Action Research Plan

Observed Issue:
Students with Special Needs show difficulties to follow a lesson in general terms. This difficulty
increases when the contents are explained and students have to work on L2
My question is: How can I integrate Students with Special Needs in the bilingual Science
lessons?
Subject:
Grade:
Variables/Factors:
Science
5th
Group of 25 students- 10 years old.
One child with an intellectual disability. 12 years old
with a intellectual age of 7.
All students have been in the same group for the last 4
years so there are no problems of integration.
Language:
English

Class:
-

Interventions:
So far I have designed some adapted worksheets for
the student to work on the content with a lower level of
difficulty but she tends to work individually.
She follows the activity when is based on pair work but
does not participate when the groups are bigger.
As for the interaction with the teacher, the lesson is
given in English. I use a very basic vocabulary so she
can understand the explanations but this slows the
rests of the students work. I
I have tried to catch her attention and make her feel
part of the group but the fact that I have to speak
Spanish to her makes her feel shy and different.

Literature
Review:
- Dual Language
Development &
Disorders: A
Handbook on
Bilingualism and
Second
Language
Learning (2nd
Edition)
By Johanne

Article/Study 1:
Some Myths
Regarding ELLs
and Special
Education
By: Else V.
Hamayan, Barbara
Marler, Cristina
Sanchez-Lopez,
and Jack S.
Damico (2007)

Article/Study
2:
English
Language
Learners with
Special Needs:
Effective
Instructional
Strategies.
By: Alba Ortiz
(2007)

Article/Study 3:
-English
Language
Learners with
Special Needs
By:R. Rueda, G.
Ragusa (2015)

Article/Study 4:
Bilingual and
Special
Educational
Needs in
Inclusive
Classrooms:
Some Critical
and
Pedagogical
Considerations
By: Liasidou,

Paradis, Fred
Genesee, and
Martha B. Crago
-Working with
bilingual
language
disability.
By: Deirdre M.
Duncan
(2013)
Data Collection Techniques &Tools:
Observation of the students attitude in
the lesson.
Analysis of existing records and the
students work on previous years.
Interviews with specialists and parents.
Video recording.

Anastasia (2013)

Initial:
Interviews.
Analysis of
existing records
and work of
previous years.

Ongoing:
Observation
Interviews
Analysis of the
students
progress.
Analysis of
videos with the
specialists and
parents.

Final:
Fieldnotes.
Surveys &
evaluations.
Final interview
with parents and
specialists to
analyze results
and share
feedback.

Timeline: School year (from September to June)

Implement Intervention:
As the student feels more confident with some written support (texts, worksheets) I have included
in the worksheets some tasks that enhance the students participation in the lesson. The student
is used to ask for help individually, mainly to the teacher or to her peer (mentor classmate) but
my intention is to make her become a participant in the whole group.
Including these tasks I try to create the necessity in the student to ask for information, advice,
support from the teacher or classmates in group activities while they are going on.
As for the rest of the class, I try to create a code so children understand that when we interact
with her, we have to adapt our language level to her comprehension level. So we should not take
for granted that we have to speak with her in Spanish.
The action plan is demanding as these students have been together for 5 years, following a
different routine, but I think it could improve the student with special needs integration and
create an atmosphere in the class where all of us feel more comfortable. However, it will take
time and it may not be achieved totally at the end of the school year.
In any case, this plan will provide me with a valuable tool to work on values with my students.

Data Interpretation:
The analysis of explicit data helps me to design a realistic plan according to the students past
records.
The interviews with specialists provide me with a valuable help during the plan to adapt, change
or improve different aspects as we commented the results and I receive feedback.
The interviews with parents give me information about the students attitude when she is not at
school.
Thanks to the video recordings, I had the chance to share with the specialists and parents some
examples of the action plan in practice.
Observation shows that the most challenging aim is to chance the routine and make all group
aware of a new procedure, specially when this means doing something totally new. The most
difficult part is to make children adapt their level of English when talking to the student with
special needs instead of speaking Spanish.
As for the student with special needs, her integration improves as the other students notice the
importance to make her take active part in the lesson and work for it.
Finally surveys and evaluation will show a final record of the results of the action plan.

Evaluate Action Research Plan:

In general terms, the plan may work effectively if these aspects are considered:
-New worksheets should be given to the students explaining what we really are expecting from her. A fi
explanation can be given can be given individually but immediately afterwards every information should
given to the group.
-A deep and intense explanation of the new routines should be given to the group so they can follow the
same guidelines
from the beginning.
-The same guidelines should be followed without exception during the whole lesson, no matter the type
task or activity.
-As the student starts feeling confident to ask for help or participate in some way in the classroom, posi
reinforcement
and praise should be given.
-Interviews with specialists and parents are essential to share results inside and outside school.
-Possible inconveniences:
- Lack of time. As it will take some time for the students to get used to the new routines and
procedure, longer
time than a school year may be needed.
-Persistence. It is important to insist in the use of the routines on a regular basis. All participan
should be
constant in spite of the difficulties.
Reflection:
I have worked with SEN of different kinds in many occasions and I have always tried to make them
feel part of the class group. With the bilingual program, the lessons given in L2 introduce a new
situation in the lessons and the difficulty to integrate SEN increases.
I totally believe that the bilingual program helps students to develop their intellectual skills so it

does not make sense that it turns into an inconvenience with SEN.
With this action plan I think we can find an example of both things: integration of SEN is possible
and positive in a bilingual lesson.
Original template by Arayna Yearwood, 2011. Updated by Bonnie Corretjer & Maria Katradis, 2012. Updated by Maria
Katradis & KelleyWebb, 2015.