Supporting English Learners in the Classroom

Eric M. Haas is a professor and director of the educational leadership doctoral program at California State University, East Bay. Julie Esparza Brown is an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at the Graduate School of Education, Portland State University.

“…expertly organized and presented, making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to school district in-service training curriculums, as well as college and university library Teacher Education instructional resource collections.”—Midwest Book Review

• ContentsAcknowledgments ix1. Introduction 12. Problems in Identifying English Learner Students at Risk for Learning Disabilities and In Need of Special Education  9English Learner Student Statistics 9EL and Dual Identified Student Diversity 10Factors Influencing EL and Dual Identified Student Success 11Misidentification and Misplacement of Struggling EL Students 12Changing Achievement and Contexts for EL and Dual Identified Students K–12 15We Need to Improve EL and Dual Identified Student Education 203. Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Multi-Tiered Support Systems for English Learners: High-Quality Teaching Practices Across the Tiers 23A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) 25Understanding Today’s Learners 28Multi-Tiered System of Supports for English Learners: Unique Considerations 29Using MTSS to Support All Students 45Putting It All Together: The PLUSS Framework 60Supporting All Students 624. Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Multi-Tiered Support Systems for English Learners: Assessment Across the Tiers 65Understanding Assessment as a Process: Assessment Versus Testing 65Basic Principles of Assessment: What Practitioners Need to Know 66Determining Assessment Type: What’s the Question Being Addressed?  70Assessment Across the Tiers of MTSS 77Assessment at Tier 1 78Assessment at Tier 2 85Assessment at Tier 3 90Equitable Opportunities Means Equal Standards 925. Effective Instruction for English Learner Students with Academic Challenges in General and Special Education: Collaborative Program Elements 95Typologies of English Learners: Differences Across the Population That Impact Instruction and Achievement 97Special Education 102Process for Appropriate Special Education Referrals 108After the Referral 115The Culture-Language Test Classifications and Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix 120Creating Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Individual Education Plans 122Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)—Program Models 129Universal Design for Learning 132Policies for Reclassifying EL Students with Disabilities 133Differentiating Language Acquisition From Learning Disabilities 1356. School-, District-, and Statewide Improvement: Lessons from State Manuals on Dual Identified Students 137Overview of State Dual Identified Student Manuals 138System Improvement Theory in Action in the State Manuals 141System Improvement Beyond the Manuals 147New Issues in the Near Future 1517. Using Legal Rights and Responsibilities to Promote Effective Programs and Practices for EL Students at Risk for or Having a Learning Dis/Ability 153ESSA and the Current Education Policy Environment 154Legal Rights of EL students and Related Educator Responsibilities 158Legal Rights of Students and Related Educator Responsibilities 1628. Conclusion 169Needs Assessment: Key Questions 169Complementary Roles and Actions 170Final Thoughts 171Appendix: Collaborative Problem-Solving Form (CPSF) 173Notes 185References 189Index 213About the Authors 229