Teaching English for Learners with Learning Disabilities - Article Example

Article Summaries Article Summaries Article Introduction The article d as “How to Request an Initial Evaluation for Special Education Eligibility” was authored by the organization called Disability Rights Texas (Disability Rights Texas, 2015). In this article the organization has outlined the time it takes for the school district of Texas for the identification, sorting and evaluation of children who are suffering from disabilities and require special education. Body Timelines and Request Format The district allots 15 days of school days to parents to provide the district with consent for their child’s evaluation. The district takes another 45 days to evaluate the child and it takes another 30 days for the Admission, Review and Dismissal committee to decide whether the child qualifies for special education or not. While writing the request a parent needs to clearly but briefly identify why they believe their child is in need of special education. While addressing this question the parent should outline concerns such as academic problems and the parents even need to clearly state that if the school has implemented any method to help the child, the procedure should not result in decreasing the speed of the review of the child. Response To Intervention and Completion Of Evaluation The IDEA has established that schools can try to help the child before and even when the evolution of the child by the school district is going on. They can help the child through RTI which is designed in order to provide support to those children who are failing to perform well in academics. Once the evaluation of the child is completed an ARD meeting is held in which the parent participates as a member. Once it has been identified by the ARD committee that the child requires special education services, and then the Individual Education Program is developed. Procedural Safeguard Notice After parents have requested for their child to be evaluated, it is the duty of the school district of Texas to provide parents with a document called Notice of Procedural Safeguards and this document contains information about the rights of the parents. If a child is not considered to be evaluated for special education and if a child is not believed to be provided with special education, the parents can get the child evaluated from an independent entity and the expense for this evaluation is paid by the school district. Conclusion Before a child is provided with special education a parent needs to get the child evaluated by the school district for this form of education. The school district reviews the application of the parents and then decides whether a child is eligible for this form of education or not. Questions What is the meaning of ARD process? Why do parents and guardians have to be a part of the ARD meetings? What other stakeholders are members of the ARD meetings? What is the purpose of Timelines? What is the significance of Prior Written Notice? What happens during the ARD meetings? Does the school help the student in their transition from special education to their professional lives? Do the schools use assistive technologies while providing special education? Does the school uses supplementary aids and services for the assistance of students who qualify for special education? Does the enrollment of students in special education programs result in least restricted environment? Does the school schedules separate services for all special education students and why? Does the school provides the determination of placement of these students and why? Should the teachers present in the ARD meeting obtain all the required documents regarding the students during the meeting and what is the purpose of doing so? What is the outcome of the ARD meeting? Article 2 Introduction The article was authored by Dyke et al. and the article is based on a research that was conducted by the author and fellow researchers (Dyke, 2013). The purpose of this research was to identify the various factors that help in the preparation of new teachers when they first become a part of the Admission Review and Dismissal Committee. In this study the factors that were studied included previous experience of such meetings, the role played by the training provided to the teachers through Mock ARD videos and the function of a mentor preparing these teachers. Body Literature Review The literature search conducted by the authors helped them in identifying that those teachers are most likely to quit who are new and these teachers quit because they are not prepared, they do not attain enough support from the administration, they are not respected by their colleagues and because these teachers fail to cope with the rules and regulations concerning special education and the impact of these rules and regulations on requirements of certification as well as paperwork. Method In order to conduct the study the researchers used the method recognized as mixed method research in which both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used. The researchers conducted a pre and post participation survey in which the teachers were surveyed before their participation in the meeting and after the meeting. The researchers aimed at identify whether the trainings that teachers attained before the meeting helped teachers during the meeting. Findings and Implications The research helped in identifying that out of the three factors that were expected to impact novice teachers who were attending ARD meeting for the first time, the factor of a mentor providing training to the teacher before the meeting had the strongest impact. The author states that while preparing new teachers for ARD meetings, it is essential that a mentor provides them with training especially in the area of documentation as well as in the area of conducting conferences with the parents in an effective manner. The same results are even true in the case of video based Mock ARD training programs. Conclusion The author concludes that in order to stop new teachers from quitting and preparing these teachers for their first ARD committee meeting, the teachers need to be provided with a video based Mock Training session. Furthermore these videos need to exhibit details regarding different activities that teachers need to conduct in these meetings and should be available at all times. Article 3 Introduction This article was authored by Garcia et al. and the purpose of this article is to inform instructors of general education classrooms regarding development of instructions for English Language Learners experiencing learning disabilities (Garcia, 2010). The author states that while instructions are being developed for this population the instructors need to take into consideration the disabilities suffered by the population, the status of being English language learners as well as the cultural background these children belong to. Body Considering Learning Disabilities, Culture and ELL Status In instructions Different students experience different learning disabilities. The difficulties experienced by English language learners (ELLs) as well as students with learning disabilities (LDs) are quite similar. Both experience difficulty in comprehending texts, they are not fluent when they speak in English and they lack a good base of vocabulary. Due to this it is important for instructors to differentiate between students who are ELLs and students who are ELLs and experiencing language disabilities. Other than disabilities a major factor that creates difficulty for students suffering from LDs is their cultural background. These students belong to weak socioeconomic backgrounds and there is a major difference in how they were educated in the native regions. Furthermore, these students may find the material taught in their classroom to be of less importance because the instructions and materials may not be closely associated with their personal lives. ELLs suffering from LDs do not only suffer difficulties in communicating as well as reading in English Language they even experience difficulty in communicating and reading in their own language. Due to this it is essential for ELLs who are experiencing LDs to learn English in order to not only read and write, but even to participate in classroom based discussions. Using Instructions To Help ELLs with LDs In order to help these students, instructors need to first look at their instructions and the content of their instructions in order to identify whether there are components of instructions that do not allow the population to study in an efficient and effective manner. After identifying the barriers teachers need to remove these barriers as well as include these components in their instructions that appeal to the strengths of the students. Furthermore teachers providing general education have to work in partnership with teachers who specialize in dealing with students suffering from LDs in order to develop practices that can help ELLs with LDs. Conclusion Students who are studying as ELLs even suffer from several disabilities and it is quite difficult to differentiation between ELLs and ELLs with LDs (Chu, 2011). Instructors need to consider three important elements while developing instructions for such students. These three elements include the culture of the student, the status of being ELL and the difficulties that ELLs with LDs experience while studying English language. Article 4 Introduction This article was authored by Chu et al. and the purpose of this article was to help educators understand the challenges of trying to identify students who are suffering from Learning Disabilities (LDs) and even students who are studying English as their second language. The article was even authored with the purpose of differentiating between the group of students who are studying English as their second language and students who fail to learn English because of their learning disabilities. Body Identifying Students Learning English as Second Language and Students Experiencing Language Disabilities The author states that Students who should be taught English as their second language can be identified by a survey that is responded to by their parents. Furthermore a test that is helpful in checking how well a student can read, speak and write in English language can be administered to students to verify their status as English Language Learners (ELLs). On the other hand students suffering LDs can be identified through several methods such as IQ tests but these methods are considered as biased and they fail to provide effective results. The author suggests that in order to identify students suffering LDs instructors should administer RTI and using this approach can even help in identifying methods that can be used to help students with LDs. Difficulties In Assessment of Both ELLs and LDs There are many difficulties that instructors come across while assessing the abilities of ELLs and individuals with LDs. One of these difficulty is to decide whether to assess these students with tests created for native English language speakers or to test them with tests that are designed for nonnative English language speakers. Another difficulty is that it is quite difficult for the instructors to decide whether to provide same form of accommodation to different ELLs while assessing them for different proficiency level of English language. A third major difficulty that instructors face while assessing ELLs is that they find it difficult to obtain the involvement and input of parents of ELLs because parents are not quite comfortable with providing information. Conclusion In this article the author provides insight regarding the ways that can be used by teachers and instructors for the identification of ELLs and individuals experiencing LDs. Furthermore, this article even focuses on the various challenges and issues that teachers fail while assessing the state groups for the level of their proficiency in English language. References Chu, S.-Y., & Flores, S. (January 01, 2011). Assessment of English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities. Clearing House: a Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 84, 6, 244-248. Disability Rights Texas,. (2015). How to Request an Initial Evaluation for Special Education Eligibility. Retrieved 19 February 2015, from https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/files/Education_Resource_New_Timeline_for_Special_Ed_Process_Aug_2013.pdf Dyke, A. L., Kelly, L., Torres, M., & Texas A & M University,. (2013). Preparing the Novice Teacher for the First ARD Meeting: The Role of the Module, Mentor and Multimedia. < http://repository.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/151398/DYKE-RECORDOFSTUDY-2013.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y> Garcia, S. B., & Tyler, B.-J. (January 01, 2010). Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities in the General Curriculum. Theory into Practice, 49, 2, 113-120. Read More