SPECIAL EDUCATION OR

LANGUAGE

EVALUATING THE ELL STUDENT

Did You Know???

ELL students are often either over or under represented in special education programs

WHY?????

The Problem with LD an ELL

May make inappropriate referrals because of variations in the language proficiency

Learning problems may go unnoticed because struggles are attributed to language acquisition challenges.

Someone has Concerns

Can’t I just do a referral?

How about I just ignore it, maybe it will go away?

“Ok, I give up what should I do?”

First: Define Specific Concerns

Why this student?

Who has noticed the problem ?

What do others see?

Define it in skill based terms?

WAIT

No referral without first trying interventions that target the issue.

DISCUSSION TIME

Understand the Levels of Language

Be aware of variations in language proficiency

Is this a learning problem or a language issue?

If he can carry on a conversation with you, does that mean he is proficient in English?

Conversational / Social Language

Surface fluencyTopic specificFamiliarSimpleVocabulary related to specific setting or people

Conceptual or Complex Language

Cognitive Academic LanguageExpanded VocabularyLonger sentencesComprehensible and fluent Variety of complex topics

JIM CUMMINS’ ICEBERG METAPHOR

Conversational Language (1 to 3 years to acquire)

Academic Language (5 to 7, even up to 10 years to acquire)

Common Underlying

Proficiency

L1

L2

How does it Happen?

CONVERSATIONAL LANGUAGElanguage proficiency in everyday communication, acquired naturally without formal schooling; peer-appropriate conversation.

ACADEMIC LANGUAGElanguage proficiency in academic situation, emerges & becomes distinctive with formal schooling; classroom-appropriate language.

DISCUSSION TIME

What about the Student

Knowledge of the Student

School records (the easy part) Language programs Prior schooling Attendance Behaviors Interventions Home language Comparison to other students or siblings Work samples

Is this only an issue in language based subjects

Knowledge of the Student

Meet with Parents (a little harder) Language parents speak at home Language student uses at home Do they listen to radio/TV in native language Can he read in native language Do they have concerns Developmental history

Milestones Following directions Social interactions Learning colors & numbers in native language

Caution

You may need an interpreterIf Possible:

Professional Has an educational vocabulary Does not know the family

Parents may say what they think you want to here. Be careful how you ask questions.

OBSERVE

What language does he use with his teachers and other adults?

What language does the student use during lunch and recess with peers.

Does he understand classroom routines and lessons?

Keep in mind that a student can figure out some routines, such as lining up for lunch, just by watching others.

Keep Observing

How does he perform in the regular classroom?

In the ELL setting?

In the community or at home?

Listen to his language, what kind of errors does he make?

Talk to the Student

REMEMBER TO DO THIS ONE!

School – how does he feel about it?

Are some teachers hard to understand?

How is this school different than others he attended?

What language does she dream in?

Contact information:

DISCUSSION TIME

Decision Time: Do You Evaluate?

Is the learning/behavior problem because of:

Socio-cultural differences (level of acculturation)

Economic disadvantageLack of instruction/inconsistent schoolingInappropriate instructionEcological/environmental issues in the

classroom then the student should not be

considered for special education.

Signed Consent

Consent means the parent has been fully informed in the parent’s native language of all information related to what the district is seeking consent. 

How are you going to do this?????

DISCUSSION TIME

Evaluation

TYPICAL TESTS or

NONVERBAL or

NATIVE LANGUAGE

First: Something to think about

What has happened in other schools??????

OCR v. Denver Public Schools

Sometimes LEP students were evaluated in English only because school staff persons decided that the student was “fluent enough in English”.

OCR v. Denver Public Schools

Diagnostic testing instruments that are published in English were often translated into other languages for students who speak another language

OCR v. Denver Public Schools

Staff persons disregarded advice of evaluators that unknown effects of linguistic differences affect the reliability and validity of the results and should be considered when interpreting test scores.

Testing

Watch for test questions that are "culturally loaded”

Make sure the student understands the tests' directions, don’t make assumptions

Analyze the data from multiple standardized tests that examine various skills

Types of Tests

School Psychologists, Speech Language Pathologists, and Academic Evaluators

Make use of your professional resources

NASP ASHA Test Manuals DOE LRP

DISCUSSION TIME

The Role of an Interpreter

Take into account how an interpreter may affect the evaluation process

May inadvertently cue the student or give clues to answers.

Meet with the interpreter before you start any assessments to clarify procedures

Remember, not everything can be interpreted with the same meaning

Confidentiality and the Law

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Any school that receives federal or state education funds must comply with all privacy acts.

Confidentiality and the Law

It is the obligation of all school staff, volunteers, and substitute teachers to maintain confidentiality requirements of FERPA, IDEA, HIPAA, Section 504, and other laws.

John Copenhaver, DirectorCenter for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education

Maintaining Confidentially

It is best practice that each person signs a statement verifying they have received and understand information regarding FERPA requirements.

Sharing information about the student outside the professional education environment could violate the student’s civil rights and is against the law.

John Copenhaver, DirectorCenter for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education

DISCUSSION TIME

The Meeting

Who will explain to the parent?

Go over the parent rights

Did they have access to the report ahead of time?

Again: Consent means the parent has been fully informed in the parent’s native language of all information related to what the district is seeking consent. 

Eligibility

Use the state guidelines

Do you have good skill based information

Is the observation in the area of concern

Was the evaluation valid? Does it match all other information known about the child?

Questions

Contact information:

Penny McCormick, NCSP Special Education Director

Mid-Central Educational CooperativeBox 228 Platte SD 56369

Penny McCormick-Gilles @k12.sd.us