1. Tools for Determining Language Difference or Learning Disability
ExcEL Summer Institute
Helene Becker
(and Cassandra Perrone)
Norwalk Public Schools

2. Objectives:
Language Objective: Discuss the similarities and differences between second language acquisition and learning disabilities.
Content Objective: Identify tools and resources to aide in determining whether a student’s difficulties are due to language difference or learning disability.

3. The Objective is NOT
To provide you with a clear cut answer to the perplexing question: is it second language or is it a learning disability?

4. Warm-Up Exercise

5. Anna-Mariya 4th grade ESL student
Born in US with immigrant parents from Ukraine
Seems lost when given directions
Difficulty completing tasks and participating in class discussions
Is often distracted and found playing with materials on her desk
Relies on assistance from peers and will often mimic them
Teacher is concerned with lack of progress in English proficiency and referred her to the school’s SRBI team

6. Working in groups of 2 or 3;
please discuss the following regarding Anna-Mariya:
Which of her behaviors are typical of second language learners?
Which of her behaviors possibly indicate the presence of a learning disability?
What additional information should be collected about the student?
Who should be involved in planning the student’s educational program?

7. Conclusion
Many behaviors associated with a learning disability are the same behaviors associated with a language difference!

8. Activity Work with a partner.
Match the behavior to the reason the behavior might be caused by a language difference rather than a disability.

9. Behaviors associated with Learning Disability
Reason the behavior might be caused by Language Difference
Difficulty following directions
Difficulties with phonological awareness
Slow to learn sound-symbol correspondence
Difficulty remembering sight words
Confusion with figurative language
Difficulty retelling a story in sequence
Poor auditory memory
Weak concentration skills
Easily frustrated

10. Behaviors associated with Learning Disability
Reason the behavior might be caused by Language Difference
Difficulty following directions
Student cannot follow directions in English when not understood; difficulty remembering directions in a second language
Difficulties with phonological awareness
Difficulty with auditory discrimination if sounds are not present in native language
Slow to learn sound-symbol correspondence
Might be different from first language
Difficulty remembering sight words
If the student doesn’t understand the meanings of the words, it’s difficult to remember how to say them.
Confusion with figurative language
Idioms, multiple meaning words, conjunctions, pronouns are all difficult to learn in a second language
Difficulty retelling a story in sequence
Student may comprehend story but lack the English words to retell it.
Poor auditory memory
Difficult to remember sounds or words that are unfamiliar or not well understood
Weak concentration skills
Student may be mentally exhausted from learning in a second language
Easily frustrated
Student may be frustrated with learning a second language

11. Types of Language Learners

12. Anna Mariya Types of language learners Background information
Possible learning
behaviors
Strong academic
background in native
country
Received formal
academic instruction in native country in native language.
Understand literacy
concepts but will need time to acquire academic English
Easier time transferring background knowledge to English
Weak academic
background in native country
May have received minimal or interrupted formal academic instruction.
May struggle to catch up for many years regardless of which language is used.
Born in the U.S. and/or have received majority of education in the U.S. but are proficient in neither native language or English.
May have gone back and forth between native country and U.S., various school districts, or types of educational programs.
May continue to struggle with literacy and academic English due to lack of consistency.
Anna Mariya

13. BICS Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
“Social language” – used with friends, family, on the playground, etc.
ex: “Let’s go on the swings!”
1-3 years to acquire

14. CALP Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
“Academic language” – used in classroom instruction and textbooks
Ex: “Explain three causes of the Revolutionary War.”
5-7 years to acquire (7-10 years to acquire for students with little prior schooling)

15. ELL Iceberg
BICS
CALP

16. So…. When Should A Child be Referred?

17. Find the Top 3 Myths Regarding ELLs and Special Education!
If we label an ELL as learning disabled, at least he will get some help.
When an ELL has a disability, the student is entitled to both special education and ELL services.
We have to wait 2 to 3 years for ELLs to develop their English language skills before we can rule out language as a cause for the student’s difficulties.
When an ELL is identified as having a disability, instruction should only be in English, so as not to confuse the student.

18. Become a detective Gather ALL the facts
Are the instructional strategies appropriate to meet the needs of ELLs?
Conduct a parent/caregiver interview:
Health and developmental history
Educational background in home country
Traumatic events in the student’s life
Compare student’s performance with that of his/her “true peers”
The ELL teacher must be involved in the process – he/she is an important resource!

19. Educational and cultural backgrounds
WHAT ARE “TRUE PEERS”?
Students who are similar in three areas:
Proficiency levels
Time in the U.S.
Educational and cultural backgrounds

20. Possible Indicators for Referral
ELL is exhibiting the academic and/or behavioral difficulties in both his/her first and second language
ELL is performing differently from his/her “true peers”
Despite appropriate instructional strategies and interventions, the ELL continues to make little to no progress
The difficulties are displayed in various settings, not just in school
All school personnel who interact with the child confirm witnessing the same academic/behavioral difficulties as seen in the classroom

24. Compare behaviors in English and Native Language

25. Reasons for Misidentification (over identification and under identification)
Behaviors due to language difference are similar to behaviors due to language disability.
Assessments:
Are not normed on bilingual students
Some assessments are available in Spanish, but not in other languages.
Few personnel are trained to administer assessments in languages other than English.
Data is often gathered by school personnel who are unfamiliar with second language acquisition
Many districts wait until ELLs have been learning English for several years before referring the student for testing.

26. In Conclusion
Deciding between Learning Disability and Language Difference is NOT easy.
Do the best you can with the information you have.
The outcome will be a reflection of the team’s collective professional expertise!
Additional Resource:
(CAPELL Publications; “ELLs and Special Education Resource Handbook”)

27. Objectives:
Language Objective: Discuss the similarities and differences between second language acquisition and learning disabilities.
Content Objective: Identify tools and resources to aide in determining whether a student’s difficulties are due to language difference or learning disability.