Providing an Appropriate Education for English Language Learners

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Providing an Appropriate Education for English
Language Learners

• Sheba Green
• Tennessee State University
• August 2007

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Introduction

• According to the 2000 U.S. Census, nearly one
  person in five (or 47 million U.S. residents age
  5 and older) spoke a language other than English
  at home in the year 2000. Dianne Wilen (2004)
  suggests, linguistic and cultural diversity is
  growing within the United States and is mirrored
  within the school systems. With the diversity
  there is an increasing number of children whose
  primary language is not English. These children
  are referred to as Limited English Proficiency
  (LEP) and English Language Learners (ELL).

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Introduction continued

• There is an increased drop out rate for ELL
  students in many school districts. Because of the
  SES, culture, and disparities in the education
  for ELL students, there is a gap in achievement
  between ELL and non ELL students.

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Overview

• This presentation will provide teachers, guidance
  counselors, and school psychologists with
  knowledge about the different entities that
  impact ELL students education.
• Considerations that should be taken into account
  when evaluating ELL students.
• Interventions that can be used with ELL students.

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Challenges ELL students face

• Students are often inappropriately referred for
  special education because teachers,
  psychologists, and other school personnel
  inaccurately identify problems within students.
• Although many students are identified as having a
  disability affecting their learning, many
  students disabilities are not correctly
  identified or the disability is partially
  identified.

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Factors Affecting ELL Students education

• Life Experiences. Some ELL students may live in
  or have escaped stressful environments.
• Family Issues. Many parents of ELL students lack
  the ability to converse with teachers in English.
  Parents may also feel intimidated and choose to
  not attend parent teacher conferences. Parents
  also may not be able to help students complete
  homework assignments.

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Factors Affecting ELL Students education

• Academic Performance. Because ELL students enter
  school with many variations in their own
  language, it is sometimes difficult for students
  to grasp the English language. The English
  alphabets are sometimes completely different from
  English alphabets. Also, students display
  difficulty in acquiring the English language and
  mastering academic contents in English.

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What can we do?

• Learn as much as possible about the cultural and
  linguistic background of ELL student (s).
• Ask what name the student would like to be called
  and how to pronounce the name.
• Pair a new ELL student with a bilingual student
  who speaks the same language.
• Encourage students to be creative and attempt to
  find things they do well.

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What can we do continued?

• Encourage parents to participate in school
  activities. If needed, use a school staff member
  to translate information.
• Seek help from school psychologists, guidance
  counselors, and social workers if the child has
  behavior and academic difficulties.

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Resources For Teachers, School Psychologists, and
Counselors

• National Association for School Psychologist,
  Culturally Competent Practice (NASP)
  www.nasponline.org/culturalcompetence/index.html
  Provides links and resources for working with
  both ELL and ethnically diverse students. This
  site I useful for teachers, school psychologist,
  and counselors.
• Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
  Languages (TESOL) www.tseol.org International
  professional organization that is dedicated to
  helping teachers teach English to speakers of
  other languages. This site is helpful for
  teachers.

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Resources For Teachers, School Psychologists, and
Counselors continued.

• National Clearinghouse for English Language
  Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational
  Programs www.ncela.gwu.edu Provides practical
  resources, current research, and policy
  associated with the education of linguistically
  and culturally diverse students in U.S. schools.
  Includes an online library, databases, strategies
  for effective instruction, and technical
  assistance. This site is useful for teachers and
  school psychologists.
• National Association for Bilingual Education
  (NABE) www.nabe.org Focuses on language minority
  students and the professionals in bilingual
  education serving their interests. This site is
  useful for any bilingual professional in the
  school working with children.

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Resources For Teachers, School Psychologists, and
Counselors continued.

• ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics
  www.cal.org/ericcll Provides an online
  question/answer service, information digests, an
  online newsletter, resource lists, and databases
  on second language instruction. This site is
  useful for teachers.

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ELL students and Special Education

• In the article, English Language Learners
  Struggling to Learn to Read, the authors purport
  ELL students are disproportionately placed in
  special education classes.
• The authors believe some states under identify
  ELL students for special education, while others
  over identify students for special education.
• The article also suggests that IQ tests are not
  appropriate for ELL students and do not assess
  the components suggested.
• This article has information suitable for
  teachers and school psychologist in reference to
  ELL students.

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ELL students and Special Education continued

• In the article, English Language Learners, LD,
  and Overrepresentation, authors suggest that
  minority students are increasingly referred for
  special education.
• African Americans, Latino, and American Indian
  were the ethnic groups overrepresented the most.
• The research showed African American and Hispanic
  students were identified as LD and EBD students
  more in districts with low SES and they were
  identified as MR in low poverty districts.

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Conclusion

• Obviously, ELL and non English speaking students
  are a huge part of the student population in many
  of Americas schools. Because schools are
  populated with a large amount of students with
  primary languages other then English, teachers,
  school psychologists, and are faced with the
  challenge of providing them with appropriate
  educational services. Due to language barriers
  and decreased knowledge of other cultures,
  students are often refereed for inappropriate
  special education services. In many cases,
  teachers may identify students as having certain
  disabilities that are not accurate due to lack of
  knowledge. Because all students are afforded the
  right to have a free appropriate education,
  schools have the duty to make sure all students
  receive the best possible education despite their
  race, gender, or disability.

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References

• Artiles, A. and Klinger, J. (2006) English
  Language Learners Struggling to Learn to Read
  Emergent Scholarship on Linguistic Differences
  and Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning
  Disabilities. V 39 pp. 386-389
• ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics.
  Retrieved from www.cal.org/ericcll
• Rueda, R. and Windmueller, M. (2006) English
  Language Learners, LD, and Overrepresentation.
  Jouranal of Learning Disabilities. V 39 pp.
  99-107
• National Association for Bilingual Education
  (NABE). Retrieved from www.nabe.org

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References Coninued

• National Association for School Psychologist,
  Culturally Competent Practice (NASP). Retrieved
  from www.nasponline.org/culturalcompetence/index.h
  tml
• National Clearinghouse for English Language
  Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational
  Programs. Retrieved from www.ncela.gwu.edu
• Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
  Languages (TESOL). Retrieved fromwww.tseol.org
• Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
  Languages (TESOL). Retrieved from www.tseol.org
• Wilen, D. (2004). English Language Learners A
  guide for educators. Retrieved from
  www.nasponline.org

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