Sped 5740 Student Profile Project Final Paper

Running Head: SPED 5740 LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE STUDENT PROFILE
PROJECT 1
Jen Cwik
Linguistically Responsive Special Education Student Profile Project

Jen Cwik
SPED 5740, University of Colorado Denver
SPED 5740 LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE STUDENT PROJECT 2
Jen Cwik
Part I: Data and Demographics
1. School and Classroom Context
FV Elementary is located in the city of Denver, just on the edge of the town of
Westminster, Colorado. The urban community surrounding the school is small, with houses and
apartment buildings, and businesses on Federal and Pecos Blvds. The community is comprised
of mostly Latino and Caucasian inhabitants. The school has 286 students enrolled, with 82%
Hispanic/Latino students, 9% Caucasian, 6 % Asian, and 3% other races. There are 35 teachers
and staff members working at this school. 89.9% of students are Free and Reduced Lunch
eligible, qualifying this school for Title I funding and services. 57% of students are English
Language Learners, taking the ACCESS test every year to qualify for extra support. 23% of
these students are considered Non-English Proficient, 64% are considered Limited-English
Proficient, and 16% are considered Fully-English Proficient, based on Spring 2019 ACCESS
scores. On the Colorado Measure for Academic Standards test in 2019, students in grades 3
through 5 at FV Elementary scored 731.3 on the English Language Arts assessment and 720.3 on
the Mathematics assessment.
14% of the student population of FV Elementary are on IEPs. These students range from
Speech and Language to learning disabilities to Social/Emotional needs. There is one Special
Education teacher, one Speech Pathologist, and one School Psychologist on staff. The Special
Education services are provided in the general education classroom, pulled out in small groups,
or one-on-one.
136 students at FV Elementary receive English Language support. These students
receive 45 minutes per day of direct instruction from one of the three Culturally and
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Linguistically Diverse teachers employed by the school. This instruction happens in and outside
the general education classroom. 80% of students in FV Elementary are on a READ Plan.
In my classroom, 28 students stay in my classroom from 8:00-3:00, except for specials,
recess, and lunch for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Students also get pulled out for some Special
Education services. We switch between subjects at the same times every day for consistency.
Due to the flood-in centers model, my students see 3 teachers every day in small groups. They
work on different reading skills in these groups (language acquisition, phonics, comprehension)
based on what the teacher has determined the students need. The classroom has lots of
educational resources. Every student has access to a Chromebook to use in class (30 computers
per room). There is also a smart/touch TV, a projector, and a document camera to use for
instruction. We use the Wonders and Thinking Maps curriculums for literacy. We use NJCTL
curriculum for math instruction.
My classroom is an inclusive and safe space for learning and growing. I have students sit
in mixed ability groups so that they can foster collaboration and conversations during learning.
We begin each day with a Morning Meeting to share feelings and get to know each other, so that
we have a respect for each person in the classroom community. I provide language support such
as sentence starters and dual-language vocabulary for my English Language learners.
2. Student Characteristics
KM is a student in grade 4, age 10, and has been enrolled in FV Elementary since
Kindergarten. KM speaks English, but hears Spanish spoken at home.

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I chose to study KM for this project because of my close relationship with him. I was a
mentor to him over the summer, and now have him in my class as a 4th grader. I have known
KM for 2 years.
3. Student Records
KM has been enrolled in FV Elementary since Kindergarten. His attendance is good, and
he only misses school on days when his Mom cannot pick him up from school or for bad
weather. The HLS (Home Language Survey) results determine that Spanish is spoken with KM
at home.
KM’s ACCESS Scores are as follows: Listening 6.0, Reading 2.8, Speaking 4.1, Writing
3.3, Literacy 3.2. KM’s overall score of 3.7 is in the high range of Limited English Proficient
(LEP). KM’s most recent CMAS scores are 689 in English Language Arts (Did Not Meet
Expectations) and 708 in Mathematics (Partially Met Expectations).
KM receives 30 minutes a week of direct intervention with the School Psychologist. KM
also receives 120 minutes a month of direct intervention with the Speech and Language
Pathologist. These interventions both occur outside of the general education classroom, with
KM remaining in the general education classroom 80% of the time. KM also receives 45
minutes per day of direct instruction from one of the three Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
teachers employed by the school. This instruction happens in and outside the general education
classroom.
KM’s 3 IEP Goals are as follows: “By 3/11/2020, when in mental health sessions, KM
will be able to independently identify at least 3 positive coping skills he can use in the classroom
when experiencing emotion dysregulation with 100% accuracy. KM will identify the main idea
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and 2-3 supporting details, using full and complete sentences, after being read 3-4 paragraphs of
informational text, with 80% accuracy, given mild decreasing to no cues, as measured by SLP
records. KM will demonstrate 80% accuracy in formulating grammatical sentences in structured
activities (i.e., is/are, word order, irregular past tense verbs) given minimal cueing, as measured
by SLP records.”
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Part II: Describing Strengths and Needs
4. Teacher Interview
The first person I chose to interview was KM’s classroom teacher last year. Ms. N knew
KM in third grade. She was understanding of KM’s family and knew that they were also having
trouble with some of his behaviors at home as well as at school. Ms. N identified that reading is
KM’s academic strength. Writing and focus were his weaknesses. She talked about how KM is
an interesting and fun kid and has a great sense of humor. She said he understands people and
things at a higher level, which is still true now in 4th grade. Ms. N discussed that KM was
figuring out dosage and medication for his ADD medication during her year with him. This was
a struggle for her and for his family.
When interviewing his Speech teacher, and Ms. M had some of the same responses. She
said that KM has a heart of gold, a humor that can put a smile on anyone's face, and an
immeasurable amount of genuine compassion. KM has been given many tools to help in
maintaining focus in academics. His tools include noise cancelling headphones, a wiggle
cushion, a Hoki chair, bands on his chair, a behavior/academic chart, daily goals, frequent
breaks, performance visuals, number charts, and sentence strips. She has worked with KM for
multiple years, helping their relationship develop.
The third person I interviewed was KM’s CLD teacher. Ms. L had an interesting
relationship with KM. She identified that he is not fond of the usual curriculum, but has
excellent reasoning and problem solving skills. She also identified that he puts in very little
effort if he is not interested in a subject. She was able to see that KM is kind, but had moments
of impulsiveness and meanness when he becomes out of control. She identified that KM’s
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ACCESS Scores are: Listening 6.0, Reading 2.8, Speaking 4.1, Writing 3.3, Literacy 3.2. She
identified that on this test, reading is his weakness and listening is his strength.
5. Observations
I selected the Running Record documentation procedure in order to describe KM’s
behaviors as they were taking place. I wanted to take notes in the order that they happened,
recording behaviors and time. I did not want to use minute or even 30 second time limits
because I knew that KM’s behaviors change very quickly, sometimes within 10 seconds. KM’s
behavior in the classroom is a major barrier to his learning. I used a culturally responsive lens
during these observations and simply recorded the behaviors as they were demonstrated. I was
watching for both BICS and CALP language. I knew that KM scored a 4.1 on Speaking in the
ACCESS test, labeling this skill as Expanding. My focus of the observations were on task/off
task behaviors during small group/independent work time. KM’s behavior in the classroom is a
major barrier to his learning. He engages in many off-task behaviors during independent, small
group, and whole group times during the day.
The first setting was during math class, group/independent work time. 4 students were
sitting around a round table in addition to KM, each working on their own fractions packet,
talking and working together on the questions at times, working independently at times. The
definition of behavior was on task/off task behaviors during small group/independent work time.
I was observing KM during a time when he was supposed to be working on a math fractions
packet, recording his answering independently but was allowed to talk with peers for help. I
observed KM working in the packet, asking peers for help, and talking/engaging in off-task
behaviors. Through the observation time, I recorded times on versus off task. KM was off task
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32% of the 15 minutes that I observed him. He engaged in different off-topic conversations with
his group, from singing different songs to asking “When is Christmas?” He also sharpened his
pencil 3 times during the 15 minutes. His teacher approached him 4 times during the 15 minutes;
once asking if he needed help on one of the questions, asking him to focus on his work, asking
his group to quiet down, and asking him to explain one of his answers. A language support she
made was giving him a sentence stem to begin his answer to her in words, and having him draw
a picture whenever it was difficult for him to explain himself. In terms of his language abilities,
KM spoke with level 3 Developing language. He did not always use content specific vocabulary
at the time, and spoke in some very broken and simple sentences.
The second setting was during music class. I wanted to see how KM worked with a more
structured lesson with more teacher-led lessons. KM was sitting on the ground at the back of a
row of 5 students. He was sitting cross legged and facing the teacher. The class was given
directions to follow along as the teacher did hand movements with singing notes. She then
motioned for the students to repeat after her, and KM lifted his hands in order to do the hang
movements. I noticed that he was not moving his mouth much to sing the notes, and wasn’t
quite making the correct mouth shapes to form the different note words. About half of the class
was also participating in this way as well, though. The music teacher did not correct anyone.
She then had the students turn and talk about what they learned in the class before. KM turned to
his shoulder partner and his shoulder partner began talking about learning about the treble clef of
notes. KM nodded, but did not contribute anything else to the conversation, then sharing time
was over and the students were instructed to look back up at the teacher. The next few minutes
of the observation were teacher instruction, and KM was sitting still and had his eyes on her. In
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her lesson, the teacher pointed to a note and asked the class what note it was. The teacher gave
about 15 seconds of think time. KM did not raise his hand, but the teacher called on him and
said, “What is the name of this note?” KM paused for about 5 seconds, and then said “C.” The
teacher said that that was not correct, and would he like to try again. KM shook his head.
During this lesson, KM was given a few chances to use language, and did not participate much in
those chances. His listening levels were probably around a 4, following directions and showing
that he was understanding. Yet when asked to share with a partner even, he did not use language
to express himself.
The third setting was during lunch. I wanted to choose a nonacademic time to understand
more of KM’s social language and basic interpersonal communication skills. KM interacted first
with the lunch teacher and said “thank you” when she gave him his tray. He then listened to
directions at the salad bar to only take 2 scoops of peaches. He followed this direction. He then
gave his lunch number to the next lunch teacher, remembering the 5 digit code and speaking it
orally. When he got to his lunch table, he spoke to his peers about what they each chose for
lunch, saying, “What did you guys get?” He responded to their answers with “nice” or “me too.”
Him and 3 other peers then spoke about what they did that morning during class, last night, and
about the toys Bayblades. Overall, I think KM spoke at a level 3 on the WIDA scale, using some
simple and some expanded sentences, and complex vocabulary at times.

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Part III: Analyzing Work Samples
6. Work Samples
Math Understanding
The first work sample came from a math assignment (see Appendix A). The purpose was
to analyze KM’s understanding of math concepts through this place value assignment. The
worksheet asked the students to focus on one number and do many different tasks involving that
number. The worksheet asked students to choose if the number was even or odd, count how
many hundreds, tens, and ones, fill in numbers on a hundreds chart, draw place value blocks,
find the sum, find the difference, and fill in the blanks like, “10 more” or “2 less”than the
number. This task was completed independently during a math centers time.
Although this is not math computation, this worksheet is full of math understanding
tasks. This knowledge of place value is crucial to any further math understanding. If a student
does not understand how much a number represents, they will not be able to complete any
computation skill that would come after this place value understanding. Through analyzing this
worksheet, I can clearly see that KM’s understanding of place value is solid. The “Number of
the Day” was 127, and he answered almost all of the tasks correctly. In his drawing of place
value blocks, I could tell that he knew that the hundreds is a flat, the tens are long sticks, and the
ones are single blocks. He drew all of these figures accurately to represent the number. The two
errors on this page were in the fill in the blank section, asking “ten more than 127 is” and
“twenty more than 127 is”. On these tasks, KM took away ten and twenty from 127, instead of
adding more. This error could be from carelessness, or could be from not fully understanding the
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meaning of the words “more” and “less.” If these words were posted in the room as language
scaffolds, KM would be able to use the words in his work.
I did not see any expression of creativity or originality through this assignment. The
tasks were straightforward and only required number or drawing answers.
Overall, his abilities in place value are proficient through the hundreds place, as
identified by this worksheet. He was able to identify, draw, and compute numbers surrounding
the target number. In terms of areas of growth for KM, a skill to work on would be math
academic vocabulary words. These are words that are involved in all of the domains of
mathematics, like “sum,” “value,” “difference,” or “greater than.” These, among other, words
are crucial to the understanding and computation across all levels of math, and need to be
explicitly taught, reviewed, and mastered.
Reading Comprehension
My second work sample came from a reading assignment (see Appendix A). I wanted to
analyze KM’s understanding of reading and responding to questions about a passage. The
worksheet involved a short reading passage and picture regarding the water cycle. The
worksheet asked students to “color the text to show how you know” in order to practice the skill
of finding evidence for answers in the text. The worksheet asked 3 questions-- 2 short answer
and 1 multiple choice question. The first short answer question asked, “What is the main idea of
the first paragraph?” The multiple choice question asked, “What does the word evaporation
mean?” The third question asked, “How does the picture help you to better understand the text?”
The first thing to notice in KM’s responses is his use of sentence stems to restate the
question before he answered it. For example, after the first question, “What is the main idea of
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the first paragraph?” KM wrote “The main idea is” at the beginning of his answer. This shows
he uses sentence stems in other aspects of his reading and writing, which is a proven language
strategy. The level of understanding of the content in this response was high because KM chose
the correct answer from the first paragraph. In the multiple choice response, KM chose the
correct answer for the meaning of evaporation. KM did not follow directions here, or on the first
question, when asked to color the text to show how you know. This not following of directions
could be from not understanding that “show how you know” means to prove your answer to the
teacher. This skill of proving your answer or finding evidence to support your answer is a skill
that needs to be explicitly taught to students.
Language aspects involved in this work sample are heavily focused on spelling. Twice in
his responses, KM adds “es” to words that only need an “s” on the end to become plural. He also
spells “beging,” “liveing,” “whey,” and “aros” incorrectly in his writing. These spelling errors
can be developmental, but could also stem from a lack of understanding of English phonemes
and phonics rules.
Overall, KM’s reading comprehension abilities were proficient during this task. He was
able to identify the main idea, definition of a vocabulary word, and the purpose of the picture. In
terms of areas of growth for KM, a skill to work on would be phonemic awareness and spelling
rules. These rules need to be taught explicitly in isolation before they can be used in independent
spelling tasks such as writing. KM needs more practice with understanding sounds, prefixes and
suffixes so that he can improve his reading and spelling.
Narrative Writing
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My third work sample came from a (see Appendix A). I wanted to analyze KM’s
understanding of narrative writing. The assignment came from the Write from the Beginning
curriculum program, under the unit of Personal Chronological Narrative. Students were asked to
tell about the best day they’ve ever had at school. Students were given a change to brainstorm
possible ideas to write about, and then were given a planning map to use to organize their
thoughts into what happened first, after that, and last during their best day. After planning,
students were able to type their draft into a document on the computer for the teacher to look at
and then for them to edit and revise from. This piece of writing from KM is a draft, and would
be further edited through conferencing. This was written without any help, except for check ins
to make sure that he planned before typing, and mini lessons each day to focus on descriptive
detail words. Students were shown a proficient response written by the teacher and read this
response aloud to have a good example to strive for.
KM displayed a level of understanding of what a narrative writing should be, but did not
display an understanding of other criterion for his level of writing. His writing had a title so that
readers could understand what they would be reading about. His writing spelled most words
correctly and had some descriptive details. His writing did not have clear punctuation, which
interfered with the readability of the story. His writing also did not have a clear introduction,
conclusion, or separate body paragraphs, which is expected at his 4th grade level.
The creativity and individuality of KM shown through on this work sample. He was able
to express himself through words to explain his excitement of going to the Nature and Science
Museum and all the things he was able to do that day.

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I scored KM’s writing with the WIDA Writing Interpretive Rubric (see Appendix A). I
scored KM by looking at his writing’s Discourse Level, Sentence Level, and Word/Phrase Level.
In looking at his linguistic complexity in this story, I scored KM at the level 3, Developing
Level, in the Discourse Level of writing. KM’s writing is in the Developing Level because it has
a “sense of perspective, register, and genre,” and also involves related ideas. His writing is not
yet Expanding because he does not use sentences or paragraphs with proficiency. In reviewing
KM’s language forms and conventions, I scored KM at the level 2, Emerging Level, in the
Sentence Level of writing. KM’s sentences/phrases were repetitive throughout his narrative.
Using periods to mark the end of a sentence, KM actually only had two sentences in his story.
Instead of using conventions to show the end of a thought, he used the word “and.” He
connected thoughts and parts of his story through using “and,” and had simple sentence patterns
involving usually just a noun and a verb. In order to reach into Developing for Sentence Level,
KM would need to develop a “range of sentence patterns and grammatical structures.” In
reviewing KM’s vocabulary usage, I scored KM at the level 3, Developing Level, in the
Word/Phrase Level of writing. In some aspects, KM could have used more specific vocabulary,
like when he said “eat some food,” he could have listed the specific foods. More often in his
writing, though, KM was using some specific words and adjectives to describe his surroundings.
For example, when KM was talking about the water room at the museum, he said that the water
came from pipes. This use of the word “pipe” was a content-specific word and showed a
developing understanding of vocabulary. He also used the term “fools gold” to describe fake
gold that he saw, which was a great vocabulary description.

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An example of language or code switching was shown through KM’s verb tenses. KM
used past and present tenses throughout his story, switching between past tense verbs like “took”
to present tense verbs like “touch.” This displays KM’s need for more understanding in his
English tenses. This is a common error among English Learners, as tenses are the last area of
mastery when learning verbs.
Overall, KM’s writing abilities are an area of need. He used some vocabulary and
content-specific words, which was a strength in his writing. His areas of need would be sentence
formation and verb tenses. He needs more practice reading mentor narrative texts and writing
sentences in order to improve this aspect of his writing.

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Part IV: Family Interviews
Student Interview
I asked KM a myriad of questions to get a better picture of his opinions about himself and
his language abilities. I asked KM about his interests inside and outside of school, family life
and traditions, what he likes about teachers, and language preferences (see Appendix A). KM’s
responses were varied in length. He likes to draw when he’s by himself and seems to do lots of
activities with his friends and family on the weekends and over the summers. “My family likes
to go visit other places,” he described when talking about his vacations. “I like to do all types of
art, and make things out of old things.” I have witnessed KM being very resourceful and using
other people’s trash to make art and new things. This shows his creativity.
When I asked him about what makes a good teacher, he at first said “I don’t know…”
many times. This seemed to be a very hard question for him. He could not seem to identify
what qualities he likes in teachers. Eventually, he said that he likes “when teachers give us
things.” When I asked about his future plans, he said he wants to design things. “I went to the
mall and saw this building a stuffed animal store. I think I’d like to work there,” he said about a
job he would like in the future. I think this would be a great choice for him because I can see
that he loves to mess around with things, taking them apart and putting them back together at his
desk.
When I asked KM about his language preferences, his answers were very much varied. I
asked KM what language he speaks at home with his Mom and sister and he said Spanish only.
When asked what language he prefers to speak with his friends at school, he said, “Most of my
friends speak Spanish, but with some friends I speak English.” I have noticed that he mostly
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speaks Spanish with friends in non-academic conversations at school. I asked KM what
language he would prefer to speak, if he had to choose, and he answered, “Spanish because it’s
easier.” But when I asked which language he would prefer to read, he answered, “English. I
can’t really read Spanish that well.” I have also noticed this with KM and some of my other
students, that their reading and writing abilities in Spanish are far less proficient than their
speaking abilities. As emerging bilinguals, we need to encourage both languages in order for
these students to continue to keep proficiency in their native language. I give my students both
English and Spanish options on almost everything we read in class, so that they can choose what
language feels best for them to access the content.
Parent Interview
I chose to interview KM’s Mom for this interview, Mrs. M. I have a good relationship
with her, getting to know her at conferences and some after school events. I used an interpreter
to help me conduct this interview over the phone. I asked KM’s Mom about where her and her
family are from, their home life and traditions, languages they speak at home, and her views
about KM’s school (see Appendix A).
When I asked Mrs. M. where her family is from, she said, “Juarez, Mexico. I moved here
when I was 20, just before I had KM. He was born in Texas, then we moved to Denver because
my sister was living here.” I knew that KM was born here prior to this interview, but I did not
know that they were from Mexico. KM does not talk about going back to visit. When I asked
Mrs. M. about her family life at home, she said that she works hard to give her children
everything they need. “Dad is not in Colorado, and step-dad is no longer living with us. It’s
better this way. He made [KM] very upset with his drinking.” As I have previously said, KM
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deals with a pervasive sadness that could be diagnosed as depression. This unrest at home is a
large part of his anxiety, and it was eye-opening to know that Mrs. M. has identified that KM is
better off without step-dad. It is hard for parents to disclose private things that are going on at
home, but her honesty was appreciated and this information truly can help me to help KM
better.
Mrs. M. said that at home, the family speaks only Spanish. Mrs. M. knows only some
English. KM’s younger sister has a developmental disability and is non-verbal, so Mrs. M. said,
“It is just me and [KM] who talk. And sometimes he’s very quiet.” She knows that KM is a
bilingual learner and she is very proud of him for learning two languages. When I asked about
her hopes and dreams for KM at school and beyond, she said, “I know that school is important.
[KM] needs to focus and work hard so that he can graduate.” She also said that she doesn't know
what he wants to be when he grows up, but that she hopes it’s something “creative that he can be
happy with.” This hope for him shows her true love for her son.
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Part V: Integrating Language and Content
1. Area of needed support:
Based on observations, graded sample items, and teacher feedback, KM needs the most
support in his writing. This weakness is in longer written stories or responses to prompts, and
also in written responses to text that he reads. On his last writing assessment, narrative writing,
KM scored 11/20, which is marked as “not meeting proficiency”. This was using a 3rd grade
writing rubric as well because that is his identified level according to the school’s Competency
Based Model. Another source was from his most recent response to reading in his independent
work in centers. He did not answer in complete sentences, nor did he directly address the
questions that were asked about the story. KM’s reading scores are above grade level, yet his
writing still remains below. This shows that KM needs his most support in writing in order to
access the material and meet expectations and proficiency.
2. Integrated Content and Language Objectives - These learning objectives utilize the
WIDA’s Model Performance Indicators as well as the Colorado State Standards for
Grade Level 4. These standards work together to help KM reach his grade-level
objectives, while supporting his language needs as well.
a. Writing, Level 2/Beginning: Due to KM’s need to review basic sentence
structures; KM will create phrases/short sentences from models and check with a
partner for edits and revisions.
b. Writing, Level 4/Expanding: KM will narrate a series of illustrated events using
paragraph transitions and complete sentences in narrative form with the support of
anchor charts (transition words and sentence stems).

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c. Writing, Level 4/Expanding: KM will revise his writing using rubrics (posted on
his desk, reaching for a 3.0 on the Westminster Public Schools proficiency
scales).
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Part VI: Planning for Instruction and Assessment
1. Instructional Recommendations:
These recommendations match directly with the learning objectives. The objectives
utilize the WIDA’s Model Performance Indicators as well as the Colorado State Standards for
Grade Level 4. These standards work together to help KM reach his grade-level objectives,
while supporting his language needs as well.
The first instructional recommendation meets the needs of the Writing, Level
2/Beginning Objective: KM will create phrases/short sentences from models and check with a
partner for edits and revisions ("English Language Development Standards", 2019). The
rationale for this objective is due to KM’s need to review basic sentence structures. In this
recommended small group lesson, the teacher will use model sentences to review with KM what
a complete sentence looks like (see: Appendix B). KM will then create his own short, yet
complete sentences about different topics. He will use the model sentences to ensure that his
sentences are complete. He will then trade and check, using the model sentences as his rubric.
Another instructional recommendation for this same sentence objective incorporates the
instructional practices platform, IXL. This website provides practice and instant feedback on
responses. In this instructional recommendation, KM will practice on IXL Level 4 Language
Arts, Objective HH.7 Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? (see: Appendix B).
This practice objective asks students to choose the complete sentence, fragment, or run-on from a
choice of sentences. This will help KM to identify which sentences are complete, “model”
sentences, and which are wrong.

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The third instructional recommendation meets the needs of the Writing, Level
4/Expanding Objective: KM will narrate a series of illustrated events using paragraph transitions
and complete sentences in narrative form with the support of anchor charts (transition words and
sentence stems). The rationale for this objective is on his last writing assessment, narrative
writing, KM scored 11/20, which is marked as “not meeting proficiency” ("English Language
Development Standards", 2019). In this recommended small group lesson, the teacher will show
4 pictures that tell a story (see: Appendix B). KM will write a sentence for each picture, each
sentence building on the previous and telling the whole story of the 4 pictures. KM will include
transition words. KM will read these sentences in order to a partner to check for clarity and
revise if necessary.
The fourth instructional recommendation meets the needs of the Writing, Level
4/Expanding: KM will revise his writing using rubrics (posted on his desk, reaching for a 3.0 on
the Westminster Public Schools proficiency scales). The rationale for this objective is on his last
writing assessment, narrative writing, KM scored 11/20, which is marked as “not meeting
proficiency” ("English Language Development Standards", 2019). In this recommended small
group lesson, KM will take his Expository writing that he is currently working on, and will
self-assess himself based on the rubric (see: Appendix B). He will then, with teacher support,
begin to revise based on his recognized areas of weakness. Between each revision, he will check
the rubric again and re-grade himself.
2. Instructional Resources
The first resource is a simple sentences mentor worksheet (see: Appendix B). In this
resource, found on TeachersPayTeachers.com, mentor sentences are provided for students to use
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and then come up with their own sentences using this support. This resource directly supports
the WIDA Performance Definition for Speaking and Writing, “Simple and compound
grammatical structures with occasional variation” ("English Language Development Standards",
2019).
The second resource is IXL Level 4 Language Arts, Objective HH.7 Is it a complete
sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? (see: Appendix B). In this resource, the program asks
students to choose the complete sentence, fragment, or run-on from a choice of sentences. This
resource directly supports the WIDA Performance Definition for Speaking and Writing, “Simple
and compound grammatical structures with occasional variation” ("English Language
Development Standards", 2019).
The third resource is a Picture Story Strip (see: Appendix B). In this resource, found on
TeachersPayTeachers.com, the student is asked to write sentences for each picture in order to
make a story that could be read in order. These pictures show a person making a snowman. This
resource directly supports the WIDA Performance Definition for Speaking and Writing,
“Expanded expression of one idea or emerging expression of multiple related ideas across
content areas” ("English Language Development Standards", 2019).
The fourth resource is the Write from the Beginning Expository 4th and 5th Grade
Writing Rubric (see: Appendix B). This resource is from the Write from the Beginning Writing
Curriculum, Teaching Expository Writing, pages 195-196. In this resource, it provides clear
expectations for what is needed in a 4th or 5th grade level writing passage, “Writing to Explain
Why.” This resource directly supports the WIDA Performance Definition for Speaking and
Writing, all levels and definitions ("English Language Development Standards", 2019).
Jen Cwik
3. Progress Monitoring
Based on observations, graded sample items, and teacher feedback, KM needs the most
support in his writing. This weakness is in longer written stories or responses to prompts, and
also in written responses to text that he reads. Collecting data on KM’s growth is imperative in
order to adjust instruction to meet his changing needs. Writing samples can be collected daily,
even multiple times a day. These writing samples could be long or short responses. They could
be from formative or summative assessments, or they could be from times when KM is
practicing a skill. Writing is integrated into most learning objectives throughout the day, and
data can be collected very informally through any lesson. No matter the content objective, KM’s
writing goals can still be taught and assessed. These collections will be used to instructionally
plan and adjust based on observations. While collecting KM’s writing samples, the focus should
be his three learning objectives (listed above).
Another way of progress monitoring could be through KM’s progress on the IXL
sentences skills practice. On the IXL platform, students are given a “Smart Score” based on how
many questions they answer correctly versus incorrectly. It marks students as “Needing
Support” if they answer 5 questions wrong in a row. Once students reach a “Smart Score” of
100, they have shown mastery in the skill in their grade level. This is an excellent way to check
on KM’s progress towards proficiency in writing sentences.

Jen Cwik
Part VII: Reflection:
Overall, I learned a lot about my student through this project. Through the work samples,
I learned about how KM learns and what his academic and language needs were. Through the
interviews, I learned about what his teachers and parents perceive as his strengths and
weaknesses as a student. Through observations, I learned how he behaves in different academic
and non-academic situations.
Through the data collection process, I learned so much about what data can do for a
picture of a student. Collecting simply academic data is not enough. In order to truly understand
a student and their needs, one must take data from every aspect of the student, including home
life as well. These pieces of information paint the picture of the whole student, and that is
necessary for any academic interventions.
I have broadened and deepened my knowledge of culture and disabilities, and believe
that I have a vast toolbox of resources to utilize in my diverse school. I believe that this
knowledge is going to come with more experience to be able to separate the language from the
learning delay. Through this project, I did get more insight about how to collect data, making
sure that language is in the forefront and ensuring that all other barriers are taken away before
testing for learning knowledge.

Jen Cwik
Appendix A: Artifacts/Data
Work Samples
Jen Cwik
Jen Cwik
Jen Cwik
Student Interview
● Interests inside and outside of school?
○ I like drawing and art. I like to do all types of art, and make things out of old
things.
● What does your family like to do?

Jen Cwik
○ My family likes to go visit other places. We have been to Nevada, New Mexico,
California, Florida
● What makes a good teacher?
○ I don’t know… I don’t know.
○ When teachers give us things like parties or prizes.
● What languages do you speak at home at home?
○ Spanish.
● What languages do you use with friends?
○ Most of my friends speak Spanish, but with some friends I speak English.
● What language would like to speak?
○ Spanish because it’s easier.
● What language would like to read?
○ English. I can’t really read Spanish that well.
● What job do you want to have when you’re older?
○ I want to make and design things. I went to the mall and saw this building a
stuffed animal store. I think I’d like to work there.
Parent Interview
● Where are you and your family from?
○ Juarez, Mexico. I moved here when I was 20, just before I had KM. He was born
in Texas, then we moved to Denver because my sister was living here.
● What is your home life like?
○ I work at my job to make a good life for my children.

Jen Cwik
○ Dad is not in Colorado, and step-dad is no longer living with us. It’s better this
way. He made [KM] very upset with his drinking.
● What languages do you speak at home?
○ Spanish. I don’t know much English at all.
○ It is just me and [KM] who talk. And sometimes he’s very quiet.
● What do you hope for KM’s school and future?
○ I am so happy that [KM] can know Spanish and English. I want him to have a
better life for himself.
○ I know that school is important. [KM] needs to focus and work hard so that he
can graduate.
○ I want him to work at a job that is creative that he can be happy with.
Jen Cwik
Appendix B: Resources
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Mentor-Sentences-Sentence-Structure-Mid
dle-High-School-2005054
Jen Cwik
https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-4/is-it-a-complete-sentence-a-fragment-or-a-run-on
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Sequencing-Story-Building-a-Snowman-2
904208
Jen Cwik
Write from the Beginning Curriculum Expository Writing (page 195-196)

Jen Cwik
References
English Language Development Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2019, from
https://wida.wisc.edu/teach/standards/eld.
WIDA Speaking and Writing Interpretive Rubrics. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://wida.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/resource/Speaking-Writing-Interpretive-Rubrics.pdf.

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Running Head: SPED 5740 LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE STUDENT PROFILE

Linguistically Responsive Special Education Student Profile Project

1. School and Classroom Context

the Mathematics assessment.

136 students at FV Elementary receive English Language support. These students

In my classroom, 28 students stay in my classroom from 8:00-3:00, except for specials,

curriculum for math instruction.

as sentence starters and dual-language vocabulary for my English Language learners.

Kindergarten. KM speaks English, but hears Spanish spoken at home.

Expectations) and 708 in Mathematics (Partially Met Expectations).

KM receives 30 minutes a week of direct intervention with the School Psychologist. KM

records. KM will demonstrate 80% accuracy in formulating grammatical sentences in structured

a struggle for her and for his family.

multiple years, helping their relationship develop.

I selected the Running Record documentation procedure in order to describe KM’s

group, and whole group times during the day.

simple and some expanded sentences, and complex vocabulary at times.

scaffolds, KM would be able to use the words in his work.

tasks were straightforward and only required number or drawing answers.

explicitly taught, reviewed, and mastered.

that needs to be explicitly taught to students.

and phonics rules.

suffixes so that he can improve his reading and spelling.

response aloud to have a good example to strive for.

Museum and all the things he was able to do that day.

KM would need to develop a “range of sentence patterns and grammatical structures.” In

gold that he saw, which was a great vocabulary description.

mastery when learning verbs.

sentences in order to improve this aspect of his writing.

language feels best for them to access the content.

about KM’s school (see Appendix A).

1. Area of needed support:

access the material and meet expectations and proficiency.

objectives, while supporting his language needs as well.

a. Writing, Level 2/Beginning: Due to KM’s need to review basic sentence

partner for edits and revisions.

b. Writing, Level 4/Expanding: KM will narrate a series of illustrated events using

anchor charts (transition words and sentence stems).

while supporting his language needs as well.

responses. In this instructional recommendation, KM will practice on IXL Level 4 Language

sentences, and which are wrong.

proficiency” ("English Language Development Standards", 2019). In this recommended small

the rubric again and re-grade himself.

grammatical structures with occasional variation” ("English Language Development Standards",

and compound grammatical structures with occasional variation” ("English Language

Development Standards", 2019).

content areas” ("English Language Development Standards", 2019).

be from formative or summative assessments, or they could be from times when KM is

be his three learning objectives (listed above).

on KM’s progress towards proficiency in writing sentences.

weaknesses as a student. Through observations, I learned how he behaves in different academic

and non-academic situations.

necessary for any academic interventions.

testing for learning knowledge.

● Interests inside and outside of school?

● What does your family like to do?

● What makes a good teacher?

○ I don’t know… I don’t know.

○ When teachers give us things like parties or prizes.

● What languages do you speak at home at home?

● What languages do you use with friends?

● What language would like to speak?

○ Spanish because it’s easier.