Distinguishing Between Learning Disabilities and Language Needs for Reading Teachers
Description
What should teachers do when they observe English learners struggling with reading? Is the struggle contributed to a learning disability or is it a language issue? Before determining the answer to this question, the module will provide an overview on how a teacher can critically examine their own reading curriculum and contributing factors impacting struggling readers. Then, the module explores effective methods for identifying language gaps transitioning from students native language to English.
What should teachers do when they observe English learners struggling with reading? Is the struggle contributed to a learning disability or is it a language issue? Before determining the answer to this question, the module will provide an overview on how a teacher can critically examine their own reading curriculum and contributing factors impacting struggling readers. Then, the module explores effective methods for identifying language gaps transitioning from students native language to English.
Topics
Competencies
Knowledge
Skills
Mindset
When working with students who struggle to read there are three important layers of teacher reflection and analysis to consider. Are teachers contributing to the reading issue because of their own curriculum and teaching methods? Is there in fact a language gap and need? Or does the student have a learning disability? Distinguishing between these three factors requires a teacher to be reflective and observant. This requires a teacher to learn how to collect data and research on a students’ native language as well as evaluate their own teaching methods with purposeful questions they can use when curriculum planning.
- How do we examine the skills necessary to be an effective reader from the five big ideas of ‘reading?’
- Understanding the language demands from students’ native language to English across the five big ideas can help teachers identify if the reader is struggling because of language gaps.
- Evaluate your own teaching methods to see how you may be contributing to a learning or language gap.
Competencies
Knowledge
- Describe the five big ideas of reading: phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
- Discuss the potential language challenges for ELs acquiring phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
Skills
- Create a language comparison chart to identify what components of students native language are important to know.
- Apply the language comparison chart to analyze language strengths and errors from student work.
- Demonstrate using a model of steps a teacher should take to distinguish between a language issue and learning disability.
Mindset
When working with students who struggle to read there are three important layers of teacher reflection and analysis to consider. Are teachers contributing to the reading issue because of their own curriculum and teaching methods? Is there in fact a language gap and need? Or does the student have a learning disability? Distinguishing between these three factors requires a teacher to be reflective and observant. This requires a teacher to learn how to collect data and research on a students’ native language as well as evaluate their own teaching methods with purposeful questions they can use when curriculum planning.