English Language Learners: Conducting Special Education Assessments

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English Language Learners Conducting Special
Education Assessments

• Jane E. Minnema, Ph.D.
• University of Minnesota
• minne006_at_umn.edu
• National Center on Educational Outcomes
• http//education.umn.edu/NCEO

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Plan for the Workshop

• Getting Started!
• Early team work
• Other language considerations
• ELL disability confusion
• Q A
• Quick Break!
• Doing the Assessment!
• 10 Principles for Assessment
• ELL considerations
• Disability vs. language delay
• Q A

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First steps

• Work as a team
• Understand pertinent cultures
• Put Federal and State law in context
• Adapt special education process

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Teamwork!

• List tasks ? Create a plan
• Work independently to
• Create materials and to
• Share, share, share information!

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Cultural Understandings

• Access printed information Internet,
  libraries, community groups
• Cultural representatives restaurants,
  festivals, presentations
• Create staff materials

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Cheng (1991) cautions

• Not all people from the same culture have the
  same values and beliefs there are tremendous
  individual differences. For this reason, it is
  necessary to be extremely careful when making
  cultural assumptions. Nevertheless, an awareness
  of the general cultural and linguistic values of
  minority populations is an essential tool

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Laws and Criteria

• Federal Rule Observation
• (At least one team member observe the child
  classroom setting.)
• e.g., by second language expert
• MN Interpretation of Federal Rule
• (Assessment data different settings.)
• e.g., second language classroom

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Adapt Assessment Process Before testing

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Adapt Assessment Process During and After
Testing
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Diversity is

• Race or ethnicity
• Culture (religion, family, beliefs, dress, food,
  communication, health care, education)
• Reasons for moving to U.S. (immigrant or
  refugee)
• Socioeconomic (before U.S., in U.S.,
  unemployment, underemployment, over employment,
  family stress)

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Culturally Relevant Terms

• Acculturation assumes American cultural
  attributes (language, norms, behaviors, and
  values)
• Assimilation incorporation into social and
  cultural networks of host society by giving up
  native culture

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Related Issues

• Generational issues
• Broad continuum of development
• Uneven process
• Constantly changing

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Terms for Students

• Limited English Proficient (LEP)
• English language learner (ELL)
• English as a second language (ESL)
• Culturally linguistically diverse (CLD)

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Issues Raised

• No common term used
• Terms lack specificity
• No person first language in ELL
• Confuse students and services

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Terms for Services

• English as a second language
• Bilingual education
• Content-based instruction
• Common practice in LA?

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Issues Raised

• Multiple models across states
• Service delivery varies within states
• Practice does not match research
• - Content-based instruction most effective

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Language Terms

• L1 native language
• L2 can be English
• Mulitilingual, bilingual, monolingual
• Pidgins or creoles fusion of two or more
  languages over time
• Code-switching controlled blending of
  languages that is rule-bound and meaningful

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Modes of Cross-Communication

• Interpretation Oral presentation of non-native
  language
• Translation Written presentation of non-native
  language

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Language Influence

• L1 influences L2
• - Stronger L1 is, the better L2 will be.
• - Vocabulary, syntax, semantics
• May formalize into pidgins, creoles, or social
  dialects
• Code-switching during L2 acquisition

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Native Language Loss

• L1 regress or lost
• L1 speaking regresses more than L1 understanding
• Stopping L1 has negative cognitive effects on L2
• Home language models may not be fluent in L1 or
  L2

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English Language Learning

• L1 literacy level and education
• Time in U.S.
• Time in U.S. schools
• SES
• Family situation
• Language models at home
• Health factors
• Student motivation, time, and ability

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English Language Learning Levels

• Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS)
• Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)

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BICS

• Social, concrete, here and now
• NOT used for academics
• Takes 2-4 years (easier for lt 8 yr)
• Everyday pronunciation proficiency
• Grammar (simple declarative sentences,
  questions, colloquialisms)
• Vocabulary about 500 words

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Examples of BICS

• Listening Follows general classroom
  directions.
• Speaking Converses with peers and teachers.
  May speak without accent.
• Reading Decode easily.
• Writing Completes school forms. Find and copy
  answers to textbook questions.

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CALP

• Proficient in decontextualized language and
  academic settings (inferences, predictions,
  abstractions)
• Manipulate language outside of immediate
  personal setting
• Has literacy
• Vocabulary 5000 words
• If literate in L1, 5-7 years. If not, 6-9
  years. Some may never acquire.

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Examples of CALP

• Listening Follow directions for academic
  tasks. Understands discussion of academic
  material. Knows main idea from supporting.
• Speaking Expresses reasons for opinions. Asks
  for clarification during academic tasks.
• Reading Comprehension good.
• Writing Can write essay supporting a point of
  view.

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Language vs. Disability ??

• Teachers expect more when BICS acquired.
• LD concern when academics not progressing
• BUT CALP still developing!

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Caution Teachers!

• Speaking English conversationally well, but not
  using well academically is NORMAL!
• NOT a reason to suspect disability.
• Student at BICS level without CALP should still
  receive ESL services.

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Shared by Native Speakers with LD and English
Learners

• Non-speaking
• Slow to respond
• Knew something yesterday but not today
• Low vocabulary
• Difficulty following directions
• Retains information poorly
• Below grade level spelling, math, reading
• Limited attention span
• Poor visual memory
• Low frustration tolerance

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Shared by Native Speakers with BD and CLD
Students

• Differences in
• - personal space
• - eye gaze
• - response time
• - body language
• - vocal pitch and intensity
• - conversational rules

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• 10 Principles for Assessing ELLs and Determining
  Eligibility for Special Education Services
• Elizabeth Watkins, MDOE, 2000
• St. Paul Public Schools LEP Resource Team, 1998
• Meredith Boo, Bloomington Schools, MN, 2001
• Berry (1080) Collier Collier (2003, 1985)
  Fradd McGee (1994) Ortiz (2003 1992)
  Wilkinson (2003)

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1 Examine School Environment

• C I meeting all students needs?
• Meeting all ELL needs?
• ELL disproportionate representation?
• - Over-representation?
• - Under-representation?

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2 Resources for Assessment

• At district and building level
• Identify who and what
• Access training
• Include INTERPRETERS!

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3 Involve Cultural Informants

• Language teachers (ESL or bilingual)
• Cultural representatives FAMILY!
• Community outreach workers
• ALL stages of assessment -
• Pre-referral through IEP!

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4 Prereferral Interventions Background
Information

• First, exclude English learning or instructional
  issue
• Involve English language teacher
• Student and environmental factors impacts on
  English learning

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4a Excluding English Learning

• L1 and English language data
• - ESL history
• - Language development
• - Home and native language(s)
• - Language status
• L1 and L2 use and proficiency
• ESL records
• Direct and indirect assessments

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L1 Language Assessment

• Do anytime!
• Direct standardized language testing,
  conversational sample, story retelling task,
  dictation task, story telling task, home visit,
  observations
• Indirect parent interview, parent report, home
  visit, observation

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Types of Communicators

• L1 monolingual
• Partial bilingual
• Developing bilingual
• L1 receptive
• nonstandard English speaker
• English monolingual
• Bilingual with code switching
• Limited due to disabiity

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4b Excluding Instructional Issues

• Best teaching approach thematic
• One stage above English proficiency level
• Looking for 2 year gap
• - Compared to ELL peers
• - Disability in native language / native
  environment
• - Physical/health disability

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Three Ways to Exclude Language and Instruction

• Know general expectations
• Know recommended ELL practices
• Pre-referral Interventions
• - Adapt mainstream instruction
• - Academic techniques

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General Expectations

• 1st or 2nd grade academically with 2-3 years of
  English instruction
• Average ELL - 10-12 years to reach 50th ile on
  group achievement test
• Longer if no academics in L1

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Research Recommended ELL Practices

• Learn English through content material
• Active in concrete activities related to content
  objective
• Acquire concepts when comprehend English
  (simplify or bilingual support)
• Retain when use in multiple authentic situations
• Supportive, stress free environment
• Link prior knowledge to new content

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Research on Practice (cont.)

• Use collaborative meaning making process
• - Learn faster when interact with peers
• Comprehension dependent on background knowledge
• - Read and comprehend with experience
• Textbooks challenge ELLs
• - Multimodal support beyond level of language
  comprehension
• Culture important to affective and cognitive
  development
• - RESPECT native culture and language

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Pre-referral Intervention Adapting Mainstream
Instruction

• Pair oral and written instructions
• Key points in writing
• Simplify English, NOT concepts
• Many visuals
• Modify teacher expectations
• - Identify core material
• - Re-teach many times differently
• Teach both language and content
• - Assignments in both
• - Grade progress in both

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Pre-referral Interventions (cont.)

• Talk slower, NOT louder!
• Use body language
• Seek bilingual help cheerfully (another student,
  bilingual para, etc.)
• Use interpreter or translator (tape or video for
  future use)
• Student kept vocabulary booklet
• - Writing assignments
• - For credit/grading

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Pre-referral Interventions (cont.)

• Vary complexity of questions
• Encourage any effort!
• Extend, elaborate, and paraphrase without
  correcting
• Allow extra time
• Talk about what matters to ELL
• Create literate classroom environment (see and
  hear variety)

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Pre-referral Interventions Academic Techniques

• Reduce number of problems
• Highlight key information
• Remove pages from text or booklet
• Outline key ideas at academic level
• Tape record to read along
• Read aloud tests/quizzes
• Tape record tests/quizzes
• Construction paper reading windows

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Pre-referral Interventions Academic Techniques
(cont.)

• Simplify written directions
• Tape record directions
• Cooperative learning/peer assistance
• More time tests/quizzes
• Use assignment calendar or notebook
• Use manipulatives
• Rearrange problems on page
• Use graph paper (math, handwriting)

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5 Time to Learn English

• Typically 1-2 years for BICS and acculturation
• Only refer within 1st year if
• - Family very concerned
• - At-risk due to background
• - Language teacher reports significant
  difference from other ELLs

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6 Plan and Complete Multiple Assessment
Procedures

• Determine assessment domains
• Plan for language use
• - Language dominance
• - L1 and L2 proficiency
• Arrange for interpreter
• Use stronger language generally
• Assess content in language of instruction

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Assessment Procedures (cont.)

• Test procedures directions in L1
• Accept L1 and L2 responses
• Check test for bias (norms and items)
• Modify and adapt standardized instruments
• Supplement with criterion-referenced,
  curriculum-based, or other informal measures

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Assessment Procedures (cont.)

• Supplemental assessments
• Teacher ratings/checklists
• Student self-ratings
• Work progress records
• Portfolio work samples
• Dialogue journals
• Naturalistic or planned observations
• Oral interviews and role plays
• Story retelling
• Semantic maps
• Dictations
• Writing samples

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Modifying Norm-Referenced Tests

• Administer some subtests
• Eliminate, modify, or mark biased items
• Allow extra time
• Give additional demonstrations, attempts for
  ability to master
• Test/retest for growth
• Test/retest in L1 and L2

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Modify Scoring and Interpretation

• Allow variations in responding
• - Verbal or nonverbal
• - Label function rather than object
• Allow for language, dialect, or experience
  differences
• Score by the book and again with modifications
• Report scores as range or estimate
• Compare to ELL peers instead of norms
• Analyze data for patterns related to culture or
  background experiences

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Use DISCLAIMER!

• This test has not been normed on members of this
  students ethnic group. Therefore, it is
  inappropriate to compute or report derived
  scores. However, the results of this test
  provide information useful for intervention
  planning.
• Name of Interpreter used _________
• Date

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LD Assessment Procedures - IQ

• Use two IQ instruments
• UNIT recommended CTONI 2nd choice
• Can use WISC performance, but not verbal score -
  NOT for discrepancy
• Woodcock Johnson with adaptations for academic
  assessment - Do NOT use regression chart. Use
  non-verbal IQ for criterion score.

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LD Assessment Procedures - Processing

• To document information processing difficulties
• - Only if occur in home and school environments
• Not those characteristics shared by ELLs and
  students with LD

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LD Assessment Procedures Culturally-based
Reading Behaviors

• Basic reading skills that are difficult
• Reading out loud
• Mispronunciations
• Moving from visual to auditory cues ( vice
  versa)
• Better in group or with family member
• Slow reading rate
• Learning better within game
• Poor word attack

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LD Assessment Procedures Culturally-based
Reading Behaviors

• Comprehension skills that are difficult
• Interpretive questions
• Sequencing
• Facts from inferences
• If then conclusions
• Some concepts (time in particular)
• Written formal language
• Consequences

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7 Determine Eligibility

• Review data beginning with native language,
  family background, school history
• Describe all adaptations
• Include cautionary language (norms, test
  validity)
• Include descriptive data, family data,
  supplemental testing, other sources
• Professional judgment in reporting scores
• Rule out English language as PRIMARY cause
• Rule out instruction as PRIMARY cause

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8 Due Process

• Informed consent in parents native language if
  needed
• Use trained interpreter
• Research shows parents not understanding due
  process even when presented in native language

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9 Develop IEP

• Use direct and indirect assessment data to
  develop goals and objectives
• Also use all data on language and culture
• English language teacher as team member

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10 Review Student Progress

• Repeat Principles 1 through 9 as needed
• Need not be formal assessment or annual review
• Make adjustments as needed

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Tips for Using Interpreters

• Meet before assessment
• Explain assessment process
• Demonstrate any tasks
• Make purpose and information needed very clear
• Obtain exact interpretation
• Opinions and impressions afterwards
• Interpreter rapport with student before