementing the IEP and the guardian and the student. They will provide training, resources, and additional
RACHEL RAY IEP 7
supports. The teachers are monitoring academic, social, and speech goals, and are keeping the team abreast of

achievements and challenges they encounter throughout the year. The team will collaborate via phone, text,

email, digital conference call, and in person meetings.

The parents shall be available to support the school by monitoring attendance, meeting with the teachers

and team members as needed, and by participating in recommended programs and annual reviews.

Table A1 below explains the steps that are necessary to assist Rachel’s team in providing her with the

opportunity for successful learning it includes the following modifications and accommodations:

Focus Area Specific Modification

Instruction
Additional time to complete assignments

Monitor the student’s comprehension during instruction

Read directions out loud and model and speak directly to the student

Repeat directions

Practice with a copy of class notes

Use multi-sensory teaching styles that provide movement
Modify work expectations based on the assignment guidelines
Provide clear, concise directions and concrete examples for homework
and class work

Utilize manipulatives, hands-on activities, and visual aids such as charts

and graphs
Supply clear and concise classroom expectations that reinforce
appropriate behavior
Use preferential seating during whole class and group instruction
Allow the student to make test corrections on returned tests
Assessments
Allot additional time on test

Allow student to write down oral assessments

RACHEL RAY IEP 8

Note. The modifications and accommodations are based on needs during instructions and exams.

After observing Rachel Ray in her class environment, I can attest to the fidelity of the modifications

provided in this form. However, she would benefit from self-monitoring training, due to the lack of work

production during independent practice. Self-monitoring studies show that when a student is paying close

attention to their behavior and learning data they achieve better results (Hattie, 2007). The training should take

place in the classroom by the homeroom teachers. The case manager will assist in teacher training and

execution of the intervention.

The following steps should be implemented as part of the initial plan. The teachers should specifically

state what is being monitored (class work completion) to Rachel. The method Rachel uses to monitor and record

data should be thoroughly explained and consistent. She should have a set schedule with the teachers to check

her progress and communicate any concerns. The teachers should have a contingency plan in place to check

validity and reduce the dependency on the self-monitoring form. The team will analyze the self-monitoring

program during the next quarterly review.

Interviews

I conducted an extensive interview with Rachel, her teachers, and her mother. Rachel and her mother

Shelly shared concerns about speech therapy. I chose to edit my writing to reflect these concerns. During my

interview with Rachel, I explained that I wanted to get to know her better by asking her questions, and she was

elated to oblige. I asked Rachel if she could tell me about her day from the time she wakes up until the time she

goes to bed. She stated that her alarm goes off, she goes to the bathroom and brushes her teeth, washes her face,

and tries to do her hair. After this, she goes downstairs, makes a bowl of cereal, and her mom begins to redo her

hair. Once she is finished eating, Rachel grabs her bag by the door and gets on the bus with her friends. “When I
RACHEL RAY IEP 9
get to school I learn stuff from my teachers Ms. B and Ms. M,” exclaimed Rachel. “Gym is my favorite subject

because I can run around and play basketball.” Rachel proceeded to discuss recess, lunch, and the afterschool

program before she transitioned to detailing her nightly routine.

Rachel is picked up from the afterschool program, and she goes home and eats while her mom checks

over her homework. After that she takes a bath, watches one show on Nick or Disney channel, then she has a

book read to her by mom or dad; she prefers dad because he makes better voices for the superheroes. Finally,

she goes to sleep and does the same thing again until the weekend when she visits family.

After we chatted about her schedule, I proceeded to ask Rachel about her dreams, strengths, and needs.

She dreams of being a firefighter or a nurse, because she wants to help people. I inquired about what she

perceives her skills and strengths as. She replied that she is a really good friend, she is great at back rubs and

hugs, and she is really good at math and running fast. When I asked her what she needs help or assistance in,

Rachel lowered her head and began to stare at her shoes. She began to talk in a low voice, “I want to talk to

people and not feel hurt or scared.” I asked her why she feels this way and she answered, “Because I talk

different and I don’t want to talk different.”

The next day I confirmed with Ms. Rey a time to meet and we discussed Rachel’s hopes and dreams.

Shelly emphasized that she just wants Rachel to be happy and that she will support her anyway she can. I

proceeded to ask about Rachel’s strengths and Shelly’s concerns about any of Rachel’s needs being met.

Again, speech became the focal point. I asked if she would like to communicate and collaborate with others

in her child’s school. Shelly stated she would like to work with the speech therapist more often. I was

perplexed by Shelly’s statement, considering the fact that speech is a substantial amount of Rachel’s IEP. I

asked if this lack of communication is a challenge for Rachel and the rest of the family. Shelly took a deep

breath, her shoulders sank, and she explained, “The speech specialist is piss poor at their job.” I asked if she

could provide me with an example of what she means, and Shelly informed me that last week she found out

that Rachel was refusing to do speech exercises. Shelly was never informed this was taking place and was

under the impression that everything was okay. Next, I questioned how she found out that this was

occurring. Shelly answered that the classroom teacher is keeping her abreast of what is going on and the
RACHEL RAY IEP 10
speech therapist has yet to inform her of any behavior issues.

I felt it was necessary to continue to explore the relationship with the speech therapist by asking about

Rachel’s speech goals. Shelly indicated she doesn’t know how many of Rachel’s speech goals have been

accomplished, because she feels like the speech teacher is avoiding her, even though they work in the same

building sometimes. She continued by expressing that she realizes the benefits and pit falls of working near

her child’s educational support. It was clear that Shelly does not want to come across as an overbearing

mother.

After sensing her frustration, I was interested in whether she thought of ways to improve the

communication and collaboration between her family and the speech specialist. When I asked her about

this, Shelly sprung up and exclaimed, “Yes!” She detailed that she would like quarterly reports that inform

her of goals that have been achieved and the ones Rachel needs to continue to work on. Also, she would

like a list of activities and resources they can provide at home to parallel the work she is doing in school. In

addition, Shelly would like the speech specialist to be more forthcoming regarding Rachel’s behavior and

progress in class. Shelly’s answers led our conversation down a different path than I expected. I felt it was

necessary to not be dismissive of the critical breakdown in communication she is enduring. Finally, I spoke

with Rachel’s teachers who confirmed everything I discussed with Ms. Rey. Table B2 on page 11 explains

Rachel’s dreams, (nursing, firefighter, independent worker, learn Spanish, & being happy) strengths, (math,

runner, comics, good friend, hugs & back rubs) and needs (reading, speech, self-esteem & coping skills).
RACHEL RAY IEP 11

The MAPS diagram is a visual collaboration to determine the goals of the IEP team.

Conclusion

Rachel is being provided with modifications and accommodations that are aligned with her IEP.

However, her current instruction could benefit from additional recommendations for support staff, classroom

setting, and academics. Within this conclusion, I will provide three suggestions for each area of concern. It is

important to acknowledge that the recommendations I list are in conjunction with the IEP that is already in

place. Therefore, some obvious modifications may not be included within my documentation.

The classroom setting for Rachel is very welcoming, supportive, and organized. The structure set in

place is a great model for Rachel to emulate. Within this structure, it is best to allow Rachel to sit where she
RACHEL RAY IEP 12
learns best. The current IEP states she should be in close proximity of the teacher’s desk, even though Rachel’s

teachers float around often or pull small group and are rarely sitting at their desk. This leaves Rachel with long

stretches of time where she is not being monitored. In conjunction with moving Rachel’s seat, she could prosper

from an alarm to help her with time management. Furthermore, she would likely enhance her performance if

she were taking tests in a small group setting to prevent some of her latency concerns.

In addition to classroom setting modifications, I would also include substantial academic

recommendations. Rachel is very capable of completing a task correctly when she remains focused. However,

she has displayed challenges for staying on task during her independent practice time. Due to her lack of

production during this time, it is recommended that Rachel utilize a self-monitoring form (Umbreit, et al.,

2007). She would also benefit from listening to books during independent reading. It is difficult for Rachel to

read on her own but she enjoys being read to. If we could incorporate audiobooks during her independent

reading sessions, she may be more inclined to stay attentive on her reading assignment (Umbreit, et al., 2007).

If the teachers also breakdown assignments into smaller chunks it should increase Rachel’s answer completion

rate (Menzies, Lane, & Lee, 2009). Providing her with a break after the completion of an independent task

could also enhance Rachel’s desire to stay engaged.

Furthermore, the support staff, teachers, and parents could provide Rachel with additional gains based

on their collaboration. It would benefit the team if they engage in a collaborative consultation, and this entails

sharing responsibilities for finding a solution for speech goals (Robinson, 2004). It is important that the team

establishes goals and periodically checks for fidelity. In addition to providing everyone with speech updates, it

is vital that the speech therapist utilizes push in and pull out strategies that align with the curriculum and

standards. Also, Rachel’s family would like to mirror the speech plan they are using in school, and providing

the family with a goal list and adequate resources can increase her speech knowledge over time. Finally, it is

important to provide self-esteem building into Rachel’s curriculum. She is developing a fear of public speaking

due to her speech impediment. Based on our interviews, it is not subsiding.

RACHEL RAY IEP 13
If I could provide Rachel with the ideal learning environment, it would resemble the community she is

currently in, with the addition of a few things. In her classroom setting she would be provided with adaptive

seating and the option of a standing desk. Rachel gets distracted and becomes a distraction based on some of her

fidgeting. This adjustment would help Rachel to prosper as well as the entire class. Regarding her academics, I

would provide Rachel with a self-monitoring plan that could assist her with her latency issues. She would also

utilize audio books (especially comics) during independent reading, and the family would be encouraged to

create these at home for her. The speech teacher and the general education teacher would collaborate on various

ways to incorporate Rachel’s speech goals into her general education class. An additional goal should be

incorporated into Rachel’s IEP and that is public speaking. Rachel could be eased into public speaking starting

with whole group, large group, small group, partners, and eventually, she would speak independently.

Incorporating growth mindset into Rachel’s curriculum could boost her self-esteem and her overall performance

(Dweck 2015).

This experience taught me a great deal about teaching students with disabilities in an inclusion setting. I

was able to see the benefits and challenges to adapting my content in order to reach various learners. My mentor

provided me with a plethora of knowledge that will assist me in achieving my goal as a special education

teacher. Rachel and her family provided me with insight that I could never attain from a book. The development

of my social consciousness regarding the needs, strengths, and dreams that Rachel’s family and educational

team have for her will not be forgotten.

 RACHEL RAY IEP 14
References

Dweck, C. (2015, September 22). Carol Dweck Revisits the ‘Growth Mindset’ Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org

Hattie, J. (2007). The Power of Feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1) pages 81-112.

Latency and Duration Recording Sheet (2002, January). Retrieved from

https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/mcontent/duration-and-latency/

Menzies, H. M., Lane, K. L., & Lee, J. M. (2009). Self-Monitoring Strategies for Use in the Classroom: A Promising

Practice to Support Productive Behavior for Students with Emotional or

Behavioral Disorders Beyond Behavior Vol. 19(2) pp 27-35 Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-

com.www2.lib.ku.edu/eli/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=48a0df38-2fd5-45dc-8869-

be517903560e%40sessionmgr101

Robinson, S.M. (2004). “Linking to other Professionals. In Teaching Content to All. B.K. Lenz and D.D. Deshler
(Eds) Boston; Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 12, pp 301-322.

Umbreit, J., Ferro, J., & Lane, K., Functional Behavioral Assessment and Function-Based Intervention: an Effective,

Practical Approach., Merrill Apprentice Hall (2007)

RACHEL RAY IEP 15
Tables

Table 1

Latency Behavior (Off-Task) Observation