Professional Competencies: It's the Language - Sanford Inspire ...

Professional Competencies: It’s the Language

I.

Case Study

II.

Answer Key

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It’s the Language Case Study

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Directions: As you read the following case study, locate instances where the professional competencies may be at play. Be prepared to share your findings.

Case Study Entering into the second half of your first year of teaching special education, you’ve finally learned the ropes of this job and are really enjoying your school community. You currently teach resource classes but also support the staff by periodically meeting with grade levels to ensure effective planning of classroom activities for students with disabilities. In your last meeting with the 5th grade team, the teachers brought up some concerns about a new student, Rose Balis. They note that she is in Miss Groeninger’s class because she is an English Language Learner, but really think she may be a candidate for testing for a disability. You promise the team that you will come in and observe Rose a few times to gauge the situation for yourself. The next week you make four observation times available to check out the situation in 5th grade. During your time in Miss Groeninger’s class you do note various tasks Rose struggles to do because of a lag in language acquisition. However, during your observations, you also note that some behaviors could signal a disability. You ask Miss Jackson to set up a meeting with Rose’s parents to discuss observations, concerns, and next steps. Before the meeting, Miss Groeninger gives you some background on the family. Rose’s parents are new immigrants from Greece and moved here to open a new part of the Balis’ family chain of stores. After Mr. and Mrs. Balis arrive to the meeting, Miss Jackson introduces you and begins to share some of the observations and concerns she has. You chime in with your informal observations and then recommend that you and Miss Jackson start to formally document Rose’s behaviors and progress to officially test for a disability. The Balis’ have listened politely as you and Miss Jackson share your experiences and thoughts. Mrs. Balis finally speaks up and says, “We thank you for your kind concern about our daughter but we are sure she is just struggling with acquiring the language. We will work more with her at home and maybe consider getting a language learning computer program. We don’t think she should be tested though, but thank you. It took us quite a bit of time to master the language and she’s only in 5th grade. I’m sure things will improve soon.” After that meeting you continue to check in with Miss Jackson to see how Rose is doing. As the quarter comes to a close, Miss Jackson shares that Rose had improvements but, again, did not pass the English proficiency test. On the school quarterly assessments she, again, scored very low, in fact the lowest in the whole class in all subjects. You decide to do another round of observations of Rose. Eventually, you come to the same conclusions as before. In fact, you now wonder if Rose’s slow acquisition of language could be due to a disability. You confer with Miss Jackson and you both decide that the situation is grave enough to reconvene for a second meeting with the Balis’. You also decide to invite the principal to the meeting as it may communicate the severity of the situation. The second meeting starts similarly to the first. Miss Jackson and you share the many observations, data, and student work that you find disconcerting. Mr. and Mrs. Balis appear unfazed insist that Rose’s English has been progressing. The Balis’ believe that once Rose begins to master the language, these fears will disappear. They also have not changed their minds about monitoring and testing. Unsure if they grasp the gravity of Rose’s situation, you convey that not testing now could have negative academic and even emotional impacts on their daughter and that they should be more concerned. Both parents are now visibly upset and reiterate in clipped tones that they care for and love their daughter very much but don’t think this issue is anything more than just a language problem. You quickly reply back, “Mrs. Balis, being able to tie your shoes is not a language issue!” Mr. Balis interjects and says “This meeting is over. We will not have our daughter tested and would like for you to not come into her classroom and “observe” her.” They turn to the principal and ask that he not bother them with this topic ever again and they quickly exit the room. Considering the volatility of the current situation and your serious concern for Rose, you realize you have a variety of options on what to do next and therefore the very difficult decision of exactly how to proceed. What is your next step?


Discussion Questions 1. Suspending Judgment: Assuming that the Balises are operating with the best intentions, how might their behavior be interpreted? 2. Asset-Based Thinking: How might a characteristic or behavior that you found problematic in the Balises actually be a strength? 3. Interpersonal Awareness: How might the Balises have interpreted your words and actions? How might others (your colleagues and students) have interpreted your words and actions? 4. Locus of Control: What things were within your ability to affect in this case study? How could you have targeted these things while still operating with respect and humility? 5. The case study ends at a critical decision/action point. Consider the Professional Competencies and the responses you’ve made in the previous questions. Then: a. Decide on a course of action and share it with your discussion group. b. Discuss as a group the possible consequences (positive and negative) that could arise from that course of action. c. As a group, evaluate which suggested course of action leads to the most desirable outcomes.


It’s the Language Answer Key

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All of the competencies come into play at various parts of the case study. The following table highlights the locations within the case study where competencies are relevant.

Exemplar Responses • Declining that their daughter be tested could be interpreted that they don’t care about Suspending Judgment

their daughter or even that they haven’t fully understood the situation because of language concerns. • The Balises considering the problem to be solely a language issue could be considered by some in the field of special education as ignorance and even denial. • The terms disability and even testing for a disability could hold serious and quite different meanings for the Balises due to cultural differences.

• Inviting the Principal to the meeting could have caused undue discomfort or even extra

Interpersonal Awareness

pressure on the Balises because of the power of that position. • Observing and taking notes on their daughter without their knowledge or consent could feel like a violation to the Balises and to Rose. • The statement that, “they should be more concerned” could be taken offensively as if the Balises aren’t concerned about their daughter. • Quick reply you gave about tying shoe laces could appear to be rude in what was said and how it was said.

• The Balises have said that they appreciated the care and concern that you and Asset Based Thinking

Miss Jackson have taken. • They also have said that they would work more with Rose at home and that shows a level of care and commitment. They said they would even acquire a tutor which shows and even higher level of concern and commitment. • They themselves have successfully learned English and transitioned into a new country and culture. •

Locus of Control

• •

Observing Rose and conferencing with Miss Jackson about the issues that Rose faces are within your control. Contacting the family for a face to face meeting to share the results of your observations and to offer a plan of attack is also within your control. Changing the minds of the Balises or even convincing to test Rose may not be within your control or realm of influence at the conclusion of the last meeting.


1. Suspending Judgment: Assuming that the Balises were operating with the best intentions, how might their behavior be interpreted? The Balises may not want their daughter tested because there are cultural stigmas attached to disabilities and testing in their home country. They may also be making connections to their own struggles to master the language and want to give Rose enough time to master it too before any drastic decisions are made.

2. Asset-Based Thinking: How might a characteristic or behavior that you found problematic in the Balises actually be a strength? Their staunch refusal to have Rose tested really could be an example for how much they love and are concerned for Rose. As mentioned above, maybe they don’t want her to be labeled and have to deal with a possible stigma. They may also really want to protect the amount of time Rose has to get her feet under her to master the language and even feel more comfortable navigating a new culture before they even consider testing. Their resistance may in fact be how they are protecting their daughter.

3. Interpersonal Awareness: How might the Balises have interpreted your words and actions? How might others (your colleagues and students) have interpreted your words and actions? The fact that you were informally observing Rose even after they had said they didn’t want her tested could appear that you don’t think they’re good parents and are going against their wishes. A few of the statements you make in the second meeting could be taken as if they don’t care about Rose and even rude. Your principal may also take some of the words, actions, and ultimate outcomes of the meetings as a sign of your inability to communicate well with families. Since the principal was asked to the meeting that ended so badly, your principal may now feel that the Balises view them as rude and unable to lead a school well.

4. Locus of Control: Which things were within your ability to affect in this case study? How could you have targeted these things while still operating with respect and humility? Observing Rose, conferencing with Miss Jackson and calling meetings are all within your control. Even making the comments during the various meetings were within your control. However, some of these could be taken as disrespectful.

5. The case study ends at a critical decision/action point. Consider the Professional Competencies and the responses you’ve made in the previous questions. Then: a) Decide on a course of action and share it with your discussion group. b) Discuss as a group the possible consequences (positive and negative) that could arise from that course of action. c) As a group, evaluate which suggested course of action leads to the most desirable outcomes. Answers may vary.
