An examination of the perceived effects that ... · teachers who use differentiated assessment to support their students who struggle with social anxiety. Two 60-minute interviews

DIFFERENTIATING ASSESSMENT FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY

An examination of the perceived effects that differentiated assessment has on students with social anxiety in elementary classrooms

By

Ayelet Freedman

A research paper submitted in conformity with the requirements For the degree of Master of Teaching

Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No

Derivatives 4.0 International License

Copyright by Ayelet Freedman, April 2016

DIFFERENTIATING ASSESSMENT FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY 2

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the experiences and perspectives of two elementary

teachers who use differentiated assessment to support their students who struggle with

social anxiety. Two 60-minute interviews generated findings that highlight participant

conceptualization of social anxiety, teacher expectations and available supports, teacher

education, the use of differentiated assessment and self-advocacy. The findings suggest

that both teachers have limited formal education and training on the topic of social

anxiety and student mental health in general, but use many strategies to help meet the

academic, social, and emotional needs of these students. These two teachers rely on their

own experiences with differentiated assessment and on professional communities for

further advice in this area. In spite of the comments that indicated a lack of professional

development related to student mental health available to teachers, both participants

strongly believed in the connection between good mental health and successful academic

achievement, indicating that an increased focus on student mental health in needed. The

findings of this research corresponded with the existing literature.

Keywords: social anxiety, differentiated assessment, self-advocacy, teacher responses


Acknowledgements

There are a few people I would like to acknowledge for their invaluable support

throughout the research process. First, I wish to thank my two participants for graciously

contributing their time and insight to the research project. This research project would not

have been possible without them.

Next, I would like to extend a wholehearted thank you to Dr. Angela MacDonald-Vemic

and Dr. Eloise Tan for your patience, encouragement and guidance throughout the

writing process. Your support has emphasized what my research is about; the impact a

teacher can have on a student.

I would like to thank my sister, Danit, for inspiring this research. Her experience of being

a student with social anxiety was the motivation of my study and the reason why I always

strive to be a compassionate and accommodating educator. I would also like to

acknowledge Georgina Mantelos and Kimberly Auger for their collaboration, advice and

emotional support through this research process over the last two years.


Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. 3

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 7

1.0RESEARCHCONTEXT.........................................................................................................................................7

1.1RESEARCHPROBLEM.........................................................................................................................................9

1.2PURPOSEOFTHESTUDY................................................................................................................................12

1.3RESEARCHQUESTIONS...................................................................................................................................12

1.4BACKGROUNDOFTHERESEARCHER...........................................................................................................12

1.5OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................................................15

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................... 16

2.0OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................................................16

2.1SOCIALANXIETY:INDICATORSANDIMPLICATIONSFORSTUDENTS.....................................................16

2.1.1 Defining Social Anxiety .............................................................................. 16

2.1.2 Impact on Social Behaviours ...................................................................... 17

2.1.3 Impact on Academic Performance ............................................................. 20

2.1.4 Treating Social Anxiety .............................................................................. 22

2.2TEACHERS’ROLESINADDRESSINGSOCIALANXIETY..............................................................................23

2.2.1 Indicators Teachers Look For .................................................................... 23

2.2.2 Pre-Service Training and Professional Development ............................... 24

2.2.3 Relying on Diagnoses .................................................................................. 26

2.3USEOFDIFFERENTIATEDASSESSMENTINTHECLASSROOM.................................................................27

2.3.1 What it Means to Differentiate ................................................................... 27

2.3.2 Benefits of Differentiated Assessment ........................................................ 29

2.3.3 Current Accommodations and Perceived Benefits .................................... 31

2.3.4 Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) .................................................... 32

2.4CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................................34


CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 35

3.0INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................35

3.1RESEARCHAPPROACH&PROCEDURE........................................................................................................35

3.2INSTRUMENTSOFDATACOLLECTION.........................................................................................................36

3.3PARTICIPANTS.................................................................................................................................................38

3.3.1 Sampling Criteria ........................................................................................ 38

3.3.2 Sampling Procedures .................................................................................. 39

3.3.3 Participant Bios ........................................................................................... 40

3.4DATAANALYSIS...............................................................................................................................................41

3.5ETHICALREVIEWPROCEDURES...................................................................................................................42

3.6METHODOLOGICALLIMITATIONSANDSTRENGTHS.................................................................................43

3.7CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................................44

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS .............................................................................................. 46

4.0INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................46

4.1PARTICIPANTSACCURATELYCONCEPTUALIZESOCIALANXIETY..........................................................46

4.2UNREALISTICEXPECTATIONSONTEACHERS.............................................................................................48

4.2.1 Lack of Knowledge Surrounding Student Mental Health ......................... 50

4.2.2 Using Differentiated Assessment in the Classroom ................................... 52

4.2.3 Teachers have to do the “Legwork” in order to Receive Support ............. 53

4.3LIMITINGSUPPORTFROMTEACHERSTHROUGHTEACHEREDUCATIONPROGRAMS........................55

4.4DEVELOPINGSTUDENTSELF-ADVOCACYASABENEFITTODIFFERENTIATEDASSESSMENT.........57

4.5DISCUSSION......................................................................................................................................................58

4.6CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................................60

CHAPTER 5: IMPLICATIONS ................................................................................... 62

5.0INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................62

5.1OVERVIEWOFKEYFINDINGANDTHEIRSIGNIFICANCE..........................................................................62

5.2IMPLICATIONS..................................................................................................................................................64

5.2.1 Broad: The Educational Research Community ......................................... 64

5.2.2 Narrow: My Professional Identity and Practice ........................................ 67


5.3RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................................................................69

5.3.1 Teachers ...................................................................................................... 69

5.3.2 School Administration ................................................................................ 71

5.3.3 Initial Teacher Education Programs ......................................................... 72

5.4AREASFORFURTHERRESEARCH.................................................................................................................73

5.5CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................................74

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 78

APPENDIX A: LETTER OF CONSENT FOR INTERVIEW .................................. 92

APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW PROTOCOL ................................................................ 94


An examination of the perceived effects of differentiated assessment on students with social anxiety in elementary classrooms

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

1.0 Research Context

Mental illness is increasing within Canadian society, specifically depression and

anxiety disorders (Twenge, 2000; Statistics Canada, 2013; Statistics Canada, 2002;

Rector, Bourdeau, Kitchen, & Joseph-Massiah, 2008). Anxiety disorders are the most

common problem affecting Canadians today, with just over 25% of Canadians affected

by some type of anxiety disorder (Merikangas, He, Burstein, Swendson, Avenevoli, Case,

B., et al., 2011; Statistics Canada, 2013; Statistics Canada, 2002). As such, mental health

is a current interest of the Canadian federal government. Even though mental health is

within the provincial jurisdiction, the federal government collaborates with provinces in a

variety of ways, as they seek to develop coordinated and efficient mental health services

to Canadians. The Canadian government created a mental health commission (Mental

Health Commission of Canada, MHCC) in the 2007 budget in order to focus national

attention on mental health and to work to improve the health and social outcomes of

people living with mental illness (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013). The MHCC

creates partnerships and makes recommendations to provinces to improve the mental

health system.

In Ontario, both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education have taken

steps to address improving our province’s mental health (Ontario. Ministry of Education,

2013a; Ontario. Ministry of Education, 2013b; Ontario. Ministry of Health and Long-

Term Care, 2011). According to Ontario’s mental health policy, Open Minds, Healthy

Minds (Ontario. Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2011), the current mental


health strategy aims to improve mental health by identifying mental illness early, creating

positive health communities and by providing timely high quality care to patients, with a

specific focus on child and youth mental health care specifically. The document states,

that most mental health issues develop in childhood and early adolescence and thus "early

identification and intervention lead to better health outcomes, improved school

attendance and achievement; unaddressed mental health issues can lead to poor academic

achievement and higher drop-out rates, unemployment, poverty and homelessness, and

increased risk of criminal behaviour," (ibid, pg. 20). As part of early intervention and

identification, the strategy specifically mentions providing mental health literacy and

training for educators on identification and intervention in addition to increasing mental

health resources across schools.

In turn, Ontario’s Ministry of Education released a document titled Supporting

Minds in 2013, which provides teachers with tips and strategies for addressing mental

health issues in the classroom, in addition to highlighting eight of the most common

mental health issues found in the classroom and how teachers can address specific

symptoms. In response to federal and provincial policy documents, school boards have

also started implementing strategies and action plans within their schools that will

provide teachers with appropriate training, and empower teachers to identify mental

health issues (York Region District School Board [YRDSB], 2014a, b; Toronto District

School Board [TDSB], 2014). Teachers play an important role in early identification and

intervention as they may be able to recognize behaviours and indicators that may not be

present at home (Ontario. Ministry of Education, 2013a). The age of onset for many

anxiety disorders is during early childhood and early adolescence, a critical period for

social skill development (Statistics Canada, 2013; Kessler, Amminger, Aguilar-Gaxiola,


Alonso, Lee, & Ustün, 2007). Research has found that early intervention and treatment of

anxiety disorders during these periods can prevent poor academic outcomes, school drop

out, depression, substance abuse and the development of other anxiety disorders (Ontario.

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2011; Statistics Canada, 2013; Statistics

Canada, 2002; Health Canada, 2002).

1.1 Research Problem

Anxiety has been found to manifest in the context of school for a variety of

reasons ranging form pressure to perform and socialize to more subject specific anxieties,

including language learning and math education (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986;

MacIntyre & Gardner, 1994; Huang, 2014). Concurrently, one response to Canada’s low

position in international mathematics student achievement rankings has been greater

focus on students’ experience of math anxiety (Tobias, 1978; Jackson & Leffingwell,

1999; Furner & Berman, 2003). This area of research and practice underscores different

ways to teach, assess and evaluate math knowledge and understanding to minimize math

anxiety in students (Finlayson, 2014; Harari, Vukovic, & Bailey, 2013; Geist, 2010).

Math anxiety has been shown to decrease self-confidence (Geist, 2010), in addition to

decreasing performance and avoidance of mathematics altogether (Harari, Vukovic, &

Bailey, 2013). In response, pre-service training and teaching methods are being

redesigned to increase self-confidence and decrease math anxiety (Finlayson, 2014).

Just as the educational research and practice communities have responded to this

specific manifestation of anxiety, it is important that further attention also be turned to

how students’ experience of social anxiety impacts their attitude toward, and

achievement, in school. Research has found that 6% of Canadian children suffer from

anxiety and of that 6.5 percent suffer from social anxiety specifically (Statistics Canada,


2013; Statistics Canada, 2002). According to the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Mental Disorders), social anxiety is defined as marked, or intense, fear or

anxiety of social situations in which the individual may be scrutinized or negatively

evaluated by others (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Social anxiety can

lead to struggles with concentration, problem solving, memory and verbal processing

tasks (Maloney, Sattizahn & Beilock, 2014; Huberty, 2013; Stevenson & Odom, 1965). If

not treated, social anxiety symptoms can cause more problems in later adolescence and

adulthood (Mychailyszyn, Mendez & Kendall, 2010; Pine, Cohen, Gurley, Brook, & Ma,

1998; Woodward & Fergusson, 2001). These statistics suggest that at least two or three

students in any classroom may experience anxiety-related symptoms that cause

significant distress and affect their functioning socially and academically. Even then, the

statistics could be higher if students with moderate symptoms are included (Manassis,

2012). The number can also increase due to the number of students and families who do

not seek help for these problems (Onatario. Ministry of Education, 2013a; Merikangas, et

al., 2011; Rector, et al., 2008; Statistics Canada, 2002; Health Canada, 2002). Despite

social anxiety being one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders affecting our youth, little

research has been done to determine the impact of social anxiety on learning, nor on how

teachers might instructionally respond to this manifestation of anxiety.

Just as educational policy in Ontario underscores the significance of differentiated

instruction to meet the diverse range of learning needs of students, it also encourages the

use of differentiated assessment of students’ work, should they be identified as requiring

accommodation (Ontario. Ministry of Education, 2006). Assessment accommodations are

“changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or her

learning” (ibid, pg. 25). Research has shown that differentiated assessment can produce a


range of outcomes, including helping to reduce students’ anxiety and improve their

academic performance (Huberty, 2013; Maccini & Gagnon, 2006). For students with

social anxiety, social interactions and friendship building may not be the only things that

affect students’ anxiety responses. Assessments in class can also increase student anxiety

(APA, 2013). In school, students may be assessed on content knowledge as well as

learning skills. Assessments can range from tests to essays, from writing samples to

science fairs. A common assessment for students is oral presentations. They can take the

form of public speaking competitions, speeches, or even informal presentations to the

class after a recent project. Additionally, learning skills address student participation

(contributions to class discussions) and social engagement (Ontario. Ministry of

Education, 2010). Giving a speech to the front of the class or speaking during a class

discussion can trigger the fear of judgment similarly found in social situations outside the

classroom, making this a factor that teachers should be aware of and be capable of

differentiating for and addressing in their classrooms. .

To date, however, no research has investigated the implications of differentiated

assessment for students with social anxiety, nor has research focused on what the

implications of differentiated assessment might be for these students’ academic

performance more specifically. This is particularly significant given research that

demonstrates teachers may be increasingly aware of students’ experiences with anxiety,

but feel unprepared when it comes to the question of how best to respond to their learning

and assessment needs (Rodger, Hibbert, & Leschied, 2014; YRDSB, 2014b; Layne,

Bernstein, & March, 2006)


1.2 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine how elementary teachers are applying

differentiated assessment to support students who experience social and performance

anxiety, and to learn from them what outcomes they observe from these students.

1.3 Research Questions

The main research question guiding this study is: how are a small sample of

elementary teachers applying differentiated assessment as an instructional response to

students with social anxiety and what outcomes do they perceive for students?

Subsidiary questions include:

1. How do these teachers define anxiety and what indicators help them identify

anxiety in students?

2. What range of assessment strategies do these teachers use to respond to these

students learning needs?

3. How are teachers prepared to support students suffering from social anxiety?

4. What range of outcomes do these teachers observe from students?

1.4 Background of the Researcher

My interest in this topic is based on three personal experiences: teaching dance,

observing my sister struggle with social anxiety and my personal struggle with anxiety.

I have been a dancer since I was able to walk and I’ve taught dance since I was

very young as well. Teaching dance introduced to me to a variety of learning styles and

ways to accommodate lesson plans and teaching styles. Dance also introduced me to the

wide range of reactions that students have when they are struggling or scared. Similar to

school, dance has its own form of assessments and they change depending on the style

and dancers’ levels. For example, there are ballet, tap and jazz exams, dance


competitions and most commonly used, simply doing steps across the floor. Over my

years teaching dance classes to a variety of ages and in many styles, I came to realize one

unfortunate fact; students hold themselves back. I watched countless students stop

pushing themselves to improve because they were afraid of making mistakes or failing;

they did not want any attention from their teachers or peers, even if it was positive and

encouraging. Walking on stage for a solo would paralyze some dancers to the extent that

they forgot the dance they had been working on all year and they would walk off the

stage in the middle of their dance. Although not related to the education system, I believe

that we can still learn from this. Students should be able to express themselves without

the fear of failing, and should be given an opportunity to work on their personal

challenges. Without helping these students we may never see their true potential.

My second experience was concerning my sister’s struggle with anxiety. When

my sister was in grade 10 she was diagnosed with social anxiety, specifically related to

any activity in which she was the center of attention such as speeches, debates, solos, etc.

Her anxiety manifested in the typical physical anxiety symptoms such as increased heart

rate, sweating, and dizziness, however she would also pass out and collapse right before

any form of performance. At times she would even hit her head on a desk or the floor

when she collapsed. My sister worked harder than I’ve ever seen anyone work in order

to overcome and live with her anxiety. She was an A+ student even with crippling

anxiety, however, anxiety is not something that can just be cured, nor can it be fixed

overnight. With the help of a psychologist, my sister started cognitive behaviour therapy

(CBT), which aims to change the way a person perceives an event or the way the respond

to a specific trigger. They made a plan and set goals for therapy. One of these steps

included not doing school presentations until my sister was ready. Her psychologist sent


a note to her school and teacher to inform them of this plan and even offered possible

methods for evaluation that would accommodate my sister’s anxiety, such as doing the

presentation in front of the teacher only or two teachers in an empty classroom. To my

sister’s horror the teacher turned to her after reading the note and said “anxiety is easy to

get over. I don’t care what the note says, you’re doing your speech today.” Students may

already be worried about fitting in with their peers and doing well in school, but to have

their concerns and anxieties ignored may guarantee and more difficult school experience.

Teachers should have the opportunity to learn about ways to help these students and find

ways to encourage their learning and development without amplifying anxieties.

Finally, as someone with anxiety, this topic is very important to me. I believe that

all students should be able to demonstrate their knowledge and should not be penalized

for something that they cannot control, or have yet learned to control. It took me until I

was in my final year of my undergraduate degree to seek out help and learn to manage

my anxiety. During exams, I would panic if I did not know an answer. Instead of

skipping the question and moving on, I would fixate on the question and waste time while

trying to figure it out. Even if I did skip the question, I was never paying full attention to

the new questions; part of me was always thinking back to the question I could not

answer. Because I never sough help, there was nothing my professors could do for me.

Once I finally took control of my anxiety, I was not only able to get through exams

calmly, I also found that I was less affected by stress in other aspects of my life as well.

This showed me that anxiety does not just impact one area of a person’s life; it infiltrates

all aspects of one’s life. As a beginning teacher this is something to remember, as a

student’s anxiety may not solely stem from school. It is important to communicate with

students and create an atmosphere where students feel safe coming to you for assistance.


This way, teachers can help those students succeed, whether that is in the form of

differentiated assessment or simply in providing information on stress management.

In collecting and analyzing my data I have to remember to take into consideration

all types and forms of accommodations, even if they do not align with the research, or

with what I believe to be effective accommodations. What I believe may work for myself

or my students may not be what works for all. It is good to be open to other options and

methods for helping students work through their anxiety.

1.5 Overview

To respond to the research questions posed above I will be conducting a

qualitative research study using purposeful sampling to interview three teachers about

their implementation of differentiated assessments for students with social anxiety.

Chapter 1 includes the introduction and purpose of the study, the research questions, as

well as how I came to be involved and interested in this topic and study. In chapter 2, I

review literature on social anxiety, specifically related to performance and public

speaking, and the effects it has on learning. Additionally, I review the literature in the

areas of school related anxieties such as math anxiety, and ways in which teaching as

evolved to accommodate these students. Chapter 3 provides the methodology and

procedure used in this study including information about the sample participants and data

collection instruments. In chapter 4, I report my findings and in chapter 5 I discuss these

findings and their significance in relation to the literature and the implications for my

own practice as a beginning teacher. Chapter 5 will also include limitations of the study

and suggestions for further reading and research. References and a list of appendixes

follow at the end.


Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Overview

This literature review will review the literature in the areas of social anxiety and

differentiated assessment. More specifically, I relate these themes to the impact they

have on a student’ s academic and social success. I start by defining the key term social

anxiety and the negative impact it can have on social behaviours and academic

performance. I then examine teachers and their role in identifying social anxiety. Next, I

review the literature regarding differentiated assessment, its’ use and individualized

education plans (IEP’ s). Finally, I examine current accommodations that are being used

in the classroom for different populations and their benefits in specific contexts.

2.1 Social Anxiety: Indicators and Implications for Students

In order to best understand the implications of social anxiety, it is important to be

familiar with the more general term social anxiety. In this section, I introduce the topic of

social anxiety and how it relates to learning, and more specifically common symptoms

associated with social anxiety and implications for students struggling with it. I also

describe the consequences social anxiety can have on a student’s daily functioning. Both

social behaviours and attitudes and academic performance are considered, along with

effective treatments.

2.1.1 Defining Social Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders that affect

today’ s youth (Merikangas, et al., 2011; Chavira, Stein, Bailey, & Stein, 2004), with

social anxiety affecting a little more than 6.5 percent of children (Statistics Canada, 2013;

Statistics Canada, 2002). As previously mentioned, social anxiety is defined as a marked,

or intense, fear or anxiety of social situations in which the individual may be scrutinized


or negatively evaluated by others (APA, 2013). Social anxiety involves feelings of self-

consciousness, and emotional distress in anticipated or actual self-evaluative situations, in

addition to an intense fear of judgment. According to the DSM-V, social anxiety can be

induced by riding buses, public speaking, test taking, and physical education, as these

situations can be distressing and debilitating for some individuals. In students, these

feelings can sometimes lead to the avoidance of school altogether (Duckworth &

Freedman, 2012; Casoli-Reardon, Rappaport, Kulick, & Reinfeld, 2012). Social anxiety

is also categorized as an internalizing disorder as not all symptoms are visible or

disruptive to others. Internalizing disorders involve keeping the problem to oneself and

symptoms may consist of depression, withdrawal and low self-esteem (Smith, 2014).

Social anxiety can be diagnosed specifically for performance anxiety, if the anxiety is

restricted to speaking or performing in public (APA, 2013). Individuals suffering from

social anxiety can show symptoms such as blushing, trembling, sweating, stumbling over

one’s words, and changing their habits to avoid the situation. Unlike individuals with

general social anxiety, individuals with performance only social anxiety disorder do not

fear or avoid nonperformance social situations. This means that even if students appear

to be social with friends and family, they may be suffering through their school

presentations and speeches, and are most likely not displaying their best work (Maloney,

et al., 2014; Cassady, 2010).

2.1.2 Impact on Social Behaviours

Social anxiety generally leads to poor social outcomes, including avoidance

behaviour, poor social skills, social isolation, loneliness, negative outcomes in peer

interactions and limited extra-curricular activities (Casoli-Reardon, et al., 2012;

Meldrum, Venn, & Kutcher, 2009; Grover, Ginsburg, & Ialongo, 2007; Coplan, Girardi,


Findlay, & Frohlick, 2007; Beidel, Turner, & Morris, 1999; Spence, Donovan, &

Brechman-Tussiant, 1999; Pine et al., 1998). As previously mentioned, social anxiety

also includes performance anxiety and the constant fear of being judged. This pattern is

not only found in elementary school students, but is seen in adolescents as well (La Greca

& Lopez, 1998), which supports the claim that action should be taken as soon as the

anxiety symptoms are noticed in order to prevent students from developing more severe

symptoms in high school. Students are oftentimes required by teachers to participate in

class discussions, to work in groups, and to give oral presentations in front of the entire

class. These expectations may be troublesome for students with performance anxiety, as

they require social behaviours. The fear of judgment experienced by students with social

anxiety may be decreased through the use of cooperative learning (Dansereau, 1988).

Strategies such as jig saw, numbered heads and think-pair-share have been shown to be

effective in reducing student anxiety due to the environment created through this type of

learning (Dansereau, 1988; Harper & Daane, 1998; Kwok & Lau, 2015). Irving and

Irving (1994) found that shyness and anxiety are significantly correlated, and that this

correlation is most significant around grade five, a time for social skill development

(Statistics Canada, 2013; Kessler, et al., 2007). If shyness is a large contributor to

anxiety, teachers have a responsibility to understand these factors, especially with the

knowledge that anxiety inhibits school performance. It is thus important that teachers

exhibit empathy and skill in dealing with shy or anxious students by appreciating their

strengths and helping them develop in areas where they appear to be weaker, as students

with social anxiety are reluctant to ask questions, seek help, initiate new ideas, and

volunteer in class (Levine & George, 1992).


Bokhorst, Goossens, & de Ruyter (1995) performed a study that examined social

behaviours in classrooms. Teachers rated the anxiety levels and social behaviours of 177

students. Students also completed self-report surveys. Teachers were given a social and

cognitive skills curriculum to teach their classes that consisted of 12 one-hour classes.

These classes focused on perceptions and feelings, relating to others, and social rules.

Students were given time to work on practice problems as well as act out situations.

Results showed that teaching these skills made a significant impact on students when

integrated into the classroom. Students who were indicated by their teachers to be

socially anxious increased their social behaviours by the end of this curriculum. Both

teachers and students reported a decrease in social anxiety. That being said, teachers

seemed to be more positive about the effects than students, saying that students originally

high in social anxiety had made large and significant progression. Bokhorst et al. (1995)

acknowledged the fact that teachers may have overrated their class’s performance to

appear to be better teachers and were able to effectively help their students.

Bernstein and colleagues (2008) asked teachers and parents of 101 children, who

were previously identified as anxious, to complete self-report scales regarding the child’s

social behaviour, classroom functioning and anxiety. Classroom functioning is defined

by students’ social skills, leadership, attention, learning, and schoolwork completion. Not

surprisingly, those students who were socially anxious avoided more social situations. In

addition to the expected social impairments, researchers found that as anxiety increased,

classroom functioning decreased. Students were less likely to take on leadership roles,

paid significantly less attention in class and were generally performing below their

potential. A study by Muris and Meesters (2002) found that high anxiety was associated

with poor classroom functioning. Students also had difficulty with peer relationships and


low self-esteem, in addition to poor classroom functioning. If students do not have the

necessary support system, it is understandable that they perform below their potential and

avoid leadership positions. Both this study and the study by Bernstein et al. (2008) were

clinical studies. This is important to note as it can be assumed that participants in these

studies had a greater severity of symptoms and impairments than nonclinical studies, and

thus results found from these studies may be slightly exaggerated.

2.1.3 Impact on Academic Performance

As mentioned in chapter 1, anxiety can lead to problems with memory,

concentration, and problem solving, and these symptoms can worsen overtime without

intervention (Huberty, 2013). A lot of research has been done examining anxiety in the

classroom and its’ impact on academic performance. Anxiety can have a negative impact

on a student’s education and certain types of evaluation may not demonstrate the full

extent of their abilities (Cassady, 2010). In a 2009 report, the Canadian Council on

Learning states that, poor mental health in Canadian school children poses a significant

risk to their academic development and puts them at greater risk of dropping out of

school, substance abuse and suicide (Canadian Council on Learning, 2010; Grover, et al.,

2007). Schools are well positioned to be at the forefront of public health strategies

designed to prevent and detect mental health disorders early among young people.

Anxiety in general has been shown to be beneficial in small amounts, as those

students who have high levels of anxiety in preschool could produce higher grades in

adolescence (DiLalla, Marcus & Wright-Pillips, 2004). Although this pattern is typical,

according to Sharma (1970), this is only the case with moderate levels of anxiety not low

or high levels, as students with high or low levels of anxiety in early years, underachieve

in intermediate and senior grades (Mychailyszyn et al., 2010; Grover, et al., 2007). In a


comprehensive study by Duchesne, Vitaro, Larose, and Tremblay (2008), 1817 children

from kindergarten to grade 6 were tested for anxiety. Parents and teachers reported on

the child’s social behaviour and classroom functioning. Those students who had chronic

levels of anxiety it kindergarten still had high to chronic levels of anxiety in grade six. It

was also found that anxiety is highly correlated with high school and university drop out

rates (Meldrum, et al., 2009; Duchesne, et al., 2008; Fergusson & Woodward, 2002).

Again this shows the importance of early recognition and intervention.

Similarly, Ialongo, Edelsohn, Werthamer-Larsson, Crockett, and Kellam (1995)

found that anxiety in early years could predict anxiety four years later, and according to

other researchers, this impairment in academic success can continue into adulthood

(Mychailyszyn et al. 2010; Pine et al., 1998; Woodward & Fergusson, 2001). Many

children exhibit considerable anxiety symptoms without these being systematically

accompanied by significant impairments in daily functioning (Graber, 2004). However,

even in those students anxiety can cause minor impairments to a student’s functioning

(Mychailyszyn et al. 2010). According to Maloney et al. (2014), anxiety compromises

performance on cognitively demanding tasks and leads to problems concentrating,

problem solving and memory. Anxiety can cause negative thoughts and ruminations,

which occupy brain resources needed for optimal performance. Math and test anxiety

were compared and showed that the brain reacts in the same way in both situations. It is

possible that social anxiety, too, could yield the same brain activity, leading to similar

underachievement in cognitive tasks, in addition to the negative thoughts, ruminations

and physiological symptoms.

Stevenson and Odom (1965), found that verbal processing skills were also

impaired due to anxiety. 318 students in grades four to six completed a variety of tests


examining verbal and performance IQ, along with concept formation, discrimination

tasks, anagrams and anxiety. It was found that as anxiety increased, performance on tasks

decreased. Performance showed a significant decrease on verbal processing tasks

specifically. This finding adds to findings that anxiety can impair a student’s

understanding of instructions in the classroom, or even what is being taught in class, and

thus their classroom performance.

2.1.4 Treating Social Anxiety

Schools are in a unique position to identify social anxiety, and other mental

disorders, early and intervene before the symptoms worsen. As early identification is

critically important for health development, schools can identify students at risk for or

living with mental disorders, educate their personnel to understand and recognize mental

disorders, and can improve student well-being by being sites for mental health care

delivery (Kutcher, Venn, & Szumilas, 2009). Mychailyszyn et al. (2012) found that

schools can effectively deal with anxiety by using cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).

CBT focuses on the ways people think about situations and how reframe certain thoughts

to impact how we respond to those situations in the future. The main idea behind CBT is

that thoughts can influence a person’s actions, and as such changing how a student thinks

about a situation can significantly decrease their anxiety (Neil & Christensen, 2009;

Weems, Taylor, Costa, Marks, Romano, Verrett, et al., 2009; Gregor, 2005). Teachers

and support staff or school psychologists are able to sit down with students and address

the anxious thoughts surrounding specific situations, and help reframe thoughts to be less

anxiety provoking.

As previously mentioned 6.5 percent of the Canadian population suffers from

social anxiety. Unfortunately, this percentage could be significantly higher due to the


number of people who avoid seeking treatment. According to a Canadian survey, only 37

percent of those suffering with social anxiety seek treatment (Statistics Canada, 2002).

According to Merikangas et al. (2011) less that 20 percent of children are treated. This

may be because these individuals are too embarrassed to seek help or may not realize

they have a mental disorder and simply attribute their fears to shyness. According to

Health Canada, “because anxiety disorders are the extension of what most people

perceive as normal worry and concern, [those suffering from anxiety] may fear that

others would label their excessive worry and fear as a weakness,” (Health Canada, 2002,

pg. 63). As a result of this fear of being labeled as weak, people ignore their condition,

and in many cases symptoms worsen (Mihalas, Morse, Allsopp, & McHatton, 2009).

2.2 Teachers’ Roles in Addressing Social Anxiety

Teachers spend a lot of time with students and are able to observe them in a

variety of situations (Ontario. Ministry of Education, 2013a). This gives teachers the

opportunity to observe complex, and possibly abnormal, behaviours that may not be

witnessed at home. This section reviews research and policy documents surrounding

teacher education, as well as how teachers identify students who may be suffering from

anxiety. I will also examine the role of a clinical diagnosis in providing accommodations

for students, as a way to highlight the importance of early recognition and intervention.

2.2.1 Indicators Teachers Look For

Teachers have been found to be quite aware of their students’ anxiety levels,

compared to parents, who do not seem to be fully aware of the extent their children are

suffering (Bernstein et al., 2008; Layne et al., 2006). This is not to say these were bad

parents; teachers are simply with students for most of the day and witness them in more

situations that may make them uncomfortable, such as making friends, working in


groups, or giving oral presentations. Teachers were generally better able to recognize

physical symptoms of social anxiety, such as withdrawing from peers, hesitating to join

in activities, reluctant to speak in front of peers, and more visits to the nurse with a

headache or upset stomach (ibid; Cunningham & Suldo, 2014). The Supporting Minds

resource on mental health for teachers provides a list of symptoms, including frequent

crying, easily frustrated, fears or avoids new situations, dysfunctional social behaviours,

worries excessively, frequent physical complaints, difficulty making friends, avoiding

school events, or a decline in grades (Ontario. Ministry of Education, 2013a).

In a study by Cunningham and Suldo (2014), teachers nominated students who

they thought to be at-risk for anxiety and depression. Teachers were able to recognize

over 50 percent of students who were at-risk for either disorder. However, teachers

misidentified 16-18 percent of students as being at-risk when they were in fact not at risk.

The authors mention that it is better to misidentify students, discuss and retest a student,

then to miss students who are suffering silently. Teachers should be better trained to

recognize students who are suffering, in order to identify a higher percentage of students

at-risk.

2.2.2 Pre-Service Training and Professional Development

Even though teachers can recognize some students suffering from anxiety, a lot of

students are still unidentified and untreated (Onatario. Ministry of Education, 2013a;

Manassis, 2012; Merikangas, et al., 2011; Rector, et al., 2008; Statistics Canada, 2002;

Health Canada, 2002). According to the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences, a

majority of teachers feel that mental health is a pressing and serious issue, and that it

should be part of their job to react and help students with mental health problems

(Boesveld, 2013). However, some teachers today express concern over having to support


students with mental health issues in spite of the fact that they lack training in this area

(Reinke, Stormont, Herman, Puri, & Goel 2011; Mihalas, et al., 2009; Gowers, Thomas,

& Deeley, 2004).

Certainly not all teachers lack the necessary preparation and skills to meet the

needs of students struggling with mental health issues (Mihalas, et al., 2009). There

appears to be a disconnect between the needs of the students with mental health issues

and what they are actually provided in terms of support. Rodger et al. (2014) conducted

an analysis of teacher education programs, examining mental health programs

specifically and found that majority of teachers felt unprepared to deal with potential

mental health issues, yet they are very eager to learn more about strategies and

identification. Rodger et al. (2014) also found that there are very few courses available

that address the mental health of all students; most special education courses address

mental health as a subset of other disorders or disabilities. Additionally, a large focus of

mental health in pre-service education is around awareness of legalities, such as how to

protect oneself legally, and not about the relationship about approaching students and

parents about suspected problems (OCT, 2014a). Mental health courses do not appear to

be a priority of education programs, as pedagogical, policy, and curriculum-based courses

are at the forefront of these same programs.

Even with the minimal pre-service education on mental health, teachers also seem

to be provided limited professional development (PD) on the issue. The Canadian

Teachers’ Federation reports that 87 percent of teachers report that there is a lack of staff

training, with two thirds of teachers receiving no PD in the last five years (Canadian

Teachers’ Federation, 2012; Canadian Teachers’ Federation, 2011). Cunnigham and

Suldo (2014) also found similar results, in addition to finding that teachers also have little


experience with mental health issues. Teachers generally become more comfortable and

capable with recognizing and addressing mental health issues with more experience in the

field (Cunnigham & Suldo, 2014). Teachers learn what works and what does not on the

job. Jourdan, Samdal, Diagne, & Carvalho (2008) found that teachers who had received

mental health promotion training tended to be involved more frequently in their school’s

health promotion projects. However, they also noted that in order for health promotion

initiatives to be successfully integrated and sustained within schools, it was critical to

embed such initiatives within the socialization, learning, and daily life of the school, and

to not introduce such initiatives as add-ons to existing school curricula (Jourdan et al.

2008).

2.2.3 Relying on Diagnoses

It is suggested that the adolescent years are especially grievous for individuals

who suffer with mental health needs, as 1 in 5 have some sort of serious emotional,

behavioural, or mental health problem (Johnson, Eva, Johnson & Walker, 2011). Early

identification and treatment can make a substantial difference, as untreated anxiety can

lead to chronic depression, substance abuse, and adulthood anxiety (Kutcher et al., 2009;

Bernstein, et al., 2008; Kendall, Safford, Flannery-Schroeder, & Webb, 2004).

Additionally, early identification is important because if a diagnosis is needed it is mostly

due to a severe presentation of symptoms. In order for a child under the age of 16 to

receive a diagnosis for social anxiety, the student has to demonstrate severe impairment

in functioning for six months. Students should not be allowed to suffer for an extended

period of time only to receive a diagnosis, especially when there is an effective treatment

that had been shown to work successfully in classrooms (CBT). Given the research

demonstrating the range of outcomes experienced by students with social anxiety, it is


important that teachers learn to recognize and respond to these students’ feelings in their

pedagogical interactions with them. In order to do that it is important that teachers also

develop experience and confidence accommodating these students. By noticing these

behaviours and intervening earlier teachers can aid in decreasing the impact the mental

health problem has on a student’s life. Additionally, simply being aware of their

students’ needs can help teachers aid students in overcoming their personal and/or

academic challenges before these challenges become too severe and warrant a diagnosis

and professional intervention.

2.3 Use of Differentiated Assessment in the Classroom

This section defines differentiated assessment and how it is applied in classrooms

to accommodate different learners. The benefits of differentiated assessment will be

considered along with an examination of individualized education plans (IEP’s) and their

role in providing accommodations and differentiated assessment to students.

2.3.1 What it Means to Differentiate

Teachers are generally aware of students’ anxieties (Layne et al., 2006) and

should be able to use the tools available to them to help these students alleviate their

anxiety. Differentiated assessment, or assessment accommodations, has been shown to

significantly help students improve academically (Levine & George, 1992). According

to Carol Tomlinson (1999), “differentiation is an organized yet flexible way of

proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet kids where they are and help them to

achieved maximum growth as learners”. Differentiation can be applied to the content,

process, product or environment within the classroom or school (Ontario. Ministry of

Education, 2013b; Tomlinson, 2004). This means that students do not learn in the same

way, and as such teachers should be teaching in such a way that all students could learn


the same material. By knowing students’ strengths and weaknesses, teachers can alter

their teaching strategies and assessment methods to better suit the class. Students should

not be expected to produce the same final product or complete the same assessment, as

students are able to communicate their knowledge differently based on their own

individual strengths. According to Hall, Strangman and Meyer (2003), to differentiate is

to recognize students’ varying levels of background knowledge, their readiness to learn,

language ability, learning preference, and interests and to react responsively to ensure the

student can succeed. Again, this shows that each student has their own set of individual

experiences that influence their learning, and that each student can succeed if they are

given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in a different way. The theory

behind differentiated assessment is Lev Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal Development”

(ZPD). Within the ZPD, the student may not be capable of solving a specific problem on

his or her own yet, but with assistance and support he or she can move on to another level

of knowledge. Teachers need to scaffold the problem and the process required to succeed

to the student’s current level of cognitive development. Teachers scaffold and customize

instruction to individual needs and understanding, providing the emotional support and

opportunities for practice. Eventually, students will be able to successfully complete the

problem or task on their own. By modifying the instructional approach, students can be

appropriately challenged (EduGAINS, 2010).

As mentioned above, treatment or intervention should be initiated as soon as

possible to prevent additional negative outcomes. Teachers are allowed to provide

accommodations without an IEP (individualized education plan), and these

accommodations can be helpful to students struggling with anxiety. By giving these

students accommodations, they will slowly be able to adjust to academic demands and


develop a secure self-esteem that will help them deal with anxiety in the future

(Sulkowsji, Joyce, & Storch, 2012). Although some research presents questions that

question the validity of accommodations (Lovett, 2010), majority of the research

surrounding differentiated assessment presents data indicating that accommodations are

in fact beneficial for students (Buzick & Stone, 2014; Feldman, Kim, & Elliott, 2011).

This claim however should be taken lightly, as not every accommodation will benefit all

learners or all types of learning impairments. Whether the accommodation is extended

time, reading test questions aloud, or enlarged font, many students can benefit from

accommodations (ibid). In a study by Feldman et al. (2011), not only did students

improve their test scores, they also showed increased motivation in completing the test.

Additionally, those students with learning disabilities showed a large significant increase

in test scores compared to the typical students who only showed small to moderate

increases. This conflicts Lovett’s (2010) point that accommodations may change the skill

measured by the test and prevent scores from being compared fairly. By assessing the

whole class in a way that accommodates those who need it, there is a general

improvement in class performance, and those who needed the accommodation accurately

demonstrate their knowledge (Feldman et al., 2011), not to mention those requiring

accommodations were not singled out.

2.3.2 Benefits of Differentiated Assessment

A clinical forum by Kamhi (2009) discussed reading assessment and levels of

reading failure. It was suggested that teachers differentiate word recognition from

reading comprehension and differentiate this knowledge from specific subject

knowledge, such as math, science, and history facts. Kamhi (2009) says that

differentiation allows educators to observe and measure the impact of instruction in each


area, rather than measuring how they can communicate what they know. Skills should be

separated in order to measure them accurately. If a student cannot understand the

language a math test is in, yet he still understands the concepts, this student should be

allowed to succeed. Accommodations, such as translating the test to a student’s first

language (Li & Suen, 2012), are acceptable, as they do not change the content being

tested, simply the way the test is being presented.

This same concept applies to those with social anxiety. By evaluating a student

based on his or her ability to present to a classroom full of their peers, teachers do not

receive an accurate portrayal of their knowledge. Students can present their projects to a

smaller group of students or just the teacher, and the teacher would still be able to assess

their knowledge on the subject as well as their presentation skills. By separating out

communication and subject knowledge from social behaviours, teachers can accurately

assess a student’s subject knowledge. Their performance or ability to stand in front of the

class should not prevent a student from doing well in a subject because they are unable to

communicate effectively in one setting. These skills should be assessed in another way,

or in a way that is less anxiety provoking. Students need help progressing and working

through their anxiety. Small steps, such as presentations to smaller groups or one on one

will help boost their confident and self esteem, making it a little easier until they are

ready to present to a full class (Statistics Canada, 2013; Levine & George, 1992).

In the Bokhorst, et al. (1995) study mentioned earlier, where social skills training

was implemented in classrooms, the curriculum was taught to whole classes and not

simply to students who were indicated to be socially anxious. Even with the whole class

involved there was a moderately significant effect. All students can benefit from this

type of training, though socially anxious students may benefit more so. This shows that


students do not need to be singled out when it comes to differentiation, as everyone can

benefit from it. This can be extrapolated further by saying that assessment, as well as

instruction, should be differentiated as all students can benefit from accommodations.

When students are given an opportunity to reduce anxiety and self-consciousness, they

are happier and more productive members of the school community, as differentiation

helps to establish a sense of belonging and increase self-esteem (Statistics Canada, 2013;

Feldman et al., 2011; Levine & George, 1992).

2.3.3 Current Accommodations and Perceived Benefits

There is little research available on specific accommodations for students or

individuals with social anxiety, however there are many resources available to teachers

that provide a list of accommodations that may help students. Students may need

accommodations in different areas and as such not all accommodations will suit every

child. Supporting Minds (2013) is organized by mental health issue, and each section

provides a description of the mental disorder, common symptoms or indicators and

appropriate accommodations that may help students. For example, for students suffering

from test anxiety, teachers are advised to clearly indicate how much a test or project is

worth for their overall grade, provide students with extra time on tests, avoid surprise

quizzes, or teach students to take slow deep breaths when they feel anxious (Ontario.

Ministry of Education, 2013a). These accommodations help students understand the task

at hand and take their time, as test anxiety has been shown to negatively impact text

performance (McDonald, 2001). A study by Von Der Embse, Barterian, and Segool

(2013) examined various accommodations for test anxiety and their effectiveness. They

found the CBT and priming demonstrated the best results. Priming involves asking

students to think about and describe a person who is successful in the subject that they are


being tested. This helps prepare students’ brains to successfully complete the task. Von

Der Embse, et al. (2013) also found that taking extra time and time to breathe helps

students overcome their test anxiety.

Currently a large focus of educational research is on math anxiety in the

classroom. Similar to test anxiety, math anxiety has also been linked to poor

achievement in mathematics (Finlayson, 2014), as well as a decrease in general cognitive

functioning (Maloney et al., 2014). In order to help students overcome their math

anxiety, teachers can provide students with different ways of showing their work, as well

as it is the teacher’s responsibility to teach in different ways to engage all different

learners. In regards to assessment, Van de Walle, Folk, Karp, & Bay-Williams (2014)

suggest that teachers assess the process of learning as well the final product by making

observations throughout the unit and over multiple classes, evaluating student work

samples, allowing students to work in groups, and the biggest suggestion, focusing on

understanding, rather than the right answer. These are all simple accommodations

teachers can make that reduce the stress and anxiety students feel when being evaluated.

Curriculum expectations are still being examined, but students have many opportunities

and methods to demonstrate their knowledge.

In the specific mental health issues discussed above (math and test anxiety),

simple accommodations significantly to decrease symptoms associated with anxiety and

increase school performance.

2.3.4 Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s)

An IEP is a working document or written plan describing the special education

program and/or services required by a particular student. Each IEP identifies learning

expectations that are modified from or alternative to the expectations given in the


curriculum policy documents for the appropriate grade and subject or course; any

accommodations and special education services needed to assist the student in achieving

his or her learning expectations (Ontario. Ministry of Education, 2004; Ontario. Ministry

of Education, 2000). IEP’s also help teachers monitor a student’s progress and provide a

framework for communicating to parents and the student. The IEP is updated periodically

to record any changes in the student’s special education program. IEP’s must be created

for any student identified as exceptional by the Identification, Placement, and Review

Committee (IPRC). Moreover, IEP’s can be created for any students deemed as needing

accommodations for instruction, environment or assessment (Ontario. Ministry of

Education, 2004). Teachers differentiate their instruction and assessment methods for

those students on IEP’s to accommodate their needs. Accommodations can take the form

of answering test questions orally, increasing the test font-size, additional time to

complete the test, or even altering the presentation or response format of the assessment

(ibid).

Elliott, Kratochwill, & Gilbertson Schulte (1998) stated that most teachers will

not implement these accommodations unless indicated in an IEP. However, when they

implemented a pre-assessment checklist to encourage teachers to evaluate the helpfulness

and fairness of certain accommodations, teachers actually used more accommodations

than they intended to. It seems that once teachers see an IEP indicating that

accommodations can be made, teachers use significantly more accommodations (4 to 5

times as many) than necessary for their students. Elliott et al. (1998) also suggest that

accommodations can be made to the whole class to foster an inclusive classroom, and

benefit all students, not only those who have accommodations listed on their IEP.


2.4 Conclusion

This study explores the question “how does a small sample of elementary teachers

respond to students with performance or social anxiety and what impacts they perceive

their response having on students”. The impact of social anxiety on a student’ s social and

academic development can be detrimental without intervention. As a significant

percentage of children suffer from social anxiety, it is expected that there will be at least

one child struggling with social anxiety in almost every classroom. As such teachers

should be prepared to address mental health issues within the classroom. CBT was found

to be an effective and simple intervention to implement, however teachers are not

comfortable addressing mental health issues and report not having enough training in

identification or intervention. This review explains that little attention has been paid to

accommodations for students with social anxiety, and the need for more research in this

area in order for teachers to support students with social anxiety. This study hopes to

empower teachers to be agents of change in the lives of their struggling students. By

examining ways that teachers currently support students, this study may help prepare

teachers to be more aware of mental health issues in the classroom, and support them in

providing appropriate assessment strategies. This research will hopefully provide insight

into different methods teachers use when applying differentiated assessment, in addition

to stressing the need for more mental health education for pre-service and current

teachers.


Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

This qualitative research project was conducted by using semi-structured

interviews with classroom teachers to gather data. The study aimed to investigate the

ways in which teachers are applying differentiated assessment as an instructional

response to students with social anxiety. The study aspired to identify specific ways in

which teachers accommodate students and what impacts these teachers perceive the

aforementioned accommodations have on students. Two participants were interviewed.

These interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and then analyzed considering the

commonalities, contradictions and divergent data between the participants as well as the

literature review. The participants were recruited based on their positions as junior

elementary school classroom teachers, leadership and/or expertise in the area of

supporting students’ mental health in schools, and use of differentiated assessment in

their classroom. The following chapter will describe the research methodology applied to

this research project. This includes attention to methods and procedures, ethics, sampling,

and a review of the study limitations and strengths.

3.1 Research Approach & Procedure

This study used a qualitative approach to research drawing on characteristics from

the phenomenological approach. Qualitative research was suitable for this study as

qualitative research is appropriate where depth of meaning is important and the research

is primarily focused on gaining insight and understanding (Maxwell, 2012; Rowley,

2012). The purpose behind this MTRP was to gain insight from current teachers on how

differentiated assessment is used to help students with social anxiety. Qualitative

research, specifically the phenomenological approach, also involves an interpretive,


naturalistic approach to the world where phenomenon can be studied in its’ natural

setting (Mertens, 2014; Patton 2001). It emphasizes the individual’ s experience (Wertz,

2005). By using characteristics from the phenomenological approach, I was able to

understand and describe an event from the point of view of the participants (ibid,

Mertens, 2014). Specifically, the idea that the research is centered around a single

phenomenon, as this study only examines elementary teachers experiences’ with social

anxiety. It does not examine secondary school experiences or other mental illnesses.

Additionally, the researcher statement in chapter 1 “serve[s] to identify personal

experiences with the phenomenon” as to acknowledge any previously existing bias and

perspectives (Creswell, 2013, pg. 78).

In addition to an initial in-depth literature review, new and relevant literature was

reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the study. The literature review in many ways

informed the way I approached this subject with professionals in regards to common

practices and terminology. Two elementary school teachers were interviewed using semi-

structured interviews and themes were inferred from their interviews.

3.2 Instruments of Data Collection

The primary means of data collection was through semi-structured interviews (for

interview questions, see Appendix B). The goal of the interviews was to gain an

understanding of how teachers are using differentiated assessment with students suffering

from social anxiety (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003). Semi-structured interviews were chosen as

they permit the flow of conversation while still being guided by previously determined

topic-specific questions (Creswell, 2013). Creswell (2013) encourages this type of model

as the open-ended questions allow for participants to expand on their answers and

provide complete answers full of detail. This allows for an easier and more accurate


understanding of the emergent themes. Additionally, semi-structured interviews allowed

me to adapt my questions to what the participants were saying. Semi-structured

interviews provided the opportunity to hear about participants’ lived experiences.

Researchers can design and plan the interview in line with the research purpose and

research questions, and participants can elaborate more than they would be able to in a

structured interview (Rowley, 2012). Additionally, the semi-structured interview gives

participants the ability to direct attention to areas that may be unforeseen by the

researcher (Hoepfl, 1997; Kitzinger, 1995).

Each interview lasted no more than 60 minutes, entailing the same 22 questions

(see Appendix B), with additional unscripted follow-up questions when needed (Rowley,

2012). I asked them about their classroom teaching and how they use differentiated

assessment for students who show symptoms of social anxiety, as this would support my

research questions. The questions covered topics relevant to teaching students with social

anxiety, pre-service and current teacher training in supporting student mental health, and

their beliefs regarding accommodating socially anxious students. Sample questions

include “In your experience, what mental health concerns do students commonly

exhibit?”, “How do students with diagnosed social anxiety typically respond to

differentiated assessment, in your experience?”, and “What are the challenges or

obstacles you face accommodating students with social anxiety and implementing

differentiated assessment for them?”

Interviews were conducted at a location and time convenient to the participant.

All interviews took place between August and October 2015. At the beginning of each

interview, I introduced myself and reviewed my topic of research with the participant.

Participants were given all of the necessary information about consent, content and


confidentiality; I informed them that they could refrain from responding to any question,

that they would have the opportunity to review the transcripts, and that they could

withdraw from participation in the research study at any point during the research

process. Participants were given letters of consent as part of the interview process (see

Appendix A). A copy of the consent letter was given to each participant, and another

copy was retained as part of the records for this study. Every effort was made to ensure

their comfort and confirm their willingness to participate in the interview and to have the

resulting data included in this study. Interviews were recorded with my iPhone 4S and

then transcribed.

3.3 Participants

The following sections review the sampling criteria for participant recruitment, as

well as possible avenues for recruitment. Each participant will then be introduced and his

or her teaching experience will be described.

3.3.1 Sampling Criteria

In order to develop my research about how teachers accommodate students with

social anxiety, it was necessary to find exemplary practitioners who could provide me

with information about their own experiences with these students. Participants were

selected based on the following criteria:

• They must be current teachers who instruct grades 4-8;

• They must have demonstrated leadership and/or expertise in the area of

supporting students’ mental health in schools;

• They must apply differentiated assessment in their classrooms;

• They must have taught a student with social anxiety.


These criteria were instated to ensure a certain amount of experience to speak

with authority on students with social anxiety. Additionally, it is important that

participants teach grades 4 to 8 as these students may be beginning to develop anxiety

symptoms, which can worsen through adolescence without intervention (Statistics

Canada, 2013; Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2011; Kessler,

Amminger, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Alonso, Lee, & Ustün, 2007).

3.3.2 Sampling Procedures

Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. As teachers were

volunteering to participate in this study and give up their personal time, sampling was

based on which participants were available. Because of the small sample size and

convenience sampling, data collected was not generalizable to the larger population,

however it did provide insight into teachers practices regarding differentiated assessment

for students with social anxiety (Ritchie, Lewis, Nicholls, & Ormston, 2013). Principals

and teachers I had made connections with through my practicum experiences were asked

to distribute the participant criteria and my contact information (email and phone

number) to teachers in their schools. Teachers who were interested were asked to contact

me by September 21st, 2015, and interview times and locations were set up via email. As

I am immersed in a community of teacher candidates, I also relied on my connections and

networks to find participants who matched the sampling criteria mentioned above. I

asked my colleagues to suggest elementary school teachers who have taught students

with social anxiety, emphasizing the idea that I would be interested in interviewing those

teachers who differentiate assessment for these students.


3.3.3 Participant Bios

Two teachers were recruited and interviewed. The following paragraphs provide

information on each participant regarding their teaching experiences and education.

Shannon:

Shannon has been teaching for 7 years and is currently teaching a grade 7

homeroom class in the York Region District School Board. She completed her

undergraduate degree in history at the University of Queens and received her Bachelor of

Education from York University in Toronto. She also completed her Master of Education

at the University of Toronto. A colleague referred Shannon to this study because of her

involvement in mental health. She is the Community, Culture, and Caring lead teacher at

her school and is passionate about supporting students with mental health needs. She

recently finished her principal qualification course and focused her studies on mental

health programs in schools. She planned a mental health panel discussion for parents and

is continuously looking for ways to help teachers better understand the needs of students

with mental health problems.

Melissa:

Melissa has been teaching for 7 years and is currently teaching a grade 7 class in

the York Region District School Board. She completed her undergraduate degree in

psychology at the University of Guelph and received her Bachelors of Education and

Masters of Child Development and Applied Psychology from the University of Toronto.

Melissa was asked to participate in this study because of her involvement in mental

health. She shows a clear passion for mental health in her attendance to numerous

conferences related to mental health, student well-being and student identity. Melissa

states that she teaches the Ontario curriculum through the mental health and social justice


lens. She has been the Positive Climates for Learning and Well-being lead teacher at her

school for two years, and works to ensure that information surrounding student well-

being is a part of her school’s improvement plan.

3.4 Data Analysis

I began recording my data by transcribing my interviews (Rowley, 2012). All

transcribed interviews were saved on my password protected computer. Once transcribed,

I began coding the transcripts by using my research questions as an interpretive tool.

While coding the transcripts I looked for divergences in the data as related to my research

questions, in addition to common themes. Identifying the divergent themes provided a

source to further the analysis and increase the understanding of how teachers use

differentiated assessment to help socially anxious students. By comparing the emergent

themes, both similar and divergent, within the participants’ transcripts, I was able to build

a stronger foundation for the conclusions drawn from my research (Bazeley, 2009). I also

paid attention to the null data, what teachers did not speak to and why that was

significant. Each interview was coded individually first, and categories of data were

identified, such as student support, teacher support, treatment and diagnosis, self-

advocacy and communication. I used different coloured highlighters to identify similar

ideas and organized the data in charts to highlight the important quotes and insights in the

interview data. I made notes to myself as I went along. Next, themes within a category

were found (Rowley, 2012). This was done for each participant transcript. After each

transcript was coded for categories and themes, the themes and categories from all of the

participant transcripts were reviewed, and synthesized when appropriate (Creswell,

2013). I made handwritten notes as the themes became even more apparent, and these

informed my conclusions. I identified four themes that emerged: participants accurately


conceptualize social anxiety, unrealistic expectations on teachers, limiting teachers

through teacher education programs, and developing student self-advocacy as a benefit

to differentiated assessment. Themes and categories were also compared to those found

in the literature review.

3.5 Ethical Review Procedures

For my MTRP I followed the ethical review approval procedure for the Master of

Teaching program. Through convenience sampling, teachers were asked to contact me if

they fulfilled all of the criteria and were interested in participating in the study. This

ensured that participants were in fact willing volunteers. Once participants responded and

informed me of their interest in contributing to my research, we met in person to discuss

the process and their role (Bryman, 2001). A letter of consent was given to the

interviewees (see Appendix A) and was reviewed carefully with each interviewee.

Participants were made aware that their data would be shared with the MT community,

but any names or other identifying markers would be removed during transcription. All

interview data remained confidential and each participant was assigned a pseudonym in

order to ensure confidentiality and anonymity (Corbin & Strauss, 2014). The only people

who had access to the assignment were my research supervisor and my course instructor.

Participants were informed that they were free to change their minds at any time, and to

withdraw even after they had consented to participate. Participants were allowed to

decline to answer any specific questions. Participants were also informed that they would

be provided with the opportunity to review the transcripts to ensure accuracy and provide

approval (Rowley, 2012).

Participants signed two copies of a consent form outlining their role in the project

and rights for their participation prior to the interview; one copy was maintained for


research purposes and the other was for the participant’s personal records (Corbin &

Strauss, 2014). No known risks or benefits for participation in these interviews were

identified. Once the interviewee consented to take part in the study, they were once again

reminded that participation was voluntary and could be withdrawn at any point in the

research. The data from the interviews will remain on my password-protected 2009

Macbook Pro, and will not be shared. It will be cleared off my hard drive in 5 years. It

will only exist in the form of my final MTRP. Each interview was audio-recorded using

the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 4s.

3.6 Methodological Limitations and Strengths

There were several limitations of my research as a result of the framework for the

Master of Teaching Research Project (MTRP). These limitations are participant

recruitment and data collection, generalizability, and researcher bias and interpretation.

The first limitation involves the selection of participants. Given the parameters set up by

the MTRP project, I was only able to interview educators and analyze teachers’

perspectives; no student perspectives were explored. Observation also could have been an

effective tool for data collection, as what each participant said in the interview, and what

he or she does in the classroom may be completely different (Creswell, 2013). The

insights I gained from the teachers were still valuable for my findings and will hopefully

inform future teachers.

The second limitation relates to the findings in this study not being generalizable

to the larger population (Rowley, 2012). With only two participants, the sample size was

small but was suitable to achieve my goal as set out by the MTRP, to examine existing

practice and apply my findings to my own practices as a teacher. By having a small

sample, I was able to focus and deepen my analysis (Rowley, 2012) and gain insights that


may be more useful to a specific sample of teachers, as more time was available to

compare and synthesize themes between transcripts.

The final limitation relates to researcher bias. The findings within this study

reflect my own interpretations and have been influenced by my own understandings and

lived experiences. I did my best to limit my bias through arranging my notes according to

codes and themes rather than according to interviewee. This way I was able to look only

at the data and not judge the participant based on his or her background, beliefs and

attitudes, thus still making meaningful conclusions (Maxwell, 2012).

Even though there are limitations to this study, there are strengths to it as well.

Firstly, interviewing teachers and hearing their experiences provides more in depth data

than a survey or observation. Participants can speak to what matters most to them, which

validates their voice and experience (Wertz, 2005). Another strength in this study is that

by conducting semi-structured interviews participants were able to reflect on their

teaching practices and articulate how they conceptualize a topic in theory and in practice.

3.7 Conclusion

In summary, this project addressed the topic of the use of differentiated assessment

by elementary teachers to support students suffering from social anxiety. This was done

by first reviewing pertinent literature and then using semi-structured interviews with two

Canadian teachers. To participate, teachers had to teach grades 4-8, demonstrate

leadership and/or expertise in the area of supporting students’ mental health in schools

and apply differentiated assessment in their classrooms to support students with social

anxiety. Through convenience sampling, teachers were asked to contact me if they

fulfilled all of the criteria and were interested in participating. Interviews were

transcribed and analyzed for major themes brought forward by this small sample of


teachers. Even though this study had a limited sample size, the interview process

provided more depth to the collected data and validated the participants voice and

experience. In chapter 4, I report these themes, and in chapter 5 the broader implications

of these themes will be discussed in light of the literature.


Chapter 4: FINDINGS

4.0 Introduction

In this chapter I report and discuss the findings from two participant interviews.

Participants shared their ideas on how teachers can become more successful educators in

regards to accommodating assessment for students with social anxiety. Common themes

from the interviews led to the conclusion that not only are participants expected to

understand and recognize signs and symptoms of social anxiety, they may also be highly

unprepared to do so. This conclusion is supported by four themes: participants accurately

conceptualize social anxiety, unrealistic expectations on teachers, limiting support from

teachers through teacher education programs, and developing student self-advocacy as a

benefit to differentiated assessment. The following chapter will discuss each theme

individually in relation to each participant and will draw connections to the literature

review in chapter 2.

4.1 Participants Accurately Conceptualize Social Anxiety

The first theme that emerged from the data was that participants were quite

capable of describing social anxiety and identifying symptoms related to the disorder and

as such, were able to accommodate effectively. Even though participants and previous

research reports that new teachers may be unprepared to address mental health concerns

in the classroom, it appears that these participants learned from their previous

experiences in order to support the current students. Shannon defined social anxiety as,

“[anxiety] related to interacting with other people, so feeling uncomfortable or umm

atypically worried about…umm interacting with others”. Melissa conceptualized social

anxiety similarly by saying that it is,


“not just the feeling of anxiousness but it is something being perceived by another or a group of others or you know, not being good enough for someone else and so I think its like, the social anxiety piece is when you bring someone else or a group of people now are involved, as with anxiety its more within that one person but the social piece has to do with fear of some kind of like judgment”. Both participants mentioned the “other” and a fear of judgment, and how those

feelings are associated with anxiety. People suffering from social anxiety are frequently

concerned about what other people think of them and their actions. These other people

can be family members, friends, teachers or even random people on the street. Both

participants mention that their students may be concerned about how the teacher assesses

their work, even if the work is informal and just for diagnostic purposes. Students with

social anxiety may be overly critical of their own work and the perception that teachers,

parents or peers are also seeing their work negatively increases their anxiety and can lead

to poor work samples. The participants in this student mentioned peers as another group

of others that can provoke anxiety in students and provided accommodations that can be

used to help socially anxious students (these will be elaborated on in chapter 5).

Although both participants were able to clearly and accurately define social

anxiety, Melissa also expressed that she did not feel comfortable defining social anxiety

or anxiety in general.

I don't know if like there’s a definition that exists that’s gonna be respectful and encompassing to everything. umm I don't have it and so I don't actually know…I also sort of feel like, who am I to define what it…I think maybe part of the problem is that as society and even in education we have a definition of anxiety that doesn’t necessarily fit what we are seeing with students (Melissa, participant). In addition to the definition for social anxiety, Melissa also seems to grasp the

complexity behind mental illness and how difficult it is to support these students. Each

student is different and may require different supports for the same diagnosis. By voicing


this opinion, she acknowledges her limitations. Teachers should be able to acknowledge

their limitations, as they are not expected to know everything. That being said, teachers

should be willing to find the information and get help when they see that their students

need support.

Both participants’ definitions are closely related to the DSM-V’s definition, “a

marked, or intense, fear or anxiety of social situations in which the individual may be

scrutinized or negatively evaluated by others” (APA, 2013). These findings supported

the research by Bernstein et al. (2008), Layne et al. (2006) and Cunningham & Suldo

(2014), in that the participants in this study were able to identify symptoms of social

anxiety in their students such as withdrawing from peers, hesitating to join in activities,

frequent crying, and avoidance behaviors. Although these are more obvious and prevalent

symptoms, it is still important to note that participants do associate these symptoms with

social anxiety when they are seen frequently and in the same situation.

With experience, participants learned more about mental health issues through

exposure and as such were able to better support their students. Being able to understand

social anxiety and pick up on symptoms when they arise is an important step in early

intervention and treatment for these students. For this study, participants were required

to show an interest in student mental health and as such would be expected to have

knowledge about social anxiety and appropriate accommodations.

4.2 Unrealistic Expectations on Teachers

A theme that was quite prevalent in both interviews was that participants are

expected to do so much in the classroom for students, without the appropriate support. A

teacher’s role in the classroom is to educate students and support them academic and

emotional needs. The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) provides teachers with five


standards of practice that describe the knowledge, skills, and values inherent in Ontario’s

teaching profession, namely teachers should be dedicated in their care and commitment

to students, teachers should strive to be current in their professional knowledge

(including taking additional course and reflecting on student development, pedagogy,

curriculum, ethics and educational research), and teachers should promote student

learning in a creative, safe, collaborative and supportive environment (OCT, 2014b).

Additionally, the educational act lists maintaining a healthy physical emotion and social

learning environment, communicating with families, performing all duties assigned by

the principal, planning and educating students, observing, and monitoring and assessing

student development as some of the other roles a teacher must fulfill (Ontario Regulation

298, 1990, ss. 11, 20). As such, it is understandable that teachers may feel overwhelmed

by all of these expectations. Not only are participants expected to fulfill all of the above

expectations daily, but teachers may be given the extra task of differentiating for students

with special needs as well. Participants in this study understand the concept of

differentiating for different learning styles, such as verbal, auditory, kinesthetic, etc., in

addition to those students with special needs. What emerged from the data was that

participants may not only expected to differentiate for all students and their individual

learning needs, but they may be expected to accommodate students with mental health

issues as well. They may also be expected to communicate student progress to

administrators and parents, and continuously check in with the student to see if they need

any additional support. Teachers may also be expected to fill out questionnaires from

doctors if a student is in the process of being assessed, regardless of their understanding

of the mental or physical disorder and without training.


Within this overall theme, three subthemes emerged: a lack of knowledge

surrounding student mental health, the use of differentiated assessment, and the idea that

teachers have to do the legwork to find support. Even with all of these expectations

placed on teachers, participants had little to say about support available to them.

Administrators were supportive of their decisions, however there was no school-based

professional development related to mental health, let alone to social anxiety specifically,

and board-offered workshops were very difficult to find, according to participants.

4.2.1 Lack of Knowledge Surrounding Student Mental Health

The first subtheme is that there appears to be a lack of knowledge surrounding

mental health and mental illness for teachers, students and parents. Melissa mentioned

that there is a lack of knowledge and understanding in regards to mental health, “the

biggest thing would be a knowledge piece because I don't think that teachers have the

skill set to be able to do everything you that you can to support that child and for you to

learn”.

Melissa points specifically towards psychological assessment forms and how

teachers are expected to fill these out accurately without proper training.

Now all of a sudden this teacher is filling out this form because they don’t have any knowledge about what its about and its going back to a doctor, now a diagnosis is being made based on somebody's observations that are not necessarily sound… sometimes teachers feel as though they need to respond a certain way in order to please a parent right? And so some teachers think that’s coming across my desk then I need to do this for them (Melissa, participant). Filling these forms out incorrectly or inaccurately may hinder student progress

and in some cases can also lead to a misdiagnosis. With proper support, training and

professional development workshops or conferences, teachers may gain the necessary


knowledge and may be able to better assist their students in reaching their academic and

emotional goals.

Shannon on the other hand mentions that we as teachers expect students to have

false beliefs about mental health issues. For example, some teachers think that students

may exclude and bully students who are suffering from mental health issues because the

disorder may be contagious. Nonetheless, students are apparently quite accepting and

understanding of mental illness and equity.

I think sometimes as adults we bring our own bias and perception of stigma in and we think that our students are going to have a lot of trouble with this. But we’re the ones with the hang-ups. And when it comes to talking with young students, they're like "Ya! That makes sense" you know, they totally get it. Because they're so umm...open minded and...You know, open to new learning that I think if we continue to teach our young students about this, its going to be one of those, in 30 years from now, I hope, that its just not the stigma associate with it that is in some places still (Shannon, participant). If this is true than it is not the students we should be concerned about, it is the

adults, teachers and parents, who need additional education. Melissa mentioned that a

problem she frequently sees is that there may be “a lot of students’ parents who see

certain behaviours and then kind of self-diagnose”. In order for teachers and parents to

support students with social anxiety, they need to be better educated on the concepts and

issues. Parents need to understand that a label will not always harm their child and that

by differentiating assessment, students may develop necessary skills and may also

develop the confidence they need to grow and combat their anxieties. Having parental

support may not only make it easier for teachers to support students in the classroom, but

it may also help decrease the stigma around mental health and accommodations, making

it easier for these students to seek help for their condition.


4.2.2 Using Differentiated Assessment in the Classroom

Participants see the benefits to differentiated assessment for students with social

anxiety and implement differentiation when students appear to be struggling. Both

participants were able to provide examples of situations and strategies when they used

differentiated assessment. In regards to general accommodations, both participants

mentioned alternate space, one question at a time (chunking), extra time, talking through

[the question] first, and allowing them to record their voices. Melissa also mentioned,

“allowing them the opportunity where if it’s too much at that point, then why do they

have to do it that day right?”

Shannon provided a specific examples of how she differentiates for a student with social anxiety: I would probably offer to a student would just present to me in private and see if they were comfortable with that and following that id give them the opportunity to record it. Umm in private and show that to me...its sort of, you know, like steps along the way and finally I would say you can write it down if you want (Shannon, participant). Research has shown that small steps, such as presenting to smaller groups or one

on one may help boost students’ confident and self esteem, making it easier until they are

ready to present to a full class (Statistics Canada, 2013; Levine & George, 1992).

Differentiating assessment does not mean that they are always receiving different

assessments in each subject; it means that they are building the skills in manner different

to their peers, in order to be able to complete the assigned assessment in the future. In

some cases participants chose methods of assessment because it was suggested by a

doctor or suggested in an IEP (individualized education plan). Even when there was no

documentation or assessment, participants differentiated assessments for their students

because they recognized that their students were not able to demonstrate their best work.

By accommodating students, teachers are setting them up for success in the future and are


not limiting their abilities. This relates to the previously mentioned lack of parental

knowledge. By supporting the teacher’s decisions, parents show their children that these

accommodations can be helpful to their growth as a student and in their treatment of

social anxiety. Teachers and parents need to work together to help their students succeed

in school and life by taking whatever steps necessary to build their confidence and

abilities.

4.2.3 Teachers have to do the “Legwork” in order to Receive Support

The final subtheme related to teacher expectations is that teachers may be

responsible for finding their own resources and support (PD, conferences, workshops,

etc.) if they are interested in mental health education. Melissa makes reference to this

idea multiple times throughout her interview, saying that workshops and conferences are

available but they may be hidden in a lengthy email, or other sections of the board

website. She suggests that teachers take the time to look through the websites and

resources available.

Every board has [supports] and they're made available to parents, you know on the board website, and that kind of stuff, but its one of those things no one is searching it out and the stigma that’s associated around it is crazy. umm so there are definitely supports available but I think you have to kind of as a classroom teacher do a little bit of leg work in order to get those supports to the people that actually need them… being aware that there is a heck of a lot of stuff that’s available, you just sometimes need to do the legwork (Melissa, participant). She comments that because student mental health is part of her teaching

philosophy, she may be more invested in looking for these resources than a typical

teacher. Although this subtheme was only prevalent in Melissa’s interview, Shannon did

comment that the work she was doing was self-initiated and self-directed because of her

interest and passion for student mental health. Both participants may be noticing the same


phenomenon, but may be responding to it differently due to their different frameworks or

lenses. Participants have recognized that they will only get the information they need to

support their students if they make student mental health a priority.

It is important to note that even with the increased focus on mental health in

school boards, there are limited supports available to teachers from the board and

managing bodies (i.e. little professional development in this area, lack of funding for

support staff, etc.). Mental health awareness and workshops may not be advertised and

there are limited options for the elementary panel, according to participants. According to

both participants, professional development opportunities are limited. Shannon

mentioned that little training has been provided in regards to mental health, and only in

the last year has the school really dug into student mental health, as part of her initiative.

According to Melissa, at the board level “there is a little bit like again its not like, its not

very well known… you get an email every week with a bunch of stuff in it and there’s

tons of information and people don't click through it. At the school level I have yet to be

in a school that has done something at the school level.”

Teachers may need to seek out research to supplement their own knowledge if

they are invested in helping a student with mental health needs, and they may need to

look for, and dig through lists of workshops or conferences offered by the board in order

to do so. Even though there are social workers or child youth workers assigned to each

school, they cannot do everything and they cannot support everyone. Participants seek

out these people on their own for advice or suggestions. According to participants, these

individuals are in high demand across the board, so they are not consistently available for

support within the school. Each and every student should have access to the same


supports, and to ask teachers to do the legwork in order to get students what they need

may be going beyond “standard” expectations for teachers.

4.3 Limiting Support from Teachers through Teacher Education Programs

Another theme that emerged from the data was that teacher education programs

may not be preparing teachers adequately to teach students with social anxiety, let alone

any mental illness. Melissa mentioned that as an associate teacher, she sees a lot of

student teachers and comments that they are unprepared to address mental health needs.

They're just unaware. They're unaware of what it looks like. They don't see it. If someone came up to them and told them, then maybe they would get it. They would have no idea how to like transform their instructional practices, how to kind of think about assessment…In terms of teacher training I do not think that there is enough if any, umm...background or content in courses that are related to anxiety, social anxiety, or mental illness (Melissa, participant).

Teachers should not be expected to know every symptom of every disorder,

however teachers should be taught how to be aware of these things and how to

accommodate students who do have mental health issues, diagnosed or suspected.

Melissa also mentions that, “from a pedagogical standpoint, teachers colleges and

universities need to get their act together and understand that if you're preparing a

professional to enter into the workforce, mental illness, anxiety, social anxiety are part of

it, so you're not doing your job”. Many students in our classrooms struggle with mental

health issues. Teacher education programs should prepare teachers for this reality by

teaching them strategies for recognition and accommodation.

This finding further supports Mihalas, et al. (2009) and Rodger et al. (2014) who

said that teachers do not have the skills to meet the needs of students struggling with

mental health issues and that mental health is not covered to the necessary extent in

special education courses. With the new change to teacher education programs in


Ontario (OCT, 2014a), special education courses are longer and should be able to

dedicate more time mental illness and student mental health. That being said, special

education is a broad topic and there is no way to know for sure that mental health will be

given enough attention to prepare teachers for what they will inevitably see in the

classroom.

Additionally, participants in this study were chosen because of their involvement

in student mental health and their years of teaching experience. This may explain why

participants were able to conceptualize and accommodate social anxiety. This finding

also reinforces Cunningham & Suldo (2014) study that stated, the more experience

teachers have, the more comfortable they are recognizing and addressing mental health

issues in their classrooms. The participants in this student both had seven or more years

of experience. If teachers have to teach for seven years before they are comfortable

addressing mental health concerns, what is happening to their students in those first six

years? Teachers should be prepared and confident in their abilities to support their

students’ mental health. As these participants have had more than seven years of

teaching experience and passionate about student mental health, they were able to address

concerns and accommodate their students appropriately, and as such these findings

suggest that teachers without years of experience should be provided with better teacher

education or more professional development specifically targeting student mental health.

These participants care about student mental health and therefore seek out

conferences and initiatives to introduce to their school, but as Jourdan et al. (2008) found,

for these initiatives and programs to be effective, they must be embedded into learning

and the daily life of the school. This means that all teachers, regardless of experiences

have to accept these programs and adopt a mental health lens while teaching, which


means teachers should have a better understanding of student mental health before

graduating teacher’s college. Additionally, it is unfair to expect teachers to understand all

mental health concerns without providing them with workshops, guidelines or the proper

education to support them in their decisions. The ability to say, “I need help” is difficult,

however teachers need to begin asking for help when needed so that students can receive

the best support for them, and so that more awareness to brought to the fact that teachers

may be ill-equipped to handle these issues without prior experience.

4.4 Developing Student Self-Advocacy as a Benefit to Differentiated Assessment

The final theme that emerged in both interviews was related to the benefits of

differentiated assessment for students. Teachers stressed the importance of allowing

students the opportunity to try different assessment styles and strategies for coping with

their social anxiety so that in the future, the students could make their own decisions and

know what they need to succeed. Melissa said that by providing students with different

forms of assessment, we allow students to develop coping skills. Shannon comments that

students should understand that the teacher’s role is to support their learning and

development.

…especially for elementary school students and intermediate students …being able to advocate for themselves when they get into high school and university. So if we give students an opportunity to try out different accommodations and assessment practices that work for them, then when they are in high school or university they will hopefully will be able to say “this is something that worked for me”…you need to give those students the chance to try those things out (Shannon, participant). Students need to be able to know what is best for them and why, and by

discussing these options with students, teachers can not only help their students cope with

their anxiety, but they may also be able to set them up for future success by teaching

them strategies and helping them choose tools that work for them. As mentioned in the


literature review, teachers are in a unique position to identify social anxiety early and

intervene. If teachers can recognize signs and symptoms of social anxiety early and help

students find strategies that work for them, these students will be better off in the future

as their symptoms may not worsen because they may be able to self-advocate (Huberty,

2013). By encouraging self-advocacy in all students, teachers may be able to

inadvertently provide support and strategies to students with mental health needs whose

symptoms are not externalized.

4.5 Discussion

In order for teachers to better support students with social anxiety, they appear to

need to be able to accurately conceptualize and recognize social anxiety. Without an

understanding of this mental health issue, teachers may have trouble effectively

accommodating students’ assessments. The four themes, unrealistic expectations on

teachers, failing students through teacher education, and developing student self-

advocacy, all work together to foster teachers’ ability to conceptualize social anxiety and

in turn, better support students (as seen in figure 1 below).

Figure 1 Visual interpretation of themes in relation to support for students with social anxiety

Teachers can Accuractely

Conceptualize Anxiety

Developing Student Self-Advocacy

Failing Students through Teacher

Education

Unrealistic Expectations on Teachers: • Lack of knowledge surrounding student mental health

• Using differentiated assessment in the classroom

• Teachers have to do the "legwork" in order to receive support

Better Support for Students with Social Anxiety


Teachers may be asked, by administration, parents and OCT (and the Ontario

Ministry of Education) to do a lot in the classroom and without adequate support from

administration and parents, or background knowledge (from teacher education programs

or from professional development workshops), teachers may be unable to recognize when

their students are struggling with anxiety. Restricted access to certain resources and

supports may also interfere with the education for the rest of the class, if a teacher is

unsure of how to help a student who is obviously anxious. Additionally, by helping

students become self-advocates from themselves, not only are teachers giving students

access to various types of accommodations, but students may also gain a valuable skill

for the future. As teachers, we should try to support students in the classroom, but also

provide them with the skills to support them when they leave our classrooms.

After examining these themes, it appears that teachers need three things in order

to support students’ mental health: interest in student mental health, background

knowledge of mental health, and a supportive environment to provide student support.

As educators we should be changing how we conceive mental health. It is not something

that should require teachers to be interested in. It should be something that is ingrained

into teacher pedagogy and philosophy. Students with social anxiety, and any mental

illness, should be able to receive support and guidance from any teacher, not only the

ones who are passionate about student mental health or interested in the topic. Similar to

how teachers need to teach to all learning styles and cover all curriculum expectations,

teachers should also be able to confidently recognize and address mental health issues in

the classroom.

These findings point to an extreme lack of teacher preparation that was not as

obvious in the literature review. The literature reviewed examined major components to


teaching students with mental health issues, such as differentiated assessment, symptoms

and indicators, and IEP’s, however no research pointed to the need to be personally

invested in student mental health at the time. Research did indicate that pre-service and

beginning teachers might feel unprepared to address student mental health needs (Rodger

et al., 2014). As such, teachers who are personally invested in supporting students with

mental health issues may be more confident in their knowledge of the indicators as well

as the available supports and resources. The findings also provided sound reasoning for

differentiated assessment; developing student self-advocacy. Students should know that

their teacher wants what’s best for them and that they are going to be supportive.

Without the necessary background knowledge to support their decisions, teachers may be

unable to help these students to their fullest extent.

4.6 Conclusion

This chapter reviewed the four major themes that emerged from the data. In

addition to people (parents, administration, and society) expecting too much from

teachers, they are not provided adequate support in order to help support students.

Teachers with a passion for student mental health are able to accurately conceptualize

social anxiety and accommodate students accordingly. Additionally, those teachers with

the passion for student mental health see differentiation as a way to encourage students to

develop self-advocacy skills that may help them in high school and university.

Surprisingly teachers do not seem to be adequately prepared to support students with

social anxiety. The teacher education programs do not give mental health enough

attention and there may be limited professional development opportunities for teachers

currently in the classroom to increase their knowledge on student mental health. The final

chapter will discuss the implications of these results and themes and provide suggestions


for teachers in regards to teaching practices and strategies and suggestions for

administrators for how to increase educators’ knowledge and awareness.


Chapter 5: IMPLICATIONS

5.0 Introduction

Within this chapter I provide an overview of the key findings from this study and

their significance, specifically, how a sample of elementary teachers apply differentiated

assessment to support students struggling with social anxiety. The implications of the

research findings are discussed in terms of the broad implications for the educational

research community, as well as the narrow implications relevant to my own professional

identity and practice. I continue with recommendations for the educational community

based on the research findings. Finally, areas of further research are identified and I

provide concluding comments on the significance of the research study.

5.1 Overview of Key Finding and their Significance

This research project began as a way for me to learn more about my own mental

health struggles and how, as a teacher, I can support my students early on in their

education if social anxiety begins to develop. My research questions arose from

watching my sister struggle to access the support she needed. I began thinking about how

a teacher is at the forefront of a child’s development and how, as teachers, we have a

unique opportunity to not only educate students on what mental health is, but to intervene

if students begin to develop signs to mental illness and support them in accessing help

from trained professionals. After exploring the research, I realized that not many

researchers have examined social anxiety in the classroom and how teachers should

address it, even though 6.5 percent (Statistics Canada, 2013; Statistics Canada, 2002) of

elementary school students with anxiety are currently diagnosed with social anxiety (this

does not take into account the students without a diagnosis who may be presenting

symptoms associated with social anxiety). This led me to my research question, how do a


sample of elementary teachers apply differentiated assessment as an instructional

response to students with social anxiety and what impacts do they perceive for students?

Additionally, I wanted to learn how these teachers define social anxiety and identify

symptoms associated with it, as well as how are teachers prepared to support students

suffering from social anxiety.

I conducted a literature review in chapter two that examined the impacts social

anxiety can have on students, specifically social behaviours, academic performance, and

treatments, in addition to research discussing teachers roles in addressing social anxiety

(identifying symptoms, IEPs, differentiation practices, etc.) in order to gauge what

teachers know about mental health issues if they have never experienced any themselves.

Chapter three then described my research methodology, which outlined the qualitative

study, consisting of a literature review and two semi-structured interviews with two

female elementary school teachers from the York Region District School Board. I also

addressed the recruiting procedures, ethical considerations, strengths, and limitations of

the study.

The research findings were presented in chapter four, where four major themes

emerged: participants accurately conceptualize social anxiety, unrealistic expectations on

teachers, limiting support from teacher through teacher education programs, and

developing student self-advocacy as a benefit to differentiated assessment. Participants

voiced their interest in student mental health and how they needed to do extra work in

order to find resources to support their assessment decisions. In terms of teacher

education, participants echoed the research in regards to a lack of knowledge and

preparation as a pre-service and beginning teacher. Participants also commented on the

lack of professional development available to them as elementary teachers, specifically


related to student mental health (OCT, 2016). Finally, both participants identified self-

advocacy as a skill that students develop when differentiation is implemented in the

classroom. Participants noted that by giving students with social anxiety an option for

their assessment, students begin to learn what works for them; a valuable skill for

students in high school and university.

The rest of this chapter will address the implications, recommendations, and areas

of further research based on the research findings.

5.2 Implications

Within this chapter I explain the implications of this study and the research

findings. I discuss the broad implications that apply to the educational research

community, such as students, teachers, administrators and initial teacher education (ITE).

I then examine the narrow implications that apply to my own professional identify as a

teacher and researcher.

5.2.1 Broad: The Educational Research Community

The findings from this research study have highlighted some of the factors

limiting the amount of support that students suffering from social anxiety receive from

teachers, and thus from the wider educational community. Both participants indicated

that a large proportion of teachers may lack awareness of student mental health issues and

may not know how to effectively address these issues in the classroom. If teachers are

unaware of symptoms and indicators for social anxiety, not only may teachers be unable

to support their students, but also administration, school boards and the ministry of

education may be unaware of the prevalence of social anxiety and other mental health

issues in classrooms. Teachers are already overwhelmed with their responsibilities in the

classroom (planning, feedback, assessments, teaching the curriculum and communicating


with parents and administration), and having to learn about mental health issues and how

to accommodate for these students may add to these overwhelming feelings. These

feelings may be increased further when teachers are expected to differentiate for students

with special needs, especially if teachers are required to do the extra work to find the

necessary resources for their students. By reaching out for help, teachers may be relieved

of some of that pressure in addition to finding support for the student and themselves in

the classroom. Additionally, administrators may be unaware of the lack of knowledge

amongst the staff, and may assume that teachers are capable of addressing students’

needs. This may lead to miscommunication between staff and administration, as well as

misunderstandings in regards to teacher expectations when supporting students with

mental health issues. As long as teachers lack the basic information surrounding mental

health concerns and symptoms, administration may have to plan or arrange more

professional development workshops dedicated to student mental health in order to

update staff understanding.

Student also may suffer when teachers or parents do not understand their

behaviours or needs. Students can slip through the cracks if teachers are not aware of

their needs or symptoms and are unable to support them. Additionally, both participants

expressed their passion for mental health awareness, implying that teachers without a

passion for student mental health may not be as adequately prepared to address student

needs, and as such students may not be able to receive the necessary resources from his

or her teacher in order to succeed. Finally, if parents do not understand their child’s

needs, there may also be no support at home for the student, leading to increased mental

health issues (CIHI, 2012). Parents should be part of the decision making process when

planning accommodations for students, however as teachers understand the academic


needs of the students better than parents, in order for students to succeed, teachers need to

stand up for what is best for that student at that point in time.

A key finding that emerged from the participants’ comments was the importance

of differentiation for the development of student self-advocacy skills. For students, self-

advocacy is a useful skill for the future as this skill allows students to recognize their

strengths and weaknesses, know what they need to succeed (supports or resources) and

can communicate those needs with others (Lee, 2014). Self-advocacy can also help build

student confidence, independence and ownership of learning, all of which are important

to overcoming social anxiety. By supporting students and giving them opportunities to try

different strategies (differentiation), teachers are giving students the time to practice

speaking up for their own needs and teaching students about recognizing their own

strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, teachers need to advocate for their students and

provide them the necessary scaffolding to succeed; regardless of the push back they may

receive from parents who might be mistakenly afraid of what differentiating assessment

may do to their child. Without being taught how to advocate for themselves and without

seeing others speak on their behalf, students may not develop the self-advocacy skills

necessary to support their social anxiety. This may be yet another factor for teachers to

keep in mind and plan for, however if students know what they need to succeed and can

advocate for themselves, teachers may simply need to talk and listen to their students and

discuss the available options. This may save the teacher time, rather than preparing

differentiated options in advance that may in fact not be suitable for the student’s

individual needs.

The research findings, in addition to the research examined in the literature

review and the implications discussed above all point to the need for another examination


of the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs. Even though the programs were

updated in 2015 to include a larger special education focus, mental health issues are still

missing from the curriculum (OCT, 2014a). ITE programs should be preparing teachers

to effectively address issues that arise in the classroom, or to send students to someone

who can deal with the issue appropriately. According to both participants, not only are

mental health issues not a focus in ITE programs; they are also rarely discussed or

studied in depth in ITE. With the increase in student mental health issues (Statistics

Canada, 2013; Statistics Canada, 2002), teachers need to be adequately prepared to

support students, and this begins in ITE programs. Teachers will continue to learn and

develop new skills and responses to mental health concerns with experience in the

classroom, however students cannot control the development of social anxiety or any

mental health issue. They cannot wait until the teacher has knowledge on the issue to

support them. ITE programs prepare teachers to teach in classrooms. Changes in the ITE

programs may help beginning teachers feel comfortable addressing social anxiety in the

classroom and supporting students who are struggling with social anxiety.

5.2.2 Narrow: My Professional Identity and Practice

The issue of social anxiety within the classroom, and mental health concerns in

general, is something I need to consider going into the teaching profession. As I plan to

teach students in grades four to eight, I will be one person in the educational community

who sees the development of any mental health concerns. After this research project I

have realized that not all of my colleagues may be aware of indicators of social anxiety

and effective ways to address any mental health issues. After completing this study, I can

now act as a potential resource within the school to support other teachers address social

anxiety in their students. I also want to ingrain mental health awareness into my own


classroom and pedagogy. Students do not have to struggle with social anxiety on their

own and they certainly do not have to be limited by it. By making mental health a part of

my classroom and my own teaching philosophy, I hope to show students, through

practice, the importance of being accepting and understanding of their peers.

After conducting the literature review and analyzing the interview transcripts I see

that fostering a sense of self-advocacy is not only important for all students, but it is

essential for students struggling with social anxiety. Both participants brought up self-

advocacy as a way to support students with all forms of mental health concerns. Not only

do these skills set students up for success, they may also be useful throughout their lives.

I want to make sure all of my students understand how useful self-advocacy can be, and

encourage them to advocate for their own needs in the classroom. Similarly, if I need

support or resources I will seek out other teachers and administration for advice in order

to better support my students needs.

A theme that emerged in the research findings was that of differentiating

assessment for students with social anxiety. What I realized what that differentiated

assessment for students with social anxiety is no different than differentiating

assessments in general. The task of differentiating for each individual student’s needs

may seems like a daunting task, however by keeping students’ needs in mind when

planning lessons, activities and especially assessments, teachers can make differentiation

part of the classroom environment. For example, learning centers provide students with

various opportunities to learn about the same concept, accessing a variety of multiple

intelligences. Giving students a choice when it comes to the presentation of their

knowledge for a summative assessment, not only increases students engagement

(Algozzine & Anderson, 2007; Tomlinson & Allan, 2000), but it will allow students to


choose the method best suited towards their learning needs. The research findings in this

research project reinforce the need for differentiation for all students in a way that does

not isolate the students in need.

This experience has been both extremely engaging and enlightening and

challenging. In regards to my role as a researcher, I have learned a lot about my topic

and the qualitative research process. This project has shown me the importance of

supporting our teaching practices with research. It is easy to teach a class based on

anecdotal evidence and methods that have worked for the last 20 years, however as an

educator, I hope to be more critical of my own pedagogy and of new teaching methods

that can be incorporated into my classroom.

5.3 Recommendations

Within this section I make recommendations for the education community,

specifically teachers, school administrators, and ITE programs.

5.3.1 Teachers

Although it may seem like an overused (but perhaps not heard) suggestion and not

specific to mental health issues, teachers should try to create an inclusive classroom

where students feel safe to express themselves and seeking out the teacher for support.

An inclusive classroom encourages all students and teachers to be respectful,

understanding and accepting. In order to take a risk, whether it is a social risk for

someone with anxiety, or contributing to discussion for someone with a stutter, students

need to feel safe in their environment. A safe environment improves learning conditions

and is beneficial to all students (Graham, Killoran, & Parekh, 2015). By not singling out

students with special needs, the inclusive classroom creates a more accepting space.

Additionally, some students who are suffering from mental illness, but have not been


identified or diagnosed may also benefit from an inclusive classroom, as their needs will

also be met. Teachers should also consider developing a mental health lens and

pedagogy. By discussing mental health issues across subjects and throughout the school

year, teachers may be able to help decrease the negative stigma surrounding mental

health, allowing students who do suffer from mental illness to feel accepted and

comfortable seeking help.

In response to the original research question for this research project, teachers can

implement many forms of differentiated assessment for students struggling with social

anxiety. Both participants mentioned the importance of making students feel comfortable

within the classroom and the importance of talking to students about what form of

assessment works best for them. Both participants preferred to give students an option

that was very similar to class’s assignment rather than an assessment that was incredibly

different. For example, if the class assignment was to give a speech to the entire class, the

first options participants suggested was to allow the student to present to only the teacher

and a few friends rather than the entire class. If this was also difficult for the student to

accomplish due to their social anxiety, participants listed other possibilities, such as

presenting to only the teacher, recording the presentation on a video camera or voice

recorder, and as a last resort simply writing out the speech or answer. Both participants

recognized that in most cases it was the content they were looking for and not the

presentation skills themselves. Teachers should be cognizant of what their assessments

may actually be assessing, as the format of the assessment may prevent students from

accurately demonstrating their knowledge.

Finally, teachers should be supportive and observant, not doctors, psychologists,

or diagnosticians. As teachers, our job is to support student learning and development;


we do not need a label or formal diagnosis to do this. Teachers simply have to be aware

of their classroom and students. Both participants mention awareness; an awareness of

one’s strengths and weaknesses as a teacher, an awareness of student behaviour, an

awareness of useful strategies, and an awareness of mental health in general. This is

something that was integrated throughout each theme and subtheme discussed in chapter

4. Students may subconsciously act differently when they are anxious, depressed, or

influenced my mental health issues. Teachers should take note of student behaviour and

monitor this behaviour when it becomes atypical or recurring in specific situations.

Melissa mentioned that one student would leave to go to the backroom any time the class

was asked to discuss a concept in their table groupings. After noticing this behaviour

occur every day for a week, Melissa took the student aside and spoke with them about

possible ways to deal with the anxiety they were experiencing. Shannon observed a kid

cry whenever they got anxious about presenting. Each student will be different, so there

is no one symptom to look for, however by knowing the students and their behaviours,

teachers can pick up on and address atypical behaviours sooner rather than later.

5.3.2 School Administration

School principals and other administrators may want to consider encouraging

teachers to be more aware of their students mental health (positive or negative) and to

adopt a mental health lens when teaching. Additionally, administration can bring

attention to Supporting Minds (Ontario. Ministry of Education. 2013) for teachers,

parents and other administration, as a way to supplement the teachers’ and parents’

knowledge on mental illness and effective accommodations. Additionally, administrators

can arrange for mandatory mental health professional development opportunities for

staff, especially at the elementary level, as this is when anxiety and depression can begin


to develop. Professional development opportunities should also be provided where

teachers can ask questions and collaborate with each other to develop a supportive

community within the school. Teachers and administration need to work together to

develop a more preventative approach to mental health issues, rather than a responsive

approach. By providing staff with the necessary background information and resources

to support students, administration can help teachers intervene early when mental health

concerns arise.

5.3.3 Initial Teacher Education Programs

The literature review and participant data suggests that elementary teachers do not

feel prepared to address social anxiety in the classroom, let alone any form of mental

illness. It can be inferred that ITE programs in Ontario are not putting a large enough

focus on student mental health. With the new ITE programs in effect in Ontario, more

time should be allocated to student mental health, specifically recognition, addressing,

accommodation, and support for common mental health concerns observed in the

classroom, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders (depression, mania, bipolar

disorder), and behavioural disorders. Particular attention in ITE programs should be

drawn to integrating mental illness and health awareness into all aspects of ITE, as

mental health issues occur in all subjects in a variety of forms. By isolating mental health

into a small section of special education, ITE programs make mental health appear to be

isolated from pedagogy, classroom management and the curriculum, when in fact, they

are intertwined and codependent on each other. It is suggested that ITE programs embed

mental health awareness and education throughout all aspects of teacher education.


5.4 Areas for Further Research

Through conducting the literature review and reporting the research findings,

there were some areas that emerged as important to further investigate. This research

study was conducted to show how teachers are currently using differentiated assessment

as an instructional response to students with social anxiety and the impacts of such

assessments on students. With little research on social anxiety in the classroom available

at this moment in time, the question, “what benefits does differentiating assessment for

students with social anxiety have for teachers and students?” arises. A supplementary

question that follows is, “when should teachers be intervening, what age, grade or level

of symptom severity?”. It may be helpful to conduct a longitudinal study that follows

both students struggling with social anxiety and their teachers. A longitudinal study

would provide the educational community with information about teacher learning, as

well as student success. As previously mentioned, students who do not receive treatment

have poorer academic and social trajectories than their typical peers (Huberty, 2013;

Statistics Canada, 2013; Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2011; Kessler,

et al., 2007). A longitudinal study would be able to demonstrate the trajectory of students

who do receive treatment, early intervention, or identification and diagnosis. Student

social behaviours, sense of well-being, academic success, and sense of self-advocacy

could be measured. Teacher learning and response should also be examined, as certain

responses may not be suitable for students with social anxiety.

Perhaps future research can also look examine teachers’ awareness of student

mental health issues. The findings in this study point to a possible lack of teacher

awareness surrounding student symptoms and teacher responses to student mental health

concerns. Both participants in this study mentioned their passion for mental health and


how that passion is what enables them to respond to students. If teachers are not aware of

common symptoms associated with social anxiety, depression, or generalized anxiety,

how are they expected to intervene early and support students? A study examining

teacher’s perceptions, awareness and understanding of student mental health issues would

most certainly add to the current research on teacher preparedness and possibly

encourage administration to provide teachers with more professional development related

to these issues.

Finally, more research should investigate the quality of mental health education

and professional development opportunities that pre-service teachers and in-service

teachers are receiving, and the findings from that study should be distributed to all

teacher education faculties as soon as possible to allow them to update their curriculum

sooner rather than later. Teachers need to be prepared for the classrooms that they may

face as occasional teachers, as well as classroom teachers. Implementing a new mental

health curriculum that provides teachers with thorough knowledge on common mental

health issues found in schools may better prepare teachers to support students.

5.5 Conclusion

Even though mental health is currently a hot topic in Ontario school boards, there

appears to be a lack of understanding when it comes to supporting individuals with

mental health concerns. This research study has illustrated that even children suffering

from mental health issues may not be adequately supported in schools. The research

findings from this study indicate that not only are teachers uncomfortable addressing

mental health issues but they may be ill-equipped to respond to them as well. In order for

students to be supported by their teachers, teachers seem to require a personal investment

in student mental health and well-being. And while this is something that many teachers


may want to do, it appears that teachers may need to take an active role in student mental

health in order to be an effective support. Differentiated assessment is one way in which

teachers can respond to student mental health issues, as differentiation allows teachers to

adjust tasks to individual student needs.

While many of the findings in this study supported the research discussed in the

literature review (such as lack of initial teacher education in regards to social anxiety and

the benefits to differentiation), one finding spoke to another benefit to differentiated

assessment that was not present in the literature review, self-advocacy development. As

previously mentioned, teachers have a unique opportunity to intervene early when

students begin to show signs of mental illness. Additionally, it is not our job to diagnose

anything, teachers are there to support student learning. The emergence of self-advocacy

as a skill that is developed through the use of differentiation is significant because as

teachers, we can help all students develop this skill while still supporting the individual

student who actually requires it (again, the importance of an inclusive classroom).

Teachers already teach students about organization, time management, respect and

collaboration, by teaching students about self-advocacy we are setting up students for

future successes, especially those with social anxiety and other mental illnesses. It is

important for teachers and parents to note that differentiation is not a crutch for students

to use throughout their education and may not be required for the rest of their lives. The

benefit to differentiation is that students can slowly build up the skills and confidence

needed to succeed in their own way, and by teaching self-advocacy to our students,

students may also learn how to evaluate their strengths, weaknesses and needs, and learn

how to communicate these needs to others.


This research study was conducted in order to learn how a sample of elementary

school educators are using differentiated assessment as an instructional tool for students

with social anxiety. After examining the findings and talking to the participants, it would

be recommended that teachers become more aware of students’ mental health, both

positive and negative aspects. This awareness can manifest in monitoring student

behaviours and checking in with the student when they are acting atypically for them, or

it manifest in teacher education, such as taking additional mental health workshops or

attending a mental health conference for students. Regardless of how teachers begin to

open their eyes to student mental health, teachers should be aware of the issues facing

their students and be cognizant that they are role models for their students; the negative

stigma associated with mental illness can be decreased with proper education and

understanding.

As a future educator, this research study has helped me understand the importance

of an inclusive classroom and listening to our students. Even if I do not know the

answers, talking to the individual student may open up various options for support that

were not clear in the beginning. I plan to integrate differentiated assessment into my

classroom and allow all my students, regardless of needs, to benefit from it. Through this

research I hope to have reinforced that even though it is problematic to allow teachers to

enter the classroom without a basic understanding of mental illnesses, there are various

resources available to teachers to support them in supporting their students, such as

talking to administration, seeking out professional development, Supporting Minds and

the use of differentiation. Requiring a label in order to get the necessary supports not

only limits our students academically and socially, but it also reinforces students’

unhealthy responses to stressors, leading to an escalation in severity of their mental health


symptoms. It is important for teachers to remember that they can differentiate assessment

at any time to support students with mental health concerns, regardless of a diagnosis. As

Melissa said, “what’s the difference right? A formal diagnosis doesn’t mean anything.

It’s a label on a piece of paper”.


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Appendices Appendix A: Letter of Consent for Interview

Date: ___________________ Dear ___________________, I am a graduate student at OISE, University of Toronto, and am currently enrolled as a Master of Teaching candidate. The MT program is a two-year teacher education program that combines Ontario teacher certification with a graduate degree. The program also involves conducting an educational research study, called the Master of Teaching Research Paper (MTRP). The MTRP involves a research project on a topic related to teacher’s work with a theoretical and practical component. The purpose of this requirement is to allow us to become familiar with a variety of ways to do research. For my MTRP, I am studying how teachers support students who experience social anxiety, and more specifically, how they differentiate their assessment for these students. I think that your knowledge and experience will provide insights into this topic. My course instructor who is providing support for the process this year is Dr. Eloise Tan. Your involvement in the research study would include a 45-60 minute interview that will be audio-recorded and transcribed. Interviews will take place at a time and place convenient to you. The contents of this interview will be used for my assignment, which will include a final paper, as well as informal presentations to my classmates and/or potentially at a conference or publication. I will not use your name or anything else that might identify you in my written work, oral presentations, or publications. This information remains confidential and pseudonyms will be used in any written report or presentation. The only people who will have access to my assignment work will be my research supervisor and my course instructor. You are free to change your mind at any time, and to withdraw even after you have consented to participate. You may decline to answer any specific questions. I will destroy the audio recording after the paper has been presented and/or published which may take up to five years after the data has been collected. There are no known risks in participating in the project. Participation will provide you with an opportunity to share your lived experiences and you will have the opportunity to review the transcripts to ensure accuracy. Please sign the attached form, if you agree to be interviewed. The second copy is for your records. Thank you very much for your participation. Sincerely,

Running Head: EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT ON SOCIAL ANXIETY 93

Ayelet Freedman Ayelet Freedman Dr. Angela MacDonald-Vemic Principal Investigator Course Instructor (XXX) XXX-XXXX (XXX) XXX-XXXX [email protected] [email protected] Consent Form I acknowledge that the topic of this interview has been explained to me and that any questions that I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction. I understand that I can withdraw at any time without penalty. I have read the letter provided to me by Ayelet Freedman and agree to participate in an interview for the purposes described. I agree to have the interview audio-recorded. Signature: ________________________________________ Name (printed): ___________________________________ Date: ______________________

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT ON SOCIAL ANXIETY 94 Appendix B: Interview Protocol

Background Information 1. How long have you been teaching? 2. What grade(s) and subject(s) are you currently teaching? 3. What grades and subjects have you taught in the past? 4. Where did you complete your undergraduate degree? What were your subject

areas for your degrees? 5. Please describe your interest or involvement with student mental health. What

experiences have informed your interest in (commitment to) this topic? 6. What are your views on the role of classroom teacher with respect to students’

mental health? Conceptualizing Mental Health and Social Anxiety

7. Do you observe symptoms of anxiety in students? How do you understand anxiety? What indicators of anxiety do you observe?

8. What does social anxiety mean to you? How did you develop this understanding of social anxiety?

9. What indicators of social anxiety do you observe from students? How do you recognize symptoms of social anxiety?

Teacher Practices 10. How do you respond to students who have or appear to have social anxiety? 11. What strategies do you implement in the classroom to help support a student with

social anxiety? 12. Can you give me an example of a student who exhibited social anxiety, and how

you responded instructionally? [*first wait to hear if they raise accommodation, assessment etc.]

Differentiated Assessment 13. How do you assess students who have been diagnosed with social anxiety? What

assessment strategies do you implement? What range of considerations do you take into account? Why do you assess them this way?

a. Follow Up: What benefits do you see these accommodations having for students?

b. Follow Up: Why did you choose that accommodation (experience, education, advice)?

14. How do students with diagnosed social anxiety typically respond to differentiated assessment, in your experience? What specific actions do you take to help support that student in learning?

15. Would you do anything differently if a student had not received a formal diagnosis, but you have seen evidence that they may struggle with social anxiety?

c. Follow Up: What would you do? Why would it be different? 16. What do you believe students gain from differentiated assessment and

accommodations? Factors and Resources that Support and Hinder Teachers

17. What range of factors and resources support your capacity to be responsive to the mental health needs of students with social anxiety? Are there particular ways that you feel supported?

18. In your experience, what role did your teacher education program play in

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT ON SOCIAL ANXIETY 95

preparing you for this work? 19. As an in-service teacher, what opportunities for professional development have

been available to you on this topic? d. Prompt: by the principal, board, co-workers?

20. What are the challenges or obstacles you face accommodating students with social anxiety and implementing differentiated assessment for them? How do you respond to those challenges?

Next Steps: 21. What advice would you give to a beginning teacher who has a student with social

anxiety in his or her classroom? 22. Is there any other important information you would like to add to what you have

already told me? 23. Do you have any questions for me about the research study?