Read the following case carefully; then answer the questions that follow. Although answers may vary, responses should be consistent with the information presented in Chapter 6 of the textbook.
Joe was born into a professional family. His father is a schoolteacher; his mother is the vice president of a bank. When he was little, he was constantly moving, a quick, wiry child who was always cutting himself or spraining an ankle at play. He was usually easygoing, but showed occasional impatience when things went slower than he would have liked.
Joe had to repeat kindergarten-a function of his short attention span. But scholastic development since then has been normal. He does not enjoy reading, however, and this is reflected in his grades. He gets A's and B's in science, math, and computer, and C's and D's in English and history, courses that require a good deal of reading.
Joe is now a junior in high school. In the last year, he's shown dramatic improvement in his spelling skills, which he attributes to the spelling checker he uses daily when typing his class notes. He doesn't think high school is particularly exciting, nor does he think it's boring. It's just there and okay. He enjoys his family and friends, and for the most part he's happy.
- Do you think Joe has a learning disability? Support your answer.
- What advice would you give to Joe's parents about his future in college?
- How would you help Joe improve his reading skills?
- What part would a computer play in your intervention strategy?
