The Top 10 Areas to Consider Before

Placing ELL Students in Special Education

DISCLAIMER: We have found these to be beneficial & hope you will as well.

Teresa Walker, Ed.S., School PsychologistAngie Corderman, Psy.S., School Psychologist

Overview English Language Learner (ELL) is used to

avoid the negative connotation of “limited English proficient” (LEP). LEP is still used by the law.

U.S. Census data states (U.S. Dept. of Education): IN 2008-09; 5.3 million students were identified as ELL

19% PK-12th

Research indicates ELLs are typically either over-represented or under-represented in district special education programs in the U.S.

Research demonstrates English language learners with the least amount of language supports are most likely to be referred to special education.

What?

“If ELLs are failing in general education, there is no harm in

placing them in special education where they will receive

individualized instruction.”

The Visual Why? SpEd vs. ESL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnd2cn17VUw

Think – Pair – ShareWhat did you learn? Do you agree with the message?

Why? Or Why not?

TOP TEN LIST

Top 10 areas to consider before “Suspecting a Disability” on a student

who is considered ELL….

#10

CULTURAL

COMPETENCY

Cultural Competency

Does your school/district have a questionnaire to complete when parents register their students?

Native language? Years of English exposure? Student bilingual?Ethnicity?

Culture Integration Component (CIC)Discipline System – culturally relevant? Schools Rules/Motto – school rules or mottos that are culturally appropriate? When rules created – diverse cultures involved? School-wide Discipline – PBIS working in your school?

Is school staff culturally competent

7 Integral Factors to Consider When Working with LEP Students

Hamayan, E., Marler, B., Sanchez-Lopez, C., & Damico, J. (2007)

Learning environment created for student

Personal and family factors

Physical and family factors

Previous schooling

Proficiency in oral language and literacy in both first L1 & second language L2

Academic achievement in both L1, if available, and L2

Cross-cultural factors

37 Success Factors for Culturally Competent Teachers

http://justlists.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/37-success-factors-for-cultural-competency-in-teachers/

#2

#5

#12

#17

#19

#20

#21

#28

#30

#32

#33

#9

NUMBER

OF

YEARS

Number of years - In school, in country, learning EnglishDemographic information – a form?What does your school do to gather

additional information and does an interpreter need to be present? Do you have an interpreter or can you gain

access to one?

District promote teachers to visit family in home setting? ESL, general education, etc?

#8

VARIABLES

Variables – Student/Teacher/Curriculum/InstructionStudent/Teacher

Does the student feel welcomed?Can you pronounce their name (correctly)?

Does the teacher build rapport with studentThrough supportOpen communication

Curriculum/InstructionELL friendly?Visuals? Strategies – SIOP, Criss Model,

Differentiated Instruction, Sheltered Instruction

Checklist for Determining if Sufficient Initial Data are Available [SAT/BAT]

#7

INTERVENTIONS

Targeted InterventionsRTI + I = Response to Interventions +

InstructionModifications

What content is being taught? Adjusting the content so that students will be

successful. Students are given less complex or lengthy content to

meet learning needs.

AccommodationsHow is content being taught?

A physical or environmental change that ensures success.

Differentiated teaching practices based on student learning needs.

Specific & Differentiated Instructional Strategies Key features of RTI, refers to specific action teachers

mindfully take as a preventative measure to support students at-risk

• Ix’s = Assess Implement Adjust

#6

ASSESSMENTS

Assessments: What & How

A variety of assessment methods should be used to evaluate ELL students.

Multidimensional – each student is an individual and their needs will look different!!!

• Can refer to checklist for SAT/BAT Standardized Tests Alternate Assessments Functional Assessments

ICEL/RIOT (from the Department of Education) matrix can be utilized!

Standardized TestsThe most common approach to evaluation for

special education is to use standardized tests to determine intellectual and academic skills.

Standardized tests can provide quantitative information that can suggest the possibility of success in general education

BUT…Standardized tests do not always provide the

most valid, reliable, and accurate information about an ELL student’s achievement and progress due to a lack of appropriate norm populations.

Cont’d Some of the standardized tests that

are still in use include: BVATWoodcock-Johnson IIIWoodcock-Munoz IIUNITC-TONIKaufman Assessment BatteryDAS-IIEtc.

TESTING OPTIONS: Alternative Assessments

Amber and Dew (1982)

Advantages

More flexible than standardized tests

Looks at a continuum of skills rather than comparison to the performance of others who may not be true peers

Techniques are diagnostic-prescriptive and help define an instructional plan

Procedures can be implemented in any language or combination of languages

Methods are less intimidating

Can measure for subtle changes in performance with progress monitoring

Functional Assessment

Purpose

To examine the student’s academic performance and behavior within the student’s own instructional environment.

Types which include:

Native language assessment

Curriculum Bases Assessment (CBA/CBM)

Direct intervention

Test, Teach, Re-test

Observation (Not just narrative)

Interviews

File Reviews

#5

COMPARISONS

Comparisons to Peer Group

NormsDistrict-wide...

What does your district use? PAT, BRI, DIBELS, etc

Can an aggregate group be created of students who are identified as ELL?

AEA Norms

AimswebELL Norms (Spanish forms only)Grade based norms

2006 Hasbrouck & Tindal Reading Fluency Data

Academic Progress of ELL StudentsCollier (1987)

The following chart shows the number of academic years needed to reach an average score at the 50th percentile on nationally standardized tests of reading, language arts, science, and social studies.

Chamot, A. & O’Malley. (1989). Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach. When They don’t All Speak English, edited by P. Rigg & Y. Allen, 103-125. National Council of Teachers of English.

Student age on arrival in the US Number of years

5-7 years (no prior education) 5-8

8-11 years 4-5

12 or more years 6 or more

#4

BICS

&

CALPS

BICS & CALPS/Stages of Language Acquisition BICS-Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills

BICS are the first kind of language skills that students acquire. It could be called “playground” language because students use this language in social situations.

You can easily be fooled by students who can communicate very well in English in the classroom or on the playground; but can’t read, write, or understand content area material.

BICS can require 1-5 years to develop.

CALPS-Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Skills

CALPS are the second type of language development and are necessary for understanding cognitive academic language in school.

CALPS require from 3-10 years to developCALPS depend on many factors such as how well

educated the student is in his first language.

RememberThe sequence for mastering a second

language and the cognitive academic skills of the language is:

ListenSpeakReadWrite

#3

THE LAW

Federal, State, & Special Education Law

See Quick Guide Handout

See Flowchart Handout Exclusionary Factors (Department of

Education)RIOT/ICEL Methodswww.idea.org

State forms, templates, download Area Education Agency Special Education

Procedures

See page 34

Special Rule for Eligibility

Determination Exclusionary Factors

Lack of scientifically based instruction in reading

Lack of instruction in mathLimited English proficiencyRacial or ethnic diversity

#2

DISABILITY

VS.

DIFFICULTY

#2: Disability vs. Difficulty (Language Acquisition)

If skills are within normal limits in the native language, second language delays cannot be considered a disorder

If the 5-7 years for CALP development have not been completed, delays could still be due to second language learningSome research indicating 10 years if no primary L1

If the child has recently been exposed to a second language, skills in native language may temporarily be depressed due to the “silent period” which may occurAll of these possibilities must be considered

before diagnosing the child with a language disorder1

Is it truly (you’ve exhausted everything, have support from ESL teacher, etc.) ELL + Disability?

Language Difference

Difference & Disorder

Language Disorder

Language Difference vs. Language Disorder (Roninson, 2003)

#1

DOES THE DISABIILTY EXIST

IN THE FIRST LANGUAGE?

Does the disability exist in the first language?

Home Language SurveyObservationsTeacher InputParent InputCan an SLP assist you? Language development charts have

been accessed and team agrees?Again, ELL + Disability = consensus?

Beginning of School Year: October

End-of-Year: May

Critical Factors for Evaluation of ELLs

1. The number of years the students has lived and attended school in the U.S.

2. Types of ELL programs in which the student has participated.

3. Understanding the number of years required for the development of BICS and CALPS.

4. The student’s level of English language acquisition with assessment of skills in BICS and CALPS.

5. The purposes and uses of retention in the student’s educational history.

Critical Factors for Evaluation of ELLs

6. The impact of parental, environmental, cultural, educational, and linguistic effects on the student and the evaluation of the student’s skills.

7. The effect of mobility including the number of schools attended and /or lack of attendance in an educational setting.

8. Use of the problem solving process with appropriate accommodations and interventions completed prior to a special education evaluation.

9. Use of progress monitoring to determine academic achievement and development of academic skills.

Critical Factors for Evaluation of ELLs

10. Use of appropriate, valid, and reliable tests in English and the student’s first language.

11. Tests in English are not to be translated.

12. Standardized tests in English become tests of English language skills.

13. Use of non-traditional assessment methods provide a more accurate assessment of the student’s ability to learn and achieve.

Critical Factors for Evaluation of ELLs

14. Disabilities must be determined to exist in the first language.

15. Use trained interpreters in all of the special education processes.

16. Parent rights must be addressed as outlined in both federal and state law.

17. There is no minimum amount of time an ELL should be in your school or district before assessing their need for special education.

YES!If, as a team, you can answer YES to

the above “Critical Factors for Evaluation of ELLs” then:

You have used integrity to make a decisionHave more than enough dataThe student might be ELL + disability

And, now you can write the lengthy, redundant, new EER report, which reports evaluation information to parents!!!

Top Ten Flowchart

References Cummins, J. (1984). Basic interpersonal communicative

skills and cognitive academic language proficiency. Chicago, IL: Carlson, Inc.

Hamayan, E., Marler, B., Sanchez-Lopez, C., & Damico, J. (2007). Special education consideration for English Language Learners. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon Publishing.

Rhodes, R., Ochoa, S., & Ortiz, S. (2005). Assessing culturally and linguistically diverse students. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Educational Research Website (2009). Teaching English games. Retrieved January 10, 2010 from http://teachingenglishgames.com/3-5.htm

U.S. Department of Education (2009). English language learners. Retrieved January 10, 2010 from http://www.edweek.org/rc/issues/english-language-learners/

National Research Center for Language Acquisition (2009). One Child, two languages: A reference for preschool Educators working with ELL students. Retrieved January 29, 2010 from http://nationalresearchcenterellpreschool1/

City/State data (2010). Iowa languages. Retrieved February 5, 2010 from http://www.city-data.com/states/Iowa-Languages.html

Clark, B.A. (?) First and second-language acquisition in early childhood. Retrieved February 4, 2010 from http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/pubs/katzsym/clark-b.html

Online resource: October 20, 2011, http://justlists.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/37-success-factors-for-cultural-competency-in-teachers/

Good Resourcehttp://everythingESL.net

Education about appropriate nonverbal/gestures to use

Lesson plansTeaching tips