B Y : P A T R I C I A V A L L A D A R E S B I L I N G U A L M U L T I C U L T U R A L C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T C O O R D I N A T O R M A R T H A L O P E Z B I L I N G U A L F A M I L Y E D U C A T I O N S P E C I A L I S T
Intrductin Schl Enrllment: Registratin rights and requirements, grade placement, language accessibility and cmmunity access in general Eligibility fr ESL services: What is it? Immersin? Bilingualism? Flw f services IEP & ESL Participatin: Prcess, eligibility, diagnsis, determining if is language difference r disability, Bilingual Staff s rles and mre. Accmmdatins, assessments and evaluatins fr ESL s Transitin HS testing, graduatin and life after HS.
The Data: Based n Census and Immigratin and Naturalizatin Services recrds, it is estimated that there are 79 millin schl-age language minrity children in the United States. The Questin: Hw many f these students als have disabilities? Accrding t the U.S. Office f Special Educatin, an estimated 948,000 children may be bth linguistically different and have disabilities. The Main Prblem: Placement. Althugh verrepresentatin is an issue in sme schl districts, a new prblem f underrepresentatin has als emerged in sme areas because many ESL students with disabilities are being placed in bilingual educatin as an alternative t special educatin.
Registratin rights and requirements, specially fr new cmers frm anther cuntry. Students and parents rights and schl invlvement. (Handut 1, Handut 2 A & Handut 2B) Language accessibility, frm beginning t end in schls r ther gvernment agencies. Grade placement is determined by age, nt by abilities r skills, in ther cuntries is different. Cmmunity access in general and available resurces fr nn-english speakers. Ex: Pathfinder, 211, Camin Segur, and thers.
What are they? Title III is the prtin f N Child Left Behind that serves English as a Secnd Language Students. Thrugh Title III, students wh have a primary language ther than English receive instructin in English in a specialized setting. Immersin? Language immersin is an apprach t freign language instructin in which the usual curricular activities are cnducted in a freign language. This means that the new language is the medium f instructin as well as the bject f instructin. Immersin (ESL) = Inclusin (Sp Ed)
Flw f services:
Prcess fr eligibility (Handut #3, Handut #4) New diagnsis? Right diagnsis? Imprtance f it. (Handut #5) Schl need t weigh three factrs fr each student: degree f disability, level f language prficiency in bth English and the primary language and intellectual capacity. Identifying the right placement The fllwing special educatin variables and bilingual factrs shuld be addressed in identifying placement: Student's age, type and degree f impairment r disability, age at which disability ccurred r diagnsed, level f language invlvement because f the disability, level f academic achievement, entry level language skills (upn entering schl), measured intellectual ability, methd and language used in measuring academic achievement and intellectual ability, level f adaptive behavir, time spent in United States, current cultural hme setting, scial maturity, level f language prficiency in English and ther language, amunt and type f language input received in the hme envirnment, speech and language capabilities in bth languages, presence f multiple handicaps, ambulatin r mbility, success in past and present placements and wishes f students and parents.
Determining if is language difference r disability. Bilingual Staff s rles and standards. Needs t be a prfessinal fr ethical reasns Everything shuld be repeated by all parties present Nthing can be added, mitted r changed fr message Speak directly t the cmmunicatrs Interpreter will speak in first persn Pause frequently and deliver a clear message Interpreter may need clarificatin Rephrase & acknwledge everybdy Ask fr cultural clarificatins Avid steretypes r generalizatins but be aware f cultural differences
Wh is part f the team? The six majr partners in bilingual special educatin are the Parents, LEA Representative, Special Educatin Teacher, Regular Educatin Teacher, ESL Teacher, Bilingual Interpreter. All additinal persns that are invlved in the child s educatin that are requested can als be part f the team. S, what is the parent rle in IEP Team?
These can be included and changed fr IEP, 504 r LSP (Language Supprt Plan), if applicable. Accmmdatins: T supprt, t help & t facilitate Are test specific and ELL s have state mandated privileges. Assessments: T cntrl, t regulate & t determine cntinuity. Types and differences frm ELL s t regular r Sp. Ed. Evaluatins: T decide, t define, t clarify & t find ut State and district, differences and ELL related. Must t be cnsider if bilingual and/r age apprpriate.
The main transitin fr ELL students is the culture. Early Transitins: Frm hme t schl (smetimes fr first time and smetimes frm TEIS) Very little r nne English expsure at hme. Elementary t Middle Schl: Nrmal age develpment challenges Cultural awareness in differences (peers, race, language, disabilities, etc )
Middle Schl t High Schl: Last chance r pprtunity fr services Imprtance f testing and recrds Graduatin Life after HS Pst- Secndary Educatin Independent living frm hme and the system Opprtunities fr being bilingual, DACA, and thers The future starts in the present
Patricia.Valladares@tnstep.rg Martha.Lpez@tnstep.rg www.tnstep.rg