The Problem:

Jose is having difficulty with writing. He is going into the sixth grade and his writing level is at the third grade. His background in writing in his native language is very rudimentary and his comprehension of sentence structure is extremely poor. Jose’s reading skills in English are below grade level and he has shown success in that area for the short time that he has been back in the United States. This is attributed to his prior knowledge of reading in his native language. The writing deficits that Jose is demonstrating is of grave concern to his teacher and she has requested a meeting of all principle parties involved with Jose’s success. There has already been a decision concerning Jose’s promotion to the sixth grade. The meeting is extremely pertinent to Jose’s future academic success and his writing insufficiency needs to be addressed to ensure his successful progression up the academic ladder.

The meeting:

Guidance Counselor: I have worked with Jose on several accounts and it is apparent that he is motivated to learn. Both his classroom teacher and ESOL teacher have shown evidence of progress within the last three months. I recommend Jose to be promoted to the sixth grade; on the other hand, it would be of Jose’s best interest to attend summer school for both reading and writing.

Principal: After reviewing Jose’s records and speaking to personal in contact with your son, I have decided to promote Jose to the sixth grade. Jose’s academic achievement is our concern. Both his classroom teacher and ESOL specialist have outlined an academic plan for Jose.

• Summer School (reading and writing)
• ESOl class is highly recommended for the previous school year
• Peer tutoring set up in advance for the previous school year
• Interactive environment both during the summer and next school year

Parent: Jose is an intelligent boy and I believe his education has been hindered because of us. We want what is best for our son. Please advise us on what we could do for him.

The classroom teacher: Jose is a very bright boy and demonstrates the desire to learn. He has been in my class for a little over three months and his reading has improved from a third grade level to a forth grade level. The instruction in writing procedures in Jose’s prior school in Mexico was very minimal and apparently reading emphasis in Spanish took precedence over the written word. I am in agreement that Jose should be promoted to the sixth grade due to his success in the other subjects, but I highly recommend that he receive specialized teaching in the area of writing. This area needs improvement and mastery for Jose to continue the success he has been showing and to promote his self-esteem.

The ESOL teacher: I have seen a good success rate in Jose’s reading and use of English and I attribute this to Jose’s prior educational atmosphere in the primary grades. It is going to take a dedicated program and ESOL instructor to ensure that Jose masters his writing level. I was not in agreement to Jose’s promotion to the sixth grade because of his writing deficiency. It is apparent that Jose has demonstrated grade-level work in the other subject areas and to hold him back for his writing deficit would be more detrimental to Jose at this juncture in his academic career.

The special needs teacher: There is no necessity to have the special needs teacher involved in this situation. Jose meets no special needs criteria and is a well-adjusted young man.