Statement Of Focus: Identify An Area Of ESE Or Education ✓ Solved

Statement of Focus: Identify an area of ESE or education you

Statement of Focus: Identify an area of ESE or education you can change or improve. Explain why this change is meaningful to you as an educator. Describe what other educators or professionals tell you about this topic. Explain how the desired outcome fits your educational philosophy. Describe the student or group you want to change (Who? What? When? Where? How?). Explain the administration of the needs assessment: how you will collect data, the population (two 8‑year‑old second‑grade students with ADHD engaged in distance learning due to COVID‑19), the instruments used (questionnaire, QABF, ABC recording), the schedule and procedures, your prediction of findings, and the process that led to choosing these instruments.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

This statement of focus details an action research plan aimed at improving on-task behavior during distance learning for gifted elementary students diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The paper explains why this change matters, summarizes professional perspectives, aligns the outcome with my educational philosophy, describes the target students and problem context (who, what, when, where, how), and outlines the administration of a needs assessment using a caregiver questionnaire, the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF), and Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) recording. The plan includes a schedule, data collection procedures, predicted findings, and the rationale for choosing these instruments.

Area to Change and Rationale

The targeted area for improvement is increasing on-task behavior during synchronous and asynchronous distance learning for gifted second-grade students with ADHD. Distance learning shifts instructional control from the classroom to the home, often reducing environmental supports and increasing distractors (Dhawan, 2020). For gifted students with ADHD, under-engagement and task avoidance during remote lessons can reduce academic growth despite high potential (Barkley, 2013; DuPaul & Stoner, 2014). Improving on-task behavior in the home setting is essential to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities during periods of remote instruction.

Meaningfulness to Me as an Educator

This change is particularly meaningful because it addresses both equity and efficacy: I want students to access instruction meaningfully regardless of setting and to translate giftedness into measurable learning outcomes. Successful distance engagement supports continuity of instruction, prevents regression, and fosters independent learning skills in students with self-regulation challenges (Alberto & Troutman, 2013). Implementing evidence-based behavioral supports promotes student autonomy and long-term academic success.

Perspectives of Other Educators and Professionals

Colleagues and professionals commonly observe that the classroom offers better instructional control and fewer distractions than the home environment. They note caregivers may lack training in prompting academic engagement and that home schedules are often less structured, contributing to inconsistent responding and potential biases when caregivers assist students (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). Practitioners also emphasize that functional assessment is critical before selecting interventions so strategies target the maintaining variables of problem behavior (Horner et al., 1997; Matson & Vollmer, 1995).

Alignment with Educational Philosophy

My educational philosophy holds that schools are optimal learning environments but that effective instruction can occur in alternative settings when appropriate supports are in place. A strengths-based approach that combines behavioral science with differentiated instruction honors gifted learners while acknowledging self-regulation needs. Applying behavioral interventions that are respectful, data-driven, and individualized aligns with inclusive, learner-centered practice (Mills, 2018; Cooper et al., 2007).

Target Group and Problem Description (Who, What, When, Where, How)

Who: Two second-grade, 8-year-old gifted students diagnosed with ADHD enrolled in a K–12 elementary school that transitioned to distance learning due to COVID-19.

What: Reduced on-task behavior during synchronous lessons and independent assignments delivered remotely; behaviors include task refusal, off-task engagement (e.g., leaving screen), crying/whining, and escape attempts.

When: During scheduled distance learning periods (live lessons and assigned independent work) over typical school days.

Where: The students’ homes, during the learning blocks designated by the school schedule.

How: Likely maintained by escape from demands and intermittent attention from caregivers and siblings; environmental distractors and lack of consistent instructional prompts contribute to reduced academic engagement.

Administration of the Needs Assessment: Data Collection Plan

Population and Timing: The needs assessment will involve the two identified students during a regular instructional week of distance learning. Data collection will span multiple days to capture variability across lesson formats and times.

Instruments and Rationale:

• Caregiver Questionnaire: A simple, developmentally appropriate survey gathers caregiver observations and contextual details about routines, schedules, preferred activities, and perceived triggers. Questionnaires are efficient for caregivers and yield background information necessary for functional hypotheses (Mills, 2018).
• Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF): The QABF is an indirect, caregiver-rated instrument validated for identifying functions of problem behavior (Matson & Vollmer, 1995). It provides a structured lens on attention, escape, tangible, and sensory functions, guiding selection of function-based interventions.
• Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) Recording: Direct observation during lessons will document antecedents, specific behaviors, and consequences in real time. ABC data allow formation of testable hypotheses and baseline measurement of on-task intervals (Horner et al., 1997; Cooper et al., 2007).

Procedure and Schedule: The assessment will run over a five-day instructional week. Day 1: caregiver questionnaire and QABF administration via secure online form or phone interview. Days 2–5: live ABC recording during representative synchronous lessons and independent work blocks (two 20-minute observation windows per day), yielding temporal data for baseline on-task percentages. Caregivers will also maintain brief session logs to triangulate observations.

Data Scoring and Use

ABC data will be converted into percentage of intervals on-task per observation block and graphed across days for visual analysis. QABF scores will be examined for highest-scoring function(s) to prioritize intervention targets. Questionnaire responses will contextualize routines and potential reinforcers identified in preference assessment data.

Predicted Findings

Based on preliminary observations and teacher reports, I predict increased escape-maintained behaviors (task refusal, withdrawal) and attention-seeking behaviors when caregivers are present. Home environmental distractors and inconsistent schedules are likely contributors, resulting in variable on-task percentages across sessions (Dhawan, 2020; DuPaul & Stoner, 2014).

Process Leading to Instrument Choice

Instrument selection was guided by principles of action research and behavioral assessment: use tools that are feasible in the home context, developmentally appropriate for young students, and that yield functionally relevant data for intervention design (Mills, 2018). The caregiver questionnaire provides quick contextual data; the QABF offers a psychometrically supported indirect assessment of function (Matson & Vollmer, 1995); and ABC recording delivers direct observation necessary to establish baseline and validate indirect findings (Horner et al., 1997; Cooper et al., 2007).

Conclusion

This needs assessment is designed to generate actionable, function-based hypotheses about on-task deficits during distance learning for gifted students with ADHD. The combination of caregiver report, structured indirect assessment, and repeated direct observation will support selection of individualized behavioral interventions to increase remote learning engagement, consistent with evidence-based applied behavior analysis and inclusive educational practice (Alberto & Troutman, 2013; Barkley, 2013).

References

• Barkley, R. A. (2013). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment. Guilford Press.
• Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd ed.). Pearson.
• Matson, J. L., & Vollmer, T. R. (1995). Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF): An indirect measure to assess functions of problem behavior. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities.
• Fisher, W. W., Piazza, C. C., Bowman, L. G., Hagopian, L. P., Owens, J. C., & Slevin, I. (1992). A comparison of two approaches for identifying reinforcers for persons with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 491–503.
• Horner, R. H., Carr, E. G., Strain, P. S., Todd, A. W., & Reed, H. K. (1997). Problem behavior interventions for young children with developmental disabilities: A research synthesis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27(3), 287–305.
• Mills, G. E. (2018). Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher (6th ed.). Pearson.
• Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: A panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49(1), 5–22.
• DuPaul, G. J., & Stoner, G. (2014). ADHD in the Schools: Assessment and Intervention Strategies (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
• Alberto, P. A., & Troutman, A. C. (2013). Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers (9th ed.). Pearson.
• UNESCO. (2020). Education: From disruption to recovery. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved from https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse