1. Special Education and the ELL Teacher

2. Goals for Today
Provide suggestions regarding what to bring to the special education team
Obtain Questions from you, in order to create a Question and Answer document

3. Language Acquisition Data
The student’s language acquisition history
How this compares to other students from the same (or similar) language group
Specific comparisons to other language learners in this area
How this student compares to your school, district, and the state in achieving language
Where can you find this information?
Have you used it before in IEP or other meetings?

4. Concrete Examples of Work
Provide the general education and special education staff concrete work examples that demonstrate ability (instead of lack of understanding English)
Provide the team a clear picture of what it took to achieve the work sample (what supports and/or assistance)
What kinds of work samples can you easily collect?

5. Things you might want to know about…
Knowledge about the areas of disability
Common tests used by special education and what they measure
Acronyms
These are just suggestions. What other areas of SpEd and ELL do you want to know about?

6. Challenges the student is facing…
Literacy in the home?
Literacy rate in home language, in general
Birth order and possible impact

7. What if…. You suspect a student has a disability?
What if you suspect a student (who is already qualified for special education) really does not have a disability?
Why might you want to question the eligibility?
How do you handle these situations now?

8. Applying new knowledge, example…
The term ---- LTELS
100 or so districts, and all I have asked have stated the vast, vast majority of LTELS are in their largest 1-3 languages  (one point of information)
LTELS in their more uncommon languages are uncommon
Do you know who your LTELs are? Do you have a plan for them?
All Rights Reserved by Steve Gill

9. New Knowledge continued….
Research shows one of the highest predictors of learning a language is the need in your life for the language (second point of information)   
What about those in those low incidence languages who are having problems? Or, those high incidence languages?
For the first group, that information is much more likely to support special education consideration.

10. New knowledge continued…
But, what if they are not the first born? Or, maybe not second born? (third piece of information)
The more you learn, the more there is to learn at times, in order to increase the likelihood of getting things right.

11. Closing thoughts….
ELL percentages within our schools is rising and likely to rise for many years
Disability rates do not change, sadly though, qualification rates tend to change
Knowledge leads different perspectives, and more knowledgeable perspectives leads to better decision making
Our students and families are relying upon us!!!
What questions or ideas do you have about improving the quality of the IEP or referral process for ELLs?