D096 Module 1

Eligibility for English Learner Support:

·         What does the term English learner (EL) mean?

An English Learner is a student whose first language is not English and they have a limited proficiency with English. They come from an environment where a language other than English has a significant impact on their level of English proficiency.

o   What are some other terms used to refer to these students?

Some terms used to refer to these students include: ELL, ESOL, ESL, LEP, and EL.

·         What is the purpose of Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015:

o   As it relates to the education for ELs?

The purpose is to give Els a chance to attain English proficiency while also meeting academic standard in Language arts and Mathematics.

o   As it relates to teachers of EL students?

The purpose of Title III for teachers is to give them tools and guidelines for how to properly identify Els as well as the best practices for teaching these students in a general education classroom.

·         Federal law requires that parents be notified their child has been identified as an English learner within what time period?

They are required to be notified within 30 days of the beginning of the school year or within two weeks of being enrolled if the student starts school at another time during the year.

Programs and Practices for Instructing English Learners:

·         Describe the six key principles for teaching ELs.

The six key principals of teaching Els are a core set of principles made for the exemplary teaching of English learners. They have universal guidelines drawn from decades of research in Language pedagogy and Language acquisition theory. They have targets for teaching excellence and should strengthen any program of English language instruction.

These principles are:

1.      Know your learners

2.      Create conditions for language learning

3.      Design high quality lessons for language learning development

4.      Adapt lesson delivery as needed

5.      Monitor and assess student language development

6.      Engage and collaborate within a community of practice

English Learners with Exceptionalities:

·         What are some scenarios where a teacher might correctly identify an EL student for special education?

When the student is consistently struggling with written or verbal lessons in both Language 1 and Language 2

·         What are some scenarios where a teacher might incorrectly identify an EL student for special education?

1.      The evaluating professionals lack of knowledge of second language development and disabilities.

2.      Poor instructional practices

3.      Weak intervention strategies

4.      Inappropriate assessment tools.

·         What are some ways we can overcome the overidentification and under-identification of ELs in special education?

-           When an EL is suspected of having a disability it is important to test them in their primary language to determine if there is actually a disability or if it is just from a student learning their second language.

-          It is important to remember that being an EL is not a disability, and it should not be treated as one.

-          Teachers need to be sure whether it is an EL or an EL with a disability before meeting with parents and giving them wrong information.

·         If a student is identified as EL and is diagnosed with a disability, but the parent declines disability-related services, what is the school still required to provide?

Education for the student as an English Learner and appropriate language services.

·         If a student is identified as EL and is diagnosed with a disability, but the parent opts out of the EL programs and services, what is the school still required to provide?

Special Education services for the student.

Testing Requirements for English Learners:

·         After a student is identified as a potential EL, how are placement or screener tests used for further evaluation?

LP (English language program) tests must assess the proficiency of students in all four language domains (speaking, writing, reading, and listening)

ELP assessments that require speaking, listening, pre-reading, pre-writing for entering kindergarteners with a primary language spoken at home other than English.

Those administer placement tests must be trained and the LEA guidelines describe who will administer and score these tests and what training is required.