CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY

DIVERSE LEARNERS IN SPECIAL

EDUCATION
Chris DAngelo
Tim Montgomery

Topics

Who are CLD Learners?

Identifying CLD learners with

instructional needs.

Teaming with special education teachers.

Teaching strategies for inclusion.

Background

Cultural differences and language differences

1984- Stainback & Stainback said all students should
receive an individualized education.
Others address that there is an over/under-representation
of CLD learners in special education.
IDEA specifically allows referral/placement for English
learners with developmental delays, including language
acquisition.
Baca & Valenzuela (1994):

Classrooms should conform to students

efforts should be made to increase academics of CLD special
education students.
Teachers should actively be involved in the assessment process.

Principles for the Education of CLD-Special

Education Students

For the purpose of initial identifications

and early interventions, evaluation &
testing, and placement.
5 domains:

Responsibility of students learning

Students need for self-knowledge
Goals for instruction
Relationship of educational services to
mainstream
Need for informed decision making

5 Domains
Domain

Principle

Responsibility of students
learning

English learners need to become

self responsible, active students
who know how to learn.

Need for self knowledge

Students need to know their own

learning styles.

Goals for Instruction

Students need meaningful and

relevant language and goals to
promote communication

Relationship of education
services to mainstream
instruction

Must be smooth transition

Need for informed decision

making

IEP team

Over/Under-Representation
Over-Representation

Under-Representation

MMR, ED categories
Expansion of disability categories =
increase in bilingual students.

African Americans and native

Americans are underrepresented

Problems:

Segregation
Negative effects
on self-esteem
Negative outlook
from teachers

Gifted programs

What is gifted?

Differs from
district to district.
Recognize diverse
talent.

Identification, Referral & Early

Intervention.

What are the needs of the student?

Is it becoming more serious as time goes on?

Are they uncomfortable/unaccustomed to the

classroom?

Do they function differently than their classmates?

Including background of the student

Learning styles, physical health conditions.

Is there a pattern?
Discrepancy between first and second language

Cultural and Linguistic backgrounds

Level of Acculturation.

Learning Problems for CLD

students

Examples: Discrepancies between verbal &

non-verbal skills, perceptual disorders,
language disorders, memory difficulties,
social/emotional functioning, difficulty
attending or focusing, reading and writing
deficits, etc.
Do these look familiar?

Every special education student possess an aspect

of these.

Dont expect a newcomer to demonstrate

proficiency.

Similarities between ELLs &

SpEd.
Component of Oral
English Learners
Learning Disabled
Language

often

students often

Pragmatics

Use of non-verbal
language in a way that
they learn from their
native culture (ex. Eye
contact)

Have difficulties with

social rules. (ex. Turn
taking, reading social
cues)

Prosody

Use the intonation curves

of sentences in L1 when
attempting L2

Have prosodic difficulties

such as ambiguous
intonation.

Phonology

Have difficultly with

certain L2 phonemes

Difficulty articulating or
differentiating sounds

Syntax

Difficulties with word

order, articles in
sentences (verb
agreements, negations)

Difficulty in sentence
level comprehension or
understanding verb
aspects such as mood.

Semantics

Difficulty with
understanding
connotation and
denotation of words and
understanding verbs.

Difficulty understanding
multiple meanings of
words or figurative
language

Early Intervention

Web Resources:

www.ldonline.org/indepth/bilingual
www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/voices

Collaboration with team

Organization
Instructional Practices
Investigate
Mentor Student
Talk to colleagues

Testing CLD Students

Bilingual students MUST be tested in

both languages.
Keep parents informed throughout the
process leading up to the meeting
Collaborate and treat each other
respectfully.
English language instruction should
continue throughout the referral and
testing process.

Teaching Strategies

Inclusion

Rich, nonrestrictive setting for content

instruction

Instruction in home language as well as

second language.

Listening skills
Reading Skills
Writing Skills

Reading Skills
Phase

Strategy

Before Reading (into-reading)

Preview material, activate prior

knowledge, let them know what they
are interacting with.
Create vocab, use lower level
reading materials, use visuals.

During Reading (through reading)

Highlight key words, phrases and

concepts.
Use visual aids

After Reading (beyond reading)

Encourage participation, reteach

vocabulary to ensure retention.
Provide page numbers to where main
ideas can be found.
See if they can recall the main ideas.
Brief conference with them to verify
comprehension.
Project that relates to reading.

Homework

Special Education students and ELL

students may need homework presented
differently
(accommodations/modifications).

Adapted Format shorter assignments,

verbal response
Adapted Expectations for Performance
extended time, based on effort not of grade
(modified grades)
Scaffold Performance extra practice of
skills
Monitored performance check ins with

Assessment In the
Classroom

Evaluates the curriculum, using

immediate measurable results.
Diagnosis which instructional tasks and
strategies are responsible for student
success.
Provides a means of communication to
students and parents (and team
members)

Direct observation
Analysis of student work
Ongoing assessment

Universal Instructional Design (UID) for

Special Populations of English Learners
Principle

Definition

Application

Inclusiveness

Least restrictive
environment

Bilingual signage, multiple

reading levels

Physical Access

Equipment and activities

that minimize physical
effort.

Assitive technologies

Delivery
Methods

Content is delivered in a
number of different ways

Pairing auditory and visual

Information
Access

Electronic format and

printed format

Ensure that information is

understandable and
complete

Interaction

Accessible to all students

Set up equal ability groups

Feedback

Effective prompting during

an activity

Employ ongoing feedback

with assessments

Demonstration
of Knowledge

Provide multiple ways to

show that the student
understands

Offer different modes to all

students not just ELL/Sped.