INTERVENTION FOR ELLs WITH LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT: FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES

I. INTRODUCTION--Options for ELL Students who Qualify for Special Education** There is a range of options for ELL students who qualify for special education after RtI has been found to be insufficient to meet their specific learning needs. Available options depend greatly upon the particular school district and what state it is in You have to find out what your particular school district offers

Option 1: ** 1.Consultative, collaborative service provision in which ELL students remains in the general education classroom and the teacher receives assistance from special education personnel, ESL teachers, and/or bilingual staff members

Option 2:.

Option 3: ** 3.Placement in regular bilingual education or Sheltered English classroom with support from special education

2 other options: ** 4. Monolingual English special education classroom (hopefully with primary language support using a bilingual teacher, tutor, etc.) 5.Bilingual special education classroom

It is important to think flexibly**

And we always have to keep the possibility of poverty in mind; for example, In Elk Grove Unified alone…** Children from different language groups were represented Many from low- income homes

II. LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT IN ELL STUDENTS: FOUNDATIONS** A. Legal Considerations A. Legal Considerations IDEA: students who speak a second language must be assessed in both the primary (first) language (L1) and English IDEA: students who speak a second language must be assessed in both the primary (first) language (L1) and English Must show delays in BOTH the primary language and English in order to be diagnosed as having a language impairment (LI) Must show delays in BOTH the primary language and English in order to be diagnosed as having a language impairment (LI) ELL student-- true LI if difficulties learning in BOTH languages ELL student-- true LI if difficulties learning in BOTH languages

The student with age-appropriate L1 skills and low scores in English is NOT LI and is not a candidate for special education** The student with age-appropriate L1 skills and low scores in English is NOT LI and is not a candidate for special education** We must make teachers and administrators aware of the difference between a student with typical underlying language learning ability who needs more time and exposure to English (non special education) and the student who is truly LI (qualifies for special education). We must make teachers and administrators aware of the difference between a student with typical underlying language learning ability who needs more time and exposure to English (non special education) and the student who is truly LI (qualifies for special education).

ELLs make up about 11% of U.S. students; census projections for % of U.S. population include:** White Black Hispanic Asian1.049 Native Am

There is increased focus on diverse students in our schools…

No Child Left Behind says…** Students with disabilities must participate in state accountability systems for reading and math in grades 3-8 Accommodations are allowed Schools must show adequate annual progress toward all students being proficient in math and reading or face penalties

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004):** LEAs (local education agencies) are allowed to eliminate the IQ- achievement discrepancy gap that formerly was mandated in order to qualify students for many special education services LEAs (local education agencies) are allowed to eliminate the IQ- achievement discrepancy gap that formerly was mandated in order to qualify students for many special education services There is a greater emphasis on pre-referral services There is a greater emphasis on pre-referral services Schools may now use more funds for early intervention Schools may now use more funds for early intervention

There is a special focus…** On children in K-3 who don’t technically qualify for special education but who need additional support—ELLs too On children in K-3 who don’t technically qualify for special education but who need additional support—ELLs too There is also a special focus on children who are having difficulty developing their basic reading skills, especially in the early grades

The law also emphasizes…** If a particular group of students (e.g., ELL students) is overrepresented in special education, states will be required to provide coordinated, comprehensive, early intervention programs for these students If a particular group of students (e.g., ELL students) is overrepresented in special education, states will be required to provide coordinated, comprehensive, early intervention programs for these students

Knowing that the laws are strict about who receives services….** We can look further at the definition of “language impairment” as a category for putting an ELL student on an IEP We can look further at the definition of “language impairment” as a category for putting an ELL student on an IEP

B. ELLs with Language Impairment: Major Therapy Goals** As stated, the ELL with an LI has difficulty learning any language As stated, the ELL with an LI has difficulty learning any language Difficulty learning L1 and English Difficulty learning L1 and English

Recent research defines primary language impairment (PLI)—student has:

Thus, we need to do three things in intervention:

The Universal Design for Learning incorporates multiple means of:** 1. Representation (visual, auditory, tactile, paper, digital) 1. Representation (visual, auditory, tactile, paper, digital) 2. Expression (oral and written, web-based projects) 2. Expression (oral and written, web-based projects) 3. Engagement (motivate students to sustain effort and maintain interest) 3. Engagement (motivate students to sustain effort and maintain interest)

Our ultimate goals:

C. Choosing the Language of Intervention** When an ELL student is placed into therapy, a major consideration is the extent to which the student’s first language (L1) and English will be used in therapy. When an ELL student is placed into therapy, a major consideration is the extent to which the student’s first language (L1) and English will be used in therapy. There are several factors to be considered when this decision is being made There are several factors to be considered when this decision is being made

First, what is the level of the student’s proficiency in L1 and English? ** First, what is the level of the student’s proficiency in L1 and English? ** Ideal: support both L1 and English in tx Ideal: support both L1 and English in tx Especially beneficial to introduce new concepts in L1 first and reinforce them in English Especially beneficial to introduce new concepts in L1 first and reinforce them in English

Kohnert (2013) stated that:** The overall purpose of intervention with bilingual students who have LIs is to effect positive changes in both English and L1. The overall purpose of intervention with bilingual students who have LIs is to effect positive changes in both English and L1. When home and school languages are different, students need to have access to the languages of their homes, schools, and the larger community. Again, both L1 and English communication skills must be targeted in intervention. When home and school languages are different, students need to have access to the languages of their homes, schools, and the larger community. Again, both L1 and English communication skills must be targeted in intervention.

Mendez, Crais, Castro, & Kainz. (2015). A culturally and linguistically diverse responsive vocabulary approach for young Latino dual language learners (Feb. issue of Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research)**

According to Mendez et. al. 2015….

We must emphasize to all individuals involved with these students that:

Kay-Raining Bird et al. 2005:** Children with Down Syndrome growing up in a French-English bilingual environment were able to acquire two languages Children with Down Syndrome growing up in a French-English bilingual environment were able to acquire two languages They had a similar number of vocabulary words compared to a monolingual English-speaking group of children with Down Syndrome They had a similar number of vocabulary words compared to a monolingual English-speaking group of children with Down Syndrome

Seung, Siddiqui, & Elder, 2006:** Research with a Korean child with autism showed that learning Korean first had a positive impact on his rate of English acquisition Research with a Korean child with autism showed that learning Korean first had a positive impact on his rate of English acquisition It also enabled him to continue his progress in Korean It also enabled him to continue his progress in Korean

A second factor to be considered in deciding the language of intervention is:** What language is used in the home? What language is used in the home? If the student’s L1 is not reinforced or developed in the school, the student may lose the ability to communicate effectively with family members. If the student’s L1 is not reinforced or developed in the school, the student may lose the ability to communicate effectively with family members. In today’s world, more children are being cared for by grandparents. A major consideration to keep in mind is that if students can no longer effectively communicate with their grandparents (and other significant adults in their lives), a valuable relationship is negatively impacted. In today’s world, more children are being cared for by grandparents. A major consideration to keep in mind is that if students can no longer effectively communicate with their grandparents (and other significant adults in their lives), a valuable relationship is negatively impacted.

A third factor impacting our choice for the language of intervention is:** What resources are available for conducting intervention in L1 as well as English? What resources are available for conducting intervention in L1 as well as English? It is ideal to have a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who is a fluent speaker of the student’s L1 to conduct intervention. It is ideal to have a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who is a fluent speaker of the student’s L1 to conduct intervention. However, the SLP is often a monolingual speaker of English. In this case, it is ideal of that SLP can work collaboratively with an interpreter or bilingual paraprofessional who speaks the child’s L1 fluently However, the SLP is often a monolingual speaker of English. In this case, it is ideal of that SLP can work collaboratively with an interpreter or bilingual paraprofessional who speaks the child’s L1 fluently

We may have to really work to find resources for helping us support students’ first languages**

III. CREATING A CLIMATE OF ACCEPTANCE: INCORPORATING MULTICULTURAL MATERIALS AND STRATEGIES INTO SPECIAL AND GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS

Additive Approach:** Professionals do not discard their old curriculum Rather, they add to and expand the existing curriculum to take other cultures into account (in addition to the dominant culture) The basic structure of the curriculum is not altered

Use maps of the U.S. and the world. I ask my students where their ancestors are from, and if they know this information, we find their countries of origin on a globe. This helps foster cultural and ethnic pride as well as geographic knowledge.**

Show interest in students’ home countries, languages, and cultures.** If students have lived in another country prior to coming to the U.S., or if they immigrate back and forth between their country and the U.S., I ask them questions about their home countries. I also ask them to teach me some words in their languages. It is humbling for me, and students love being the “teacher!”

**Try to convey the belief that it is “cool” to speak a different language and to have lived in another country. Being bilingual and bicultural is special, and I try to convey to students that as adults in the workforce, they will be especially desirable.

Encourage development and maintenance of the first or primary language** Many ELL students profit from having a specially assigned peer buddy who speaks the same language they do. Encourage use of the primary language; don’t ever discourage students from speaking their primary language. Represent various languages by having signs in key areas. For example, one school I worked in had the word “welcome” in 20 different languages on signs in the front office.

Make sure the environment represents diversity** Display objects and pictures representing various cultures. Create classroom bulletin boards that show diversity. Use intervention materials that represent various cultural and linguistic groups.

Provide books written in different languages

We can also incorporate multiculturalism by…

Other ways to incorporate multiculturalism:

**Use biographical sketches with culturally and linguistically diverse role models. For example, in my son’s second grade Houghton Mifflin reader, there was a story about Wilma Rudolph, an African American Olympian in the 1900s. There was also a story about a Hispanic female astronaut. It is ideal if we can use stories such as this as part of therapy and as part of the general education curriculum.

Ask parents to come and visit** They can wear native country dress, and talk about their cultures and customs. For example, at my son’s school, the Japanese grandma of one of his classmates did a Japanese dance. Parents can share food and recipes. One mother taught a preschool class how to use chopsticks, and chopsticks are now part of the play kitchen.

Both mainstream and culturally and linguistically diverse students benefit when…** Culturally and linguistically diverse materials and activities are an integral part of speech-language therapy activities and the curriculum of the general education classroom

What other ideas do you have for incorporating principles of multiculturalism into therapy?** Share for 1-2 minutes with the people around you and then we will share with the whole group