1. It’s Definitely not just language!
Towards a fair assessment of ESL and Bilingual students

2. Objectives
To identify bilingual students with a genuine Learning Disability (LD)
To avoid misidentifying bilingual students as having LD
To establish a referral system that will best meet the needs of bilingual students with potential LD

3. Background
“Historically in the United States, there has been a tendency to refer ELLs inappropriately to special education, which in turn has led to the over- identification ELLs as having special education needs” ( Hamayan, 2007)

4. ESL Progress in Different Programmes
program-graph.jpg

5. Typical Bilingual Progress

6. ESL/SEN? How can we tell? Behaviour LD reasons SLA reasons
Cultural reasons
Doesn’t pay attention in class
Is disruptive, disturbs other with silly behaviour
Slow to respond to maths questions, even simple ones
Cannot cooperate in group
Immature

7. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Factors
Subtest
Intrinsic (LD)
Extrinsic (SLA)
Picture recognition
Method: the tester presents 10 picture cards and asks what each picture represents
Examines the child’s ability to use verbal labels to name objects.
lacks vocabulary to describe the picture
is unfamiliar with the cultural context.
Vocabulary test:
A word is spoken by tester and child asked to explain meaning.
Scores compared with child’s chronological age to evaluate intellectual ability.
vocabulary linked to stage of SLA, rather than chronological age.
Reading test
Method: list of words given and the child is asked to read them
Decoding unfamiliar, decontextualized words especially difficult for ESL students.

8. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Factors
Visual discrimination test: the child must find the letter or word which exactly matches the original
This measures the recognition of letters and short words.
Letter, word and information retrieval more difficult for ESL students.
Free writing:
the student writes a short story without help.
Ability to write extended text depends on stage of SLA
may not be familiar with conventions of narrative text in English
Auditory sequential memory:
Tester recites series of digits aloud at one digit per second. The child is required to repeat these digits
Low scores on this test indicate difficulties with the retention of sounds in an order. Children having poor skills in this area often shows spelling difficulties.
Auditory memory likely to be affected by stage of SLA
Translation of digits from L1 to L2 and back to L1.

9. Approaches to assessment
Monolingual
Bilingual
Language Delay
Language Deficit
Language Confusion
Language Development
Language Difference
Language Transfer

10. The Discrepancy Model
“…may provide an accurate description of monolingual students with a learning disability (Fletcher et al., 1998; Sternberg & Grigorenko,2001). However, it also describes quite precisely a major characteristic of normally developing ELLs!”
(Hamayan et al., 2007, Reasons for the Misidentification of Special needs among ELLs).

11. Bilingual/Monolingual Vocabulary Development English Vocabulary Scores
En - English monolingual ES - English dominant BB - Balanced Bilingual SE - Spanish dominant Sp - Spanish monolingual
Allman, A: Proceedings of 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism, Sommerville, MA, 2005

12. Bilingual/Monolingual Vocabulary Comparison
En – Monolingual English ES – English dominant BB – Balanced Bilingual SE – Spanish dominant Sp – Spanish monolingual
Allman; Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism, Sommerville, MA, 2005

13. Must we wait until child is proficient in L2 before Identifying LD?
Answer: No! “ESL students have the same rights to special needs interventions as any other students." (Carder, Bilingualism in the International School, 2009 ) “many school districts feel compelled to wait……Thus, the student remains without those specialised interventions for too long.”(Hamayan, 2007)

14. Don’t they need all the support they can get?
SLLs need instruction - not support
Language-related issues should be addressed by ESL teachers
Referral to Special Needs support confirms view of bilingualism as potential problem
Research shows Special Needs interventions do not benefit ESL students (Cline and Frederickson 1999; Skutnabb-Kangas, 2005)

15. Proposal for Bilingual Assessment
Raise awareness of SLA issues among class teachers
Develop a Pre-referral Procedure
Establish an Assessment Team

16. Pre-referral Procedure
Emphasis on qualitative, rather than quantitative, data
Input from – ESL staff, Class teachers, MT teacher, SEN teachers, Family, School records , Councillors
Elimination of SLA explanation for perceived behaviour before further action

17. Assessment Team
Once SLA factors have been eliminated, begin LD assessment/interventions.
Tests should be conducted/interpreted by LE, ESL and MT staff
Testing must be conducted in L1 and/or L1 and L2
Assessment should use both formal and informal methods
Performance should be compared to that of other bilinguals with similar background
Factors contributing to interruption of L1 must be identified
Adapted from Hamayan & Damico, 1991, Mattes & Omark, 1984; and Maldonado-Colon, 23013