Cognitive Science 301

Applied Cognitive Science and Education
Fall 2006

Case Studies

See pages 60 - 65 for ideas to help you create/design possible modifications to manage each child's attention deficits in these 3 case studies.  One student has weak Mental Energy Control, one has weak Processing Control, and one has weak Production Control.  (Educational Care by Mel Levine, 1994)

Jeff:

    Jeff is six years old and in the first grade.  His teacher has become exceedingly frustrated because she cannot seem to "reach him."  He frequently stares out the window and shows a keen interest in irrelevant stimuli.  He makes comments about sounds out in the hallway and seems to overhear better than he is able to hear.  Jeff often disturbs other children in the classroom.  He likes very much to stir things up.  He appears to crave excitement and intense experience of any kind.  His parents report that Jeff makes trouble at home, too.  He is chronically restless and seems to require constant stimulation in order to feel content.  In class, Jeff's mind is extremely active.  He daydreams and fantasizes.  His dreaming frequently prevents him from processing that which is occurring in the classroom.  The very same dreaming, however, enables Jeff to draw fantastic images and to be remarkably inventive in his thinking.

Susan:

    Susan is a sixteen-year-old girl who is struggling to keep pace academically.  She is a high-creative person who is capable of generating truly original ideas.  However, in school she frequently appears to be bored and tired.  Her teachers cat her "staring into space."  They note that she yawns and stretches on many occasions.  Susan is not a very hard worker.  Her parents report that she is very resistant to doing homework.  She insists that she did it all in school, but reports from her teachers contradict this. Susan's parents and teachers are boggled by her inconsistency.  On some days she is highly productive.  On many other occasions, her work output is inadequate and the effort required for an assignment seems too much for her.  Her parents report that Susan has trouble falling asleep.

Sam:

    Twelve-year-old Sam is always on the go.  He shows a great deal of overactivity.  In fact, he readily admits that he is "hyper".  Everyone agrees that Sam means well, but he frequently gets into trouble in school and at home.  Most of the time it is because he does or says things too quickly without predicting their consequences.  Sam's academic work could be excellent, but he constantly rushes through things and fails to notice any mistakes he makes.  Sam is not well liked by his peers.  This is because he often offends them with his odd comments and actions.  When he says something that irritates other children, Sam just doesn't notice their reactions.  His unpopularity saddens Sam deeply.  He is a sensitive and kind person who would like very much to succeed with friends and with academic pursuits.