As my search continues, I have stumbled across an exceptional website that provides a wealth of information about learning disabilities for parents and teachers: http://www.ldanatl.org/ (Learning Disabilities Association of America). The LDA was originally formed in 1963 by a group of parents who had children with learning disabilities. Since that time the LDA has expanded to include thousands of members with learning disabilities, their families, and the professionals who work with them. It is currently the largest non-profit volunteer organization and it's mission is advocate for individuals with learning disabilities. This website may be difficult for ELL families to navigate, but as a teacher, I can locate important information about the child's specific disability that would help me better meet their needs in the classroom, and help the parents understand how they can help their child in the home.
The amount of information and helpful links contained on this website is staggering. For parents they provide information that spans the spectrum of the child's life - from the early childhood years to how to help your adult child who has a learning disability find a job and live independently. I would definitely recommend this site to all parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities. However, as I stated before, parents for whom English is not their first language would not likely be able to use this site. If this were the case, I would try to locate information that is specific to their child and their situation and find a way to translate that information for them.
As an educator, I find it helpful that they provide information about specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia. Under IDEA the term is "specific learning disability," which further emphasizes the uniqueness of each diagnosis. In general, I learned from the LDA website that a learning disability is a "neurological disorder that affects one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language." It can be manifest in a variety of ways and to varying degrees, such as difficulty in listening, thinking, speaking, writing, spelling, or doing mathematical calculations. I was surprised to learn that learning disabilities cannot be cured. It is a disability that a person lives with for their entire lives, but with support and interventions, the individual can experience success in all areas of their life. This made me think of the slideshow we saw in class of the famous people - inventors, writers, composers, presidents - who overcame their learning disabilities and contributed so greatly to the world. A very inspiring message to share with families who are dealing with the stress of having a child with a learning disability!
http://www.ldanatl.org/about/index.asp
Friday, April 27, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Support for ELL Families
After last week's class, I realized that I needed to refocus my search for information towards how I, as an educator, can support families of ELL students with disabilities. This week's search has led me to the following website: www.colorincolorado.org - "A bilingual site for families and educators of English Language Learners."
The first article I read was titled "Working with Community Organizations to Support ELL Students," and it provided information about resources that would be helpful to the families of ELL students, as well as for schools and teachers of ELL students. The article suggests that teachers have valuable resources available in the form of translators, cultural liaisons, and experts on historical and political backgrounds to help them bridge the language barrier and become familiar with the culture and background of ELL students. It also provides a list of ways that schools can support ELL students and their families such as after-school tutoring, medical services, and social services. This was followed by a list of links of organizations that work on behalf of different immigrant communities. One link that looked interesting was for the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) which is a "nationally recognized model of successful collaboration between a community organization and public schools, creating a community-centered school that serves immigrant families."
After the discussion we had in class last week, I realized how important it is to know what resources are available so that I can help the families of my students get the support and help they need. I think this website is a great resource because it also provides information about resources and organizations according to the state you live in. I found more information about specific ELL resources for the state of Ohio at the following link: http://www.colorincolorado.org/web_resources/by_state/ohio/. I was surprised to learn that as of 2007-2008 the amount of ELL students in Ohio was 38,000, which was a 174% increase over the 1997-1998 school year! I was also surprised to learn that the top five languages spoken by Ohio ELL students were Spanish, Pennsylvania Dutch, German, French, and Cushite. I had never heard of Pennsylvania Dutch or Cushite before. This link provided an extensive list of resources for state ELL resources, ELL Identification, ELL Instruction, statewide standards-based assessment, and statewide organizations. I would definitely recommend this website for all teachers and families of ELL students.
The first article I read was titled "Working with Community Organizations to Support ELL Students," and it provided information about resources that would be helpful to the families of ELL students, as well as for schools and teachers of ELL students. The article suggests that teachers have valuable resources available in the form of translators, cultural liaisons, and experts on historical and political backgrounds to help them bridge the language barrier and become familiar with the culture and background of ELL students. It also provides a list of ways that schools can support ELL students and their families such as after-school tutoring, medical services, and social services. This was followed by a list of links of organizations that work on behalf of different immigrant communities. One link that looked interesting was for the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) which is a "nationally recognized model of successful collaboration between a community organization and public schools, creating a community-centered school that serves immigrant families."
After the discussion we had in class last week, I realized how important it is to know what resources are available so that I can help the families of my students get the support and help they need. I think this website is a great resource because it also provides information about resources and organizations according to the state you live in. I found more information about specific ELL resources for the state of Ohio at the following link: http://www.colorincolorado.org/web_resources/by_state/ohio/. I was surprised to learn that as of 2007-2008 the amount of ELL students in Ohio was 38,000, which was a 174% increase over the 1997-1998 school year! I was also surprised to learn that the top five languages spoken by Ohio ELL students were Spanish, Pennsylvania Dutch, German, French, and Cushite. I had never heard of Pennsylvania Dutch or Cushite before. This link provided an extensive list of resources for state ELL resources, ELL Identification, ELL Instruction, statewide standards-based assessment, and statewide organizations. I would definitely recommend this website for all teachers and families of ELL students.
Friday, April 20, 2012
My previous blog posts have dealt primarily with the identification and evaluation of ELL students with learning disabilities. As an educator, I need to know more about how I can support these students in the classroom. My search led me to the website http://www.ldonline.org/ where I found the artcle, "Learning Disabilities in English Language Learners." For the most part the article echoed the information I found in my previous two resources, but it also provided some information regarding the appropriate remediation for these students. One thing that I found interesting was that, according to research, ELL students with learning disabilities benefit from the same types of interventions that are used for monolingual students who have learning disabilities. Some examples of these interventions are explicit phonemic awareness instruction, explicit instruction in comprehension-strategies, and peer-assisted learning. However, ELL students with learning disabilities have additional special instructional needs such as an emphasis on English vocabulary development and sheltered English techniques such as visual aids, pictures, gestures, and facial expressions.
While this article does not very in-depth, it did provide helpful information about how to teach ELL students with learning disabilities, as well as a list of peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic. Now that I am learning more about how to accommodate the needs of these students in the classroom, I need to expand my search to incorporate how I, as an educator can accommodate the needs of the family unit as a whole.
While this article does not very in-depth, it did provide helpful information about how to teach ELL students with learning disabilities, as well as a list of peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic. Now that I am learning more about how to accommodate the needs of these students in the classroom, I need to expand my search to incorporate how I, as an educator can accommodate the needs of the family unit as a whole.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Testing ELL Students for a Learning Disability
The article "Special Considerations for Evaluating ELL Students for LD" by Linda Broatch, M. A. (http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/LD-ADHD/1153-special-considerations-for-evaluating-ell-students-for-ld.gs) discusses the high-quality features that need to be in place in order to get the most accurate results when testing ELL students to determine whether they have a learning disability. It echoed many of the same components as the article I read in my previous post, such as the fact that information needs to be gathered from a variety of sources: parents, teachers, ESL teacher, and school psychologist. It also mentions the importance of using formal and informal assessments in a variety of settings in order to get a more accurate picture of the child's language ability and whether their difficulties stem from learning a new language or a learning disability.
This article goes on to explain the necessary conditions for testing, and it briefly describes the two broad areas of assessment: oral language and reading. In regards to the testing, it needs to be culturally sensitive, meaning that no assumptions are made about the child's cultural knowledge. The testing process also needs to be implemented by a trained professional using tests that have been proven reliable for ELL students. The oral assessment is given in one or both of the student's languages depending on their needs, and it evaluates several factors such as vocabulary, conceptual understanding, and conversational and formal language abilities. The article does not specify which language the reading assessment is given in, but it evaluates students' phonological skills, phonemic awareness, decoding skills, and automaticity.
The information presented in the article is helpful in that I better understand the testing process, but really it is not something I would be directly involved in apart from providing information about the student's language and academic abilities in the classroom. I need to narrow down my search more and look for information about the signs that an ELL student may have a learning disability and the steps I would need to take from there. I also would like to find teaching methods that would support the learning of ELL students with a learning disability in the general ed. classroom.
This article goes on to explain the necessary conditions for testing, and it briefly describes the two broad areas of assessment: oral language and reading. In regards to the testing, it needs to be culturally sensitive, meaning that no assumptions are made about the child's cultural knowledge. The testing process also needs to be implemented by a trained professional using tests that have been proven reliable for ELL students. The oral assessment is given in one or both of the student's languages depending on their needs, and it evaluates several factors such as vocabulary, conceptual understanding, and conversational and formal language abilities. The article does not specify which language the reading assessment is given in, but it evaluates students' phonological skills, phonemic awareness, decoding skills, and automaticity.
The information presented in the article is helpful in that I better understand the testing process, but really it is not something I would be directly involved in apart from providing information about the student's language and academic abilities in the classroom. I need to narrow down my search more and look for information about the signs that an ELL student may have a learning disability and the steps I would need to take from there. I also would like to find teaching methods that would support the learning of ELL students with a learning disability in the general ed. classroom.
Monday, April 9, 2012
The Search for Answers
To begin my search for answersI conducted a Google search for information regarding ESL students who have disabilities. My search led me to an article titled "Learning Disability or Language Development Issue?" (http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/special_education.php) by Susan Litt. In this article, the author tackles the question of what to do if you suspect that an ESL student may have a learning disability. She begins by outlining the preferral process and the steps that must be taken, such as identifying the problem, presenting it to the IR&S committee at a meeting attended by the ESL teacher, the classroom teacher, and the parents, as well as developing an action plan and follow-up. The article goes on to discuss further steps and strategies that will help to identify the special education needs of ESL students. Specifically the article states that ESL students should be tested in their own language and that it is the legal responsibility of the school to provide and administer tests in the child's native language. This statement makes me wonder what should be done if the student cannot read nor write in their native language or their second language? Are the tests administered orally? I will have to investigate this further...
I found it interesting that the article suggests using a portfolio assessment with input from the child's ESL teacher, classroom teacher, and family as the basis for assessment. Litt states that assessment should take into account the many aspects of the ESL student's life, such as the length of time they have lived in the U.S., their emotional well-being, and their caregivers. I agree that the assessment process should take a more holistic approach because it would offer a more accurate picture of the child and their individual needs. I feel like this should be the process for identifying the needs of any child, not just those for whom English is a second language.
The article also discusses the importance of determining language dominance and proficiency and that the screening process take place in both of the child's languages. This process requires the input of the family to compile a family history regarding the child's language abilities, such as whether the child attended school in the native speaking country, and which the child best expresses themselves in. I think this may be hard to do though if the parents do not speak the child's second language. The child would likely not speak English at home because he/she would not be able to communicate with their parents if they do not speak English.
Overall I found this article to be an informative resource and a good starting place for my quest for answers about ESL students with disabilities.
I found it interesting that the article suggests using a portfolio assessment with input from the child's ESL teacher, classroom teacher, and family as the basis for assessment. Litt states that assessment should take into account the many aspects of the ESL student's life, such as the length of time they have lived in the U.S., their emotional well-being, and their caregivers. I agree that the assessment process should take a more holistic approach because it would offer a more accurate picture of the child and their individual needs. I feel like this should be the process for identifying the needs of any child, not just those for whom English is a second language.
The article also discusses the importance of determining language dominance and proficiency and that the screening process take place in both of the child's languages. This process requires the input of the family to compile a family history regarding the child's language abilities, such as whether the child attended school in the native speaking country, and which the child best expresses themselves in. I think this may be hard to do though if the parents do not speak the child's second language. The child would likely not speak English at home because he/she would not be able to communicate with their parents if they do not speak English.
Overall I found this article to be an informative resource and a good starting place for my quest for answers about ESL students with disabilities.
My Journey Begins...
Welcome to my blog!
This blog is going to be my venue for exploring and finding answers to my questions about ELL students who have disabilities. My reason for interest in this area stems from my internship experience, during which time I worked with an ELL student whom my mentor teacher and other school staff suspected might have a learning disability due to the fact that she made very little progress. However, determining if she had a disability would not be a simple task. First, to begin testing, the school needed permission from the parents, who do not speak English. They were invited to a conference for which the school had hired a translator, but declined to show, even after confirming with the translator that they would be there. Secondly, even if the student were to be tested, the language barrier would likely skew the results, making them an inaccurate portrayal of the student's learning abilities. As a result of these issues, the student still has not been tested and it is yet undetermined whether she may have a disability.
My interest in this topic is from the perspective of an educator. If I suspected that an ELL student in my classroom might have a disability, what type of actions should I take? What if the parents do not speak English, as was the case in my internship classroom? How can I accurately determine whether the student's struggles stem from a disability or are due to the language barrier? How can I accommodate the needs of a student for whom English is a second language and who also has a disability? I am hoping that my exploration in the coming weeks will help me find the answers to these questions and that I will develop an understanding of how to adapt my instruction to accommodate the needs of all students.
This blog is going to be my venue for exploring and finding answers to my questions about ELL students who have disabilities. My reason for interest in this area stems from my internship experience, during which time I worked with an ELL student whom my mentor teacher and other school staff suspected might have a learning disability due to the fact that she made very little progress. However, determining if she had a disability would not be a simple task. First, to begin testing, the school needed permission from the parents, who do not speak English. They were invited to a conference for which the school had hired a translator, but declined to show, even after confirming with the translator that they would be there. Secondly, even if the student were to be tested, the language barrier would likely skew the results, making them an inaccurate portrayal of the student's learning abilities. As a result of these issues, the student still has not been tested and it is yet undetermined whether she may have a disability.
My interest in this topic is from the perspective of an educator. If I suspected that an ELL student in my classroom might have a disability, what type of actions should I take? What if the parents do not speak English, as was the case in my internship classroom? How can I accurately determine whether the student's struggles stem from a disability or are due to the language barrier? How can I accommodate the needs of a student for whom English is a second language and who also has a disability? I am hoping that my exploration in the coming weeks will help me find the answers to these questions and that I will develop an understanding of how to adapt my instruction to accommodate the needs of all students.
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