This process will be repeated during Week 3. Week 3 will also feature a passage and comprehension questions. This time, however, Jonathan will be asked to read the passage aloud to the therapist and answer the subsequent comprehension questions. This week will include a writing exercise, with fairly simple instructions that relate to Jonathan's passion for athletics. During Week 4, the complexity level of the reading will be increased to Level 2, with writing instruction still remaining fairly simple. Jonathan will also be asked to learn a number of similar word pairs for a brief spelling test. For Week 5, both reading and writing will be presented at a Level 2 complexity level. This will continue up to Week 8, when the sessions will finish. During the subsequent week, the post-tests will be administered to determine whether the remediation was successful.

Post Testing Results

Jonathan initially seemed to be very awkward and shy, but not hostile. He did not appear willing to work with the therapist, but with some persistence began to talk about his feelings surrounding his sport. After a basis of trust was established, Jonathan proved willing to work with the therapist, and no difficulties were experienced with transitions between the easy and more complex work assignments during the sessions.

Jonathan's parents proved conscientious regarding Jonathan's home exercises, and the boy seemed well prepared when he arrived for sessions. The teacher and school counselor also reported that the problematic behavior no longer seemed to be prevalent during class time. Jonathan better understood the tasks to be completed, and was willing to work with the teacher and his classmates during school hours.

In academic terms, his reading...

Such qualitative data appeared to indicate that the therapy seemed to be successful. On the quantitative level, the post-tests were administered during Week 9, after the termination of the therapy sessions. The tests indicated an improvement in Jonathan's reading comprehension and auditory skills of at least one level. His level 2 results were for example nearly flawless, with fairly good results at level 3. Indeed, his level 3 results appear similar to his level 2 results during pre-testing.
The results show that Jonathan's work improved remarkably by paying attention to the child's emotional connections with the work, as well as his self-confidence levels. Evidently, he is mentally able to cope with the difficulty level of the work. Both the teacher and parents have however been alerted that he will need particular attention and motivation when his grades appear to indicate struggle.

It is recommended that Jonathan visit the therapist once ever month for a year for follow-up sessions, after which the sessions can occur twice annually until the parents or Jonathan himself terminate them. These are simply to monitor progress and identify any problems that may reemerge, particularly during the first months of each new grade.

It is also recommended that Jonathan be monitored very closely by both his teacher and parents. The therapist will provide a list of indicators that can be used as a reference to determine the reemergence of possible problems.

With the correct guidance, Jonathan and students like him can excel in areas where they would otherwise simply be average students. Tests like the ones applied to Jonathan's situation are therefore extremely helpful in providing guidance for remediation. Jonathan is an extremely clever student, but tends to underestimate his own abilities and often lacks confidence when the difficulty levels of work suddenly rise.

Jonathan's parents should ensure that all his future teachers are aware of his challenges, and that they handle these in appropriate manner to realize the boy's full potential, which is considerable. I have full confidence that Jonathan could make a great success of any career that he chooses. His proficiency in sports should be encouraged, as he derives great pleasure and relaxation from this. The cumulative effect is then a better academic career as well.