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Serving English Language Learners with Disabilities

Serving English Language Learners with Disabilities. Disproportionate Representation? By, Susan Case 8/1/06. Read the story. This is how an ELL student with a learning disability feels when he is called to read in class. Stor or Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown hodur si whep

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Serving English Language Learners with Disabilities

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  1. Serving English Language Learners with Disabilities Disproportionate Representation? By, Susan Case 8/1/06

  2. Read the story. This is how an ELL student with a learning disability feels when he is called to read in class. Stor or Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown hodur si whep zeruzemm es stu weld vost Snoopy.

  3. Now try reading again with pictures.Pictures help a children who are ELL and/or LD. Stor or Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown hodur si whep zeruzemm es stu weld vost Snoopy.

  4. What problems do English language learners face in the public school system?

  5. Over-identification • Students are classified as learning disabled • Educators mistake language and/or cultural differences for a disability • Consequences: separation from peers, low expectations, and inappropriate labeling

  6. Under-identification • Students learning disability is overlooked • Educators perceive ELLs as slow learners and/or unmotivated • Consequences: Students with LD may drop out, or are passed along without mastering skills, and the miss out on legal accommodations

  7. Misidentification • Students are assigned to an inappropriate disability category • IEP team or test bias identifies child as mild mental retardation • Consequences: Student and family misunderstands the disability, and student is given unsuitable curriculum

  8. Looking for a quick fix? Sorry, you will be disappointed… • There is no one size fits all test • Each student case-by-case • Need to monitor the % of ELL students receiving special education services

  9. Must go beyond traditional measures Include a variety of methods to measure competencies Prior to referral-- extensive interventions Assessment of Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Students

  10. Legal & Pre-referral Issues • Home language survey • Assess English & L1 proficiency • Transitional program if LEP • Schools require to “seek out and identify” special needs • Qualified personnel shall conduct Evaluations • Parents must be informed--qualified translators secured • Annual Reviews

  11. ELL or LD? • Short attention span • Distractible, daydreams • Appears confused • Speaks infrequently, may use gestures • Speaks in single words • Comments inappropriate • Poor recall, poor comprehension • Poor vocabulary • Confuses similar sounding words • Difficulty sequencing ideas or events or Both?

  12. The Team Parents Gen. Ed. Teacher Special Ed. Teacher Student (if possible) Interpreter Qualified Bilingual Specialist Legal Requirements (In addition to academic goals/benchmarks) Address the language needs Accommodations Other related services that will be provided Developing the IEP

  13. Best Teaching Methods? Researchers say…

  14. Which language? Best practices in Sheltered Instruction? Literacy rich classroom environment? Comprehensible input in both languages Teacher embeds L2 to increase comprehension of content Students learn to read and write by… reading and writing

  15. Special instruction considerations? (math vocabulary) Cooperative learning techniques? Consistent terms between faculty Caution on homophones and double meaning words (plane-plain) Heterogeneous groups that change often Vary teaching methods

  16. Technology for ELLs & LD • Assistive Technology Low or High Level? • Technology is driven by curriculum • A teaching tool • Broaden the learning experience • Increase level of independence

  17. For ELLs who require Special Education Support Options for Service Delivery: • Full inclusion: Students participate in ESL services with consultant support from the bilingual special education teacher • Partial inclusion/Resource: Student receives ESL services and is pulled out for special education services

  18. In America’s highly diverse population, education must keep pace to deliver appropriate intervention methods for our students’ success.

  19. Source: Brusca-Vega, R., ed. Serving English Language Learners with Disabilities: A Resource Manual for Illinois Educators. 2002. Illinois State Board of Education. 15 Feb 2006 www.isbe.state.il.us/bilingual/pdfs/bilingual_manual2002.pdf.

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