1. 1. Placement of English Language Learners in Special Education and Gifted Programs KELLIE WYATT SEI 503 JUNE 8, 2015 DIANA LUCERO
2. 2. Action Plan Representation of ELL students Over-representation Under-representation Steps to ensure all students are represented and assessed fairly Ways that key decision-makers must be involved The aims and goals of the action plan Strategies for collaboration between all stakeholders, including students and parents
3. 3. Representation of ELL students Over-Representation The overrepresentation of English Learners (ELs) in special education classes is one of the critical issues affecting this group of students. Educators have difficulty distinguishing students who truly have special education needs from students who are learning English as a second language (Artiles & Klingner, 2006). Determining whether an EL is struggling with reading because of a learning disability or factors associated with language acquisition is particularly challenging (Klingner et al. 2008). Older ELs were more likely to be overrepresented than younger ELLs. ELs are disadvantaged by the scarcity of appropriate valid and reliable assessment instruments and a lack of personnel trained to conduct culturally valid educational assessments. Under-Representation The number and relative proportion of ethnic minority and language minority students in the United States is rapidly increasing Only recently has serious attention been drawn to the educational concerns of gifted and talented students whose native language is not English (Bernal, 2002). Poor communication often exists between educators who teach gifted and talented students and teachers of other special populations, such as special education and ELL students-especially in states that are not English only, One of the largest and most under acknowledged components of the gifted and talented identification process involves educating parents and guardians about the gifted services available at the school The lack of explicit policies regarding proper identification of gifted students from underrepresented groups is another barrier to valid and reliable identification procedures for this population (Gallagher & Coleman). The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center. (2015). Harris, B., Martinez, R., & Plucker, J. (2007,
4. 4. Steps to ensure all students are represented and assessed fairly Educators need to be familiar with the students background and history All students should be in grade appropriate classes Ensure that all assessments (formal or informal) are unbiased Ensure teaching skills are linguistically & culturally responsive Provide early intervention and response to intervention (RTI) Increase parental involvement and build community partnerships
5. 5. Ways that key decision-makers must be involved Administration should be kept in the loop and always available if needed Keep an accurate record of the students progress Communication is paramount and should be maintained between students, teachers, and parents Ensure that students needs are met Set goals & ensure expectations are clear Be flexible & develop alternative ways to check comprehension
6. 6. The aims and goals of the action plan To ensure that equal opportunities are available for all students To develop a cohesive plan that will ensure all ELLs are assessed fairly To diversify instruction developing programs that meet the needs of the children To ensure that students are placed in grade appropriate programs To set high expectations and encourage students to reach for their goals
7. 7. Strategies for collaboration between all stakeholders, including students and parents Communication between parents throughout the process Ensure parents are aware of all available resources Ensure parents are aware of assessments and testing processes Routine meetings held with teachers, parents, students, and the school officials Maintain an effective way to collect and manage information Provision of translation for non-English speaking parents Ensure that IEPs are linguistically and culturally appropriate
8. 8. Conclusion Educators have to ensure that all students are assessed in a fair manor Ensure that key decision-makers are involved throughout the process Ensure that goals are established Ensure the action plan meets the needs of the students
9. 9. References The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.maec.org/equity/origin-issue4.html The Next Step: Assessment and the English Language Learner | ELL Topics from A-Z | Colorn Colorado. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/14733/ Hamayan, E., Marler, B., Sanchez-Lopez, C., & Damico, J. (2007). Some Myths Regarding ELLs and Special Education. Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/40714/ Harris, B., Martinez, R., & Plucker, J. (2007, November 21). Identifying English Language Learners for Gifted and Talented Programs. Retrieved from http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/1152658/identifying_english language_learners_for_gifted_and_talented_programs/
10. 10. Placement of English Language Learners in Special Education and Gifted Programs KELLIE WYATT SEI 503 JUNE 8, 2015 DIANA LUCERO