Focus on: Ben, Fatima, and Manuel
Ben
Ben is a seventh grader who was adopted from Haiti when he was 5 years old. In Haiti, Ben lived in an orphanage and had limited interaction with others. He did not develop pre-literacy skills in his native language (Haitian Creole). His U.S. family speaks only English. He is diagnosed with a learning disability, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Fatima
Fatima is a third grader who came to the United States as a refugee. Although her home language is Arabic, she does not have reading or writing skills in the language. She has been a student in U.S. schools since kindergarten. She receives special education services for hearing and vision impairments.
Manuel
Manuel is a tenth grader whose family travels back-and-forth from Mexico. He speaks a combination of English and Spanish with his family at home. Because he did not attend school in Mexico, he does not have reading or writing skills in Spanish. He was diagnosed with a learning disability in third grade.
These students have wide-ranging characteristics and needs. They are examples of why it is important
to consider the “whole child” when making decisions about assessments that the student will take.
Consider Ben, Fatima, and Manuel as you continue ...
