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Support Materials for Students with Special Education Needs
English K–6
Case Studies
Case study 2
Learning experiences, assessment opportunities and adjustments
(cont)
Learning experiences and assessment opportunities
Students are provided with a
(mind map) to support
them in researching information and organising their ideas.
After selecting an animal, students work in pairs and use
the scaffold to:
• record information they already know about each
of their selected animals
• brainstorm and record thematic words
• identify what they would like to find out about
their selected animals.
Students research their selected animal using books and
other sources of information. They record notes using the
headings on the scaffold.
The teacher reminds students to use features that help readers
find relevant information (eg headings and sub-headings, index,
glossary, content pages). The teacher reviews skimming and
scanning strategies to locate information and make notes.
Using the information recorded on the scaffold, students
write an information report.
Students may use the following steps to support them in
writing the information report:
• write a general statement identifying the subject of the
information report and scientific classification of the animal
• reconstruct notes to write sentences, using the topic
word to begin each sentence (these could be recorded
on strips of paper or a computer to assist with reordering)
• group related sentences together (these will each form
‘bundles’ of information related to appearance, habitat,
behaviour etc)
• use each group of sentences to form appropriate paragraphs:
– order sentences so the paragraph starts with a topic
sentence, followed by a developing sentence,
supporting sentence and concluding sentence
– identify sentences that can be joined together
to make more complex/detailed sentences
– identify topic words (nouns) to be replaced by pronouns
(eg they, it) so sentences start in different ways
– reread the paragraph to check it makes sense,
includes enough detail and is ordered appropriately
• order the paragraphs so they are structured according
to an information report
• read and review the report.
Adjustments for Jack
• Jack’s partner records a copy of ideas related
to his selected animal on an additional mind
map. This provides Jack with an accurate
record of his ideas and assists him to focus
on brainstorming and planning
• Jack is supported to select sources of
information that are appropriate to his
reading level and are well presented
• Jack is prompted to focus on content rather
than spelling when taking notes
• the teacher provides headings for Jack to
organise his paragraphs
• the teacher provides Jack with sentence
starters and cloze sentences, for example:
_____ are a type of ________.
_________ have_______.
_________ are__________
______ live __________.
_______are found______.
Some _________ have _____.
• the teacher models and supports Jack to
combine clauses and sentences to make
more complex sentences
• Jack uses word prediction software to write
the information report
