SPED Shadow Study Essay

SPED Shadow Study/Developmental Stages Learning to function independently plays an important role in what a child with special needs is able to learn. Every child is different and may develop at a different pace however, it is important that the child goes through the stages as part of the treatment process. A few of the developmental milestones for a fourth grade student are gaining interest in spending time with friends, the need for independence, and the beginning of puberty. Also, their handwriting and the ability to use tools improve, they form stronger and more complex friendships, and they become insecure. The student who I chose to observe is a special education student but attends most of his classes in a regular classroom. He has an IEP

His handwriting is illegible. Fourth grade students are writing structural sentences and paragraphs and correcting misused words. The day of my observation, the teacher gave the student a different set of questions from the rest of the class. The student’s level of reading is not the same of the students in his class. Typical fourth graders are also working on research projects. The class had been working of group projects and the student had to be assisted by his teacher, so he may lack the independent milestone to a certain degree.

Conclusion

Every child is different, especially when it comes to meeting their developmental milestone. Knowing the level that a child should meet when they reach a certain age is important. The student seemed to have been a typical fourth grader physically. Before my observation, I learned that he was a special education student with an IEP, which is why I chose him for my shadow study. After my observation, I learned the purpose and the importance of an IEP. I also learned the difference in the developmental milestones of a typical fourth grader and a special education student.