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Seven Steps for Separating Difference and Disability (C-1)

Home> Attend & <br> Learn > Academies, Conferences & Symposiums > Upcoming TESOL Academies > Seven Steps for Separating Difference From Disability (C-1)

Overview

Education professionals are challenged working with students with learning and behavior problems, especially students from diverse language and cultural backgrounds. This workshop addresses instruction, intervention, assessment, and service placement concerns about students who exhibit learning and behavior problems while they are learning English as an additional or standard language.

Who Should Attend?

Education professionals working with diverse populations learning English as an additional language or Standard English learners

What Will I Learn?

Participants learn seven clear steps for separating difference and disability issues, tools for monitoring instructional intervention, and information on best practices.

In this workshop, participants
  • learn of cultural and cognitive issues relevant to emerging learning and behavior problems in students learning English as an additional language
  • learn of key legal constraints on identifying and assessing culturally and linguistically diverse students for special education placement
  • experience appropriate intervention, referral, and placement decision procedures regarding culturally and linguistically diverse students with learning and behavior problems while completing a case study
  • explore ways to distinguish students with learning and behavior problems due to difference from those due to specific learning disability or language disorder
  • learn ways to distinguish students with language differences from those with language disabilities or disorders
  • become aware of a process for developing cross-cultural intervention plans and/or IEPs for an at-risk diverse learner

About the Workshop Leader

Catherine Collier is the director of Curriculum Integration for Responsive, Crosscultural Language Education (CIRCLE) at Western Washington University.  She is the author of “Acculturation Quick Screen” and many instruction, assessment, and intervention materials for diverse learners.  Her most recent publications are a chapter on acculturation in the Multicultural Handbook for School Psychologists, and two books, Response to Intervention for Diverse Learners and Seven Steps for Separating Difference and Disability.