• Tom appears motivated but wants a quick fix. He doesn't seem to understand why he has problems with his spelling and writing and really doesn't see it as a big deal. This may be a bit of avoidance on his part. Tom does have fairly strong verbal skills and he has used this skill to get around his weaknesses, although unconsciously. He can be easily distracted and has difficulty staying focused. He appears to be quite upfront with what he wants.

General conclusions:

Further informal assessment would be needed to determine the possibility of an auditory learning disability and the level of spelling and writing challenges. If Tom wants to obtain his Grade 12 diploma, both reading and math skills should be assessed. It is recommended that this assessment be done with Tom before entering into any discussion about potential learning disabilities.

Case Study B - Samantha

Observations and information gained from the general intake

• A 24- year old female who just enrolled in the LBS program at a local college to work towards her ECE certification.
• She left school at 16 due to pregnancy - her son is now 7 seven and attending first grade.
• Samantha is highly motivated and is ready to make this step, although she is nervous since her previous school experience was not positive.
• She has a good support system - her grandmother provides daycare when needed.
• Samantha indicates she struggled throughout elementary and high school with her reading skills and often disrupted the class during quiet time when they were required to read.