CASE STUDY FOR STUDENT A
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to build a rapport with student A due to my employment at the school he attends. I have also been able to observe him in class and in the playground. After consultation with his teacher I have chosen to focus on his anxiety as the first and probably the most significant for him of three of the challenges he faces in school.
Student A becomes anxious in class when there is a change to his routine. This can be a change of teacher eg. relief teacher or when there is a pre-service teacher in the room. I have seen his anxiety levels increase when there is change to the daily class timetable, he is unable to do the curriculum work in the class and even when his teacher leaves the room or he does not know where she is.
What does his anxiety look like?
What does his anxiety sound like?
STRATEGY/INTERVENTION FOR STUDENT A
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to build a rapport with student A due to my employment at the school he attends. I have also been able to observe him in class and in the playground. After consultation with his teacher I have chosen to focus on his anxiety as the first and probably the most significant for him of three of the challenges he faces in school.
Student A becomes anxious in class when there is a change to his routine. This can be a change of teacher eg. relief teacher or when there is a pre-service teacher in the room. I have seen his anxiety levels increase when there is change to the daily class timetable, he is unable to do the curriculum work in the class and even when his teacher leaves the room or he does not know where she is.
What does his anxiety look like?
- He will become fidgety - standing up or sitting down, moving around the room or just outside it.
- His facial expression changes. He gets a worried look on his face and his eyes move rapidly.
- He will reorganize his already perfectly arranged desk.
- He looks generally unsettled and appears to constantly look around for something/someone familiar.
- He will sometimes selectively ignore the teacher in the room.
- He will look for 'any job that needs doing' eg. helping the non-English speaking students or 'helping 'the teacher.
What does his anxiety sound like?
- If someone familiar to him walks past or enters the room re will try to strike up a conversation with them.
- His chatter will be constant and rapid, and will focus on a specific unrelated topic.
- He seeks out constant reassurance from a familiar adult.
- If his anxiety level gets too high he can have a meltdown.
STRATEGY/INTERVENTION FOR STUDENT A