Case Studies
Susan
Susan is in an auditioned 9th grade concert chorus. This is her first year in chorus after an unsuccessful attempt at violin. She auditioned for the group at the end of 8th grade. The audition piece was the “Star-Spangled Banner.” The director was very impressed with her voice and immediately accepted her into her first soprano section with no knowledge of her reading disability. Susan reads at the 2nd grade level. She has an excellent sense of pitch and a lovely singing voice. She is very motivated to learn and loves chorus. Susan sings in church choir where her director teaches primarily by rote.
Susan is extremely popular with her peers. Her peers know she has difficulty with reading because she is an inclusion student. Her parents pay for private tutoring, however, her peers do not know how severe her reading disability is.
The first week of school, things go remarkably well for Susan in chorus. They are practicing for the first assembly where they will sing the school song, the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and an easy arrangement of “This Land Is Your Land.”
Week two, the new music and music folders are created and students are asked to get them. The folders are full of new music and are filed according to last name. Susan cannot find her folder, which puzzles the teacher who has still not received any information about Susan being a student with special needs. By the end of that rehearsal, the choral director has made a note to see the guidance counselor at her lunch break because she knows Susan may need some assistance.
