High Needs ELL Students in Quincy’s Elementary Schools Beth Hallett Erin Perkins Judy Todd
What does “High Needs” mean? High-needs students: Students at risk of educational failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as students who are living in poverty, who attend high-minority schools… who are far below grade level, who have left school before receiving a regular high school diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are English learners. (U.S. Department of Education website, Definitions section, para 10) 2
Who are High Needs students in Quincy Public Schools? Who is included: Students from low income homes (at Title 1 schools) Students whose literacy is below grade level (receiving Literacy Interventions) Students who need Special Education services (i.e. students on IEPs, 504s, social or emotional disabilities, behavioral disabilities) Students who are English Language Learners (receiving ELL services) 3
The Challenge ELLs Face with School Native English Speakers English Language Learners Level of Proficiency Level of Proficiency Time (years) Time (years) CONVERSATIONAL PROFICIENCY ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY 4
Changes in our ELL Population Today’s ELLs: are coming from rural areas of their native country. often have interrupted formal education (in home country or in the U.S.) Many of Quincy’s ELLs: come with limited or no reading and writing skills in their first language. were born in the U.S. but continue to need ELL support. have been through physical, social and/or emotional trauma. have learning disabilities and/or special needs 5
Seven Important Factors 6
Considering Special Education 6 Principles of Special Education Law: Parent and Student Participation Appropriate Evaluation Individual Education Program Free and Appropriate Public Education Least Restrictive Environment Procedural Safeguards 7
Appropriate Evaluation The evaluation must assess a specific disability. Required assessments for all team evaluations include the classroom assessment and educational history. The classroom assessment evaluates student ’ s attention, participation, communication skills, memory and social relations with peers, adults, etc. 8
High Needs ELL Team K-5 Purpose To create an opportunity for teachers and student support staff serving ELLs with High Needs in Grades K-5 at high incidence schools to articulate with each other goals for early intervention and initial identification, assessment and eventual implementation of multiple services for children in this special population. Members Educators from Title 1 schools who are: ELL Teachers SPED Teachers Literacy Specialists Student Support: Guidance, School Psychologists Administrators: ELL, SPED, Literacy/Title 1 9
High Needs ELL Vertical Team K-5 GOALS, Year 1 (2014-15) Goals for 2014-2015: The Team will share with each other the short-term and long- term needs of each program area in working with ELL students in grades K-5 with possible learning disabilities. The Team will research and discuss available programs, state and federal regulations for program area, current identification procedures, including descriptions of current protocols used to identify ELL students in grades K-5 with possible learning disabilities. The Team will create a draft document for information collection and identification of ELLs needing SPED services in grades K-5. 10
Our Questions How do we currently identify learning disabilities in ELL students? How does Literacy Support integrate with Special Education and ELL? How can Title 1 Services support ELL and Special Education? What is the progress monitoring process for all students, including High Needs ELL? How can Response to Intervention (RTI) be incorporated as a model for intervention with High Needs ELL students? 11
Year 1: Text for Our Professional Learning 12 12
Sharing Our Expertise: ELL Teachers WIDA: English Language ACCESS for ELLs Assessment Proficiency Levels Level 6: Reaching Level 5: Bridging Level 4: Expanding Level 3: Developing Level 2: Emerging Level 1: Entering 13
Sharing Our Expertise: Literacy Specialists DRA DIBELS 14
Sharing Our Expertise: Special Education and Psychologists Psych Assessments: Educational Assessments: CTOPP GORT-4 UNIT WISC Woodcock-Johnson III 15
Where We Are in the Process 2014-15 16
High Needs ELL Vertical Team K-5 GOALS, Year 2 (2015-16) Goals for 2015-2016: The Team will successfully pilot the new QPS ELL Student Information Forms (ELLSIFs) at the 5 represented elementary schools with assessment, reflection, and possible roll-out during to all elementary schools in 2016-17. The Team will provide a joint Professional Development workshop for system-wide ELL, Literacy and Special Education teachers at the elementary level to introduce the ELLSIFs. The Team will begin investigation of Response to Intervention (RTI) interventions that are most suitable to implement with struggling ELLs and create a detailed list of such interventions to be shared at all 5 elementary schools. 17
Year 2: Text for Our Professional Learning 18 18
ELL Student Information Forms (ELLSIF 1 and 2) ELLSIF 1: To be administered during the intake process for all new ELLs at Central Registration (December 2015) ELLSIF 2: To be piloted at 5 elementary schools (Wollaston, Montclair, Lincoln-Hancock, Parker, Marshall) in Spring 2016 Ongoing feedback/reflection from team members on the usefulness of the tools 19
Joint Professional Development, 2015-16 Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator Training (August 2015) Landmark Writing Method • Training – Spring 2015 • Consulting – Fall 2015 Handwriting Without Tears (Kindergarten, Grade1, ELL) MAP Assessment Training Joint Literacy/ELL/SPED Resource Team Meeting • December 8, 2015 LEXIA Training (online assessment targeting reading skills) 20
Stronger Collaboration ELL, SPED, Literacy, Guidance and general education teachers now participate in: All ILT meetings SST meetings concerning ELLs (whenever possible) Team meetings for IEPs Analyzing ACCESS, DIBELs, DRA and other assessment scores for students in question Developing IEP Goals and Benchmarks using knowledge of frameworks, ELD and Literacy Classroom observations to share best practices Collecting student/family data (ELLSIF 1 and 2) for informed decision making Uniform procedures and language 21
Where We Are in the Process 2014-15 2015-16 22
Looking Forward: 2016-17 Possible Goals: Continue work on protocol outlining RTI process for ELLs Research RTI Interventions appropriate for ELLs Team Organization: Include General Education teacher representatives (Grade 2/3) Create second ELL High Needs Team to include other elementary schools Communication: Principals, SLT Members Guidance, mainstream teachers Middle and high school 23
Questions? THANK YOU! 24
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