Acquisition of Language - A How To

We acquire languages in a multi-step process and some of us take to learning a new language faster than others.  Whether you are fast or slow, educational instructors are required to accommodate for your needs.

As a teacher in North America I will be expected to do just that.

Next semester I will be teaching K-3.  One topic I will teach is social studies.  A unit of focus in that subject may be to teach children about the different jobs that people in their community have and the places that they work.

This is how I would go about teaching ELL students (of different levels) the required topic:
*ELL have different activities that are derived from the same goal = learn jobs and places, but the tasks are set to their ability levels

Stage I student: Pre-Production

Their ability - May have ~500 words in their mental vocabulary, but will not speak on their own.  However, students will be able to repeat (parrot) what is spoken to them. They will be active listeners, be able to mimic gestures, responsive to visuals

Strategies for language/content acquisition - listening skills and understanding; building vocabulary; single word responses; pair work; repetition
Classroom example - Teacher uses large, clear visual pictures to develop students’ vocabulary of job and building words (i.e. police officer, police station, doctor, hospital, teacher, school).  Students drill the words, repeating after the teacher, practicing saying to a partner/listening to partner say back.  Then teacher gives students their own set of picture cards and has them select the correct card when she says the vocabulary word. Games like Memory and Bingo are simple but effective games for students of this level.

Stage II student: Early Production

Their ability - Child's vocabulary has expanded to ~1000 words.  They are able to speak in short language chunks, that may or may not be properly formed.

Strategies for language/content acquisition - yes/no either/or questions; accept short (improper) answers encourages student stop talk more without fear of risk; simplify content based learning for them, graphic organizers, short sentences
Classroom example - This child will be similar to a Stage I student, but will be more willing to become involved in activities.  Let them try, but provided simplified question for him/her (i.e. "Where does a police office work?" "Who works at a police station?" - answers need only be one word responses.  Use pictures and realia to emit responses from ELL students (i.e. pictures of a police car, handcuff, a bad guy = "What job is this for?". Students do not have to know the words for the pictures, they just have to be able to recognize them and associate them with the correct job).

Stage III student: Speech Emergence

Their ability - Now with a vocabulary of ~3000 words, students can create simple sentences.  They can have short, slightly imperfect conversation with classmates, read basic stories, and the amount of the content based learning will be increased.

Strategies for language/content acquisition - vocabulary words with definitions; use a word bank to fill-in words in sentences; read more stories by sounding out bigger word through phonics 
Classroom example - Students can read a story about different jobs in the community.  Choose a store with short sentences and low-mid range difficulty of words.  Screen the book for good sentences for ELL students to read aloud when doing whole class reading.  Create modified worksheets when having students do comprehension work - perhaps the ELL student has a worksheet with less words missing on fill-in-the-blank questions or questions worded in an easier manner.

Stage IV student: Intermediate Fluency 

Their ability - Their vocabulary has expanded to ~6000 words that they can actively use. They are able to speak and write in more complex sentences. Share their opinions/thoughts.  Are willing to ask questions on their own, so that they can understand a topic better. Will pull information, references and strategies from their native language to help them gain greater meaning from the content being taught in English.
Strategies for language/content acquisition - students understanding is greater, should be pushed and encouraged to form and/or combine ideas that they have learned and apply them a wider range of implications; develop writing to eliminate errors/mistakes; reading longer, more complex stories/articles; participate is class discussions/debates
Classroom example - Can complete a larger assignments, students are able to work in pairs to come up with a list of things they would like to know about a specific professions (teachers could provide a list of required issues that need to covered to assist students who are struggling to create their own).  Once teacher has checked the list, charge pairs with the task of researching the profession online.  Then have pairs make a poster sharing what they learned. Students present the poster to class.

Stage V student: Advanced Fluency

Their ability - Students are near-native.  Will have well developed cognitive thinking and be able to perform well in content based subjects.

Strategies for language/content acquisition - students may still need a bit of assistance at the start of a new unit - offer help with difficult words or example concept in an alternative way so that they can comprehend
Classroom example - Teacher can ask students to compose an essay about what job they want to have when they grow up and why.  ELL students will be able to write their response using a strong topic sentence, with a body that provides support siting specific details, and a nicely wrapped up closing sentence. 

Mind-field of Conditions

Many accommodation and assistive technologies exist to help students with learning disabilities.  

In this assignment I used a mind map application to breakdown these disabilities and provide additional information on them and how we can adjust for them in the classroom.

Here is a look at IDEA's 14 categorizes of disabilities.

to see bigger, click -> MindMeister

SpEd Referrals - reflection

After discussing this process with individuals currently working or who have worked in the teaching profession - I think this would be/will be a very hard process!

It is not that I think identifying a disability will be hard - it is easy to see different behavioral traits or to notice that a child is falling behind - but what I think will be hard are the steps and adjustments that must be taken afterwards.

I feel this will be trying in two ways:

1. Being able to (read ~ not being able to) successfully implement the correct changes
2. Not having support from the school  

I currently have a girl with special needs in my 4th grade English class.  Because special needs are not addressed (as they should be/at all) in Korea, she receives no adjustments or aide beyond what I can provide for her.  The school does not acknowledge that she has a learning disability and her family uses it as a threat against her.

I feel and know that I do not make proper allowances for her. So therefore I am failing her as a teacher and she is not receiving from me the best wducation that she should be getting. 

I do not have the know-how or the support to truly give her what she needs. There are no interventions, no plan, no assessments for her to offer assistance. 

She is 1 in a class of 16. 

I can only imagine that back home it would be 4-6 in a class of 30! 

Assistance and support are needed!

An additional reflection after my interviews ~

I think that my initial prediction (that IEPs will become standard for every child) is a bit off base.

While I do not doubt that this would be greatly beneficial to all learners. I now think that it would be overly taxing on our educators and administrators. 

We simple do not have the staff or money to offer such an education.

At least not at the public level.

Not yet.

Identifying Disabilities

Often times teachers are the first to notice that a learning disability may be present in a student.  They may notice that a student is falling behind in a subject or that certain behavioral traits are being displayed.  When this occurs, the teacher can make a referral so that the student is tested to determine if special services are needed to assist the child and ensure they are getting the best education available to them.

Here is what a few professionals in the teaching field had to say about the referral process for special needs individuals.

Mr. Michael Griffin is a Mild-Moderate Intervention Specialist and the Head of the Special Education Department at Nordonia High School.  He has been teaching there for 6 years.  Prior to that, he worked as an MMIS at an elementary school with cross-categorical students in 2nd and 3rd grade.  He has been teaching for 9 years.

How is a student identified for special education referral?

There are a few ways students can be referred for testing in order to determine whether or not a student has a learning disability.  First, parents can request an evaluation from the school psychologist.  When this happens, the school can refuse to evaluate (they must fill out a PR-01) or go through with the evaluation.  Another option is a teacher can refer a student.  This is done through Child Find Law where a student must be evaluated if the school suspects a disability.  If it is determined that a student needs to be evaluated for a disability, the school must obtain consent from his/her parents.

With all this being said, just because a referral is completed, doesn’t mean evaluation or identification takes place.  Rather, the district should use the RTI (Response to Intervention) process.  In this process, individual interventions are put in place to see if small adjustments within the classroom can assist students in demonstrating success

Who takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral?

Before referral several things happen.  It is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor progress, however, once a student is referred he/she is placed in the Response to Intervention process.

Tier 1:  The RTI team decides upon interventions that can be completed in the classroom.  These may include preferential seating, extended time, clarified directions, visual aids used in the classroom, etc.  The teacher will keep track of student progress as these are implemented.

If no progress is made….

Tier 2: The RTI will determine whether or not more support needs to be put in place.  These interventions might include additional support or instruction during or after class.  Differentiated instruction (activities presented in different ways to meet individual learning needs), academic interventions, etc.  The general education classroom would monitor student progress again. 

If no progress is made….

Tier 3:  If the RTI team determines the student needs even more support, then we would look at special education supports for that student, and an Evaluation Team Report might be completed to determine eligibility.  Once this happens, the Intervention Specialist (Special Education Teacher) is responsible for monitoring progress if it gets to this.

What is the school administration's directive for special education?

Our principal is an advocate of Intervention periods for students with special needs.  During an Intervention period, the Intervention Specialist will design specialized instruction to meet the individual learning needs of the students in the classroom.   Rather than work on the curriculum and content, teachers will work on mastering the goal outlined in each student’s IEP in hopes of building skills in areas where students are deficient.  The ultimate goal is to provide the student with the skills necessary to cope with his or her disability in the general education classroom environment.

Our principal does not necessarily believe in co-teaching because the high school teachers are masters of the content.  Therefore, Intervention Specialists also support instruction in the general education classroom, providing accommodations and modifications when necessary, so students can be successful.

What provisions are made for students identified for special education?

Students receive specially designed instruction and participate in interventions that will help build skills in specified areas.  These can include reading comprehension, reading fluency, basic reading skills, math calculation, math problem solving written express, behavior, etc.

In addition, accommodations and modifications might be outlined to help students be successful.  For example, a student with a significant reading disability might receive a Reader for all tests and quizzes (someone reads the student his or her tests).

If necessary, the student can qualify for related services that include speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or special transportation.

Lastly, the student may be excused from the consequences of not passing any statewide graduation tests.

What is the level of parent involvement in referral process and special education?

The parent is a key component, but not always involved.  Often times, parents are asked to fill out questionnaires, academic and behavior rating scales, transition surveys, and develop future plans for their child.  THE PARENT SHOULD BE A KEY STAKEHOLDER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY IEP

How do you identify a student for special education?

I think I pretty much answered this, but once it is determined that the child needs to be evaluated, a comprehensive battery of tests is given to determine whether or not the student has a learning disability, or some other factor that contributes to his or her inability to access the general education curriculum without support (these include other health impairment, traumatic brain injury, deaf, blind, orthopedic impairment, developmentally disabled, cognitively disabled, or emotional disturbance).  Our rule of thumb is that if a student is below the 10%ile for any given academic, he or she can qualify for an Individualized Education Plan

What are the signs of a struggling student?

These come in many forms:

Unfocused or inattentiveness in the classroom, calling or acting out in the classroom, consistent performance below what is expected for same age peers, low test scores, low achievement scores on standardized testing, etc

Are there alternate methods of instruction tried out before referring the student for special education? If yes, what are they?

Absolutely, this was all explained in the RTI process above.  The goal is always to do everything necessary to keep kids off IEPs.  If supports and accommodations can be put in place to assist a child in being successful without specially designing instruction for that student, it is the best case scenario.

Mrs. Brittany Laino is an Intervention Specialist at Barberton Middle School.  She has been a teacher for 8 years.

How is a student identified for special education referral?

1st teachers notice- academic progress, behavior, test scores, ability to comprehend material


2nd- try various interventions and document students response to interventions (small group, 1 on 1, peer tutoring, behavior plan, modified assignments, etc)


3rd- coordinate with school counselor and school psychologist to get an IAT meeting set up with parent, counselor, school psychologist, regular education teachers and an intervention specialist



4th- meeting is held, teachers fill out paperwork noting students progress & interventions tried, everyone signs off for student to be tested



5th- within a 60 day window, the school psychologist tests areas of strength & weakness identified, test scores indicate if student qualifies for services via 504, IEP



Who takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral?

Before = all the regular education teacher’s responsibility - they have to be the ones to get the ball rolling.  Once an IAT meeting is held and everyone signs off then it is on the school psychologist, but classroom teachers still must continue accommodations, modification and intervention strategies. 

After testing = school psychologist or intervention specialist writes an Initial IEP, if it is a 504 then the school psychologist & school counselor write the 504.  It is the district Special Education coordinator’s job to put that student on an intervention specialist (IS) caseload and the school counselor’s responsibility to change the student’s schedule.  If a 504 student is serviced by regular education teachers, then it is the school counselor’s job to make sure the plan is happening & teachers have a copy of it.



What provisions are made for students identified for special education?

This depends on student’s identified disability coding (OHI- other health impairment, CD-cognitive disability, ED-emotionally disturbed, SLD- specific learning disability, etc), it also depends on what areas students qualify in (math calculation, math reasoning, reading ability, writing, behavior, etc).  Test scores also determine their placement inclusion - with regular education students (part or all day), self contained classes with only other special education students with cognitive disabilities or other emotionally disturbed students, or MH (mentally handicapped) students where life and adaptive skills are taught.  Additionally, students receive modified tests/quizzes/projects, accommodations such as testing in small group, tests/quizzes read aloud, extended time to complete tasks, and extra breaks.



What is the level of parent involvement in referral process and special education?

Parents are/can be involved in IAT meetings, annual IEP or 504 meetings.  They can meet at any time to amend the IEP or 504.  They receive progress reports towards goals and benchmarks every 4.5 weeks.  I send some parents weekly emails.  I contact them as needed.  Sadly in my 7 years in my district I average 40-60% attendance rate for the annual IEP meetings. 



Our overall goal is for students to be successful in their least restrictive environment.


Mrs. Sandy Boarman is a sixth grade math and social studies teacher at Copley-Fairlawn Middle School.  She has been a teacher for 22 years.

How do you identify a student for special education?

A child who we suspect of having a disability is discusses with the team of teachers, psychologist, school counselor and administrators.  Together, we decided interventions to put in place for the child.  We collect data while we do those interventions to determine whether they made a difference or not, and also if the child responded ad to what degree.  If we feel, after the interventions have been in place for about a month, that the child is not responding or improving, we put them child through a battery of tests through the school psychologist, the school nurse (for vision and hearing), and also forms are filled out by all the teachers who work with that child and by the parents.  Then the disability - if there is one - is clearly identified and an IEP is put in place.

What are the signs of a struggling student?

Inability to concentrate and focus, inability to read/comprehend material, inability to use prior knowledge in follow-up activities (lack of retention), student disinterested and withdrawn, lack of motivation, appears to be "in a fog"

Are there alternate methods of instruction tried out before referring the student for special education?  If yes, what are they?

Small group instruction, color-coding test/quiz/homework responses, reduced choices, read-aloud, pull-out from one-on-one assistance

My father was a high school English teacher for 35 year with the Akron Public School District.  Students with disabilities had already been identified by the time they reached his classroom.  He did not have to do any referrals, but he did have to comply with IEPs. Here is his reflection:

By the time students got to me most had been identified. I worked with students who had tutors, who had accommodations spelled out in the IEPs, who left the room to take tests, etc.  I even had an inclusion class where I did the teaching and a full time Special Education teacher modified the assignments based on the needs of the individuals.

When I started teaching special education was still segregated.  Special Ed student only took PE with regular classes. That all changed over my 35 years to inclusion and tutoring.  Even SBH (severe behavioral handicap) students were included.  They only students who weren't were the autistic spectrum students and Ellet had two units, about 30, of these students and each student had their own aide.

Special Ed Diagnosis

The steps that need to be taken to get a child diagnosed with a learning disability and then enrolled in a tailored-made educational program is a long and twisted path.  Making heads or tails of it can easily lead a person to think they've fallen down the rabbit's hole after Alice.

Thankfully, there are numerous resources online to help offer thorough explanations about what will take place, what does take place, and what follows after all is said and done.  Therefore you can comfortably feel that you understand an RTI (Response to Intervention) or an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and that the Rabbit isn't taking you down the wrong path.

Brief Background:

RTI - Response to Intervention:

• Based on a child's classroom performance he or she will initially be evaluated based on their ability to learn and keep up with the information and materials that is being taught.  If he or she falls behind or has difficulties with certain learning aspects they are provided with additional assistance or altered learning methods in class.  However, if a significant amount of improvement is not seen (typically by the end of a grading period) the child will be classed as Tier 3 and require even greater assistance.
• This video gives you a nice understanding how how the tiers break down.

Student who fall into Tier 3 and are unable to make improvements are then referred for special education.  The referral can be made by a general education teacher/homeroom teacher or the parent(s).  Once the referral is made a number of tests are conducted to determine what factors are disrupting the child's learning.  The family will meet with any number of individuals to discuss that test results, such as: school psychologist, speech language pathologist, social worker, ESL teacher, special education teacher or in some cases a doctor may even been included in symptoms are severe. 

Once the tests are concluded and results are determined, those involved will meet to establish and IEP.

IEP - Individualized Education Program: 

• If the student qualifies for special education they are required by law (IDEA) to have an IEP made for them.  The IEP tells: what the child's learning needs are, what the school will offer/assist with to aid the child in their learning and how they are going to measure the learning development of the student.
• The student will have an IEP team 
• It will state how much time and participation is required of the student in regular/extracurricular classes 
• The IEP will acknowledge if aides (human or machine) will be supplied to the child
• The team will set goals that are measurable with details on how they will be measured
• and the date for when the IEP will go into effect

Fair isn't everybody getting the same thing... Fair is everybody getting what they need in order to be successful.

Role of IEPs - reflection

It is clear that IEPs are critical for the success and overall educational development of a special needs child. But to be honest, it all has my head swimming a bit. 

Children with special needs first need to be assessed to determine if or what conditions they have that are disabling their learning.  This can be requested by the parent or school.  Once the assessment is complete the IEP team (consisting of the parents, the homeroom teacher, special education teacher and possibly the school principal and/or psychologist) meet to draw up the actual IEP.

What an IEP does:

An IEP must include, by law (IDEA):

• An evaluation of the students current abilities and progress

• Student goals

• What services and support the school will provide to assist the student reach the stated goals

• What the school will do (modifications and accommodations) to help the student progress

• What/if any accommodations the student will be allowed during standardized testing

• How and when the student will be reassessed to see if they are reaching/achieving the stated goals

• Plans that allow the student to transition between education levels (elementary to middle to high and onwards to college)

Once the IEP is complete and signed it is put into place and (hopefully) successful learning can begin for the student.

It is amazing that teachers and instructors (and the government) are now fully aware that not all children are the same.  And especially not all special needs are the same.  They vary greatly in the type of disabilities and in the severity of their condition.  Individualized educational plans allow for a tailor made educational learning environment that addresses and meets the needs of the students while still allowing for transmission of the materials that need covered. 

While one student may need adjustments made due to blindness, another may need changes due to a lower reading comprehension level.  These disabilities are not that the same and should not be treated the same, and IEPs allow for that.  They should ensure that “no child gets left behind” and that all measures are being taken to help advance that student into a stronger, more successful student. 

I think as a result of IEPs we will see multiple changes to the classrooms, schools, and manor in which instruction occurs.  But I think the three main changes will be 

1.   Differentiate learning will become standard in all classrooms and standardized testing will have to be greatly adjusted or removed in order to fully incorporate this style of teaching, 

2.   Learning aides – be it machines or human assistants – will be used in the classrooms in greater number to allow for great access to information and understanding, 

3.   All students, with or without special needs, will have IEPs so that maximum learning potential can be unlocked for everyone.

Diverse Voices

Diversity in the class is wide reaching.

Here we took a closer look at 7 issues that can differentiate students from one another.

Take a look and listen to our first group project:

VoiceThread 1

VoiceThread 2

A Statistical Look At Learning

Schools today are made up of a wide variety of differences that enrich the learning atmosphere.

It can also make it tougher.

Teachers need to be aware of the various demographics that make up their classroom, so that they can better teach their students.  

This diversity makes us all unique and requires for a unique, differentiated instructional method as well.

As a product of the Wadsworth educational system, I took at like the demographics in my hometown.  This is what my former school district looks like now...