Parents of English Language Learners with Disabilities Speak Out About Instructional Strategies

1. Parents of English Language Learners with Disabilities Speak Out About Instructional Strategies Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D. mbarrera@umn.edu April 17, 2004 Council for Exceptional Children New Orleans, Louisiana N C E O National Center on Educational Outcomes1/6/2020

2. What is the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO)? Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

3. A research center at the University of Minnesota Established in 1990 Focuses on designing and building educational assessments and accountability systems, to monitor educational results for all students, including students with disabilities and English Language Learners http://education.umn.edu/NCEO/ Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

4. NCEO Goals • Research • Technical Assistance and Dissemination • Collaboration and Other Leadership Activities Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

5. Target Audiences • Students, Families, Educators • Local Administrators, Policymakers, Urban Schools • National Staff/Policymakers • Researchers Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

6. Current Initiatives • Universally-Designed Assessments • Accommodations • Large-scale Assessments • Instructional Strategies for new learners of English with disabilities • This presentation focuses Instructional strategies for new learners of English with disabilities (AKA: LEP/IEP Instructional Project) Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

7. Overview • Introduce the instructional project • Describe the parent involvement phase of the study. • Describe results of qualitative data from parent interviews. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

8. LEP/IEP Instructional Project Pathways for Promoting the Success of English Language Learners with Disabilities in Standards-Based Education Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

9. A team of researchers working together • Martha Thurlow, Ph.D. –Director of NCEO • Manuel Barrera, Ph.D.—Lead Researcher • Ann Clapper, Ed. D.--Researcher • Kristi Liu—Project Coordinator • Deb Albus—Researcher • Vitaliy Shyyan—Research Assistant • Halee Vang—Research Assistant • Plus other additional researchers as necessary Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

10. Project Purpose • To investigate ways that English Language Learners with disabilities can participate meaningfully in, and benefit from, standards based instruction. • To promote effective practice for successful participation of ELL students with disabilities by improving the alignment of instructional interventions for these students. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

11. Main Project Research Questions • What instructional practices do educators(ESL/Bilingual education teachers, special education teachers and general teachers), new learners of English with disabilities and their parents, recommend for delivering grade-level, standards-based instruction to ELLs with disabilities in general settings? • What are the effects of recommended instructional practices on the performance of ELLs with disabilities in general education settings? Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

12. LEP/IEP Instructional Project Study Components  Phase 1: Analyze statewide assessment data for ELLs with disabilities  Phase 2: Conduct focus brainstorming sessions with groups of teachers to determine recommended teaching strategies in reading, mathematics, and science  Phase 3: Conduct parent group interviews to gain their perceptions on recommended strategies in reading  Phase 4: Conduct focus groups with ELLs with disabilities to learn their perceptions  Phase 5: Implement single-case studies of recommended strategies in classrooms Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

13. Previous Studies Leading to Phase 3 • Research papers on assessment data for new learners of English with disabilities can be accessed at the NCEO Website: http://education.umn.edu/NCEO/Presentations/presentations.htm#powerpt • Multi-Attribute Consensus data from teachers of new English learners is in preparation. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

14. Phase 3 Conduct parent group interviews to gain their perceptions on recommended strategies Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

15. Language Groups Represented in the Parent Study • Hmong, • Spanish-Speaking Latinos, & • Somali Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

16. Participants • 14 parents were interviewed • 4 Somali • 4 Latino • 6 Hmong • Interviews lasted 40-60 minutes • Interviews took place in the parents’ homes or at parent-chosen community centers • Parents had children with various physical and learning disabilities including E/BD, ADD/ADHD and autism Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

17. Research questions • Do parents of students with disabilities have information to provide about the instructional process? • What is the level of information that parents of students with disabilities can provide? Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

18. Pathways Parent Involvement Model • Develop culturally and linguistically appropriate interview format • Initial participation • Instrument • Interview process • Review and development of instrument and procedures by cultural advisory panel • Collaborate with parent advocacy organizations (e.g. PACER) for recruitment of parent participants • Employ bilingual/bicultural research associates from language community to refine procedures and conduct interviews Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

19. Initial Participation • Held informal dinner meetings with advocacy organization prior to the interviews to inform and meet parents. • Interviewed parents in the place of their own choosing—provided transportation and childcare when needed. • Allowed parents to choose language of interview • Emphasized parents were experts on their children and are partners in helping us. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

20. Instrument Development and Interview Process • Prepared teacher/student classroom scenarios based on identified reading strategies from previous research with classroom teachers • Adapted the scenarios using culturally/linguistically appropriate stories to frame the use of reading strategies • Used parent interview research literature to develop a parent interview format Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

21. Interview Data Parents were asked to describe: • Their family and home life • Their child’s school life • Their own perceptions about the schools where the children attend • Their own perceptions about the child and the community environment Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

22. Scenario Process • Had parents listen to the sample reading and descriptions of activities the teacher will use to teach the hypothetical child. • Asked questions using the hypothetical child what they thought if the child was taught in English and then in native language. • Then parents were asked to comment on their own children if their child was taught in English and then the native language. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

23. Sample Reading Strategies Described Teacher activities to improve reading in English: Before reading • Read from a book other students are reading to see what words she can read and what words she needs to learn. • Use a story outline and review the story. During reading • Explain the kind of story it is and show how the story looks. • Show student how to read the words. After reading • The teacherhelps students make a story map including key ideas in the story. • Teaches students how to study key words and ideas about the story. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

24. Sample Questions Questions about hypothetical child • What do you think about the teacher using English to teach the child how to read? • How well do you think the before learning activities will work for Mai [Hmong student]? Really great, okay, not so well? What else should the teacher do? (Repeat same questions for the during and after learning activities.) Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

25. Sample Questions Cont. Questions about the parent’s child • What do you think about the teacher using English to teach your child how to read? • What do you think about the teacher using Hmong to teach your child? • How well do you think the during learning activities will work for your child? (Repeat same questions for the before and after activities.) Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

26. Responses by Parents Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

27. What do you think about the teacher using English to teach the child how to read? • That is good for children, also use other strategies including student’s native language (Somali) • I think it is good because the child knows English more or does better in English then it is okay to use English, unless she can be tested and knows the results and her scores are better then should use Hmong. (Hmong) • Because in this way, well, she can learn more from her classmates (Latino) Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

28. How well do you think the activities the teacher used before reading will work? • Well, I think so, she should know what she is going to learn about (Latino) • If that is true then I think it is fine; well that is good and would support it because it is the language (English) that the education in the United States is taught. In addition to that, I wish would see my kids get Somali interpretation/translation in their classes and take Somali language as one of their courses in the public school. (Somali) • I think that in the activities, if there are pictures, teach the pictures and teach those and then teach that the result is I would like you to do this and this way, I know what you are look for from me. But if I just say and say but you don’t understand then you can’t do for me. (Hmong) Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

29. What do you think about the teacher using Hmong to teach the child how to read? • It is an excellent idea that the teacher uses or gets someone who can use the Somali language when he or she teaching children like my daughter (Somali) • Yes, it has to be both English and Hmong because this is America. Then we have to learn how to speak English. Speaking in Hmong is good too, but to find a medium between the two culture is to learn both and it would be good. Because the Hmong are smart enough to do it. For example, like my daughter, she can speak Hmong really good but some Americans think that she doesn’t know how to read, but she is smart. Just learning Hmong is good, but you also want her to learn English too. (Hmong) • I think that it is good that the teacher can do it because well that will benefit her a lot. You see that learning is good (Latino) Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

30. Implications of Phase 3 Results • Question 1: • Do parents of students with disabilities have information to provide about the instructional process? • Yes, parents of students with disabilities responded with instructionally relevant information. • Question 2: • What is the level of information that parents of students with disabilities can provide? • Parents demonstrated a significant interest in examining the relationship of English and native language instruction. These issues permeated their general and specific responses. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

31. Implications • The voices of parents have often been ignored regarding their views of the instructional process. These results indicate parents can and do have relevant insights on the instructional process • Results indicate that parents share the same concerns across cultural and linguistic populations. • Parents are aware of the need for an equitable education for their children with disabilities. • Most importantly, they care deeply for their children’s education despite their children’s disabilities and desire to work with educators to improve their children’s life chances. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.

32. Potential Outcomes of the Pathways Project • Identify effective instructional strategies to improve outcomes for new learners of English with disabilities. • Close the disconnect between parents and teachers on the instruction of learners with disabilities • Encourage educators to re-examine how parents can be directly involved in the education of new learners of English with disabilities. Manuel T. Barrera, Ph. D.