Focus Learners

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You will need to develop a focus learner profile (student profile) in your “class.” You will need to post the focus learner profile in Discussion board.

IMPORTANT: See the Focus Learner Profile checklist below to ensure that you are meeting assignment requirements.

  • After developing your focus learner profiles, post it on the discussion board.
  • Each Candidate will post at least three (3) questions about their own Focus Learner assets (knowledge of learners: personal, cultural, and community) to one of his/her peers.
  • Comment on one other candidate’s post by answering their 3 questions. Ask three additional questions about other candidate’s focus learner’s.
  • IMPORTANT: Below are examples of what a profile may include. Your description of your Focus Learner profiles should include information that would help you develop a clear picture of who your learner is and how the learner engages with the work.

Your focus learner must have an exceptionality identified on his/her individualized educational program/plan (i.e., IEP, IFSP or other plans). Select a learner that is representative of the varied/range of learner needs in your class. 

The bolded descriptors below must be included (skills, socio-economic, language, and culture). Please include at least three of the other background descriptors in your profiles. These are what would be important for you to know about the learner.

You will find a student work sample from which you can create a student achievement chart hereLinks to an external site.

IMPORTANT: Your description of the Focus Learner profiles should include the following information:

  • Skills, strengths (Present Levels of Performance – PLOP) for Reading/Language Art, Math, Speech/Language
  • Aspirations and passions (interests)
  • Likes and dislikes
  • Life experiences
  • Languages spoken
  • How the student likes to learn
  • Struggles or potential barriers to learning (Social-emotional and
  • Academic challenges)
  • Cultural, ethnic background
  • Socio-economic level(s)
  • Anything else the teacher deems important

IMPORTANT: Before you submit this assessment, review the How do I select a focus learner and the checklist below: 

“How do I select a focus learner? The focus learner must have an exceptionality identified on his/her individualized educational program/plan (i.e., IEP, IFSP or other plans).

Select a learner that is representative of the varied/range of learner needs on your caseload or in your class. The focus learner selected should have multiple learning or support needs (do not select a focus learner with the fewest needs). You want to be able to demonstrate your ability to meet the complex needs of a learner. As a candidate, you are not evaluated on whether your focus learner is able to respond correctly to each learning task. You are evaluated on your ability to plan for, respond to, and evaluate and assess the focus learner’s strengths and needs. A learner with varied challenges will provide opportunities for you to demonstrate your skill in planning, instruction, and assessment. At least one of these needs (academic needs, identified by an IEP goal or support needs, identified by either an IEP goal and/or required accommodations/modifications) must be aligned with the focus learner’s IEP. The learning goal you develop or the specific planned supports to help the focus learner achieve the learning goal must be based on the focus learner’s IEP. Finally, because you are required to document that learner’s performance over several days, you will want to choose a focus learner who typically has consistent attendance.” (SCALE (2018). Making Good Planning Choices Instruction in Special Education. Retrieved January 6, 2021, from http://www.edtpa.com/Content/Docs/edTPAMGC_SE.pdfLinks to an external site.

IMPORTANT: Use self-checklist before you submit this assignment:

Checklist for Focus Learner Profile

Complete

Incomplete

Focus learner’s primary classification per IEP

Focus learner’s classification as identified in the IEP is described.

Focus learner’s classification as identified in the IEP is not described.

Focus learner’s strengths and challenges and their potential impact on learning instruction and the learning targets.

Focus learner’s strengths and challenges and their potential impact on learning instruction and the learning targets are described.

Focus learner’s strengths and challenges and their potential impact on learning instruction and the learning targets are not described.

Focus learner’s interests, aspirations and passions

Focus learner’s interests, aspirations and passions are  described with examples.

Focus learner’s interests, aspirations and passions are not described.

Focus learner’s likes and dislikes

Focus learner’s likes and dislikes are described with examples.

Focus learner’s likes and dislikes are not described.

Anything else the teacher deems important

Review these references in order to complete this assessment

  1. Avallone, A. (2017, September 08). Getting to Know You: Learner Profiles for Personalization (Opinion). Retrieved January 01, 2021, from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-getting-to-know-you-learner-profiles-for-personalization/2017/09Links to an external site.
  2. Kanaan, R. (2019, February 15). What Are Learner Profiles and Why Are They Important? Retrieved January 01, 2021, from https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/learner-profiles-what-why-how/Links to an external site.
  3. Lynch, M. (2018, April 25). Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Learner Profiles. Retrieved January 01, 2021, from https://www.theedadvocate.org/heres-everything-need-know-learner-profiles/Links to an external site.
  4. Weber, K. B., & Cole, V. (n.d.). Special Education. Retrieved January 01, 2021, from http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/commoncore/guidance-commoncore-template.htm Links to an external site.
  5. Ell Language portraits. Purdue English Language Learners Language Portraits. (n.d.). Retrieved J from http://elllps.squarespace.com/work Links to an external site.