By : Jorge Eliécer Zuluaga Urrea

1. Teaching Reading to Limited English Proficient, Learning Disabled, Elementary Students: Best Practices By: Jorge Eliécer Zuluaga Urrea CAROLINA TESOL CONFERENCE WINSTON SALEM, 2007

2. Specific Learning Disabled children in NC public schools • Hispanics 4,439 • Asian 556 • Multiracial 1,267 • Black 20,083 • White 36,590 • American Indians 998

3. NCDPI,2006. http://149.168.35.67/WDS/tableviewer/tableviewaspx

4. ESL students with disabilities • An estimated 184.000 of the nation’s 2.9 million ESL students have disabilities Zehr,Mary Ann 2001, Editorial Projects in Education. Vol.21 Number 10

5. LEP, SLD • What happens when there is a student who is limited English Proficient (LEP) and has another disability? • Are teachers prepared to deal with this population?

6. Objectives of the study • To identify main issues affecting the academic performance of the specific learning disabled children who are limited English proficient. • To identify current trends to overcome literacy difficulties in specific learning disabled children who are limited English proficient.

7. Research question • What are the best practices used by Regular, English as a Second Language and Exceptional Education elementary teachers in Lee County Schools, to overcome reading difficulties in Limited English Proficient, Learning Disabled Students?

8. Questionnaire • A questionnaire to Regular, English as a Second Language and Exceptional Education teachers asked about their techniques, methods and approaches to teach LD, LEP Children.

9. The Questionnaire • The purpose of the survey was to identify the main approaches used by educators in order to teach reading to Limited English Proficient speakers who are Learning Disabled.

10. Organization of the questionnaire • Identification • Teaching methods and techniques • Reasons for the difficulties to read among LEP, LD students • Materials used to teach reading to LEP, LD students • Recommendations to teach reading to LEP, LD students

11. Exceptional Education Law The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Public Law 101-476 (1997) provides the following definition…

12. Specific Learning Disability “A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations… Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 1997.

13. Specific Learning Disability Cont… This term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 1997.

14. Specific Learning Disability cont… The term does not include children who have learning problems which are primary the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.” Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 1997.

15. Basic Skills Reading Writing Math Higher level skills Organization Time planning Abstract reasoning What are Learning Disabilities? Neurologically-based processing problems that interfere with learning Learning Disabilities of America,2004 Retrieved from: http://ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/print_types.asp

16. Perception. the brain misinterprets the information from the sensory channels. Phonological processing Lack in the ability to hear each phoneme of a word. (phonological awareness). Characteristics of Learning Disabilities Learning disabilities may be caused mainly by deficits in : Learning Disabilities of America,2004 Retrieved from: http://ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/print_types.asp

17. Low self esteem Poor motivation Withdrawal Feigned illness Absenteeism Anxiety Over dependence Other Characteristics That Coexist With LD Children with learning disabilities have a lot of academic failure and may develop

18. Come from different cultures Speak various languages See the world in a different way Some have have changed geography, climate, economic situation, social status, culture of schools Some come to have a better living, but others have to leave their countries out of fear for their lives. Limited English Proficient Students Law, B. & Eckes, M. (2000). The more than just-surviving handbook: ESL for every classroom teacher. Winnipeg: Portage & Main Press.

19. ESL student with a disability Physiological reasons Difficulty forming social relationships Communicative competence may be affected in both languages May have speech disorders in: articulation, voice, fluency and receptive and expressive language. ESl student without a disability Adaptation difficulties Behavioral problems related to acculturation Communicative competence may be affected due to a lack of ability in the second language Grammar and sentence structure appropriate for his age

20. ESL student with a disability First language skills not appropriate for age and level in areas like: vocabulary, word finding, following directions, sentence formulation and pragmatics Disorganized thoughts. May have difficulties learning the second language. Significantly below grade level. Verbal and non verbal abilities are inconsistent Significant discrepancies between different areas Difficulties with directions, transitions, coping and following instructions. ESL student without a disability May not know specific vocabulary, but may be familiar with the item or concept. May demonstrate a loss of receptive and expressive language skills in first language

21. LD, LEP persons need a variety of instructional approaches in order to read They need: Decoding Translating written material into a spoken word Comprehension skills Reading for factual information Follow the events and details of the text Comparing and evaluating the material Derive main ideas from a text and isolate its organizing idea or thesis. What readers need

22. How? • Using a variety of methods including: • Phonics approach • Linguistic method • Multisensory approach • Neurological Impress Technique • Language Experience approach • Reading comprehension support. Learning Disabilities of America , 1998. LDA News briefs. Vol. 38, No.4. Retrieved from: http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/teaching_reading on 7/1/2004.

23. Conclusions • To improve their reading, learning disabled children who are Limited English proficient need: • Attention from their regular teacher, their ESL teacher and their Exceptional Education teacher. • Hands on instruction. • Explicit code emphasis developmental reading methods: Phonics, linguistic, multisensory approaches. • Teachers who effectively and systematically alter various methods to meet their needs.

24. What LD, LEP children need to improve their reading • Formal instruction in the target language, and culture. • Use their previous knowledge, experiences and strengths as a base to start building literacy. • Recursive teachers who identify children’s weaknesses and strengths in order to plan systematic and organized remediation programs.

25. What LD, LEP children need to improve their reading Implementing and including Phonics and phonemic awareness based tasks with ESL methods like: • The Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA). • Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) • Total Physical Response (TPR) • Language Experience Approach (LEA)

26. What LD, LEP children need to improve their reading • Have access to high-quality instruction to help them meet high expectations. • Teachers who use strategies known to be effective with English learners such as: • Drawing on their previous knowledge. • Providing opportunities to review previously learned concepts and teaching them to employ those concepts. • Organizing themes or strands that connect the curriculum across subject areas • Providing individual guidance , assistance, and support to fill gaps in background knowledge

27. Sources Baca, L & De Valenzuela, J.S. (1994). Reconstructing the Bilingual Special Education Interface. ncela Program Information Guide Series, Number 20, Fall 1994. Retrieved on 03/06/2005 from: http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/pigs/pig20.htm Bowe, F. G. (202). Enhancing reading ability to prevent students from becoming “Low-functioning deaf” as adults. American Annals of the Deaf. 147, 22-27. Retrieved on July 2nd 2003, from Proquest.Umi.com via NCLive. www.nclive.org. Case, R. E.& Taylor, S. S. (2005) Language Difference or Learning Disability?: Answers from a Linguistic Perspective. The Clearing House. Washington: Jan/Feb 2005. Vol. 78. Lss3: retrieved on 3/6/05 from: http://nclive.lib.unc.edu:2074/pqdweb?index=0&did=797063031&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1110752095&clientId=15094 Chamot, A.U. & O’Malley, J. M. (1994). The CALLA handbook: Implementing the cognitive academic language learning approach. New York: Addison-Wesley. Cummins, J. 2003. BICS and CALP Retrieved on 03/12/2005 from: http://www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/bicscalp.html Cummins, J. (1989). A theoretical framework for bilingual special education. Exceptional Children, 56 (2), 111-119.

28. Fromkin, V., Rodman, R. & Hyams, N. (2003) Ch. 8. Language acquisition. In An introduction to language (7th. Ed.). Boston: Heinle. Harwell, Joan M. 2001. Complete Learning disabilities handbook:New edition. Paramus, NJ: The center for Applied Research in Education. Krashen, S. (2002). Not soft science. Retrieved July 27, 2004 from: http://www.azusausd.k12.ca.us/bilingual/pdf%5CKrashen19.pdf Law, B. & Eckes, M. (200). The more than just-surviving handbook: ESL for every classroom teacher. Winnipeg: Portage & Main Press. Learning Disabilities of America, 1998. LDA News briefs. Vol. 38, No. 4. Retrieved July 1, 2004 from: http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/teaching_reading. Learning Disabilities of America, 2004 Retrieved July 1,2004 from: http://ldanatl.org/aboutld/teachers/understanding/print_types.asp. Lopez-Reyna, N. (2002). Instructional strategies for English language learners with disabilities. In Serving English language learners with disabilities: a resource manual for Illinois educators. Retrieved March 05, 2005, from http://wwwisbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/PDF/BMChapter 7-7-12.pdf National Institute of Child, Health &Human Development. (n.d.) Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read. Retrieved July 27, 2004 from: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/findings.htm

29. NCPublicSchools.org. Dropout data Report 2001-2002. Gender and race, Retrieved July 29, 2003, from: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/school=improvement/dropoutreport02/11genderrace.html NCPublicSchools.org.(2004) (SLD in NC) Retrieved June 10, 2004, from: http://149.168.35.67/WDS/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=11 One Hundred Fifth Congress of the United States of America (1997) Individuals with disabilities education act amendments of 1997. Retrieved July 25, 2003 from http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/policy/IDEA/IDEA.pdf Ochoa, T. A. (2003) Bilingual Education. In C. J. Ovando, V.P. Collier, & M.C. Combs, Bilingual education and ESL classrooms: Teaching in multicultural context. New York: McGraw Hill. Reed, B. & Railsback, J. 2003. Strategies and resources for mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners. Norwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Portland, OR Retrieved on 03/12/2005 from: http://www.nwrel.org/request/2003may/textonly.html

30. Wiese, A.M. & Garcia, E. (1998). The bilingual education act: Language minority students and equal education opportunity. Bilingual Research Journal, 22, 1-13. Retrieved July 25, 2003, from: http://brj.asu.edu/v221/articles/art1.html Skrtic, T.M. (1988) The crisis in special education knowledge. In E.L. Meyen, and T.M. Skrtic (Esds.), Exceptional children and youth (3rd ed.). (415-447). Denver, CO: Love Publishing Wrigley, P.G. (2005) Language difference or disorder?: Strategies for Assessing English Language Learners Suspected of Having a Disability. Senior IV Comprehensive Center/ESCORT.