special education for adolescent latino students with limited formal schooling: issues, stories, and...
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Special Education for AdolescentLatino Students with Limited Formal Schooling:
Issues, Stories, and Perceptions of Students and Their Teachers
Diane Staehr FennerFebruary 16, 2006
Introduction
Metro Public Schools DemographicsDual Language AssessmentTopic of this study
Purposes of This Study
Personal purposesPractical purposesIntellectual purposes
Research Questions
1. What was the nature of adolescent Latino students with Limited Formal Schooling’s school and family experiences before entering special education?
2. What issues did teachers and students express as relative to students with LFS’ placement in special education?
3. What influenced how students with LFS were being provided English literacy instruction in their special education classrooms?
Review of the Literature
Identification and Placement of ELLs in Special Education History of ELLs in Special Education Representation of ELLs in Special
Education Definition and Purpose of Early Intervention
or Pre-Referral Process Testing Considerations for ELLs Special Education Services for ELLs
Review of the Literature (2)
ELLs’ Academic Progress ELLs’ Patterns of Literacy Typical Literacy Instruction for ELLs Students with Limited Formal Schooling Teacher Preparation
Gaps from the Literature and Researcher’s
Experiential Knowledge of the Topic
What happens to students with LFS once they have been placed in special education
Absence of students with LFS’ own voices on perceptions of placement in special education
Special education teachers’ perceptions of working with adolescent students with LFS
How English literacy is taught to students with LFS in special education classrooms
What influences how English literacy is taught
Research Design: Overview
Multiple case design3 schools: each was one case5 students 4 teachers
3 special education1 ESOL – special education itinerant
Within-case analysisCross-case analysis
Data Collection: Sources of Data
5 student interviews4 special education teacher interviews1 90 minute classroom observation per
student IEPsESOL assessment foldersEntry assessment informationDual language assessment reports
Selection of Student & Teacher Participants
StudentsCriteria:
High School LatinoLimited Formal Schooling “Literacy” ESOL level In special education
TeachersSpecial education/language arts teachers of
selected students
Students, Teachers and Schools
Case Student(s) Teacher(s) Location
1: Lincoln HS Oscar Julieta
Ashley Bridget
Suburban setting
2: Central HS Luz Keisha Urban setting in a “rough” neighborhood
3: Washington HS
Francisco Lorena
Tina Urban setting in a wealthier neighborhood
Students Chosen for StudyName Age Years of
schooling in country
When came to USA,
Original grade, Year enrolled in US school
When found eligible for special education
Oscar 17 7 but “probably missed 2”
8/2001 Grade 9, 2001 2003
Julieta 20 IEP: 3 yrs. 1999 Gr. 9, 1999 2001
Luz 17 2 9/15/98 Gr. 5, 1998 2001
Lorena 20 1 2/17/97 Gr. 7, 1997 1997
Francisco 19 8 (with gaps) 10/2000 Gr. 9, 2001 2003
Data Analysis
HowTranscriptionsData displaysCodesMemosNVivo software
Presentation of Findings
• Each student’s story- What happened prior to placement in special
education
- What happened after placement in special education
• Within-case analysis (including narrative analysis)
• Cross-case analysis
Case 1
Teachers: Ashley, BridgetStudents: Oscar, Julieta
Oscar’s StoryJulieta’s Story
Within-Case Analysis: Case 1(Lincoln HS)
Teachers: Ashley, BridgetStudents: Oscar, JulietaChallenges in Teaching Students with
LFS Beneficial Aspects of Special Education
for LFS English Literacy Instruction
Case 2
Teacher: KeishaStudent: Luz
Luz’s Story
Within – Case Analysis: Case 2 (Central HS)
Teacher: KeishaStudent: LuzKeisha as Mother Figure Cultural UnderstandingSpecial Education as “Dumping Ground”
Case 3
Teacher: TinaStudents: Lorena, Francisco
Lorena’s StoryFrancisco’s Story
Within-Case Analysis: Case 3 (Poole Center)
Teacher: TinaStudents: Lorena, Francisco“Use It or Lose It” Families Navigating the System “Your Kids” vs. “My Kids”
Cross Case Analysis: RQ1
Conflicting Stories About Students’ Prior Experiences
School-Based Issues Personal Issues
Cross-Case Analysis: RQ2
Assessments to Determine Special Education Eligibility
Teachers’ Beliefs About Placement of Students in Special Education
Providing Ongoing ESOL Assessment Knowing Where to Begin Teaching Students Classroom Behavior Teachers’ Perception of Students’ Response to
Instruction Teachers’ Expectations for Students ESOL Support Students’ Perceptions of Being in Special Education
Cross-Case Analysis: RQ3
Collaboration between ESOL and Special Education
Classroom Instruction of English Literacy
Discussion
Summary of the nature of Adolescent Latino students with limited formal schooling’s school and family experiences before entering special education
Summary of issues teachers and students expressed as relative to students with LFS’ placement in special education
Summary of what influenced how students with LFS were being provided English literacy instruction in their special education classrooms
Implications: Practice
Previous History Obtaining Information on Students Home-School Connection High Expectations Content of Instruction English Literacy Instruction Opportunities for Using English
Implications: Research
How Students are Taught L1 Literacy Alternate ProgramsDifference vs. Disability Effective Teaching Methods Efficacy of L1 Support
Implications: Policy
CounselingAssessment for disabilitiesOngoing assessmentTeacher trainingL1 supportCollaboration
Limitations
Students’ ESOL levelSmall sample size/generalizabilityData gathered primarily through
interviews & a few observations
Final Thoughts
Positive aspects of special education for students with LFS
Areas that could be improved
