Laura observed Wolfe, a 10-year-old nonverbal student with disabilities, for 16 hours to create an individual profile. Wolfe is physically typical for his age but struggles cognitively and socially-emotionally. He has strengths in math and reading but cannot communicate verbally. According to assessments, Wolfe functions at a preoperational cognitive stage and lacks skills in cooperating with peers. The profile recommends teaching Wolfe sign language for communication and increasing inclusion in general education classes to support his learning and development.

1. Individual Differences
Student Profile
[Type the document subtitle]
Laura Flores
5/3/2012

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Individual Differences Student Profile
I have always been afraid of helping exceptional students with disabilities. I was afraid
that I may be hurting the students instead of helping them, or plain simple not know how to teach
the students. When I went through my observation I saw that helping exceptional students with
disabilities was nothing like what I thought it would be. Working with Wolfe, I have gain
confidence in working with other exceptional students. I have observed Wolfe for 16 hours, and
have gathered data to write up a profile on him. This profile I included Wolfe’s general
information, physical development, cognitive development, and socio-emotional development
and have indicated in what areas are his strengths and weakness.
General Information
The student’s first name is Wolfegang, male, Caucasian. His parents, peers, and teacher
call him Wolfe. He is 10 years old and is fourth grade. He is currently on an Individual
Education Program (IEP). He is a non verbal exceptional student. In his family there are 4
children, and two adults.
Wolfe has 3 siblings. He is the oldest of the family. Wolfe’s brother in 1st grade has a
sister in kindergarten, and one baby sister who is under a year old. He lives with both mom and
dad. Grandpa seems to be well involved and supportive in the family. I am not sure where the
father works, but his mom is a stay at home mom.
Wolfe’s elementary school has for the most part a typical school schedule. On
Wednesdays the school has a “late start” where the school starts at 9:30 AM instead of 9 AM.
The school has a zero tolerance for bullying. Wolfe’s spend most his time in the extended
recourse room (ERR) to receive special education according to his IEP. He has an aid that is
always with him. It is not always the same aid, but he is never left alone. Even at recess he has an

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aid who watches him, and maybe other student. Wolfe is partial inclusion with general education
class. He is stays in his general education classroom right after lunch recess where he joins his
classroom for “Read out load.” The general education teacher reads to the class. He also stays
with his class when they go to any specials (P.E. Music, Computer, or Library), or if the class is
working on an art project. When the activity is over he walked down to the ERR. Wolfe rides
the bus to school and back home. He is only dropped off on Fridays. Every morning when he
arrives as school to school he has sensory session, and after lunch recess he has other sensory
session but the aid ties in math into the session. On Fridays, Wolfe does not arrive to school until
10 AM because he has occupational therapy (OT).
Physical Development
Wolfe has dirty bold hair, blue eyes, is about 4 ft and 8 in. His skin color is ivory, and has
no birth marks that I have seen. Physical maturation compared with his peers who are same age
are the same. He has no physical disabilities. He looks like any average 10 year old boy. He
writes with his right hand.
Wolfe’s general physical health is that he has good vision, hearing, and no chronic health
problems. He does however have a language disorder. He is not able to speak as well his peers.
When he gets mad or upset he is not able to speak, so squeals very loud. The assistive technology
device that he owns is an ipad that his parents provide for him. Sometimes, he will bring up a
picture of fried chicken which indicates that he is hungry. I believe that he has both a pragmatics
disorder and semantics disorder.
Wolfe’s fitness includes his P.E special, he walks 15 minutes after lunch recess, but does
not actually play at recess. Walking for 15 minutes is something the school does together. His
large and small muscle development is normal compared to other peers his age. He has a couple

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spots where he sits or lays down. Sometimes, when he is out his normal playground he sits on a
rolling ball that attached to parts, or he lies down on the grass beside a fire hydrant. Many
students come up and speak to Wolfe, but he only repeats back what they said to him. I believe
that he is capable of playing, but does not find it interesting. He is able to hold a pencil, markers,
to write or draw.
Wolfe’s nutrition is consists of many snacks throughout the day. In many ways food is
used a positive reinforcement to get his work done. At lunch, he will not eat most of it. He is a
very picky eater, and does not like messy foods. He more likes to eat finger foods for example:
chicken nuggets, and fries. The aids always place out snacks for him when he gets some of his
work done. His snacks arrange from Fritos, Gold Fishes, pretzels, and popcorn. Every two weeks
his ERR class does a life skill cooking project. Where he or one his peers measure out
ingredients, stir, cook, or bake food.
Cognitive Development
Wolfe’s Academic/school history is that he was placed in the special education in
kindergarten. His week weakness is in Speech, forming verbal or written sentences. Some of his
strengths are math, reading, and spelling. Since his weakness is speech, Wolfe has an alternative
communication that is used with his ipad.
Some of the behaviors Wolfe demonstrates are autism behaviors. He is not able to focus
very long. When his general education teacher reads out load they made an accommodation for
Wolfe to have Silly Putty with beads, so that he can stay in his seat. When doing his work the
motivation that he has is that he knows that he gets a snack when he is done with the work.
According to Jean Piaget Wolfe is in the Preoperational stage and the Concrete
Operational stage (Baker, 2011). Wolfe has not fully acquired language since he is not able to

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speak. However, he has many skills in the Operational stage for example: he can order things by
sizes, understand family math numbers, but I am not sure if he could tell that a short wide cup
can hold the same amount of liquid in a tall thin cup. Language skills Wolfe is able to read, and
say the words, but not able to say sentence on his own. He gets frustrated when teachers don’t
know what he wants or needs. He points at pictures that are on his binder that have food, a clock
that is broken in two, or cup of water. That represent that he is hungry, needs or break, or that he
is thirsty. The teachers try to prompt him to say the sentence on his own, but he only represents
what is being said.
Socio-emotional Development
Wolfe’s interaction with peers seems to be only a one way connection. He doesn’t ever
go up to other students. Many other students have gone and talked to Wolfe, but really don’t get
a responds back but what they just said to him. None of the students pick on or bully him. The
interaction with adults, he does the same thing. Only that the follows direction, and does he
school work for the adults. I am not sure where his self concept and self-esteem level are at. I
assume that he his self-esteem is normal. Wolfe does not seem to have a negative attitude
towards his own self.
According to Eric Erikson the stage of socio-emotional development Wolfe is at the
Industry Versus Inferiority (competence) stage and learning Initiative Verse Guilt (purpose)
stage (Socio-emotional development, 2012). Wolfe is not able to relate himself with peers
according to rules, progressive free play according to the Industry Versus Inferiority. Wolfe doe
not broaden his skills through active play, or cooperate with others.
Summary

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My major findings are exceptional students are not as difficult as I thought it would be.
Wolfe is non-verbal, with intellectual disabilities. Working in the ERR is something I would like
to get more experience in. I like how most of the time Wolfe got more one on one time with the
teachers. Wolfe is at typical level in the general and physical domain. He has a normal school
schedule like any other students except for Fridays he comes to school late. He has a typical
family that he lives in with his sister, brothers, and mom and dad. In both the Cognitive and
Socio-emotional he is not at a typical level. For cognitive, he was placed in the ERR. Even with
the other exceptional students he was the one that is in the ERR the most. The other students
spend more time in their general education class. Wolfe is also the only one that doesn’t speak
fluently like the other students or exceptional students. For the Socio-emotional Wolfe should be
in the Concrete Operational Stage according to Piaget, and in the Industry Versus Inferiority
(competence) according to Erikson. I don’t think Wolfe is able to see things at a different view
point or be able to work as a team.
Some of Wolfe’s strengths are math and reading. His need is he needs to find a way to
communicate with his peers and teachers. I think if he learned American Sign Language (ASL) it
would help communicate sine he is not able to form his own verbal sentences. With ASL this
can take away the frustration of when he tries to get his need across to the teacher or aid. Wolfe
could have more time to learn than the teacher try figure out what Wolfe wants or needs.
What specific strategies that would help Wolfe support his learning and development are
universal intervention with peers in his general education classroom. I think he needs to be
exposed more to his peers. I feel like keeping him always in his the ERR hinders some his
development and relationships with other students. Since he doesn’t get to know them during

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class, only at certain times, and activities. Overall, Wolfe is in great elementary school that has
the resources that he acquires for developing exceptional student.

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Bibliography
Baker, M. (2011, December 15). Chart of Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development. Retrieved
April 17, 2012, from Useful Charts: http://www.usefulcharts.com/psychology/piaget-
stages-of-cognitive-development.html
Stages of Social-Emotional Development. (2012). Retrieved April 17, 2012, from Child
Development Institute Parenting Today: http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-
development/erickson.shtml