Special Education for Adolescent Latino Students with Limited Formal Schooling: Issues, Stories, and

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Special Education for AdolescentLatino Students
with Limited Formal Schooling Issues, Stories,
and Perceptions of Students and Their Teachers

• Diane Staehr Fenner
• February 16, 2006

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Introduction

• Metro Public Schools Demographics
• Dual Language Assessment
• Topic of this study

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Purposes of This Study

• Personal purposes
• Practical purposes
• Intellectual purposes

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Research Questions

• 1. What was the nature of adolescent Latino
  students with Limited Formal Schoolings school
  and family experiences before entering special
  education?
• 2. What issues did teachers and students express
  as relative to students with LFS placement in
  special education?
• 3. What influenced how students with LFS were
  being provided English literacy instruction in
  their special education classrooms?

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Review of the Literature

• Identification and Placement of ELLs in Special
  Education
• History of ELLs in Special Education
• Representation of ELLs in Special Education
• Definition and Purpose of Early Intervention or
  Pre-Referral Process
• Testing Considerations for ELLs
• Special Education Services for ELLs

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Review of the Literature (2)

• ELLs Academic Progress
• ELLs Patterns of Literacy
• Typical Literacy Instruction for ELLs
• Students with Limited Formal Schooling
• Teacher Preparation

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Gaps from the Literature and Researchers
Experiential Knowledge of the Topic

• What happens to students with LFS once they have
  been placed in special education
• Absence of students with LFS own voices on
  perceptions of placement in special education
• Special education teachers perceptions of
  working with adolescent students with LFS
• How English literacy is taught to students with
  LFS in special education classrooms
• What influences how English literacy is taught

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Research Design Overview

• Multiple case design
• 3 schools each was one case
• 5 students
• 4 teachers
• 3 special education
• 1 ESOL special education itinerant
• Within-case analysis
• Cross-case analysis

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Data Collection Sources of Data

• 5 student interviews
• 4 special education teacher interviews
• 1 90 minute classroom observation per student
• IEPs
• ESOL assessment folders
• Entry assessment information
• Dual language assessment reports

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Selection of Student Teacher Participants

• Students
• Criteria
• High School
• Latino
• Limited Formal Schooling
• Literacy ESOL level
• In special education
• Teachers
• Special education/language arts teachers of
  selected students

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Students, Teachers and Schools
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Students Chosen for Study
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Data Analysis

• How
• Transcriptions
• Data displays
• Codes
• Memos
• NVivo software

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Presentation of Findings

• Each students story
• - What happened prior to placement in special
  education
• - What happened after placement in special
  education
• Within-case analysis (including narrative
  analysis)
• Cross-case analysis

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Case 1

• Teachers Ashley, Bridget
• Students Oscar, Julieta
• Oscars Story
• Julietas Story

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Within-Case Analysis Case 1(Lincoln HS)

• Teachers Ashley, Bridget
• Students Oscar, Julieta
• Challenges in Teaching Students with LFS
• Beneficial Aspects of Special Education for LFS
• English Literacy Instruction

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Case 2

• Teacher Keisha
• Student Luz
• Luzs Story

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Within Case Analysis Case 2 (Central HS)

• Teacher Keisha
• Student Luz
• Keisha as Mother Figure
• Cultural Understanding
• Special Education as Dumping Ground

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Case 3

• Teacher Tina
• Students Lorena, Francisco
• Lorenas Story
• Franciscos Story

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Within-Case Analysis Case 3 (Poole Center)

• Teacher Tina
• Students Lorena, Francisco
• Use It or Lose It
• Families Navigating the System
• Your Kids vs. My Kids

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Cross Case Analysis RQ1

• Conflicting Stories About Students Prior
  Experiences
• School-Based Issues
• Personal Issues

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Cross-Case Analysis RQ2

• Assessments to Determine Special Education
  Eligibility
• Teachers Beliefs About Placement of Students in
  Special Education
• Providing Ongoing ESOL Assessment
• Knowing Where to Begin Teaching Students
• Classroom Behavior
• Teachers Perception of Students Response to
  Instruction
• Teachers Expectations for Students
• ESOL Support
• Students Perceptions of Being in Special
  Education

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Cross-Case Analysis RQ3

• Collaboration between ESOL and Special Education
• Classroom Instruction of English Literacy

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Discussion

• Summary of the nature of Adolescent Latino
  students with limited formal schoolings school
  and family experiences before entering special
  education
• Summary of issues teachers and students expressed
  as relative to students with LFS placement in
  special education
• Summary of what influenced how students with LFS
  were being provided English literacy instruction
  in their special education classrooms

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Implications Practice

• Previous History
• Obtaining Information on Students
• Home-School Connection
• High Expectations
• Content of Instruction
• English Literacy Instruction
• Opportunities for Using English

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Implications Research

• How Students are Taught L1 Literacy
• Alternate Programs
• Difference vs. Disability
• Effective Teaching Methods
• Efficacy of L1 Support

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Implications Policy

• Counseling
• Assessment for disabilities
• Ongoing assessment
• Teacher training
• L1 support
• Collaboration

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Limitations

• Students ESOL level
• Small sample size/generalizability
• Data gathered primarily through interviews a
  few observations

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Final Thoughts

• Positive aspects of special education for
  students with LFS
• Areas that could be improved

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For More Information

• Diane.StaehrFenner_at_fcps.edu
• Office [phone]