Pursuing Educational Justice
for Diverse Exceptional Learners
Through a Cultural Lens:
Implications for Interventions
Alba A. Ortiz, Professor Emeritus
The University of Texas at Austin
College of Education
Department of Special Education
What culturally responsive
evidence-based practices show promise
with English Language Learners?
Positive School Climates
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Strong leadership by principals
High expectations for all students
Safe and orderly school environment
Professional learning communities
Shared decision making
Diversity goals that are shared
Shared knowledge base related to the education of
English Language Learners (ELLs)
 Linguistic and cultural responsiveness
 Collaborative school, home, and community
relationships
BESt ERA, 2009
Positive School Climates
 Well-implemented bilingual education and
English as a second language programs that
assure that students meet high academic
standards in the native language (L1) and/or in
English as a second language (L2)
 Universal screening and benchmarking
systems for L1 and L2 achievement and
language proficiency, consistent with the
language of instruction
(BESt ERA, 2009)
Positive School Climates
 Systematic, longitudinal evaluation of student
progress and corresponding record keeping
(L1 and L2)
 Effective responses to student difficulty,
including well-implemented campus-based
problem-solving teams, with expertise specific
to ELLs
 Mechanisms in place for mentoring new
personnel
BESt ERA, 2000)
Effective Core Instruction:
(80 to 85% of ELLs on grade level)
 An effective core curriculum for ELLs
 Positively reflects diversity (e.g., race/ethnicity,
gender, language, culture, [dis]abilities, and
multicultural perspectives
 Is free of stereotypes and deficit orientations
 Academically rich programs
 Aligned with state and district academic standards
 Data-based decision making
 Universal screening, benchmarking, and progress
monitoring, consistent with the language of
instruction
 Emphasis on higher-order skills
 Systematic, explicit instruction
Effective Core Instruction
 LanguageNative language instruction
 English as a Second Language instruction
 Meaningful language use across the curriculum
 Individualized language planning
 Thematic instruction
 Collaborative learning
 Scaffolding
 Meaningful, continuous family involvement
(BESt ERA, 2013)
Effective Core Instruction:
 Culturally Responsive Teachers:
 Demonstrate an affirming attitude toward CLD
students.
 Activate prior knowledge (funds of knowledge)
 Actively respond to, and utilizes, diverse
cultural norms and behaviors
 Teach alternative styles and behaviors that
may be needed in different contexts with
different audiences (e.g., cooperation vs.
independence).
(Lucas & Villegas, 2002; Gallimore & Goldenburg, 2002; Gay, 2002)
How can culturally responsive evidencebased interventions contribute to the
elimination of the achievement and
discipline gaps that exist between racially,
ethnically, and linguistically diverse
students and the majority?
Contribution to Closing Achievement
and Discipline Gaps
 A well-qualified teaching force is at the heart of
any effort to enhance educational opportunity
(National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, 1996;
Darling-Hamond, 1997)
 Strategies that convey respect for students and
affirm their differences produce favorable
academic results (Gay, 2000; Irvine, 1990; Ladson-Billings,
1994; Lucas, et al., 1990).
Contribution to Closing Achievement
and Discipline Gaps
 Sociocultural consciousness influences
teachers’ thinking and behavior which, in turn,
influences student outcomes.
 The students who do best are those whose
parents are involved in their education.
• Engage parents/families in genuine dialogue about
their children and their hopes and expectations for
them.
• Invite parents to participate in explicit ways in their
children’s schooling; accept differences in levels of
involvement.
(Cotton & Wikeland, 1989; Berger, 1995; Dauber & Epstein,1993; Caskey, 2008)
What are the major challenges to
integrating culturally responsive content
and experiences into teacher preparation
programs to produce culturally competent
special educators?
Challenges to Personnel Preparation
 Studies of teacher perceptions of their ability to
serve CLD students indicate that:
 Teachers do not feel competent to teach or provide
clinical services to diverse populations, particularly
when language or dialects are involved.
 Neither teacher preparation programs nor
professional development opportunities provide
sufficient content about diversity or the necessary
support to help teachers implement new knowledge
and skills in their classrooms.
(Darling-Hammond, et al., 2009; Joshi, et al., 2009; Ballantyne, et al., 2008)
Challenges to Teacher Preparation
 Faculty do not agree on a philosophy and
approach to preparing teachers to serve CLD
students.
 Lack of dialogue allows problems to brew, get
more serious over time, breeds resentment and
finger-pointing.
 Reduced commitment of parties
 Abandonment of efforts
 Return to business as usual
Challenges to Personnel Preparation
 Faculty do not have control over student recruitment
and admission into personnel preparation programs.
 Teacher education students often have limited
experience with, or knowledge about, CLD populations
 Faculty wishing to revamp the curriculum to address
diversity meet resistance from those in positions of
power
 Faculty themselves lack knowledge/expertise specific
to diversity.
(Kea, Trent, & Davis, 2002; Gallimore & Goldenburg, 2002; Cochran-Smith, Davis, & Fries, 2004;)
Challenges to Personnel Preparation
 Approaches to delivery of content may be
ineffective.
 General infusion
 Single course
 Training is compromised by inadequate
resources (e.g., lack of high-quality field sites,
insufficient university resources.
 Tenure and promotion systems are not
supportive of faculty who involve themselves in
teacher preparation and supervision of field
experiences
(Sindelar, Brownell, & Billingsley, 2010)