Laura Walker

Log for Pre-clinicals

Dr. Cummins

Name: Laura Walker

Observation/Get to Know You Log

CHILD Day of the WEEK with Content: Strengths and/or Additional Thoughts:
DATE Weaknesses

Observation 1
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: Child A is participating in the Child A really wanted to join in
9.8.2020 phonics-based activity, using the with her peers but seemed
new phonics wall. The teacher upset and embarrassed about
says the letter, a word that begins her mistake and couldn’t then
with the letter and the work out or keep up with
corresponding sound and the where the rest of the class was.
students are then expected to
repeat, chorally. The student was
able to remember the letters,
word and sound up to “c” but
then confused the letter “d” with
“b” and stopped joining in with
her peers.
Strength: Child A showed
excitement and willingness to join
in the whole group activity and
wanted to participate. She
showed true desire to learn but
got confused and lost in the
chorus.
Weakness: It is unknown if she
able to complete the rest of the
alphabet as she stopped singing
after getting lost but was
observed confusing the letter “d”
as “b”.

Child 1 Monday Morning Math: Testing number recognition Child A appears very
9.8.2020 with missing numbers on a 1-10 enthusiastic to learn and did
number line. The student asked, mini celebrations when she
“is this the snowman one” and correctly figured out what the
was observed being able to count missing numbers were. She
up until 9 and hold up 9 fingers. appeared to also try hard to
Child A pointed to the number 8 think, when looking at numbers
when referring to the “snowman she didn’t know, looking at her
one”. She then pointed to the fingers and around the
number 4 and said, “I don’t know classroom.
what this is” “what number is this
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

one?”.
Strength: Child A has some level
of number recognition including
number 1,2,3,5,6,7 & 9.
Weakness: Child A appears to
have difficulty identifying number
8, which she referred to as the
snowman one, and the number 4
which she verbally asked for
support with figuring out.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: The objective of this lesson Child B appears to have short
9.8.2020 was for the students to be able to patience and persistence for
write their name and draw a tasks he feels he is not capable
picture of themselves on the first of and instead of asking for
page of their writing journal. Child help, scribbles out his work and
B was observed writing backwards does not want to carry on.
and jumbling up 3 of the letters in
his name. His writing, although on
lined paper, also resembled a
mountain and started straight,
then went almost into the date at
the top of the page. Child B was
observed trying to attempt his
second name, which is quite long
and get frustrated. Once
frustrated he scribbled over the
entire page and closed the
journal.
Strength: Child B got the first 3
letters of his name correct, even
though they were not in the
correct position and were written
backwards.
Weakness: Child B appeared to
become easily frustrated when he
didn’t know how to write his
second name and destroyed the
page.

Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: Students were working on Child B appears to be able to
9.8.2020 a matching activity in which they fluently count, both the images
were required to count the and match the number with
number of pictures and match it the correct written numeral but
with the written numeral by also lack impulse control and
drawing a connecting line. Child B despite being told not to do
was observed counting the something, waited until the
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

images correctly and drawing the teacher’s back was turned and
correct matching lines for 4 out of did it anyway.
6 of the items. Child B then
shouted out to ask if he can color
in the images with his marker, to
which the teacher responded to
with no. Child B then got his
marker out of his box and went
over two of the connecting lines
with the marker pen.
Strength: Child B was able to
successfully count and match 4
out of 6 of the items and finished
earlier than most of the class.
Weakness: Child B appeared to
dislike being told no and decided
to continue to trace over the
connecting lines in marker despite
being asked not to by the teacher.

Observation 2
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: After reading the text “First Child A worked really well in
9.14.2020 Day Jitters”, the teacher asked the the partnership and allowed
students to stick the writing time for the other student to
prompt into their journals which speak and then followed up on
read “I think Sarah was feeling…”, what she said with a responsive
the teacher asked the students to and appropriate answer. She
turn around to their closest desk did have good comprehension
partner and discuss how they of the book and several big
think Sarah was feeling on her ideas, but just struggled to put
first day of school. Child A was those thoughts and the spelling
observed saying to her partner “I of the actual words, down onto
think she was feeling a little paper.
scared because nobody might like
her at school”. Her partner
responded with “she might make
some friends” and Child B
responded with “I would try make
her my friend and then she
wouldn’t be scared”. After the
discussion, the students were
directed to try finish the sentence
starter, they just stuck in their
journals. Child A was observed
trying to write the word “scared”
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

and wrote “skd”.

Strength: Child A was able to put
herself in the characters shoes
and relate the theme of the book
to her own real life and how she
would act.
Weakness: Child A was struggling
to hear any of the vowel sounds
in the word scared and only
identified the consonant
beginning and end sounds.
Child 1 Monday Morning Math: The students were exposed The teacher took considerable
9.14.2020 to addition for the first time today amount of time introducing the
in the form of pictures, counting students to the addition
various different pictures to get symbol, so it is not believed
the sum/answer. Child A was that the student was
observed attempting to count uncomfortable or unsure of
flowers (3 flowers + 2 flowers). what the addition sign meant.
Child A was overheard counting It is felt that she struggled
1,2,3, and then recounting the during this task due to her
first 3. She then looked at the number recognition and
other 2 flowers and counted 1,2. counting being poor.
Child A then looked at her fingers,
held up 2 fingers and said 6,7.
Child A wrote 6 as the answer.
Strength: Child A correctly
counted the first 3 flowers.
Weakness: She appeared to
become confused with the
prospect of adding another 2
flowers and began
recounting/counting the other 2
flowers as singular entities.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: The students were working Child B appeared to struggle
9.14.2020 on short vowel sounds during this processing what he had just
afternoons ELA lesson. The done and repeated several
students were tasked with filling times when he was sounding
in the missing short vowel from out the word “cat” with the
10 three letter words such as teacher. When asked the
“cat”. The students had a letter repeat what they just did he
bank to help them at the bottom couldn’t.
of the page as a clear visual. Child
B was observed writing the letter
“o” in the middle of 5 of the
words and then writing various
scribbles after the printed word.
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

The teacher came over the Child B

and erased the letters he had
written into the spaces and asked
him “what letter are you hearing
in the middle of the word cat”,
Child B responded by saying “the
letter “o”. Together they then
sounded out the word “cat” using
the finger stretching strategy and
again the teacher asked Child B
the same question. Child B
responded with “e”.
Strength: Child B was able to
follow the teacher when sounding
out the word using the finger
stretching strategy. He correctly
identified the syllables and sounds
when working alongside the
teacher.
Weakness: Once asked which
sound he was hearing in the
middle of the word, even after
saying it aloud, several times, he
replied with the incorrect short
vowel and couldn’t seem to
remember what he just identified.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: The students are Child A followed the correct
9.14.2020 participating in more addition strategy for solving addition-
problems, but instead of using based problems using numbers
pictures to work out addition instead of pictures. She was
problems, they are now using able to draw the correct
circles. Child A was working on number of circles to
the problem 5 + 2, she drew 5 correspond with the 2 numbers
circles and counted verbally up to but appeared to get confused
five, tapping each circle as she when it came to count the
double checked. She then drew 2 number of circles when the
more circles and went back to the number was slightly larger.
start to count them all, when she
got to number 4, she double
tapped the circle and ended up
with the “snowman one” which is
what she names the number 8.
The next problem was easier and
was 2+2, Child A correctly solved
this problem with the correct
number of circles and final
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

answer.
Strength: Child A correctly
managed to solve smaller addition
problems using number under 5.
She was able to draw the right
number of circles and find the
sum.
Weakness: Child A appeared to
struggle with addition above 5
and seemed to get confused and
double tap circles when numbers
were slightly larger.

Observation 3

Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: Students were participating Child A has strong verbal and
9.21.2020 in a conversation/class discussion discussion skills and can really
after the teacher read the see the meaning behind the
students the text “the Recess text and relate to the
Queen”. The teacher asked the characters in a way that other
students what Mean Jean was like students cannot. Her auditory
as a character. After several skills are significantly higher
students responded with answers than her written skills.
such as “mean” and a “bully”,
Child A was observed raising her
hand and saying, “I think she
actually turned out to be a
friendly character”, the teacher
prompted further and asked Child
A why she thinks that. Child A
said, “well at first she was the
bully and people were scared if
her but then the new girl at
school wasn’t scared if her and
now, they play together at
recess”.
Strength: Child A had an
alternative perspective when it
came to the character of mean
jean and thought more
divergently than other students.
Weakness: No weakness was
observed during this discussion-
based observation period
Child 1 Monday Morning Math: The objective for today’s Child A may have been
9.21.2020 lesson was for students to confused about the concept of
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

recognize turn around facts. That turn around facts because she
3 + 4 AND 4 + 3 both equal 7. It was looking for the literal
doesn’t matter which order those match instead of looking for
two numbers are in. The students the numbers in a different
were to match the turnaround order (turned around).
facts with a line and then color
the circles the same color. Child A
was observed drawing a line
between 5 + 1 and 3 + 1 and
coloring them both pink. She also
drew a matching line between 4 +
3 and 4 + 5. The one turnaround
fact the student did match
correctly was actually the trick
question which included matching
4 + 4 with another 4 + 4. Child A
colored both of those circles
yellow.
Strength: The student was able to
correctly spot the trick in the task
with 4+4 and was also able to
match part of the turnaround
facts, in the two she completed
both had one of the same
numbers included.
Weakness: The student appeared
to not read the who number
sentence and instead focused on
the first number and matched it
to another sentence that had the
same first number. She didn’t look
at the second number.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: Child B was observed during Child B has been getting much
9.21.2020 small reading group time where more 1:1 help and has been
he was reading 2 letter sight going to title and is still
words including the words “on”, struggling with any sort of
“it”, “is” and “if”. Child B was letter recognition skills.
observed looking at the word “is” Although this student is not on
and said to the teacher “what any IEP or 504 plans, the
word is this”. The teacher told teacher and me feel at this
Child B that it was the word “is” point, Child B needs testing for
and it’s one of our sight words we a special educational need as
have been working on. The he is showing no improvement
student then put his finger on the despite interventions. No child,
first letter of the word “is” and he however, because of the Covid
said, “this is the letter ‘a’ right?”. learning gap, can be tested
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

The teacher responded with until January.

saying “that is the letter I, it
makes the ‘I’ short I sound”. Child
B responded with “ohh yeah
that’s the word fish!”.
Strength: At times Child B can
become easily frustrated and not
want to listen to directions. It was
a positive that during this
observation, Child B was observed
listening and responding well to
the teacher.
Weakness: Child B is still very
much struggling with letter
recognition. Even when the
teacher verbally tells him what
the letter is, a few seconds later
he will respond by calling it a
different letter.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: Students are participating Child B struggles to follow
9.21.2020 in making their own turn around directions when he doesn’t
facts. The students have 2 dices want to. The teacher spent
and roll them once. They are to considerable time discussing
make an addition problem, solve appropriate dice usage and the
it and then write the correct turn teacher stressed multiple time
around fact for the addition to be gentle and not drop them
sentence. Child B was observed from a height. Child B appeared
rolling his 2 dice once and then to be listening throughout this
rolling it again, but instead of discussion but chose to do
rolling them gently, bounced otherwise.
them off the table so they rolled
under another student’s chair. He
got up out of his chair to go and
get them and was asked by the
teacher why he is moving around
outside of his chair box without
asking. He said his dice had rolled
under Child X’s chair and was
going to get them. The teacher
retrieved the dice for the student.
He then was observed rolling it
gently this time and writing the
addition fact 2+6. He was
observed using his fingers to try
solving this problem but wrote
the number 6 as the sum. He then
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

picked up the dices and bounced

them off the table again.
Strength: Child B seemed aware
of what directions were expected
of him, he knew where to write
the number sentence and what
lines he was expected to use.
Weakness: Child B had trouble
following the rules when it came
to use the dices and wanted to
bounce them off the table despite
being prepper beforehand on
how to use the dices gently.

Observation 4
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: Teacher is reading the text Child A appears to be able to
9.28.2020 “Crazy Hair Day” and asks the correctly identify main events
students how they know, using and answer comprehension
evidence from the text, that the questions but with additional
class was nice to Stanley, the prompting and further
main character in the text. Child A questions provided by the
raised her hand and said, “his teacher. She did need
friends were nice”. The teacher additional wait time to do so.
responded by asking Child A how She appears really engaged and
she knew. After some wait time, wanting to participate/be
the teacher asked, “what did the included in group conversation.
students do to their hair?”. Child
A was able to answer with “they
put gel in their hair to make
themselves look silly too”.
Strength: After some wait time
and further prompting from the
teacher, the student was able to
identify a main event in the text
and answer the comprehension
question.
Challenge: Child A required extra
wait time and additional
help/prompting from the teacher
to answer the comprehension
question.
Monday Morning Math: The objective for this Math Child A appears to be able to
Child 1 9.28.2020 lesson was for the students to be accurately count her numbers
able to find 3 different ways of 1-10 but seems to be unsure
making the number 7 by using about how to write the
circles to help them. Child A wrote numbers she is saying and if
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

0+7 and drew 7 circles to show she correctly identifies and

this number sentence, she then writes the numbers, she is
wrote 3+9=7, but although this unsure of which way it is
was an incorrect number supposed to face. She appears
sentence, she went onto draw the to enjoy participating in group
correct number of circles to show collaboration and class
7, 3 circles and 4 circles. When discussions and always wants
asked by the teacher why she to have a thought or input to
wrote the number nine, she said it share.
was a 4.
Strength: The students drawing of
the actual circles to represent the
number sentence was correct, she
correctly counted up to 7 and
represented that 3+4=7.
Challenge: She appears to be
confusing numbers when writing
them down. She is saying and
counting them correctly but is
wrongly identifying the number
visually to write onto paper.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: During journal writing time Child B appeared to be really
9.28.2020 the students were asked to write thinking when the teacher
about what their crazy hair style asked him what sound he is
would look like. The teacher hearing at the beginning of
wrote under the document blue and had noticeable wait
camera the beginning of the time in order to consider his
sentence for the students, saying answer. Even after repeating
“my crazy hair would…”. Before the word blue several times,
writing, the teacher asked each the student said “p” again and
child what they are planning on several other letters before the
writing. When she reached Child teacher told him verbally.
B, he responded with “blue and
straight”. The teacher verbally
praised Child B and said that
sounded like a great idea. During
observing his writing, Child B
managed to correctly copy the
sentence starter that the teacher
provided and then raised his hand
and asked “how do I spell blue”,
the teacher, pointing to the
phonics wall next to him asked
“what sound are you hearing at
the beginning of blue”, to which
the student responded with “p”
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

and pointed at the pig visual.

Strength: Child B correctly
identified an appropriate
response to the journal question,
that actually made contextual
sense and managed to copy the
sentence starter from the board.
Challenge: Child B appeared to
struggle with identifying the
sounds that he is hearing at the
beginning of words and then
connecting that sound with its
letter.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: Students were tasked with Child B had a much more
9.28.2020 counting on to find the missing positive attitude during this
number in order to get the total. Math lesson and took the help
Example 6+ _ = 8. Student had to and support from the teacher
tap their head and say the starting better than in previous lessons.
number and then use their fingers He did not get distracted and
until they reached the desired listened to her 1:1 direction. By
total, which was 8, so they should doing this he then was able to
have been holding up 2 fingers. go on and solve the rest of the
Child B was observed following problems himself, with no
the directions, but as well as support, and get them all
tapping his head, holding up a correct.
finger, so he was automatically
always getting one more than he
needed to be correct. As the
teacher approached to check
Child B’s working out, he said
“look at all these I have done”.
The teacher explained again that
he only has to tap his head, not
put up that finger. They did a
second one together with the
teacher modelling alongside him
and he successfully got the next
one correct.
Strength: During this observation,
Child B took great direction and
corrected the mistake he was
making.
Challenge: Child B was struggling
to understand the concept of not
repeating the number that he
started with so was always getting
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

one extra than he needed.

Observation 5
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: Students were tasked with It was felt that Child A
10.5.2020 reading a short decodable struggled with the
passage, focusing on the short ‘a’ comprehension question part
sound and answering 3 of the task due to the fact that
comprehension questions from she was reading very slowly,
the text. Child A was observed sound by sound and was
sounding out the decodable struggling to put the word
passage, word for word but together. Due to the fact it
mixing up her b’s and d’s. took her so long to read and
Example: Child A was observed there was no fluidity, her
sounding out the word “bad” as comprehension of the text and
“dad”. Child A appeared to read what the words were saying as
the short passage, several times whole sentences, were not
and was observed raising her connecting.
hand to ask the teacher what the
word “had” said.
Strength: Child A was trying to
apply the decoding and blending
strategies she has been taught
during small group time.
Challenge: She consistently
throughout the reading of the
passage, confused her b’s and d’s.

Child 1 Monday Morning Math: This lesson the students Child A appeared to be able to
10.5.2020 were introduced to the concept of do the more challenging part of
touch points and were tasked the task, which was identifying
with writing numbers (1-10), one and drawing the touch points
at a time, on their whiteboards onto the written numbers, but
and then drawing on the struggled with the easier part
applicable touch points. Child A of the task, writing the
was observed correctly writing numbers. Many of her numbers
and identifying the touch points were also backwards, however,
for 1, 2 and 4 put when she was this is consistent with her 1st
asked to draw the number 7, she grade age.
raised her hand and asked, “which
one if that again, is that the
snowman one again?”. The
teacher drew the number 7 under
the document camera for Child A
and she copied it onto her
whiteboard.
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

Strength: Child A was able to

write and draw the appropriate
touch points for 3 of the numbers
used and after some assistance
with the number 7 was able to
draw the touch points, including a
double touch point, on that
number too.
Challenge: Child A is still
struggling with consistent number
identification and knowing which
number is which.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: Using their whiteboard, the Child B appeared to be using
10.5.2020 students were given 6 different the phonics wall, which is
nonsense words, said aloud one positioned right next to him, to
at a time by the teacher, and search for the correct sound he
were tasked with sounding the was hearing at the beginning of
nonsense words out and writing the word “vap”. He was
them down. The child was definitely listening and
observed copying the teachers focusing, especially when
modelling of sounding out the working 1:1 which the teacher
word “vap” and putting up 3 but appeared to not be able to
fingers to note 3 syllables. Child B process the sounds.
drew the 3 lines for the letters to
sit upon (showing 3 syllables) but
wrote the nonsense word “wak”
instead of “vap”. Child B worked
with the teacher on a 1:1 basis
and was observed struggling to
recognize what letter corresponds
with the sound “v” in “vap. Even
when verbally told it is a “v”, Child
B erased his previous “w” and
wrote down a “z”.
Strength: Child B heard and
correctly identified the correct
middle vowel, the short a sound.
Challenge: Child B was completely
unable to identify the beginning
or ending sound, even when
verbally told by the teacher what
the sound and letter was, he
wrote the wrong letter.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: This afternoon, the It is not known what Child B
10.5.2020 students were tasked with using was talking about, he was
the touchpoints they learnt earlier definitely not engaging in
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

to solve addition problems by conversation with another child

counting the number of touch or adult and appeared to be
points on the written numbers. pointing at the paper, tilting his
Child B was engaging in head left and right and
conversation, with what appeared laughing. It is felt if Child B
to be himself. He was talking wasn’t so distracted, he could
aloud quite loudly to the point have completed this worksheet
where other students were to a higher degree of
looking at him and turning correctness.
around. When redirected, Child B
completed the first 2 problems, 1
correct and one incorrect but
close, and then reverted to talking
to himself and laughing. The
teacher then went and perched
on the desk next to Child B and
supervised him finishing the
worksheet.
Strength: Child B’s Math work and
usage of counting touch points as
a solving strategy was around 80%
correct, with the incorrect
answers being only 1 off. When
supervised he worked
consistently and in an appropriate
time.
Challenge: Child B gets very
distracted and on several
occasions was laughing and
talking to himself aloud. This
resulted in other students
becoming distracted.

Observation 6
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: The students were tasked Child A appeared to have
10.12.2020 with completing a comprehension strong comprehension skills
question based on the book and retold many important and
“Fletcher and the Falling Leaves”. smaller events from the text
The objective was for the that other students couldn’t
students to answer the question remember. Although she was
“what kind of friend was Fletcher” able to verbally express this in
with the goal of receiving an discussion and conversation,
answer along the lines of when it came to write she
“Fletcher was a kind friend”. Due appeared disconnected and
to this student being a low-level frustrated.
learner, she was given a sentence
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

starter saying, “Fletcher was a…”.

The student raised her and was
able to tell the teacher verbally,
that Fletcher was a kind friend,
because he wanted to save all the
leaves and was sad when they
were falling off the trees”.
However, when it came to write
this down on paper, in a 10min
time period, she only copied the
sentence starter.
Strength: Child A’s
comprehension skills and ability
to verbally retell key details of the
story was exceptional. She paid
close attention throughout the
read aloud and knew all the
characters in detail.
Challenge: When it comes to
writing down her comprehension
response, which was verbally
correct, she struggled and spent
the majority of the 10mins
rewriting the sentence starter
incorrectly.
Child 1 Monday Morning Math: Today was the first lesson Due to this being the first initial
10.12.2020 of subtraction. The teacher was exposure to subtraction, Child
completing a subtraction problem A may have still been focused
on the document camera, using on addition, which we have
numbers under 5, and was spent several weeks working
expecting the students to follow on.
along, using their unifix cubes as
support. The teacher was working
on the subtraction problem 4-1
and asked the class to get 4 cubes
out of their bags, Child A got 4
cubes out of her bag. The teacher
then asked the students to put
one back in the bag, Child A took
another cube out of the bag and
wrote the answer 5.
Strength: The student correctly
got the right number of cubes out
of the bag to begin the
subtraction problem.
Challenge: Instead of putting a
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

cube back into the bag, she got

another one out and added 4+1 to
get the answer 5.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: During a class discussion, the Child B appeared frustrated
10.12.2020 teacher was asking sequencing- and a little angry when the
based questions to the class teacher suggested that he
regarding the text “Fletcher and check the answer and began to
the Falling Leaves”, the teacher flip back through the text to
asked, “What happened to the see. His turning around to not
leaves at the end of the story?”. face the teacher could be due
Child B was observed raising his to embarrassment or him being
hand, and saying, “nothing annoyed and needing to calm
happened”, when the teacher down.
tried to explain when this was
incorrect and why, his said “no,
no, no” and turned around,
straddling his chair, so he was
facing the back of the classroom.
Strength: Child A was
participating in class discussion
and actively raised his hand to
answer the teacher’s question.
Challenge: Child B appeared to
struggle with understanding and
comprehension regarding key
details from the read aloud text.
At the end of the book, the leaves
fell from the tree because the
seasons changed but Child B
answered, “nothing happened”.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: This afternoon, the class It is felt that Child B would have
10.12.2020 was still working on subtraction been able to successfully
but instead of using numerals, complete this word problem as
focusing on subtraction-based he completed the first 2 steps
word problems. The question was with ease. His distraction and
“there were 5 pumpkins in a attitude towards the task is
patch, 4 rolled away, how many believed to have prevented
after left?”. The goal of this lesson him finishing in the allotted
was for the students to solve this time.
problem by highlighting the
important information, drawing
the biggest number of circles and
then drawing a ring/crossing out
the smaller number of circles in
order to get the difference. Child
B was observed highlighting the
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Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

important details in the problem,

but then trying to get another
students attention at the other
side of the classroom by shouting
their name. When redirected,
Child B drew 5 circles, but when
the teacher turned back around
to work more 1:1 with another
student, he went back to shouting
across the classroom.
Strength: Child B appeared to
understand the correct solving
strategy and highlighted the
correct important numbers in the
word problem and also drew the
correct number of circles to start
with, 5.
Challenge: Child B was very
distracted and consequently
distracted other students in the
class. He did not get any more
work done on this problem and
ended up staying in at recess to
finish.

Observation 7
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: The read aloud today was a Child A has strong verbal skills
10.26.2020 child friendly, nonfiction text and can verbalize the sounding
about Bats. Afterwards, the out and stretching of words but
students had to write one thing cannot 100% translate this
they had learned about bats into dictation onto paper in her
their journal. Child A told the writing.
teacher that she wanted to write
“bats are nocturnal and are
black”. Child A was observed
sounding out and using the finger
stretching strategy to sound out
the word “bats”. She correctly
identified the letters b, a, t but
wrote the letter ‘d’ as opposed to
‘b’. She wrote “ar” for the word
‘are’ and then attempted to
sound out the word “black” but
again wrote the letter ‘d’ as
opposed to b.
Strength: Child A managed to
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

utilize a strategy we have been

practicing continuously for the
past few weeks and has started to
be able to correctly spell more
words correctly, including sight
words.
Weakness: Child A is still
struggling to differentiate her b’s
from her d’s. She can say the
letter aloud, recognize it by sight,
but cannot then translate this
onto paper in her writing.
Child 1 Monday Morning Math: Students have been given a Due to the test being a mix of
10.26.2020 mixed addition and subtraction- both subtraction and addition,
based test to do in numeral it is not known if Child A
format. The teacher or I are not doesn’t understand the
allowed to assist with this test as subtraction symbol or simply
it is the end of chapter 2 exam. got carried away with addition
Child A was observed using the as the first few problems were
drawing of the circles strategy to addition-based problems. Child
solve the addition problems. For A is also showing that she
the problem 2+5 she drew 2 remembers and is able to try
circles and then drew 5 more. She implement strategies she is
was then observed using her learning and being taught.
number line, which she is supplied
with for differentiation reasons,
and touching the number 8 and
the number 7. After several
minutes she wrote the number 7.
When she reached a subtraction
problem, Child A was observed
drawing more circles and using
addition and opposed to
subtraction. The problem read, 9-
3. Child A drew 9 circles and then
went on to draw 3 more.
Strength: Child A successfully
used a practiced strategy to solve
the addition-based problem and
correctly identified the number 7,
which she has struggled with.
Weakness: Child A ignored or
didn’t successfully read the
subtraction symbol and continued
to add numbers, resulting in the
incorrect answer.
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: Students were tasked with Child B is showing less
10.26.2020 completing a Halloween themed frustration with his behaviors
phonics matching activity. The and is starting to be able to
center of the bat was a vowel and utilize appropriate stretching
the students had to look at strategies when sounding out
various pictures and figure out words.
which picture had the same
middle vowel sound as the center
of the bat. Child B was observed
holding the bat with the “a” vowel
in the center. He was then
observed looking at the picture of
a nut, and saying n-u-t, and trying
to use his fingers to stretch out
the word. He put the ‘a’ bat down
and picked up the “u” vowel bat
and said once again n-u-t. Child B
then raised his hand and shouted
“Mrs (teachers name), does this
go here”. The teacher responded
with “yes, good job”, so Child B
attached that image to the bat
with glue. Child B then picked the
picture of a bat. He again
attempted to stretch out the
word but appeared to be saying
bet as opposed to bat.
Strength: Child B correctly
identified the middle vowel sound
in the word nut.
Weakness: Child B struggled to
say, pronounce or identify that
the bat was meant to be b-a-t and
not b-e-t.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: This afternoon, the Child B and the rest of the class
10.26.2020 students are doing the second have been shown multiple
half (second 10 out of 20) of the different ways and strategies to
subtraction and addition-based solve addition and subtraction
end of unit test. Child B was problems and the use of fingers
observed trying to use his fingers has always been strongly
to solve the addition problem 6+4 discouraged as a useful
but was getting to 10 and putting strategy as students
his fingers back down and trying continuously hold 1 finger up
again. He was then observed for the first number they are
looking at his number line but saying, resulting in a wrong
going from right to left as answer that’s one more than it
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

opposed to left to right. Child B should be.

then spent approximately 4 mins
rocking backwards and forwards
on his chair until the teacher
came over and told him to skip to
a question using two numbers
below 5, and to try work on that
one first. After the teacher left,
the student continued to work on
the 6+4 problem but appeared to
be getting repeatedly confused
with using his fingers and ended
up writing 02 on the answer line.
Strength: Child B attempted to
use the number line, which was
provided for him as an extra
resource for differentiation. He
also showed willingness to want
to return to a problem, despite
clearly being confused.
Weakness: Child B didn’t appear
to understand or remember how
to use his number line despite
having multiple weeks of practice.
He was reading the number and
moving his finger from right to
left, when for addition, he needed
to be doing the opposite.

Observation 8
Child 1 Monday Morning ELA: For today’s journal prompt, Child A is great at using tools
11.2.2020 students had to write about and strategies she is given to
something fun they did with their help her and always make use
family over the weekend. The of them. She knew that the
teacher instructed the students to journal prompt would help her
do a turn and talk with their spell some of the words she
closest desk partner to discuss needed, such as the word
what they are going to write as “weekend”, so she underlined
their sentence. Child A was it and copied it word for word
observed telling her partner “I’m which is a strategy we have
going to write that I went to the been teaching since we began
Trunk or Treat with my Grandma journal writing.
and Grandpa and I got lots of
candy but my favorite ones are
the starbursts. Then I want to
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

write that I had a party at home

and wore my new orange
pajamas”. When it came to write
this in her journal, Child A was
observed using the journal
prompt sentence strip to help her
spell the word “weekend”, she
underlined it and then used the
typed print to spell it letter by
letter. Then she was observed
looking at the phonics wall. She
was overheard saying “I know it’s
a digraph, I just don’t know which
one”. During the 15mins span of
journal writing time, Child A wrote
“Ovr the weekend, I did tnc tret
gama and gmp.
Strength: Child A is recognizing
that digraphs appear in words as
she was looking at the digraph
section on the phonics wall.
Weakness: Child A couldn’t seem
to identify which digraph
appeared in trunk and treat,
although she appeared to know
there was one.
Child 1 Monday Morning Math: Today Math involved a 2- Child A is much stringer
11.2.2020 part review for the Chapter test verbally. She can count
that will be on Tuesday. It correctly out loud, can verbally
involved a range of different identify how many circles are
strategy’s, mainly relating to left, but then will write a
subtraction and working out the completely different number. It
difference. Child A was observed is believed that this is due to
highlighting the important still struggling with fluently
information in a word problem recognizing numbers and
that asked her to work out “how thinking that one number looks
many ducks were left”. Child A like another.
was observed drawing the correct
number of circles to solve the
problem but instead of putting a
ring around and crossing out 6
circles, she crossed out 5. She was
then observed counting, out loud,
how many circles were left, which
was 4 but then was observed
writing the number 5.
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

Strength: Child A is able to begin

to work out subtraction-based
word problems correctly using
circles, she is drawing the correct
amount to start with and
highlighting important
information to solve.
Weakness: Child A’s number
recognition and ability to write
what number she is identifying
and counting leads her to get the
answer incorrect.
Child 2 Monday Afternoon ELA: This afternoon Child B was in Child B’s ability to process what
11.2.2020 reading group with one other he is being told and learning is
child and was reading a low-level concerning as it’s not just in
decodable reader titled “Gus on ELA he shows this struggle. It
the Bus”. Child B was observed can be in regular conversation
looking at the word Gus and too or other content areas.
saying “mouse”, the teacher
asked Child B what letter was at
the beginning, to which Child B
responded with “a letter z”. The
teacher explicitly told Child B that
this was a letter G like Guitar on
our phonics wall. Child B then
tried to read the word Gus again
and said “b-u-s”. The then said g-
u-s, Gus, using the finger
stretching strategy. Child B copied
what the teacher had just done
correctly. She then asked Child B
what the word was whilst
pointing at the word Gus and
Child B said “uss”.
Strength: Child B managed to
correctly copy what the teacher
did with regards to her finger
stretching the word Gus, which
was one of the main words in the
text.
Weakness: Child B cannot appear
to process or remember what he
is explicitly being told multiple
times. He looks at the words and
the letters, is told the letter and
then will say another letter.
Laura Walker
Log for Pre-clinicals
Dr. Cummins

Child 2 Monday Afternoon Math: This afternoon the students Child B’s confusions and
11.2.2020 were tasked with completing the struggle with processing, much
second part of the Math review like in ELA, carry over into
for tomorrows chapter test. Child Math. The teacher explicitly
B was working on a question that told Child B what he needs to
used vertical subtraction for 7-3. do to solve and he was
The students had a provided box observed struggling to do so.
to write their answer and space to He also appears to zone out for
use any preferred strategy to extended periods of time and
solve. Child B was observed stare.
scribbling over the 7 and writing a
backwards 5 nearby. He then
drew 3 circles and scribbled out
one. The teacher then came over
and asked him to erase what he
had done and draw her 7 circles in
the space. Child B then drew 7
circles, he was then observed
staring at another student for
around 3-4mins before the
teacher came back over and
asked him what he should do next
to solve. Child B said, “draw more
circles”.
Strength: Child B was able to
follow the teacher’s redirection
and task to draw 7 circles.
Weakness: Child B appears to not
understand how to read the
numbers of the problem or thinks
he needs to create his own
problem through scribbling out
numbers.