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Claim: There are more ELLs requiring special needs education/support than one would initially assume.

Evidence: The Tiered Approach (Response to Intervention) is used to respond to this FAQ,which proves that educators are seeking supports/resources such as this one provided

Question: How is the process recorded when various professionals, teachers, specialists etc are involved?

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Our interpretation of the question was: How do we academically support the needs of ELL students with learning difficulties?

Based on the text, we learned:

When an ELL is showing that they are struggling, an individualized plan should be developed

While there is little research on ELL students with learning difficulties, research currently suggests that the same protocols utilized for monolingual learners struggling with literacy can also be utilized for ELL students with learning difficulties.

Instruction should be informed by teacher assessment; ongoing assessment and adjusting instruction when needed is necessary

What isn't explained:

What barriers exist for students who are experiencing the intersections of a learning deficit and being an ELL student and how do we physically and emotionally support them? How might this differ in experience from a monolingual learner with a learning deficit?

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Claim, Support, Question FAQ #2 - Sahar, Victor, Fatima, Deirdre

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Claim, Support, Question FAQ #2 - Sahar, Victor, Fatima, Deirdre

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Claim:

Teachers often over tribute students short comings to their ELL status and are sometimes reluctant to consider other reasons and supports that are helpful to their students.

Support prompts:

Is the student making the same progress as other students with a similar background?

Are the areas of struggle typical for an ELL?

Is the student responding to standard ESL instruction/intervention

Question:

How can we support families who are unfamiliar with the Ontario school system?

there is a missing perspective of these students families

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Claim: ELLs are not more likely to have a learning disability based on their lack of language exposure, social/emotional concerns or cultural differences.

Support: Research indicates that 12% of the population will experience a learning disability, regardless of the number of languages they speak. We think that students who are multilingual demonstrate exceptional cognitive abilities.This advantage in cognitive function necessitates additional targeted support or tools.

Question:

How do we address the issues of ELL students who have learning disabilities?

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FAQ #6 - Kate, Alex S., Alexandra C., Hia

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FAQ #6 - Kate, Alex S., Alexandra C., Hia

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Claim: Assessment, when possible, should be done in both the student's first language and in English. However, research claims that when it is not possible, assessments in English are reliable.

Support: Assessments in both a student's first language and in English can help determine whether there are difficulties present when tested in both languages.

Question: For ELL students, why are assessments done in English a reliable form of assessment?

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Claim: the misidentification of ELL students can lead to lower expectations and academic achievements, and stigmatization.

Support: verbal intelligence test scores and some non-verbal aspects may not accurately reflect ELL students' abilities due to their developing English skills, which can then lead to the misidentification of learning needs.

Question: what can teachers do if the ELL students' families are against undergoing testing for identification purposes?

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Claim, support, question: Lynnette, Shania, Greg, Caitlin

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Claim, support, question: Lynnette, Shania, Greg, Caitlin

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Claim: Before a referral to psychological services, the educator should first try to adapt programming, document and gather information about the student, and involve families/guardians in discussions about concerns about the student.

Support:

• Educators must consult parents/guardians and partner with them to discuss IEP's.

• Partner with other school staff members, and school supports

Question: If the families are strictly against academic intervention for their child, how do educators navigate other possible streams to ensure the student's success?

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Identification, Assessment, and Instruction of English Language Learners with Learning Difficulties in the Elementary and Intermediate Grades

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Identification, Assessment, and Instruction of English Language Learners with Learning Difficulties in the Elementary and Intermediate Grades