Assessment

Identifying and working with English Learners with learning differences and learning disabilities.

Presenters: Debbie Zacarian, Ed.D. and Audrey Morse, MS, CCC-SLP

This 2-day ASHA-approved professional development guides specialists working with ELs with learning differences and learning disabilities. It includes a range of collaborative and self-reflective learning activities. Throughout the professional development experience, we will examine the following questions: How do I design and enact routines and practices to support the varied language and cultural experiences and learning styles of students with whom I work? How can I identify language difference and language disability? What strategies can I use to enhance my students’ language learning and academic learning experiences?

The following links are intended to support educators’ awareness about eligibility determination and specific learning disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004, considerations and challenges to using Response to Intervention models with culturally and linguistically diverse students, ways for preventing disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students, and effective instructional strategies for ELs with special education needs.

In addition to these resources, CELE provides ASHA-approved professional development for speech and language therapists, special educators, teachers, and administrators about identifying and working with English learners with learning differences and learning disabilities. Information about these professional development opportunities may be found on the professional development section of this site. Contact CELE for more information.