FSU Aaron Reading Difficulties Case Study

Using the case below:

In 1 paragraph, describe their area of weakness and explain how the student’s deficit impacts both the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope.

Then, in 1 paragraph identify how you would use evidence-based practices for selecting literature and domain-specific print and digital text for this particular case. (Refer to Evidence-Based Text Handout. See attached.)

Case # 1: Aaron

Aaron is a serious and quiet little boy. He sits at the kitchen table with a book from school looking like he’s ready to go into battle. He hunches down over the page, pointing to each word so with such force that his index finger is white at the tip. It’s painful for his mom, Rona, to listen to him as he labors over each sound:

“Iiiii aaaa aaaa, aaaa, aaaannnn ssss ssssuuu – I mean, ssss ssss uuuu ttttt. Tttt. Tttt.”

As he incorrectly reads the first sentence, “I am so tired,” his voice trails off in frustration, and he sounds indeed, like he is tired — tired of working so hard.

Rona says gently, “Just five more minutes, O.K.?”

Aaron’s shoulders slump as he turns the page and tackles the next set of words with the same intensity, and unfortunately, the same trouble. Rona comes over to try to help on the word bed.

“Sound it out, Aaron.”

“Bbbbbb, bbbb, bbbb, aaaa, aaaa. Bbbb, bbbb, aaaa, bbbb. Bant. Ban. Bbbb, aaaa….”

Rona doesn’t know how to help him because it seems like he works so hard. She’s always believed that effort was what made the difference – and Aaron’s two older sisters could achieve anything they put their minds to — but reading just wasn’t coming for Aaron. In fact, Rona was pretty sure this was the same book he brought home yesterday. Why did it seem like every word was a new battle all over again? And what could she do to help him?