Language Barrier or Disability Exploring the Placement of English Language Learners in Special Education Services

Abstract

This capstone explores the misplacement and misidentification of bilingual and English Language Learners in special education services. This paper focuses on studying the layers of language acquisition and how it can potentially look similar to various learning disabilities, wrongfully administered assessments along with cultural ignorance. It also uses previous case studies and instances in which scholars of ELL backgrounds have been inaccurately placed in special education. Additionally, it takes a deep dive into how assessments appear to be biased in that they are created centering English speakers and can possibly aid in the misplacement of scholars struggling with language learning vs. learning disabilities. Lastly, it explores how educators, classroom teachers specifically adjusting or not adjusting their practices are a barrier as well. This paper provides a literature review, case study, and identification of interventions.

Keywords: Special education, English Language Learners (ELL), evaluation, equitable, cultural responsiveness, learning disabilities, language acquisition