instructions
Case Study Alternative Report for Education Students 1800 words 50%
Drawing on relevant concepts from two of the following theories, critically analyse Sam’s learning and developmentand provide educational strategies to support Sam.
Your selected theories should be different from the ones selected for your Assignment 1 Essays 1 & 2.
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory
Attachment Theory
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory
Behaviourism
Describethreespecific concepts or key ideas from each of the two theoriesof your choice (6 concepts in total)and explain how the application or absenceof each may be influential in Sam’s learning and development. Provide educational strategies informed by your knowledge of Sam’s situation and theoretical concepts that will support his learning and development. Consider classroom set up, concrete materials, time allocation and specific practices for Sam’s teacher. All discussion about theoretical concepts, relevance to development and learning and pedagogical practices need to be supported by scholarly references.
Sam is a 7 year old boy who is experiencing difficulties at school. He has recently moved from a small rural school in the mid-North of the state to a much larger one situated on an R-12 campus in a low-socio-economic area. Limited information has arrived about his prior school experience. However, it is known that on the family farm he enjoyed helping his parents with farm activities like caring for animals, and cultivating fruit and vegetables from the family garden. It was a reluctant move to the city for the family as a result of falling commodity prices made farm life no longer viable. Sam’s father is now away much of the time, working as an interstate truck driver. When he is home, he is very tired or busy preparing for his next trip. At present, the teacher has had limited contact with Sam’s mother who has been busy with a new baby and settling into suitable accommodation. Many other parents spend time in the morning either reading with their children or practicing site words. However, mum and Sam have been observed chatting away as they walk together into the school. He says ‘bye’ to mum with a bit of a pout and gives his baby sister a peck on the cheek. Mum quickly departs.
Sam’s teacher has set up a very bright and inviting classroom, however there is limited space. She has created simple, yet effective morning, break time and end of day routines and uses a children’s song as a prompt to pack up in which many children enjoy. Every Friday after lunch Sam’s teacher provides free play in which children are allowed to construct crafts, play board games and engage in other activities she sets up.
Sam finds it difficult to concentrate on tasks, particularly when the teacher expects children to work quietly and independently to complete their work book tasks. He appears to have difficulty adjusting to a more structured school routine. He seems uncertain about what will happen next and what is required of him. However, he has taken the task of becoming the lunch monitor very seriously and undertakes this daily task in a responsible way. He navigates the school grounds easily and efficiently without distraction. When he returned from the canteen one day, the teacher commented, ‘Well done, Sam. You have done a great job. The Canteen staff have told me how careful and polite you are’. He smiles and he stands a little straighter.
Sam constantly fidgets, is distracted, and does not concentrate when the teacher brings the children together for a discussion. For instance, he soon lost interest in a group discussion about children’s beach experiences (as a prelude to a discussion about the types of creatures that live in the sea) because he has never been to the beach. His language, literacy and maths skills seem to be well below the standard expected for his age, and he has difficulty completing the work assigned to the whole class.He soon forgets what he is meant to be doing. As a result he is often disengaged and frequently disruptive in class. This results in the teacher becoming frustrated and insisting that he works alone at the front of the classroom. Sam’s teacher has also sent home work sheets with Sam so he can practice at home.
He loves looking at non-fiction books about farming – he can recognise familiar farm equipment and closely studies pictures of equipment less familiar to him, noticing differences. He draws detailed pictures of big trucks and farm machinery and can tell his teacher very specific information about each one (its name, purpose, what individual parts do etc).
Sam was really excited by the prospect of conducting a real scientific experiment (about using different materials to filter water and make it clean. However, the other children were noisy and crowded around the teacher as s/he demonstrated how to…… As a result he could not hear her instructions or see what she was doing. He tried to follow what other children were doing, but the lesson was soon over and he felt quite disappointed.
He generally plays on his own during recess and lunch (climbing trees and sharing his lunch with the local magpies) and has trouble entering group play with others. The teacher has tried buddying him up in class activities and has asked some responsible children to try to include Sam in their play during recess and lunch.This has met with some early success.