Shared Writing: Informal Assessment for a Student with Significant Disabilities

Case Example: Exploring Shared Writing with a Student who has Severe Disabilities

"Michael" age 12

Michael has autism and appears to have high sensory integration needs. He likes to use the computer to view phonics programs and likes to listen to music. Michael does not speak and currently has no reliable alternate or augmentative communication system other than a few signs. He uses a visual schedule to prepare for transitions and appears to understand the Boardmaker symbols on the schedule. Michael has one-to-one support for all activities except for listening to music with headphones or using a familiar computer program (e.g., early reading phonics game). He looks at easy picture books when an adult reads them to him and sometimes points to pictures upon request (e.g., Where's the horse? Point to the horse.) Michael's teacher reports that he frequently displays challenging behaviors.

Below are excerpts from field notes describing informal assessments with Michael related to shared writing. According to Michael's teacher he did not participate in these kinds of literacy activities in school.

Shared Writing with a Whole Word Program

I get my stuff organized while Michael is at another station. I open another program on my laptop. It's a scaffolded writing template. There are about 10 "buttons" on the left of the screen, each with a small graphic for a sea animal (labeled). Some of the choices are crab, seagull, whale, shark, fish, sea otter...Across the bottom of the page is a word bank of more buttons (A, The, is, has, skeleton, fish, mammal, crustacean...)
You can click on buttons from the bottom word bank and the sea animal buttons to construct sentences on the same page-entering whole words with a single click instead of typing letter by letter. Each work is read aloud as it appears. At the end of each sentence, each word is highlighted as the sentence is read aloud.
I also grab a small white board that is nearby, a marker and a tissue.

Michael wanders over, looks at me and my laptop, but does not sit down. I point to the chair.

C'mon, Michael, sit down. I tap the chair beside me. Want to do some writing?
He looks at my stuff, and stands, rocking. I point to the chair again. He settles in beside me.
Let me show you this program. This one is about sea animals. We can do some writing about sea animals. Let's see what they have.
I point to the "buttons" on the left side of the screen and read each aloud.
Seagull, crab, fish, shark, sea otter, whale...
He is definitely watching and paying attention.
Watch how this works.
I use the mouse to click on words at the bottom and one on the side to construct this sentence:
A sea otter is a mammal. I say each word aloud as I click on it.
When I hit the period the computer reads the whole sentence.
Do you want to write something? ( I write on the white board YES NO)
He points immediately to yes.
I ask him, What do you want to write about?
I write three choices from the animals listed on the white board, saying each aloud.
You could write about a seagull, or a crab, or a whale. Do you want to write about one of those? He points quickly-I think to crab.
I check again.

Sorry, Michael. I'm not sure about your answer-which one? Seagull crab or whale?
He points again. Definitely crab.
I erase the white board. He grabs for the mouse.
I slow him down, placing my hand on his and the mouse. Let's think about what you want to write. You can use these words on the bottom.
I point to each and read the list to him (A The...is has..crustacean, fish, mammal, skeleton shell...) I do this at a normal pace-just fluently reading each while I point.
I draft the beginning of a sentence on the whiteboard. Do you want to start something like this?
The crab
I point to the button for the word THE on the bottom list.
He uses the mouse and clicks on it. It appears above.
I read from the white board The crab...
I point to the animal buttons on the left.
He locates crab with the mouse and clicks on it. Actually he holds the mouse down and it enters three times on the screen. His draft says The crab crab crab I take the mouse and delete the extra ones. He does not resist.
I point to the beginning of his sentence on the screen and read aloud
The crab...
What do you want to say about the crab? I pause for a moment, even though I know he can't tell me.
How about has? Would that work here?
I point below. He clicks on "has" and it appears next in his sentence.
I reread. The crab has...
What's next? He does not respond immediately. I point to the word "a" in the bottom word bank and leave my finger there, saying "a?"
The crab has a
He clicks on "a"
Ok what do you want to say Michael? The crab has a what?
Let's see if there are any words here that would fit.
I reread a few of the choices from the word bank.
I write two choices on the white board
Shell skeleton
Do you want one of these? I read them aloud. Shell Skeleton
He points to shell.
Ok
I point to shell in the word bank. He clicks on it with the mouse.
I say Sounds like you are finished with this sentence. Can you put a period there? I point to the button in the bottom word bank for period.
When he clicked on the period it is inserted at the end of his sentence and the computer read the whole sentence aloud:
"The crab has a shell."
I say, That makes sense Michael. Crabs do have shells, don't they? It's a good sentence.
Want to write about another animal?
He signs something-not once, but three times as he rocks forward in his seat. I know very little sign language. But I know this sign. He is sure as he taps his fingertips together again and again.
"More. More. More"
You want to write some more? Okay.
We go through the same steps-He chooses another animal (whale this time) and using the whiteboard and some pointing, together we figure out the words to construct another sentence. "A whale is a mammal." Before we choose mammal, (What about the whale, Adiran?) I wonder if he knows this. I put the two choices on the white board:
fish mammal
I say, A whale is a ....
Do you know this, Michael? Is a whale a fish or a mammal?
I say this conversationally-just wondering...It's not a test or anything.
He seems to be listening. He does not respond.
So I move on, nonchalantly, saying:
Whales are actually mammals. They live in the ocean with fish, but they breathe air like us-through the blowholes in the top of their heads.
I reread his sentence from the screen:
A whale is a
I point to the word mammal in the word bank, and say,
Your turn.
He clicks on it and "mammal" appears in his sentence above.
Go ahead and put a period at the end. Sentences need some punctuation.
I point. He clicks. The period is inserted and immediately, the computer highlights each word and reads his sentence aloud:
"A whale is a mammal."
He seems interested and pleased when the sentence is read aloud.
So far you have a couple things here about sea animals. I reread both sentences to him:
A crab has a shell.
A whale is a mammal.
Do you want to write some more?
Again, he immediately signs, "more more..."
This time as we are going through these steps, he lets go of the mouse and reaches for the keys at one point.
I say, "Oh you want to type your words. Ok. That's fine..."
I refer him back to the partial cloze sentence we have on the white board. He is reaching for keys with his whole hand. He hits 3 or 4 at once. I delete these and say, Can I help you? I take his hand and help isolate his index finger, saying, Give me your pointer finger...
His hand and fingers are loose-too loose. I gently hold his other fingers against his palm, supporting this position to keep his index finger out. I get him in the general area of the letter he needs to type next, saying it quietly as we go.
"The....T...
He types the /t/
I say H...
He seems to be looking for it on the keyboard. Again I get him close. He doesn't seem to see it in the sea of letters. I point to it quickly with my free hand-Here it is, "H."
He enters it right away.
He glances at the white board.
Good-let's see what you need next. I point to the /e/ on the white board in the...
T-h- E...
I am still supporting his hand and arm. But I just help hold his hand up over the keyboard. He finds the /e/ and types it without my help...
We finish the sentence and the computer reads it aloud.
He does not need this program with the whole words. He keeps reaching for the keyboard. He wants to construct his own words. Clearly he knows how this works-the letters on the keyboard make words-
We have been working for maybe 15 minutes. Michael has been totally into it. He is wiggling around now. He sort of bangs his head on my shoulder. I know he has real sensory issues. Do you want a squeeze Michael? I wrap my arms tightly around his shoulders, pulling him close to me, slowly give him a firm hug. I say, do you want two squeezes? Or three? Of course he and I don't have a way to communicate.
Do you need a break Michael? I write on the white board:

Yes no

He points quickly to yes.
We stop and set the timer for 5 minutes while he takes a break.

The teacher me quickly summarizes in my mind what Michael has shown me so far about his literacy abilities:

He likes to participate in writing-though a lot of the content came from the template and my suggestion-he was active in making choices for some key words and sustained his interest and engagement, even asking for "more."
He know some things about how to use a computer-he can use a standard mouse pretty well to navigate and select things, he knows his way around the keyboard somewhat-after a while I helped less and less and he began to locate more than half of the letters he wanted on his own...
He attends to a model and can copy letters and words-clearly he was looking back and forth between the screen and the white board more than once as he was entering letters for a word.
He can identify his preferences from up to at least 3 choices.
He can write letters and some single words legibly and fluently, spelling some from sight (e.g., cereal).
He needs some physical support to use a standard keyboard-his movements sometimes seem random, he does not seem able to isolate his index finger and keep it isolated. Providing some support to hold up his wrist and some gentle physical resistance seemed to help him select letters more accurately.

But I am aware of something else. I am really enjoying him. I realize that I am relaxed and in the flow. I am leading, structuring, facilitating-but also reading him and responding. I am really experimenting-not knowing what he will do with what I present-knowing it's possible that he may not care, or try-not knowing if he will need help or how much or if I will be able to figure out how to support him...I am aware of these possibilities, but I don't dwell there-I don't get anxious or stuck or try to force anything, or direct or control things. He, I suspect is coming from a similar place. He does not know me either-or what I have or what I will share or ask of him. But he is curious, too and open. He does not resist. He is willing to go there with me, to explore a little bit...

He is mostly responding, but more than once, he definitely initiates-to take the mouse, to drop the mouse and reach for the keys, to sign to me when we finish one sentence and then 2-- "More...more...." There is some very really energy here, flowing between us-- in both directions.

Shared Reading and Shared Writing using an Expository Text

I am thinking about what else Michael and I might do. I search a bookshelf in the classroom for a text we might share. Mostly there are baby-ish fictional picture books. I finally find a nonfiction picture book on animals. I open and skim it. A different animal is profiled every two pages. The pictures are realistic. The text is short, two paragraphs on one page and a box with a few more facts on the facing page. I skim a couple of entries. I want to share some reading and writing with Michael around some content. This book can work.

I go back to his desk. I have the book, the white board and marker, and my laptop. The timer goes off. Michael sits down beside me. He signs, "more."

You want to write some more. We will. Here's what we'll do.
I write on the white board, speaking as I create the list.
First, we're going to read.
1. Read a book.
Then we are going to write.
2. Write
He reaches for the laptop.
I put it aside and point to the whiteboard.
We will write some more Michael. I promise. But first we're going to read. Then we will write again.
I set my laptop on the floor. He seems ok about this, even though he want to write.
I show him the book and talk to him about it-in a normal, mature conversational tone:
Check this out. This book is about different wild animals. It has a lot of information and facts about them. We're going to read about one.
I open to the table of contents. I read through some of the animals listed.
Then I open to the page on elephants and write on the white board as I say,
Do you want to read about...

Elephants

Then I open to a page about dolphins...Or do you want to read about...Dolphins..

He points quickly to elephants.
Ok-let's read about elephants.
I erase the white board and sketch out a graphic organizer-talking through it as I construct the parts of the web.
Ok Michael, let's think first about what we are going to read about elephants...
I write elephants in the center:

How elephants use trunks
What elephants eat

Elephants

How long elephants live

We are going to read about how elephants use their trunks (I add this to the web)
What elephants eat (I add this)
How long elephants usually live (I write this on web)
Okay-so as we read, let's think about these things and what the book tells us about each-
How elephants use their trunks, what elephants eat, how long elephants live.
Let's see..
I present the book and take his right hand again. Can you give me a pointer finger again? I help him isolate his index finger. I hold his hand and help him to track the print with his finger as I read aloud softly. At the end of the first paragraph which was about elephants' use of their trunks, I stop and present the white board. Ok-what did the book tell us-I point to the part of the web-about how elephants use their trunks? Let's pick 2 examples to write down here on our board.

I restate 3-4 examples from the reading, summarizing:
We read that they use their trunks...
To pick things up
To eat
To spray themselves with water
To breathe -
Like here in this picture-look-it said they can even use their trunks like a snorkel to breathe when they are underwater-that's what this elephant is doing I this picture...Michael looks at the picture. Where is its trunk? Michael points to it in the picture. Yeah-he's swimming underwater here, but his trunk is above water...
What do you want to add to our web? I read from the white board

How elephants use their trunks
I present choices-writing key words
Pick things up
Breathe
Eat
He points to "breathe."
Ok-I write breathe on the graphic organizer. Yes-one thing elephants use their trunks for is to breathe.
Let's write one more example.
I read again
Do you want to say that another thing elephants use their trunks for is to..."pick things up".... or to "eat?"
I point to each choice on the board.

Michael points to "pick things up."
Ok-I write it on the white board in the part of the graphic organizer about using their trunks.
Let's read some more. I refer to the graphic organizer one more time first, pointing to sections and saying,
So we read about how elephants use their trunks. As we read some more, we're going to pay attention to what this book tells us about what they eat and how long they usually live.

I present the book. We read another paragraph about what they eat. Again I support Michael's finger to track as I read to him at a normal fluent pace. We repeat the steps with the white board...Through the process he chooses two more examples which I add to the graphic organizer about what elephants eat-grass and leaves. It's more work than the first time, but we get them down and he has participated in making the choices. But we are losing some momentum. I know I am pushing him with the reading stuff.

He is moving around more, leaning on me and making some noises. I suspect he needs some sensory input. Do you need a squeeze, buddy? I give him some firm pressure-three times. It seems to help.
I say, Are you ready to write Michael?
He signs More
I pick up the laptop.
More writing?
He signs again "more."
Ok-I open a powerpoint presentation. It takes a minute. He is patient now, focused on the computer.
I open a title slide. I type the word ELEPHANTS in the title bar saying to Michael,
So this is our title page. This piece is going to be about Elephants. Then I type "by" and take his hand to offer support.
Who's the author? No response.
Whose piece is this? Who is doing the writing? We need to write the author's name here. Is it Michael or Ms Smith?
Slowly, he types in Michael. While I support his hand and offer resistance he quickly finds each letter in his name.
Let's find a picture for our title page. I go in to clip art. Again he is patient through the steps-waiting, and watching. There are only 3 crappy choices of elephant pictures in my clip art. I say how about one of these?
Michael points to one on the screen.
Ok-you want that one. I show him how to select it with the mouse. He clicks on it. I resize it on our slide and re read the words at a normal pace-Elephants-by Michael...pointing to each word..
I open a new slide.
Okay-what do you want to write about Elephant? I refer to the graphic organizer, pointing. Do you want to write about how they use their trunks-or what they eat? He points to trunks.
Ok-what do you want to say?
I sketch out a sentence starter on the white board. You could start something like:
Elephants use their trunks to ...
I read it aloud-How does that sound?
He reaches for the keyboard. I support his hand. He looks back and forth from the white board as he selects letters to type. I say the word and each letter in his ear as he types-helping him locate letters if he hesitates for more than a few seconds. I don't want us to lose the flow.
What will you say? Pick things up? or breathe.
He points to breathe.
He types it in (with some physical support and resistance)-looking back and forth from the white board to the keyboard. Can you add a period since that is the end of your sentence? I wonder if he knows where it is. No response. I show him on the keyboard. Here it is. He types it. I read his sentence to him, pointing to each word.
Shall we add a picture?
I take us back into the crappy elephant pictures in clip art. Do you want one of these?

Michael points to a different one. I let go of the mouse. He selects it and clicks on it.
We repeat the process, one more slide, one more sentence, one more picture. He's getting more physically active. It seems he is losing interest or distracted by what is going on with his body. I offer and give some more quick "squeezes." It's more work, I have to facilitate more to get through the steps. He's about finished with this. I try to get him to add a slide that says The End. He leans over and bangs his head on me a couple times. I ask if he needs more squeezes-2 or 3? I give him two more firm hugs.
I put the slide show in view mode and show him the slides, reading each to him. He is barely looking now-glancing and then banging his head on me-not in an aggressive way, but he's had it.
We're almost done here, Michael. You're doing great. We're just going to read what we have and we will be finished.
I finish reading the last slide to him.
Thanks for reading and writing with me Michael. Good writing.
Do you want to take a break?
I write

yes no

He points with lightening quickness to yes--

Ok buddy-sure-take a break.

His TA comes over to help him choose something. He gets up. I take my laptop, and our book and whiteboard.