When an ELL student is struggling academically, educators need to understand the multiple complex factors affecting a student's learning. Behaviors observed may appear similar to characteristics of a disability and educators need to carefully rule out exclusionary factors that are not intrinsic to the student. It is challenging to distinguish if language acquisition, cultural and linguistic diversity, gaps in learning or an actual disorder is at play. A multidisciplinary team must pay special attention to contexts and rule out systemic or external factors prior to making a referral.
In this workshop, participants will examine factors that must be considered when a student is at risk for referral to special education, including legal requirements, characteristics of second language acquisition, clinical markers of a disability, cultural dynamics, social-emotional resilience, optimal learning environments, interventions and assessment.
Workshop Fee: $15.00
For questions regarding this activity, please contact Alison Provencher.