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Running head: TEACHING READING TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WITH AUTISM 1

Teaching Reading to English Language Learners with Autism in Kindergarten: Teacher Beliefs,

Experiences and Practices.

Henrietta Sawyerr

George Mason University

Paraprofessionals are not teachers, so when you are talking about your 8 participants, I would use the word "educators" rather than teachers (since you only will have 2 teachers).2. In general I would increase the number of teachers interviewed to 3 and maybe even 5. If you wanted to publish/present this study, you would need more teachers (who actually teach reading vs. paraprofessionals who help:) 3. You would definitely need to work on the justification for this study - why is it important to know about the perceptions of teaching reading to this particular population of students? What is so special about this combination of diagnosis?4. I would stay away from the term autistic - just say students with autism. Person first language in very important for publishing in the special education journals.5. You would really need to make sure you get some information rich cases, so your recruitment and inclusion criteria for participants will need to be very detailed.6. Instead of doing interviews and questionnaire, I would consider doing interviews and observations. Wouldn't that be super interesting?:)


Abstract

The purpose of this study is to use the phenomenological research method to examine teacher

perceptions related to their beliefs, teaching strategies, challenges they encounter, and the

professional development opportunities available to them teaching English language students

with autism in kindergarten. Eight kindergarten teachers including six paraprofessionals in a

public school system in Virginia will be interviewed in this study. Teachers and

paraprofessionals will also complete a questionnaire on the methods and strategies that they use

in teaching reading to English language learners who are autistic as well as the professional

development opportunities available to them in schools. The results indicate that teachers need

continuous professional development in order to support students who are autistic and who have

autism spectrum disorders.


Introduction

Not all students speak English as a first language, even though English is the medium of

language used in public schools. The population of student’s coming into the classroom from

culturally and linguistically diverse families is on the rise (Quezada, 2014). According to the

United States Department of Education (2014), there has been an increase in the number of

English language learners in our public schools in recent times. Some of these English language

learner students have disabilities as well. According to Yell, Drasgow & Lowrey (2005), the

Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 1990 requires all students with disabilities to have

access to the general education curriculum. This study focuses on the teacher’s perception of

teaching reading to English language learners who have autism spectrum disorders.

According to Randi, Newman & Grigorenko (2010), students who are autistic have

communication disorders and have deficits in social interactions and deficits in cognitive

processing. Students who have autism spectrum disorders are more likely to have well

developed word recognition skill, but their reading comprehension is severely impaired (Randi,

Newman & Grigorenko, 2010). A study conducted by Newman et al. (2007) reveal that students

who have autism spectrum disorders rely more on the same phonological and orthographic

mapping processes as normal readers. However, not much research has been conducted

involving English language learners who have autism spectrum disorders. However, it can be

inferred that English language learners, who are autistic will struggle academically because in

addition to having language barriers, these students will have to deal with other challenges as

well.


Significance

This study is significant because not much research has been done in relation to teacher

perceptions of teaching reading to English language learners who are autistic. Therefore by

conducting this study, the information provided by teachers will be a valuable resource in that

researchers can use this information to address the needs of both teachers and students.

The Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the teacher perceptions related to their beliefs,

teaching strategies, challenges they encounter, and the professional development opportunities

available to them teaching English language students with autism in kindergarten.

Research Questions

What are teachers perceptions concerning the teaching of reading to English language

learners with autism in Kindergarten? What are some of the challenges that teachers encounter

when teaching English language learners who are autistic and what teaching strategies do

teachers use in teaching these children? What perceptions do teachers have concerning the kinds

of professional development opportunities available to them in schools in relation to English

language learners who are autistic?


Literature Review

Teachers Perceptions Concerning the Teaching of Reading to Students who are Autistic

A study conducted by Busby et al (2012), reveal that when teaching children with autism,

there are bound to be challenges. According to this study, teachers must have specialized skills

and must be trained to teach students who are autistic. In teaching students who are autistic,

teachers need to modify the curriculum in order to meet the needs of the autistic students. The

study also revealed that it can be time consuming when collaborating with other teachers and

parents of autistic students. Another challenge that teachers face when teaching students who are

autism is the amount of paperwork involved when collecting information, keeping records and

when preparing Individualized Education Programs.

Teachers Perceptions Concerning the Teaching of Reading to English Language Learners

Even though English is the most common language used as a medium of instruction in

most schools in the United States, not all students speak English as their first language.

According to Alt, M., et al (2013), there has been a rise in the proportion of students in the

United States who are learning English. English language learners are faced with many

challenges. These challenges include the inability to communicate effectively in the language of

instruction, and their inability to read, write, and perform in English and this puts them at a

crippling disadvantage (Zimmerman, 2014). Zimmerman (2014), notes that some English

language learners may appear to be low cognitive functioning when compared to their English

speaking counterparts. English language learners face a lot of challenges including low

academic achievement related to low expectations and inadequate instruction as well as


inappropriate assessment instruments or procedures. This leads to English language learners

having poor behavior social interaction skills (Xu & Drame, 2008).

Sullivan (2011), conducted a study to explore the extent of disproportionality in the

identification and placement of culturally and linguistically diverse students identified as English

language learners in special education. The results indicated that English language learner

students are increasingly likely to be identified as having learning disabilities or mental

retardation, and are less likely to be served in either the least or most restrictive educational

environments relative to their white peers. Zimmerman (2014), notes that English language

learners face challenges in schools because they often do not receive adequate linguistic support

in a typical classroom.

Teachers Perception Concerning the Kinds of Professional Development Opportunities

Available to them in Schools in Relation to English Language Learners who are Autistic

Even though there hasn’t been many studies conducted in relation to the perception of

teachers concerning professional development opportunities available to teachers in schools in

relation to teaching students who are both autistic and who are English language learners, some

studies have been conducted specifically on the perception of teachers concerning professional

development in teaching autistic students. There is a significant increase in the number of

students who have autism spectrum disorder in schools. As a result, schools face certain

challenges in addressing the needs of students who are autistic. Teachers who teach students

with autism spectrum disorders require specialized skills, knowledge and training in order to be

able to effectively perform their duties in teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. The

purpose of this study is to explore the perception of teachers regarding the kind of professional

development opportunities available to them in schools in relation to students who have autism


spectrum disorders. Research shows that when teachers are provided with professional

development opportunities and when teachers are well prepared and have the skills needed to

teach students with autism spectrum disorder, there is a likelihood that this may lead to positive

student outcomes and will be beneficial to students.

Mueller & Brewer (2013) conducted a study in which the perception and experiences of

educators were explored using a four tiered model. The study revealed that teachers benefited

from the workshops and training that was provided. According to Mueller & Brewer (2013), the

best way to support teachers is provide teachers with ongoing education that involves coaching.

Research suggest that coaching involves collaboration with family members and it is through

partnerships that coaches can bridge the gap between the knowledge gained from the

professional development and its implementation.

Numerous studies have been conducted in relation to teacher’s perceptions of teaching

English language learners. Hardin et al (2015), conducted a study in which forty eight (48)

teachers and twenty four (24) teaching assistants from pre-kindergarten classrooms took part in a

professional development program. The teachers and teaching assistants took part in interactive

training sessions. In addition to these sessions, these teachers were visited by coaches in their

classrooms. The training focused on providing teachers with strategies to support English

language learners. The results indicate that teachers need the skills and the knowledge on a

variety of cultures and languages in order to work effectively with their students. The results

also indicated that teachers who were bilingual, who knew how to speak more than one

language, and specifically who could speak their students home language could be valuable in

supporting their students. The participants in this study described language as a barrier in terms

of involving immigrant families in the education of their children.


Based on the studies conducted, it can be inferred that teachers who teach students who

have autism spectrum disorders and who are English language learners as well need to be

trained. Teachers need training in how to support and teach students who are autistic and must

be provided with teaching strategies in reading to support these students. In addition, teachers

must also be trained in how to support these autistic students who are English language learners

because these students will definitely struggle academically due to the challenges that they

encounter.

Method, Participants, and Sampling Procedures

This study will use a phenomenological research method to examine teacher’s perception

of teaching reading to English language learners with autism in kindergarten. Eight kindergarten

teachers including six paraprofessionals in a public school system in Virginia will take part in

this study. Purposive sampling will be used in this study because the participants must be

teachers of English language learners who are autistic.

Data Sources and Procedures

Data will be collected using a variety of methods and sources of triangulation. This is to

ensure that the data collected is of quality. Interviews will be conducted to gain an in-depth

understanding of what teachers think regarding teaching reading to English language learners

who are autistic. Teachers will also complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire will include

open-ended questions to allow teachers to provide a detailed description of the methods as well

as the strategies teachers use in teaching reading to English language learners who are autistic

and the professional development opportunities available to teachers in teaching English

language learners who are autistic.


Ethical Consideration

Teachers and parents who will take part in this study will be informed that participation

in this study is voluntary, that participants may withdraw from the study at any time, and that all

information provided by parents and teachers will be kept confidential. Parents and teachers will

be provided with a consent form prior to the study and participants will be given the opportunity

to ask any questions before signing the consent form. Prior to beginning the study, the

researcher will seek permission from the public school system as well as seek permission from

schools administrators before involving teachers in this study. In terms of personal biases, the

researcher is assuming that students who are English language learners and who have autism

spectrum disorders will struggle academically and specifically in reading. To reduce this impact,

the researcher will have to assume that not all English language learners are autistic and the

researcher will also have to assume that some English language learners can perform well

academically. In relation to potential biases of the participants, the researcher is assuming that

participants in this study will claim using best practices for teaching English language learners

who are autistic especially since the teachers are the ones who interact with these students on a

daily basis.

Proposed Preliminary Data Analysis

The information provided by teachers during the interviews will be transcribed. Data was

analyzed using open coding, axial coding and selective coding procedures. During open coding,

important concepts and themes will be identified. During axial coding the concepts identified

from the data collected from the interviews and questionnaires will be categorized and them

themes will also be identified based on the kinds of strategies and types of professional

development opportunities available to teachers use in teaching English language learners who


have autism spectrum disorders. Finally, selective coding will be used to identify themes that are

prominent from the transcripts.


References

Busby, R., Ingram, R., & Bowron, R. (2012). Teaching elementary children with autism:

Addressing teacher challenges and preparation needs. Rural Educator, 33(2), 27-35.

Hardin, B. J., Lower, J. K., Smallwood, G. R., Chakravarthi, S., Li, L., & Jordan, C. (2010).

Teachers, families, and communities supporting English language learners in inclusive

pre-kindergartens: An evaluation of a professional development model. Journal of Early

Childhood Teacher Education, 31, 20-36. doi: 10.1080/10901020903539580

Muella, T. G., Brewer, R. D. (2013). Rethinking professional development in rural communities

for students with autism spectrum disorder. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 32(3),

11-19.

Newman, T. M., Macomber, D., Naples, A. J., Babitz, T., Volkmar, F., & Grigorenko, E. L.

(2007). Hyperlexia in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and

Development Disorders, 37(4), 760-774. doi: 10.1007/s10803-006-0206-y

Quezada, R. L. (2014). Family, school, and community partnerships: Working with Culturally

diverse families. Multicultural Education, 21(3/4), 2-4.

Randi, J., Newman, T., & Grigorenko, E. L. (2010). Teaching children with autism to read for

meaning: Challenges and possibilities. Journal of Autism Development Disorder, 40,

890-902. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-0938-6

United States Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for

Education Statistics (2014). English Language Learners. Retrieved from

http:nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgf.asp


Yell, M. L., Drasgow, E. & Lowrey, K. A. (2005). No child left behind and students with autism

spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disabilities, 20(3), 130-

139. doi: 10.1177.10883576050200030101


Appendix A: Teacher Interview Protocol

When teaching English language learners who are autistic how to read, which areas

(phonics, comprehension, or vocabulary) in reading do you students struggle most?

Are your students engaged during reading instruction?

What do you normally do if students are not able to comprehend the text that is provided

to them?

Are your students included in the general education program?

Do you think that students who are included in the general education program are able to

improve academically, specifically in reading?

Are you able to provide instruction in reading by working with each student individually?


Appendix B: Sample Questions for Teachers (Questionnaire)

What are some of the strategies that you use when teaching reading to English language

learners who are autistic?

Are there any specific interventions that you have implemented that has improved the

academic performance of English language learners with autism?

Are you qualified to teach English language learners that are autistic?

What teacher preparation program did you enroll in?

What are the professional development opportunities that are available in your school to

support you in teaching English language learners who are autistic?

How often are these trainings provided?

Are the trainings beneficial to you?

Are you able to apply the information provided to you in these trainings in your

classroom?

What will you like to learn about should you get the opportunity to attend another

training session?

Apart from professional development programs, what other resources are available to you

in your school that is beneficial to you and to your students?

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