Effective Instructional Practices and Diagnosis Procedures for English Language Learners With Special Education Needs

• In Event: Salient Issues in Special Education: Working With Bilingual, English Language Learner, and Marginalized Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to review and evaluate the existing research on assessment of English Language Learners with special needs (ELL/SPED) and effective instructional strategies for this group of students. The intention is to provide educators with research-informed guidelines for identifying and educating youngsters who are ELL with other special educational needs.

The three phase process to answering this question took the form of a Question Scan (to determine the feasibility of conducting a comprehensive review), a Review Map (to characterize and categorize the body of literature), and the final analysis and synthesis of the literature. The findings suggest early identification is possible and should be used as a step toward providing timely interventions to ELL/SPED students.

Authors

• Zohreh Yaghoub Zadeh, Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group, LLP

• Terri Thompson, Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group, LLP 

• Antonia Andonova, Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group, LLP 

• Eric K. H. Chan, The University of British Columbia

• Charles S. Ungerleider, Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group