SE TESOL CONFERENCESEPTEMBER 18, 2009ATLANTA, GEORGIA

School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Assessment Practices With English Language Learners

Introductions

TESOL Position Statement on Identifying ELLs with Special Needs

Disproportionate representation of CLD students in special education an issue that has received increased attention

Identification of ELLs with special needs complex and difficult process Overidentification Underidentification

TESOL Position Statement on Identifying ELLs with Special Needs

Limited research on effective specific practices for ELLs with special needs

Numerous laws and legal precedents outline rights of ELLs in education, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational

Opportunities Act (EEOA). IDEA 2004

entitles all individuals with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education.

includes provisions on how CLD students should be assessed for possible special education placement

TESOL Position Statement on Identifying ELLs with Special Needs

“Blueprint” for appropriate assessment Must be in a form and language that will yield

valid results Cannot rely on a single assessment to determine

learning disability Should be given in student’s strongest language

May be student’s native language Take into consideration student’s proficiency level

in both English and native language, as well as dialect

Alternative assessments

TESOL Position Statement on Identifying ELLs with Special Needs

Ensure culturally appropriate content and tasks Guidelines for incorporating language acquisition or

sociocultural factors provided throughout evaluation reportsCulturally responsive expertise and purposeful

collaboration trained specialists in issues of bilingualism, second

language acquisition, sociocultural factors, to understand processing or cognitive deficits, and to implement essential adaptations for students receiving services in special education programs

Collaboration with ESOL/ESL and bilingual education professionals

Clear communication with family members

Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS) (2000) Sponsored by the OSEP of the U. S. DOE Sample of more than 11,000 students ages 6 through

12 in 1999 and receiving special education services in first grade or higher

Almost three-fourths classified as having a learning disability (43%) or a speech/language impairment (30%) – over 1 million students

Karen P. Harris Ph.D. CCC-SLP

Study conducted by Artiles, Rueda, Salazar, & Higareda (2000) ELLs in secondary grades and those with limited

language proficiency most overrepresented in programs for students with MR, LD, and speech and language impairments

ELLs more likely than English speakers to be placed in high incidence disability categories

SLP Roles and Responsibilities

Karen P. Harris Ph.D. CCC-SLP

Play a major role in the identification, assessment, and intervention of students with disabilities

Common concerns and stakes in the educational outcomes of students with special needs, particularly those from CLD backgrounds

Incredible task of distinguishing disability from cultural difference

The Big Picture…

Karen P. Harris Ph.D. CCC-SLP

The more diverse the population, the more likely it is that speech-language pathologists will work with children and families from cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds different than their own.

GUARANTEEING A HIGHLY QUALIFIED POOL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS IS

ESSENTIAL.

INVESTIGATE CURRENT ASSESSMENT PRACTICES OF SLPS WITH ELLS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL

SETTING

Purpose of the Study

Research Questions

What tools and techniques do school-based SLPs use to identify students with diverse linguistic backgrounds for SLP services?

What nontraditional techniques do school-based SLPs use?

If nontraditional techniques are used, how did the SLPs become acquainted with them?

Methodology

QuantitativeNon-experimentalDescriptiveSurvey Instrument

25 Total Questions Multiple Choice Likert-Type

QualitativeSurvey Instrument

1 Open-ended Question

Participants

Participants

School-based SLPs in one Georgia school districtSignificant representation of ELLs

70 total SLPs employed by this district

Survey administered to 50 SLPs present at SLP meeting

28 respondents

Participant Demographics

Years working in SLP 12-20 years (4) More than 20 years of experience (11)

Years working with children and youth 12-20 years (4) More than 20 years of experience (11)

Gender Female (26) Male (2)

Race/ethnicity AA/Black (not Hispanic/Latino) (22) Caucasian/White (not Hispanic/Latino) (6)

56% RESPONSE RATE

Response Rate

Results

Type of service provided

Limitations

Self-report

Implications

Ongoing collaborations among professionals In U.S., ELLs with disabilities entitled to specialized

services under both laws Schools required to provide both language services (e.g.,

ESL programs, native language support) and special education services.

Training SLPs in areas of: Bilingualism Second language acquisition Sociocultural factors Authentic assessment Implementation of culturally appropriate essential

adaptations for students receiving services in special education programs

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THINK TANKS

Next Steps

KAREN P. HARRIS, PH.D. CCC-SLPKHARRIS@WESTGA.EDU

678 839-6171

Thank You!!!