Part 1
The process of learning for an ELL with LD is more complex and challenging than for their English-speaking peers with LD, or their ELL peers without LD. Both layers of challenge affect their ability to learn and process information before learning can occur. Not only do reading levels, new words, and new concepts present a challenge, but a lesson that uses expressions and academic concepts and terms that the students do not know yet effectively doubles the demand on their cognitive abilities, and compounds the challenge for the learner with LD (Garcia, 117).
For example, when you ask a question to an ELL, they must first process the question and translate it to their L1, and then process their answer and translate it into English, in order to respond to you (Nguyen, 144). When the concept or key terminology is unfamiliar to the student, they may struggle to translate your question into their L1. If they do, and they come up with an appropriate, thoughtful and complex response, they may lack the English terminology to know how to express it properly back to you. Often by this point we simply draw the conclusion that the student doesn't "get it", without figuring out which step of the process was the actual stumbling block.
When the added challenge of LD is factored in, there are many points in the question/answer process that could become insurmountable obstacles. We must be conscious of putting the time and effort into assessing which part of the process is causing the difficulty, and why it is difficult. Only then can we bring in appropriate Special Education interventions and provide the student with appropriate supports for success.
Activity
Using the simple question, “What are you looking forward to over the holidays?”, and what you know about the different ways LD can affect language processing, make a list detailing every point in the student’s thought process that could be an obstacle to forming an appropriate answer in an appropriate amount of time.
For example, when you ask a question to an ELL, they must first process the question and translate it to their L1, and then process their answer and translate it into English, in order to respond to you (Nguyen, 144). When the concept or key terminology is unfamiliar to the student, they may struggle to translate your question into their L1. If they do, and they come up with an appropriate, thoughtful and complex response, they may lack the English terminology to know how to express it properly back to you. Often by this point we simply draw the conclusion that the student doesn't "get it", without figuring out which step of the process was the actual stumbling block.
When the added challenge of LD is factored in, there are many points in the question/answer process that could become insurmountable obstacles. We must be conscious of putting the time and effort into assessing which part of the process is causing the difficulty, and why it is difficult. Only then can we bring in appropriate Special Education interventions and provide the student with appropriate supports for success.
Activity
Using the simple question, “What are you looking forward to over the holidays?”, and what you know about the different ways LD can affect language processing, make a list detailing every point in the student’s thought process that could be an obstacle to forming an appropriate answer in an appropriate amount of time.
- Eg. non-literal language/idioms - “looking forward to”
Part 2
It is very important to identify ELLs with LD, not only because they have the right to the supports needed to succeed, but also because just as other students with LD deal with a variety of classroom issues, so do ELLs.
For example, giving proper supports to a student with LD can really help boost their confidence and self-esteem. As an ELL, already undergoing huge life changes in terms of culture and social life (due to the lack of language), there is a risk to the self-esteem; when LD becomes a factor as well, these students really need to have the support system in place to give them the tools for success so that they can be confident and secure (Schwarz, 1).
In addition to self-esteem issues related to the ability to do academic tasks, students with LD often have deficits in their social skills, including their ability to judge if what they are saying or doing is appropriate for the situation, assess the atmosphere or mood in a situation, judge the attitude and mood of their peers, and perform independent activities well (Lavoie, 71). When those are compounded by cultural misunderstandings, ELLs with LD are in a prime position to lose social standing due to those deficits. This unfortunately often results in great difficulty forming meaningful friendships with peers (Lavoie, 72-73), something ELLs can find challenging anyway, due to the language and cultural barrier. It is important to be cognizant of these potential deficits in ELLs with LD so that you can offer them explicit instruction and direction in social skills, and provide them with opportunities to be successful in their interactions with peers.
Activity
Read the ways teachers and parents can help foster social competence in students with LD, found on pages 77-83, of this article:
For example, giving proper supports to a student with LD can really help boost their confidence and self-esteem. As an ELL, already undergoing huge life changes in terms of culture and social life (due to the lack of language), there is a risk to the self-esteem; when LD becomes a factor as well, these students really need to have the support system in place to give them the tools for success so that they can be confident and secure (Schwarz, 1).
In addition to self-esteem issues related to the ability to do academic tasks, students with LD often have deficits in their social skills, including their ability to judge if what they are saying or doing is appropriate for the situation, assess the atmosphere or mood in a situation, judge the attitude and mood of their peers, and perform independent activities well (Lavoie, 71). When those are compounded by cultural misunderstandings, ELLs with LD are in a prime position to lose social standing due to those deficits. This unfortunately often results in great difficulty forming meaningful friendships with peers (Lavoie, 72-73), something ELLs can find challenging anyway, due to the language and cultural barrier. It is important to be cognizant of these potential deficits in ELLs with LD so that you can offer them explicit instruction and direction in social skills, and provide them with opportunities to be successful in their interactions with peers.
Activity
Read the ways teachers and parents can help foster social competence in students with LD, found on pages 77-83, of this article:
- Lavoie, Richard D. (2007). Last One Picked, First One Picked on: The Social Implications of Learning Disabilities. Insights on Learning Disabilities, 4(2), 71-83. (Note: you will need to log into your institution’s library page for off-campus access)