Research (continue) - Essay Example

The paper takes a look at the measures taken by County School District Las Vegas in Nevada for its culturally linguistically diverse It also examines the initiatives and the models implemented by English Language Learners (ELL) specialists and bilingual special education teachers. Clark County School District (CCSD) has the distinction of being the sixth largest school district in the United States. It operates 289 schools and enrolls more than 268,000 students, including approximately 30,000 students who receive special education services (Towson, 2004).

The district functions through its department, English Language Learner Programme (ELLP), which offers a range of initiatives for culturally and linguistically students. The department is in charge of English Language Learner (ELL) student placement, student monitoring and access to supplementary materials. ELLP aims at helping the students blend into the system and ensure that their academic progress is at par with other students. It also strives at improving on community, family and school support to enhance their progress.

The department trains ELL specialists to use the High Quality Sheltered Instruction (HQSI) model with ELL students. HQSI is a programme, which focuses on building foundation of teaching skills and vocabulary skills. It covers various aspects such as strategies, instruction, lesson delivery, building background, interaction, comprehensible input, application and review. The initiative helps in making language connections between the student and the curriculum. Once the students show an improvement in language, it eventually improves their performance.

The district also has Inclusive Schools Practices (ISP), which is designed to bridge the gap between the achievement levels of students by providing access to students with disabilities. This is done by providing a least restricted and a culturally responsive environment to students. It also aims a multicultural form of instruction to create awareness about diverse cultures and make CLD feel at home in classroom. Under this programme, the focus is on instructional strategies, curriculum modification, collaborative practices, cultural diversity and building leadership processes.

The district also appoints psychological services assistants, recruited on the basis of a bilingual proficiency test, to help them understand ELL students and assess their requirements.The district also offers special education services for students with disabilities between ages 3 to 21. Working in collaboration with parents, it aims at building quality learning experiences and prepares students with disabilities for life after school. The district also offers transitional, bilingual and English as second language programmes.

Some of these initiatives are Dual language, HQSI, TeachFirst, Spanish as a Second Language, (SSL) and English as Second Language (ESL). The elementary school programs include content-based integrated ESL, content-based self-contained ESL and dual language program models whereas at the secondary school level, CCSD offers intensive English and Sheltered-Content ESL. Under the bilingual or dual language programmes for ELL students, native English speaking students and ELL students are grouped in classrooms and are taught in Spanish and English.

The class is managed by two teachers, one of who imparts instruction in English and the other in Spanish. Under their guidance, the students learn academic and social vocabulary in both languages. The students learn through the content-based instruction using both ESL strategies and SSL strategies. Lessons are not translated instead the students learn through parallel content. The classroom environment is also constructed in a way to encourage language learning through graphs, models, visual aids and technology.

Apart from a range of programmes for culturally diverse children with disabilities, there is also a support group for children needing special services. Parents who are worried about their child’s education, IEP (Individual Evaluation Plan) or services are matched with a parent volunteer whose child has similar disabilities and who can provide direction and suggestions. References:1. www.ccsd.net 2. TOWSON, Md. (BUSINESS WIRE) May 24, 2004 Nations Sixth Largest District to Implement Web-based Solution for Special Education Management http://findarticles.

com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2004_May_24/ai_n6039815