Evaluating Emergent Bilinguals for Specific Learning Disabilities: Considering Second Language Development and Culture

Edward Karl Schultz; Emily Smith; Stephanie Zamora-Robles

doi:10.64546/jaasep.562

Evaluating Emergent Bilinguals for Specific Learning Disabilities: Considering Second Language Development and Culture

Edward Karl Schultz, PhD (Author) Midwestern State University Author Biography
Dr. Edward Schultz is a full professor at Midwestern State University. He trains future special educators and educational diagnosticians. In addition to this, he provides professional development and consultations to numerous school districts across the state and consults with state departments. He is a co-architect of the Core-Selective Evaluation Process (CSEP) and interests include SLD/Dyslexia identification, multi-tiered systems of support, and school improvement.
Emily Smith, EdD (Author) Midwestern State University Author Biography
Emily Smith, Ed.D. is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Alaska where she teaches special education courses to graduate and undergraduate students. Dr. Smith is a former public school teacher, educational diagnostician and special education supervisor. She has spent over 20 years working in the public and private school sector with students with disabilities as well as gifts and talents. Her research interests include various areas of special education, teacher assessment and post-secondary transition.
Stephanie Zamora-Robles, EdD (Author) Midwestern State University

DOI

https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.562

Abstract

Evaluating students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (i.e., emergent bilinguals) presents challenges to evaluation teams, as distinguishing between a language disorder and typical second language development is more complex. The skills and knowledge required to do this task often exceed the level of training that evaluators (e.g., educational diagnosticians, LSSPs, speech pathologists) possess. To conduct a nondiscriminatory evaluation, evaluators must determine native language proficiency to select tests, understand the impact of culture on the learner, and interpret results. This requires an understanding of typical second language development and the influence of culture. This paper aims to add to evaluators’ knowledge base by describing typical second language development and considering cultural implications. Implications for test selection and interpretation will also be discussed.

Keywords

Bilingual Students, Bilingualism, Cultural Influences, Emergent Literacy, Language Proficiency, Language Tests

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How to Cite

Schultz, E. K., Smith, E., & Zamora-Robles, S. (2024). Evaluating Emergent Bilinguals for Specific Learning Disabilities: Considering Second Language Development and Culture. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 19(3), 108-116. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.562