The Importance Of English Language Disabilities

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Today’s classroom is filled with students from various races, ethnicities, and nationalities. These students come from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds, and some of them are learning English as a second language. It is especially difficult for these English language learners to perform at the same level as their English-speaking peers. There are an increasingly large number of ELL students who are being labeled as learning disabled (Clark, Huang, Milczarski, & Raby, 2011). Is it possible that, in some cases, what appear to be academic or behavioral issues are simply a by-product of the language barrier they are experiencing? Could these students excel properly if given intense instruction and a chance to progress in a regular classroom? Research has shown that labeling English language learners is actually counterproductive, causing them to digress academically (Clark, Huang, Milczarski, & Raby, 2011). For this reason, it is imperative to consider reasons for certain academic struggles or behaviors rather than a learning disability, use effective strategies when giving instruction, and be sure all possible measures have been taken in the classroom before having them referred for special services. The focus on utilizing proper English makes ELLs look less competent than they actually are. This often causes teachers to place them in the low-ability reading groups or water down the curriculum, restricting them access to the type of instructional material they need to make adequate academic progress (Camine, Coyne, & Kami’enui, 2007). It is important to consider the range of behaviors that may appear to be linked to learning disabilities but are actually being caused by the ELLs disability to fully under... ... middle of paper ... ...lating but not overly frustrating to students (Camine, Coyne, &Kami’enuit, 2007). Educating English language learners and determining whether their difficulties stem from the language barrier or a true disability is quite a complex task. Through consideration of their lack of understanding of the English language, effective instructional strategies, and accommodations, the question of language barrier or disability can be clarified. While it is still unclear which method of bilingual education is best for teaching ELLs English acquisition, useful strategies from each model can be implemented to aide in the process. In the classroom, considerations should be made based on the individual student and their level of progression. Hopefully future research will uncover more useful information on teaching English language learners with and without disabilities.

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