Evaluation and Services to
Second Language Learners
Maha Bishr, MA, CCC-SLP
Amy Kuhn, MA, CCC-SLP
Susanne Mahoney, MA, CCC-SLP
Claudia Shannon, MA CCC-SLP, Special Education
Coordinator, KCKPS
Session Objectives
• To identify an evaluation protocol for second
language learners;
• To discuss best practice evaluation procedures
for second language learners; and
• To give examples of evidence-based strategies
for work with second language learners with
speech and language impairments.
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, Wyandotte County, Kansas Ethnicity
Blue Valley Public Schools, Johnson County, Kansas
Wichita Public Schools, Sedgwick County, Kansas
Dodge City Public Schools, Ford County, Kansas
Garden City Public Schools, Finney County,
St. Francis Community School, St. Francis County,
Kansas
Doniphan Public Schools, Doniphan County, Kansas
Knowledge and Skills Needed by
Speech-Language Pathologists to
Provide Culturally and Linguistically
Appropriate Services
ASHA’s Multicultural Issues Board Paper
Developing Cultural Competence
• Be sensitive to cultural and linguistic
differences that affect the identification,
assessment, treatment and management of
communication disorders/differences.
• Be careful of personal biases,
• Respect others’ differences,
• Be knowledgeable of assimilation and/or
acculturation processes on management of
communication disorders/differences.
Con’t of Developing Cultural
Competence
• Use appropriate intervention and
assessment strategies and materials,
such as food, objects, and/or
activities that don’t violate the
student’s values that are made to
form a bridge between the home
and school environment.
Identify appropriate service provider
for students
• Native or near-native proficiency in the
language spoken by student.
If you don’t have a native or
near-native proficient clinician,
then…
• Familiarize yourself with features and
developmental characteristics of the language
• Gather information on the sociolinguistic features
of the student’s significant cultural and linguistic
influences
• Have an understanding of the stages of 2nd
language acquisition
• Develop collaborative relationships with
interpreters from the community and the family
Socialinguistic and cultural influences
• Knowledge-base to distinguish typical and
disordered language of students
• Discourse norms
• Effective interviewing strategies
• Cultural differences and similarities
Knowledge of the following…
• Typical language development in simultaneous and
sequential bilinguals
• Normal process of second-language acquisition
including phenomena, such as: silent period, codeswitching, and language loss.
• Difference between an accent and a dialect, and a
language and a dialect
• Grammatical constraints on code-switching and code
mixing.
• Typical development in the student’s language in all
areas.
Familiarize yourself with
BICS and CALP
• Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) takes
approximately two years to develop to a level
commensurate with that of native speakers of the
language (Cummins, 1992)
• Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)
takes between 5-7 years to develop to a native-like
level (Cummins, 1992) when there is native language
support in the school setting. Without such support,
CALP may require 7-10 years to develop (Peregoy &
Boyle, 1997)
Assessment materials/tools
• Appropriate use of published test materials
• Appropriate use of alternative approaches to
assessment including: dynamic assessment,
portfolio assessment, structured observation,
narrative assessment, academic and social
language sampling, interview assessment
tools, and curriculum-based procedures
including inherent cultural and linguistic
biases.
Articulation and Phonology
• Understand current research in identification
of articulation/phonological disorders in the
language and /or dialect spoken by the
student.
• Difference between an articulation disorder,
phonological disorder, an accent, a dialect,
transfer patterns and typical developmental
patterns.
Strategies in Natural
and Educational Settings
• A child must feel safe in their
environment to explore, test
and stretch their second
language acquisition.
Con’t Strategies
• Encourage the student to engage in play
with their peers and with you as the
parent (adults). This is a great way to
strengthen language and vocabulary
through informal activity and hands-on
exploration.
Con’t Strategies
• When working with second language learners,
repetition and second language acquisition go
hand in hand.
Note: A student must use a new vocabulary
word in context 10 or more times before
internalizing it.
Con’t Strategies
• Repeat, review and revise
vocabulary/short phrases
throughout your interaction
with the child.
More Strategies
• Provide opportunities to have
students engage in play and
physical movement. It takes less
pressure off of the new
vocabulary/language they are
encountering/learning.
More Strategies
• Bring in puppets, teddy
bears or props to help
introduce and learn new
vocabulary.
More Strategies
• Chants/rhymes/songs are a
great nonthreatening way for
students to learn new
vocabulary/concepts.
More Strategies
• Concentrate on listening and
understanding through the use of one
word responses to short phrases to
simple sentences. It is a painstaking
process for which we have to give the
student time to strengthen and grow
confidence.
More Strategies
• Approach repetition in a variety of ways.
For example, one day use flashcard
photos to teach animal vocabulary
(dog,cat). The next day, play animal
charades for repetition and interactive
learning. Try to have the child use the
word in context by having him repeat the
word/use phrase/simple sentence.
More Strategies
• Mix up the pace. You might start
out with excitable games, then
move to a more quiet activity; or
vice-versa.
REMEMBER:
• Repetition is the mother of skill!
Stages of Second Language Acquisition
• Stage 1- Pre Production
• Students are trying to make sense of messages
• Becoming familiar with sounds, rhythm and
patterns of English
• Limited comprehension of “chunks” or gist of
language
• Relies on picture clues for understanding
• Responds to non-verbal gestures, nods, drawings
• Silent period.
Stage 2 Early Production
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Demonstrate increased confidence.
Listen with greater understanding
Identify people, places and objects.
Use routine expressions independently.
Repeat, recite memorable language
Stage 3 Speech Emergence
• Speak with less hesitation and demonstrate increasing
understanding.
• Produce longer phrases or sentences with grammatical
inaccuracy.
• Use newly-acquired receptive vocabulary to
experiment and form messages in English
• Participate more fully in discussions including those
with academic content.
• Explain, describe, compare, and retell in response to
literature.
• Study “big ideas” and key concepts in content areas.
• Engage in independent reading based on oral fluency
and prior experiences with print. Using writing for a
variety of purposes.
Stage 4 Intermediate and Advanced
Fluency
• Produce connected discourse and narrative.
• Use more extensive vocabulary.
• Demonstrate increased levels of accuracy and
correctness.
• Read a wider range or narrative genre and content
texts with increasing comprehension.
• Explore concepts in subject matter in greater depth.
• Write using more standard forms. Depth and breadth
of topics and purposes increase to include more
creative and analytical writing.
Stage 5 Intermediate and Advanced
Fluency
• Produce language with varied grammatical
structures, vocabulary, comparable to native
English speakers of the same age.
Supporting LanguageSecond Language Literacy EmergenceStage 1
• Levels 1,2,3
• Focus on developing oral language skills
(include conversational and narrative skills.)
• Utilize emergent literacy strategies.
• LABELING, PHRASES, BASIC DESCRIPTION
Second Language Literacy EmergenceStage 2
• Levels 4,5
• Introduce reading – language experience
stories and shared literature to support
language development
• LANGUAGE EXPANSION
• CONNECTING, RELATING, MODIFYING
Second Language Literacy EmergenceStage 3
• Child is reading for reading
• Language enrichment is necessary to support
gains.
• STORYTELLING-CONCRETE
• STORYTELLING-ABSTRACT
Case review
Dynamic assessment
Report
Treatment suggestions
PRESCHOOL EVALUATION AND
TREATMENT
Dynamic Assessment
Dynamic assessment was used to complete the
evaluation
“Dynamic assessment is a highly interactive and
process-oriented method of conducting
assessments which helps to identify the skills that
a child possesses” (Zimmer).
Dynamic Assessment included:
• Search the internet about Kirundi and Swahili.
• Look for and listen to samples of speech and
check for speech sounds and phonological
processes (are there final consonants?
Clusters? Vowels?)
• Search for information about the culture.
Kirundi Speech Sounds
• Kirundi is a Bantu language which is spoken by
various ethnic groups in Africa.
• It has 5 vowels (i u e o a).
• 19-26 consonants (plosives, affricates,
fricatives, nasals).
• It’s a tonal language (high and low tone).
• Most words have a syllable structure of CV
and there are no clusters.
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Kirundi Culture
There are 2 ethnic groups, the Hutu and Tutsi.
It is a herding society.
Cows are considered sacred and a symbol of wealth.
67% consider themselves Christian and 10% Muslim.
Children are highly valued.
The Hutu are in the majority and there is divisiveness
between the Hutu and Tutsi.
• Women are respected as child bearers but have little
decision making authority.
• Men hold the responsibility of protecting and
providing for the family.
Swahili
• It is also a Bantu language
• It has five vowel phonemes /ɑ/, /ɛ/, /i/, /ɔ/,
and /u/.
• Like other Bantu languages, Swahili grammar
arranges nouns into a number of classes .
• In words, “Ni” is a prefix for “I”.
• Some Swahili vocabulary is derived from
Arabic.
Classroom Observations
• Dynamic assessment: Observations in play,
lunch and circle time
– Observations
– Language Sample
– Play skills
– Initiations
– Gaining attention
– Protesting
– Imitation (motor and verbal)
– Use of books
Evaluation with an Interpreter
• An interpreter who spoke Kirundi was utilized
but this this person spoke the language but
had not done an evaluation with a student
before.
• Interview Interpreter.
• Probe speech sounds, imitation.
• Arena evaluation with the Psychologist and
social worker.
Recommendations
• Consult with the teaching team in strategies to
use in the classroom
– Visual schedule
– Natural gestures
– Opportunities to choose/point to pictures to
indicate need/desire
– Recognize “silent” period may last 12 months
– Encourage and support communication attempts
– Model play, imitation skills
Closing remarks
• Currently:
– JB is using 4 to 5 word sentences in English to
comment, direct, tell information.
– She is also learning words in Spanish.
– Pre-academic skills increasing for identifying and
naming letters, counting, segmenting syllables,
identifying rhymes and so forth.
Does your district have a protocol to
evaluate English Language Learners
(ELL)?
How our protocol was established
• Why? Inconsistent approaches to evaluating
ELL within our district
• How? Researched ASHA and districts that had
linguistically diverse populations
• This continues to be a work in progress
Evaluate L1 and L2
• Assessment of speech and language disorders of
limited English proficient speakers should be
conducted in the native language.
• IDEA, 2004 [300.304] states that the evaluation
should be “provided and administered in the child’s
native language or other mode of communication
and in the form most likely to yield accurate
information on what the child knows and can do
academically, developmentally, and functionally,
unless it is clearly not feasible to so provide or
administer
Evaluating English Language
Learners
• As part of the Student Improvement Team (SIT)
process, the following is completed before the
evaluation begins:
• Home Language Survey is completed
• Language Assessment Scales (LAS) and/or Kansas
English Language Proficiency Assessment (KELPA)
scores are obtained from ESL Department
• Student educational and case history is obtained
• *assessment of the communication skills of ELL
students must be influenced by the information
gathered in the case history
• Language Proficiency for Spanish speaking students
is established using the WMLS-R or PLS English and
Spanish Editions. If student speaks other language,
language proficiency can be determined using
questionnaires, parent interview, taking into account
BICS and CALP, and using translators in native
language.
• If one language is stronger, the stronger language is
the dominant language. It is important to note that
dominance may change over time.
Why determine language proficiency
or language dominance?
• “If we test in only one language without
regard to dominance we risk inappropriate
over-identification. This over-identification is
lessened when we test in the dominant
language. But if we test both languages and
use them together, we reduce the high rate of
over-identification.” (Pena and Bedore, 2011)
How we determine language
proficiency
• Subtests that are administered on the Spanish and English versions of the
WMLS-R are as follows:
• Picture Vocabulary (Expressive Language)
• Verbal Analogies (Receptive Language)
• Understanding Directions (Receptive Language)
• Story Recall (Expressive Language)
• First, compare the Oral Language Total Standard Scores to determine
language proficiency. If scores are within one standard deviation, then the
student demonstrates mixed proficiency. If the score is greater than one
standard deviation, then the student demonstrates proficiency in language
with the higher score.
• Interview student
For preschool students
• administer the PLS in the typical manner for the English
Edition. With the Spanish Edition of the PLS, obtain a trained
interpreter to assist with the administration of the
assessment. When the scores have been obtained, compare
Total Language Scores in English and Spanish. If scores are
within one standard deviation, student demonstrates mixed
proficiency. If the score is greater than one standard
deviation, then student demonstrates proficiency in language
with the higher score.
• *The PLS-5 Spanish Edition is a dual language test.
• After the language proficiency has been
determined, the SLP will conduct further
evaluation using assessments in the student’s
most proficient language. If the student is
determined to demonstrate mixed proficiency,
further evaluation should be conducted in
both languages.
•
ELL Eligibility Criteria
• After you have determined the language proficiency of the
student and administered language assessments, keep the
following questions in mind when determining eligibility.
• Is there a disability or a difference?
• Is the student demonstrating typical second language
acquisition behaviors?
• Is there an educational need?
Consider the 24 Thousand Hour Gap
• According to Samuel Ortiz, PhD, at St. John’s University,
• At kindergarten, English learners with an average of as much
as 2-3 hours per day of exposure to the English language will
still be 15,000 total hours behind their monolingual English
speaking peers.
• By 5th grade, rather than closing this gap via ESL methods,
English learners are now nearly 24,000 total hours behind
(about ½) their monolingual English speaking peers with
respect to exposure to and experience with English language.
Indeed, they never catch up.
• This consideration must be made when diagnosing a “learning
impairment versus a language difference.”
Case Study #1
 Julian is an 8;1 second grade student. His home language was reported to be
Spanish. It was reported that Julian primarily uses English while at school.
His parents reported that he understands Spanish, but prefers to speak in
English.
 Language proficiency testing was completed to determine the language Julian
was most proficient. Julian achieved an Oral Language Total Score of 93 in
English and 73 in Spanish. Further testing was completed in English.
 The Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL) was
administered to Julian. He achieved the following scores: Antonyms 90,
Syntax Construction 74, Paragraph Comprehension 96, Nonliteral Language
83, Pragmatic Judgment, 77, Overall Standard Score 81, 10th percentile.
 On the EOWPVT 107, 68th percentile. On the ROWPVT, Julian achieved a
standard score of 120, 91st percentile.
Case Study #2
• Juan is 5;11 boy in Kindergarten. He was re-evaluated for his 3 year reevaluation. Home language was reported to be Spanish. It was reported that
Juan speaks in both languages while at school. When speaking English, the
teacher reports he code switches. The teacher reports that Juan participates in
all activities in the classroom. She also reports that Juan is successful with
using ELL strategies. Juan’s parents reported that he speaks Spanish at home
and will translate for his mother.
• On language proficiency testing, Juan achieved an Oral Language Total
Score of 44 in English and 88 in Spanish.
• CELF Spanish Edition was administered. Juan achieved a Core language
standard score- 93, Percentile- 34th
• On the ROWPVT-SBE, Juan achieved a standard score of 112, 79th
percentile. On the EOWPVT-SBE, Juan achieved a standard score of 101,
53rd percentile.
Case Study #3
• Ruby is a 9 year; 7 month old girl in the 4th grade. Ruby was
born in Kansas and has attended school since preschool.
According to the home language survey, Ruby’s home
language is Spanish. Ruby reported she speaks to her parents
in Spanish and uses English at school. She reported that she
watches tv in both languages. She also reported that she likes
to speak English more than Spanish. Ruby’s mother reported
that Ruby does not speak in complete sentences in Spanish
and will forget words.
• According to language proficiency testing, Ruby achieved an
Oral Language Total Score of 75 in English and 55 in Spanish.
• On the CASL, Ruby achieved the following scores Antonyms
70, Syntax Construction 61, Paragraph Comprehension 95,
Nonliteral language 77, and Pragmatic judgment, 72. She
achieved an overall standard score of 70, 2nd percentile.
A few assessments we use for
Spanish Speaking Students
• Woodcock Munoz Language Survey-Revised (WMLS-R) The Riverside
Publishing Company
• Spanish Language Assessment Procedure (SLAP) Academic Communication
Associates, Inc.
• Preschool Language Scales (PLS) The Psychological Corporation
• Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-4 Spanish Edition (CELF) The
Psychological Corporation
• Spanish Articulation Measures (SAM) Academic Communication
Associates, Inc.
• Receptive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test: Spanish Bilingual Edition
(ROWPVT: SBE) Academic Therapy Publications
• Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test: Spanish Bilingual Edition
(EOWPVT: SBE) Academic Therapy Publications
Bibliography
• Battle, D.E. (1998) Communication Disorders in Multicultural
Populations (2nd ed.). Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (2002). Multicultural Students with
Special Language Needs (2nd Edition) Oceanside: Academic
Communication Associates.
• www.omniglot.com/writing/kirundi/php
• National African Resource Center (NALRC)
http://nalrc.wisc.edu
• Swahili Language & Culture
www.glcom.com/hassan/swahili_history.html
• American Speech-Language Association (ASHA) www.asha.org
Bibliography
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Pena, E.D. & Bedore, L.M. (2011) It Takes Two: Improving Assessment Accuracy in
Bilingual Children. The ASHA Leader, 11/1/11, p. 20-22.
Roseberry-McKibbon, C. (1995). Multicultural Students with Special Language
Needs. Oceanside, CA: Academic Communication Associates.
Silvaroli, N. J., Skinner, J.T, & Maynes, J.O. (1977). Oral language expression. St. Paul
MN: NEMC Corp. UT Austin Bilingual Special Education Program.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2004). Knowledge and skills
needed by speech-language pathologists and audiologists to provide culturally and
linguistically appropriate services [Knowledge and Skills]. Available from
www.asha.org/policy.© Copyright 2004 American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association disclaims any
liability to any party for the accuracy, completeness, or availability of these
documents, or for any damages arising out of the use of the documents and any
information they contain.doi:10.1044/policy.KS2004-00215
Any questions?
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Maha Bishr: mabishr@kckps.org
Amy Kuhn: amkuhn@kckps.org
Susanne Mahoney: sumahon@kckps.org
Claudia Shannon: clshann@kckps.org