Using Funds of Knowledge to Identify Gifts and Talents: The Role of Home Visits

This paper argues that home visits can play a critical role in identifying gifts and talents of bilingual students through students' funds of knowledge. Underrepresentation of students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), particularly bilingual children, in gifted programs has been a long-term concern in education. One problem of underrepresentation of bilingual students in gifted education is rooted in teacher under referrals of bilingual children for screening. Bilingual students exhibit gifted characteristics in differing ways than their peers from non-diverse backgrounds (Esquierdo & Arreguin-Anderson, 2012). Students' funds of knowledge frame their patterns of learning, knowing, and doing around their unique cultural and linguistic experiences and can serve as a valuable resource in the gifted and talented screening process. The purpose of the paper is to promote the use of home visits as an alternative talent screening approach to assist teachers in the identification of bilingual students' potential characteristics of giftedness through students' funds of knowledge

Academic Language Proficiency Development and Its Impact on Reading Comprehension: Within and Across Languages

A path model of second language (L2; English) oral language and reading comprehension variables was tested on a sample of 100 Spanish-speaking English-language learners enrolled in a transitional bilingual program over a 3-year period. The data collected were a part of a longitudinal, federally funded experimental project entitled English Language and Literacy Acquisition (Project ELLA). The purpose of this study was (a) to test a path model on discrete L2 academic language proficiency variables on L2 reading comprehension, (b) to test a path model on discrete L2 academic language proficiency variables and L2 reading comprehension on L1 reading comprehension, and (c) to compare the influence of L2 language development on reading comprehension development in L2 and L1 between students enrolled in transitional bilingual education experimental (TBE-E) classrooms and those enrolled in the transitional bilingual education control or typical (TBE-T) classrooms. Results indicated the two groups did not differ significantly in their overall levels of achievement. However, striking differences were noted in how the academic language proficiency variables influenced reading comprehension outcomes. English listening comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar had significant influences on reading comprehension in the TBE-E group while English listening comprehension was the only predictor variable for the TBE-T group. Cross-linguistic transfer was established in the TBE-E group from English reading comprehension to Spanish reading comprehension whereas no transfer was detected in the TBE-T group. It is evident that high quality comprehensive ESL instruction develops academic oral language proficiency that contributes to effective reading comprehension while students continue to learn in their native language. However, in the absence of a high quality ESL instruction, students may develop academic oral language proficiency, but are ineffective in utilizing these skills for reading comprehension. It is also evident that time spent developing quality L2 reading comprehension influences L1 reading comprehension even though less time is spent in L1, suggesting cross-linguistic transfer from L2 to L1. More effective English skills coupled with effective native language skills suggests the TBE-E students have added cognitive benefits of bilingualism while the TBE-T students remain ineffective in using available language proficiency skills for effective reading comprehension

The Forgotten Language Skill: Finding a Prominent Place for Listening in Meaningful Programming for Multilingual Learners with Learning Disabilities

Listening is the primary vehicle through which children learn, is fundamental to all other communication competencies, is a core component of multimodal instruction, and is key to learning language. At the same time, listening comprehension is the least understood language skill and is challenging for teachers in the provision of high quality instruction. For multilingual learners with learning disabilities it also presents certain challenges at the intersection of students’ disability and developing language proficiency. This article presents a conceptual analysis of listening comprehension across the perspectives of learning disability and second language acquisition in an effort to link disconnected understandings from the fields to address the intersectional needs of multilingual learners with disabilities. These findings are integrated into a framework of listening comprehension for multilingual learners with learning disabilities highlighting the cognitive and linguistic processes necessary for effective listening. Various examples of how to use the framework to plan multilingual learners with learning disabilities’ meaningful access to the general education curriculum are presented including its use in planning students’ individualized education plans

"Beyond Professional Development: Factors Influencing Early Childhood Educators’ Beliefs and Practices Working With Dual Language Learners"

The National Association for the Education of Young Children and Head Start have clearly articulated their position on the provision of high-quality instruction for the 4 million dual language learners (DLLs) enrolled in early childhood (EC) programs nationwide. Professional development (PD) provides a way for educators to increase their knowledge and skills; however, teacher practices in the classroom are strongly influenced by implicit beliefs about how children learn. This study examined the influence of 6 PD sessions related to high-quality instruction for DLLs and examined other influential factors related to beliefs and practices. Participants were 98 early childhood educators serving 3- and 4-year-old DLLs in an urban area in the Southwest US. Quantitative findings indicate educators’ beliefs and practices shifted after PD. Qualitative findings suggest that educators’ empathy, expectations, and external factors also influenced their beliefs and practices. Implications for PD and program design are discussed

Teacher Leadership in Systemic Reform: Opportunities for Graduate Education Programs

Nevada has recently taken considerable steps to reform English learner (EL) education across the state with teacher development as a primary focus. Educational reform agendas necessitate that teachers not only rethink their practices but teach in novel ways. It has been argued that teacher development through graduate education and other professional development (PD) avenues are ineffective in shifting instructional practices, highlighting a theory-to-practice gap. Further, it has been postulated that without teachers’ participation and leadership in reform, such efforts will fail. This article details a graduate PD model designed specifically to prepare teachers as teacher leaders and address the theory-to-practice gap. Our university enhanced our graduate educator preparation program in English Language Learning (ELL) to build statewide collaborative cohorts of urban and rural teacher leaders prepared to implement and facilitate educational improvements for ELs within their varied educational contexts

A Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Framework for Improving Academic and Postsecondary Outcomes of Students with Moderate or Severe Intellectual Disability

The needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with moderate or severe intellectual disability (ID) are quite unique and complex. CLD students with moderate or severe ID face many of the same issues as their non-disabled CLD peers; however, due to the nature of their disability this may lead to even less access to the general curriculum, appropriate services, materials, and meaningful collaboration between families and educators. The purpose of this article is to provide a culturally responsive framework for facilitating academic instruction for CLD students with moderate or severe ID that also includes appropriate supports in an effort to increase access to postsecondary outcomes for this population. Suggestions for accessing the general curriculum and a discussion about increasing parental involvement and accessing appropriate adult agencies to further enhance these outcomes are provided

Data_Sheet_1_The forgotten language skill: finding a prominent place for listening in meaningful programming for multilingual learners with learning disabilities.pdf

Listening is the primary vehicle through which children learn, is fundamental to all other communication competencies, is a core component of multimodal instruction, and is key to learning language. At the same time, listening comprehension is the least understood language skill and is challenging for teachers in the provision of high quality instruction. For multilingual learners with learning disabilities it also presents certain challenges at the intersection of students’ disability and developing language proficiency. This article presents a conceptual analysis of listening comprehension across the perspectives of learning disability and second language acquisition in an effort to link disconnected understandings from the fields to address the intersectional needs of multilingual learners with disabilities. These findings are integrated into a framework of listening comprehension for multilingual learners with learning disabilities highlighting the cognitive and linguistic processes necessary for effective listening. Various examples of how to use the framework to plan multilingual learners with learning disabilities’ meaningful access to the general education curriculum are presented including its use in planning students’ individualized education plans.</p

Building a Culturally Responsive Framework for Students with Intellectual Disability to Increase Postsecondary Outcomes

This session will provide a framework for assisting culturally and linguistically diverse students with moderate-severe intellectual disability. Strategies for general curriculum access, academic instruction, meaningful collaboration with families and educators, as well as suggestions for enhancing postsecondary outcomes will be provided