PPT on LD

1. English language learners with learning
disabilities
Children who are English language learners (ELLs)
sometimes have learning disabilities (LD). These
children have two separate challenges as they learn
in school. But those two challenges are intertwined
to such an extent that it is often difficult to determine
the difference between:
language difficulties and a learning disability.

2. What would make a teacher suspect that a
child might have learning disabilities?
 A teacher would notice a student not making
progress in the areas of:
• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Comprehension
• Math
• Reasoning
• Problem solving

3. There are similar patterns for learning
disabilities across languages.
 In both Spanish and English for example, children
with dyslexia might have trouble:
• Processing sounds
• Hearing sounds in order
• Distinguishing between two similar sounds
• Playing with sounds (e.g., rhyming)
• Reading single words

4. Steps for distinguishing between language
difficulties and a learning disability
1. Screen ELL students when they first come to
school.
2. Employ teaching strategies known to be
effective with English language learners.
3. Adjust and adapt these strategies as needed and
monitor for progress.
4. If progress is not adequate, seek expert
evaluation.

5. The teacher starts the process of
identifying a learning disability.
 Gather such information as:
• What was the previous language of instruction?
• Was this child exposed to English before?
• How many years of educational opportunity have
they had?
• Have they been responding to that opportunity?
 Discuss this information with experts at the school:
• ELL teachers
• Special ed teacher
• School psychologist

6. Assessment in both native language and
English
 Gives a complete picture of what the student knows
 Comparison of results can show whether the child’s
difficulties reach across both languages or are an
issue of acquiring a foreign language

7. Who can perform dual language
assessments?
 Ideally, a bilingual school psychologist trained in
assessment
 Other bilingual staff members or community
members who are trained to work in tandem with
the school psychologist

8. A comprehensive dual language special
education assessment looks at …
 Speech-language
• how well children understand concepts
• how well they understand words
• how well they’re able to use words in their first
language and also in the foreign language
 Reading
• ability to process sounds
• ability to read words
• ability to comprehend what they’ve read
 Writing
 Math

9. It is vital that the assessment instrument
is …
 Culturally sensitive, not culturally biased
 Accurate, that it really measures the skill it is
assessing
 Vetted for reliability and validity with English
language learners
 Administered by someone who is qualified and
trained to do so
For more information on assessing ELLs for LD, please see
this article on LD OnLine: Learning Disabilities in English
Language Learners, by Dr. Louise Spear-Swerling.

10. Non-verbal period
ELL students often go through a non-verbal
period in which they’re absorbing
information. This “silent period” can be
confused for a learning disability when, in
fact, it’s just a part of the second-language
acquisition process.

11. First steps after the LD is identified
 Once a learning disability is identified, an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) must be
formulated to figure out how to best help the
student.
 For ELL students with LD, it is important that the
plan includes what the language of instruction will
be. And once that decision is reached, it is
important to stick to it. Be consistent with the
language of instruction, and give the student time to
respond to that instruction model.

12. Educators must consider certain adaptations
when creating an IEP for an ELL student:
 How can we make what we’re trying to teach more
comprehensible?
 Do we need to take smaller steps in getting to the
goal?
 Have we provided enough native language support
so students can understand the information and
reach their goals?

13. Most teachers will have an ELL student in
their classroom at some point.
 What teachers should know:
• Effective practices in the general classroom
also work with ELL students.
• It’s important to give ELL students native
language support and to explicitly teach the
connections (similarities and differences)
between the first language and the second.

14. Monolingual teachers can still help their
ELL students.
 You don’t have to know the language to know the
cross-linguistic relationships
 For example, in alphabetic languages a teacher can
see some shared and unshared components. With
Spanish, many consonants sound the same in
English. But vowel sounds differ, an area in which
the teacher can help students understand the
patterns of differences.

15. Make sure students are following what’s
happening in the classroom.
 Define basic vocabulary words.
 Use visuals.
 Use hands-on activities.
 Use lots of repetition, rehearsal, and practice.
 Model activities.

16. Ways teachers can make themselves more
easily understood by ELLs with LD
 Speak slowly, clearly, and naturally.
 Face your students and avoid putting your
hand in front of your face.
 Be careful using idioms, e.g., “back-seat
driver”; ELLs may take it literally.
 Alert your students when something is
particularly important. Consistently use a
phrase such as “A key point is …”

17. Other possible accommodations for ELLs
with LD
 If possible, provide written notes that will help
your students follow the lessons.
 Lower the level of background noise in your
classroom to help your students hear.
 Allow a long pause between your questions
and your students’ answers. They need time to
think.

18. Twice the cognitive load
ELLs have twice the cognitive load —
they have to learn a new language AND
learn new content simultaneously.

19. Books on tape
Books on tape can help with pronunciation
of sounds and words.
For information on books on tape, visit the website of Recordings
for the Blind and Dyslexic:http://www.learningally.org/

20. Coordination of professionals
In order for these children to be successful, a team of adults
will have to work together. The team should include as many
of the following people as possible:
Establish a plan together and then communicate regularly to
assess progress and reevaluate the plan. For students who
are identified as having a learning disability, this coordination
should be managed by the IEP team.
Classroom teacher
Special education
teacher
ELL specialist
Parent liaison
School psychologist
Speech therapist
Learning disability specialist
Principal

21. Benefits of peer-assisted learning
 Stronger English speakers model the language
 More time on task with small groups
 Less intimidating for ELLs with LD
It’s critical to establish these routines very early so that
children are invested.

22. Perform daily informal assessments.
 Continually check basic vocabulary.
 Offer many opportunities to practice new words.
 Ensure they understand the meanings of new
words.
If they’re not getting it, go back and use smaller steps.

23. When working with ELLs …
 Take into account cultural differences.
 Don’t assume children know

24. Progress monitoring
 Progress monitoring tools must be directly related
to the content taught.
 Monitor often — weekly or daily.
 Be diagnostic and prescriptive in teaching. Adjust
instruction based on progress monitoring results.

25. Involving parents in IEP meetings
Remember: A room full of professionals here to analyze your
child can be incredibly intimidating.
 Reassure the parents that you are all here to help.
 Have a translator available at the meeting.
 Take meetings step-by-step, making sure parents
understand everything being discussed.
 Suggest what parents can do at home to help.
 Offer an open-door policy, with an invitation for questions
and frequent communication.

26. Guidelines for successfully teaching ELLs
with LD
 Look at every child as an individual.
 Closely monitor progress. Are they responding to
the intervention?
 Adapt instruction based on progress.
 Track progress in new language and in native
language.

27. What research needs to be done?
 Follow ELLs in special education over multiple
years and report results.
 Look at what delivery models were used and the
language of instruction.
 Compare to ELLs in general education and to non-
ELL students in special education.

28. Future steps for the field
 Design better assessment tools covering as many
aspects of language and literacy and learning as
possible.
 Measure the effectiveness of the accommodations
we give ELLs with LD during assessment and
instruction.
 Determine better ways to increase students’
academic language skills.
 Help teachers understand the language and literacy
opportunities in every classroom.

29. Some final thoughts on ELLs with LD
 Assess these children regularly and carefully.
 Base instructional decisions upon assessment data.
 Have consistency across languages of instruction.
 Provide opportunities to develop social language
skills.
 Focus intensively on high-level vocabulary and
comprehension skills.