Contributed by Ambar de Mejia
I recently came across a TESOL article by Solange A. Lopes Murphy. She is an associate professor from the College of New Jersey in Ewing, New Jersey.
In the article, she talks about learning disabilities and language difficulties. the poignant question is: which one does my student exhibit? It can be both, which can compound the problem.
When educators misidentify a student with a learning disability, that can affect the students’ process in a negative way. Dr. Lopes Murphy lists four behaviors that do not show a disability. Most educators thought they did:
- difficulty with reading comprehension
- difficulty following directions
- lack of appropriate behavior in the classroom
- lack of attention when instruction is being delivered
To distinguish between a disability and a language difficulty, Dr. Lopes Murphy discusses five steps educators and stakeholders need to follow to narrow down the decision. Throughout the process of exploration, documentation is indicated.
Step 1. Knowing the Learner – country, background, circumstances.
Step 2. Conducting Assessment of Instructional Context – how instruction is delivered and what type of instruction is being delivered.
Step 3. Understanding Characteristics of Language Acquisition That Mirror Learning Disabilities – includes a limited list of difficulties shown in students with disabilities and students with language limitations, which for the latter will disappear with language acquisition.
Step 4. Separating a Language Struggle from a Disability – includes an inventory of behaviors, peer analysis, and assessment of language progress.
The article is not long and is well worth the read!
http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolsswdis/issues/2019-12-31/3.html
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