TO REFER OR NOT TO REFER

Should I refer an English Learner “who is not making progress” for special education assessment?

Follow-up SessionEnglish Learner Conference

January 29, 2011

1

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT

ENGLISH LEARNERS

A look at assessment………

Presented by Nancy A. Snodgrass, M.A.

Bilingual Special Education Resource Teacher

Turlock Unified School District

Professional Development and English Learner Programs

(209) 667-2407

nsnodgrass@turlock.k12.ca.us

nsnodgrass98@hotmail.com

2

WHAT KIND OF “ASSESSMENT” HAS TAKEN PLACE?

• Look beyond test scores• Look at HOW the student approached

the task• Look at what kind of difficulties were

observed • Look at what the student CAN/can’t do• Look at different environments and

different contexts 

3

A. RESULTS OF ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH AND PRIMARY LANGUAGE

1. Standardized:

a. On the CST, has the student stayed at the same “level” each year in each subject?

b. Has the student shown progress on the bar graph for the reading and writing portions of the CELDT?

4

c. According to initial primary language assessment, does/did the student have any literacy or math skills in his/her primary language?

(If the student has never had an opportunity to learn in his/her primary language, then the results of primary language assessment may be “below grade level.”)

5

2. Curriculum-based assessment:

a. What specific errors has the student made?

b. What progress has been made?

c. What progress is the student making on “benchmark” assessments?

6

3. Progress monitoring:

a. What data has been used to monitor a

student’s progress in the classroom and/or during an intervention?

b. Is the instruction appropriate to meet the instructional needs of English Learners, or just English-only students?

7

4. Portfolios: Look at writing samples and running records.

a. What kind of errors is the student making?

b. What progress has the student made or are the same errors present over time?

c. What instruction has the student received to correct those errors?

8

5. Different subject areas: Are there similar difficulties in all content areas? (If the “difficulties” are evident only in English language arts, then may be due to a lack of English.)

6. Informal observations: Have peer coaches who have observed the student during instructional time also noticed the student having the same difficulties?

9

B. RESULTS OF LINGUISTIC ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH AND PRIMARY LANGUAGE

If the student attended a preschool where he/she was instructed only in English, and/or the student has been exposed both to English and the primary language at home, then he/she may not have had the opportunity to develop “fluency” in either English or the primary language. This “lack of fluency” may not be a“language disorder” or a “language delay.”

10

1. CELDT:

a. Has the student stayed at the same level of listening and/or speaking each year?

b. On the bar graph, is there any growth, especially within the CELDT grade

spans (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)?

11

CELDT Examples *First referred to the SST 

2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

Melissa (K-NES)LISTENING/SPEAKING 1 2 2 2*2/2 2/3 2/3READING 1 1 1 1 1 2 2WRITING 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 

 JuanaLISTENING/SPEAKING 1 2 3 2/3 2/3* 2/4READING 1 2 3 3 3 4WRITING 1 2 3 4 4 4

PedroLISTENING/SPEAKING 1 2 3/2* 4/4 5/4READING 1 2 3 4 3WRITING 1 3 3 3 4

MarcosLISTENING/SPEAKING 1/1 2/2 3/3 4/3*READING 1 1 2 3WRITING 1 2 3 3

Luis (K-LES)LISTENING/SPEAKING 2 3 3 4 3/4 3/4 3/5*READING 1 1 1 2 2 2 3WRITING 2 2 2 3 2 2 4

12

2. Primary language:

a. Was the student considered to be “fluent” on the initial oral fluency test in his/her primary language? If not, what were the areas of “difficulty?”

b. What were the results of any subsequent tests in the student’s primary language?

c. Is the student experiencing “language loss” or becoming “subtractive” in his/her primary language?

13

3. Receptive/expressive skills:

a. Are weaknesses evident in both languages?

b. Are the “weak” areas the same in both languages?

14

4. BICS/CALPS:

a. Does the student only have basic conversation skills in the primary language and/or English, or is he/she able to “think” and

solve problems in one or both languages?

According to research, it takes at least 5-7 years, if not longer, for one to develop CALPS in a second language. CALPS is what a student needs to be successful in school, especially in the upper grades.

b. How much opportunity does the student have to interact with academic language?

15

5. Oral/written skills:

Is there a significant gap between the student’s listening and speaking skills, and/or between his/her reading and/or writing skills? (See results of CELDT.)

If there is NOT a significant gap and progress is being made each year, then these difficulties may be due to a lack of English.

16

6. Relevant strengths in each language (school, home, content areas, informal conversation, cognitive activities, etc.): Interview the student.

Look at the results of dual language assessment, especially the student’s performance in each language on the different subtests.

The student may have different relevant strengths in each

language in different areas, such as the primary language being the stronger language cognitively, but English being the most proficient language academically.

Language “dominance” can be situational and change over time.

17

7. Language use at home/school: a. With whom does the student interact most

often? b. How much verbal interaction occurs and

in which language? c. Who are the student’s language models in

English and the primary language?

8. Preferred language: Ask the student in his/her primary language which language he/she prefers to speak and why.

18

C. RESULTS OF CONTACT WITH PARENTS:

1. Similar “difficulties” at home: How many oral directions can the student follow at home?

(If a student has “difficulties” remembering and/or understanding multi-step directions given in his primary language at home, this might indicate a learning “problem” rather than a lack of English.)

19

2. Comparison to siblings: Have other siblings experienced similar “difficulties?”

3. Schooling in the native country:a. Did the student repeat any grades in his/

her native country?

b. What progress did the student make when attending school in the

native country?

20

4. Health history: Ask the parents questions not addressed in the health file, such as:

a. Does the student have allergies? Is the student often congested (which could

affect his/her hearing)?

b. Is the student taking any medications? Does his/her behavior change when taking medications (e.g. less attentive, more active, tired, etc.)?

21

c. Has the student had a history of ear infections?

Multiple ear infections affect first and second language acquisition since a student may not always be able to hear

well.

d. Does anyone wear glasses in the immediate family for

distance or reading?

e. Is the student absent for illness often? If so, what kind of illness?

22

5. Cultural factors:

a. What is the role of each gender in the student’s home culture? (For example,

is a female teacher respected in the student’s culture?)

b. Has the student been in the United States and the U.S. school system long

enough to adjust to a new environment and a new culture?

23

6. Linguistic factors:

a. Have the parents noticed any “difficulties” with the student’s

speech/language at home?

b. Did the student begin to talk at a later age than other family members?

24

7. Goals/aspirations: Is attending college a goal?

8. Results of interventions at home: Have the parents followed through on any home-school agreements made?

25

STUDENT SAMPLES:

• Should this student be referred for special education assessment?

• Why or why not?

• Which factors influenced your decision?

26

Beni: “He has been in the country for two months and has not learned anything. He can’t even remember how to write his name.”

Background Information:

1) Born in Iran, primary language is Assyrian, language of schooling in Iran was Farsi

2) Retained in 1st grade in Iran; was going to repeat 2nd grade in Iran when family moved to Austria

3) Did not attend school for one year while in Austria

4) Currently in the fifth grade due to chronological age

5) Can write his first name in Farsi, but didn’t remember how to write his last name; reversed some of the letters he wrote

27

6) Identified correctly 10% of alphabet in Farsi and read only three basic words; often confused letters that look similar

7) Orally confused words that sound alike in Assyrian

8) Understands how to add and subtract numerals to 6, but confused addition and subtraction signs; reversed some numerals when writing

9) Remembered basic one- and two-step directions in Assyrian, but not three steps

10) Often non-compliant with behavior (parent has observed this at home)

28

Hardip (referred to the SST at the end of 3rd grade): “Hardip has made very slow growth since kindergarten. She seems to understand assignments/directions, etc. and will converse, but has very little reading comprehension and does not follow directions.”

Background information:

1) Currently in the 4th grade, but very young student (birthday at end of November)

2) Born in India, but never attended school there; primary language is Punjabi

4) Lived in Canada prior to moving to the U.S. and attended preschool, but not kindergarten

5) Began kindergarten in U.S. in 11/07; moved to different school for 1st grade, but attended only 91 days (went to India from 1/09-6/09 but did not attend school there)

29

6) Attended different schools for second and third grades; no attendance problems

7) 2nd grade CST: FBB—ELA FBB—Math3rd grade CST: B—ELA BB—Math

8) 2nd grade CELDT: EI for Speaking, Beginning for Listening, Reading, Writing

9) 3rd grade CELDT: EI for Listening, Reading, Writing; Inter. for Speaking4th grade preliminary CELDT: Inter. for Listening and Reading; EA for Speaking and Writing

10) Fluent in oral Punjabi, but unable to read or write Punjabi

11) Observed often repeating what she heard before responding (in both languages), but inconsistent; demonstrated more relative strengths in Punjabi than English when completing verbal analogies and comprehending oral stories

12) Very congested-history of ear infections; inconsistent results on hearing tests

30

What can you do?1) Communicate: with students, family

members, former and current teachers, and other school personnel.

2) Document: observable, measurable difficulties and instructional strategies that have/have not been effective to alleviate “observed” difficulties.

3) Believe that YOUR student can and will learn!31

Be the BEST that you can be:

Believe in yourself (and your students).

Empower yourself (and your students.)

Stand up for yourself (and your students.)

Trust yourself (and your students.)

32