Louis: A real case study

Louis is a 5energies© learner, who initially came to the Learning Centre in 2006.

In year 3, despite Louis scoring below the mean in literacy and areas of numeracy, he received no additional support or assistance at school, as ascertained by his parents. He was supported by his classroom teacher, in normal school programmes, and continued to receive school reports that indicated that his progress was ‘poor’.

Louis began at 5energies© in May of 2006, coming twice a month for approximately eighteen months. He was screened intensively with results indicating significant issues with phonological awareness, midline crossing, auditory processing, visual processing and social interactions. His behaviour had deteriorated significantly both within class and at home, and his parents were more than concerned.

Within a year of intensive support, with parents and 5energies© staff working in partnership, and his own hard work, Louis had the confidence to achieve a position on the Under 12 State Representative Cricket Team and wrote his own speech to gain vice-captaincy of the school. Louis has now ‘graduated’ from 5energies©, on the proviso that if he feels that he needs additional support, he is now able to ascertain his own needs, take control of his own learning and return for more assistance.

Year 3	Year 5	5energies© Intervention	Year 7
Writing: below the mean Border between lower end of middle score and top end of lower range	Writing: below the mean (same position) Border between lower end of middle score and top end of lower range	5energies intensive screening into the factors preventing Louis from learning effectively and an appropriate intervention programme based on his needs.	Writing: above the mean
Spelling: below the mean and the middle range Top of the lower range	Spelling: below the mean (slipped further behind) Midway in the lower range		Spelling: on the mean
Reading and Viewing: below the mean Bottom of the middle range	Reading and Viewing: below the mean and national benchmark (slipped further behind) Midway in the lower range		Reading and Viewing: below the mean and still in the bottom half of the middle range but above national benchmark
	Numeracy overall: below the mean and national benchmark Midway in the lower range		Numeracy overall: above the mean and at the top border of the middle range
Number: on the mean in the middle range	Number: below the mean and middle range (slipped further) Top end of the lower range		Number: above the mean and in the top half of the middle range
Measurement and Data: on the mean in the middle range	Measurement and Data: below the mean (slipped further) Bottom end of middle range		Measurement and Data: Above the mean and above the middle range
Space: below the mean Bottom of the middle range	Space: below the mean (slipped further) Bottom end of the lower range		Space: Above the mean, and in the top half of the middle range

December, 2007

To 5 Energies

Louis here, I’ve typed up this letter to say how much I have improved on everything I know. I’ve gotten a lot better at spelling, reading and best of all my writing because I could only write 10 lines, but now I can write 2 pages or more for a story. In reading, I am more fluent and my comprehension is getting a lot better. Spelling, I can be finished 1st and have it done correctly. I can have great fun with doing work now because it is so much easier.

I’m thanking you all at 5 Energies for helping me with all things I was bad at and I learnt so much more I never realised. So thank you very much.

Have the best Christmas and New Year.
From Louis

And here is a note from Louis’ parents …

To all staff at 5energies,

We would like to extend a very big thank you for helping our son over the last 18 months. With your help, patience and understanding he has gone from a boy who was having lots of trouble with his reading and comprehension and avoiding it at all costs by causing trouble in the classroom as well as outside in the playground, to now putting his hand up wanting to read.

We noticed in the year 2 net that he was below average and tried at the school to get support, but they did not agree that he needed it. My husband and I went back over a lot of what was done in the last 2 years with him again at home, but English is such a hard language to teach, and there are so many rules that not even we knew, but somewhere along the way he had missed a lot of the basics. Louis continued to struggle as did our fight to try to get support for him. When he came to year 7 the school suddenly realised he was not up to a standard and quickly offered support, but they were too late. 5energies had already come along the yearbefore, and Louis was starting to thrive.

He has become a capable, confident reader who is now looking forward and is ready for high school. We can’t wait to watch his growth in the next phase of his life. Thank you.
Louis’ Mum & Dad