Angie's+Technology+Assignment

“The Assessment of English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: Issues, Concerns, and Implications.”

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This article discussed the issues related to assessment of students who are both English language learners and special needs students. The article first discusses the major issues related to assessment with English language learners and special needs students. Then it discusses important concerns for assessment with these students. Finally, it discusses implications for researchers, educators, and parents.

This article considers a major issue to be a lack of accuracy or fairness in testing ELL and special needs students as well as the over referral of ELLS to special education. The article points out language and cultural barriers that contribute to assessments that are “based on standards of the English-speaking culture.” Language deficiencies can create a significant disadvantage for these students and this creates concern regarding assessment fairness. Additionally, the over referral of ELL students to special education has become a concern because schools are having more difficulties differentiating between language learning difficulties and a learning disability.

A major concern in assessment of ELLs and special needs students is that teachers are often not prepared for addressing needs of students with both a learning disability and learning to acquire English skills. Another concern is the correct identification of these students who have both a learning disability and limited English skills.

This article suggests important implications for professionals including policy makers, researchers, educators, professionals, and parents such as implementing laws that address and target this population. The author also suggests the idea of dual certification programs in both special needs and ELL so that teachers can be well prepared and qualified to address needs of students who are both learning English and have a learning disability.

The author gives an example of a possible positive tool to deal with the growing amount of students who are both limited English speaking and have learning disabilities. Curriculum-based dynamic assessment is a form of assessment that could be effective because it shows “differences between disability-related learning difficulties and the normal process of acquiring a new language” (737). This type of assessment requires students to try a new task related to the learned concept to demonstrate their understanding.

Content Knowledge Question: Describe what you learned about diagnostic and assessment strategies that fit your target population.

This article relates to my target population because there are several ELL and special needs students in my student teaching placement. There are students who are both ELL and special needs as well. These students could benefit from assessment tools that can differentiate between language development and learning disabilities so that teachers can better monitor their learning and better understand the student’s abilities and progress.

Pedagogical Knowledge Question: Describe in what ways assessment data would determine how you planned your curriculum and lessons for the specific special needs population?

Assessment data would be an essential tool to plan curriculum for this specific special needs population. By gaining accurate assessment information, I would be able to see where students are at with understanding the material and how to best move forward or review concepts not grasped. Assessment tools that differentiated between language learning and learning disabilities would be especially helpful to determine the best and appropriate teaching strategies to best fit the students.