Whenever possible, native language support should be provided by teachers, paraprofessionals and tutors. It is more difficult to remediate a disability if instruction is provided in the student’s weaker language. Have the pre-referral efforts been complete, honest and appropriate? (e.g., allowing the student time to adjust to the new school, language and culture) Is the suspected disability intrinsic (i.e., belongs naturally) to this student? Have the school’s efforts to assist this student with the educational program been similar in quality and quantity to those programs and services provided to English proficient students who have also experienced academic difficulty? (e.g., compensatory math, reading, or writing) Has the school made every attempt to provide appropriate instruction? (e.g., ELL and native language instructional support) Would this student have trouble learning in any case? (e.g., would the student have trouble learning if taught in his/her native language or, in the native country?) Some of the critical questions that must be explored by teachers and school-based teams before referring an ELL student to special education are: How can we be sure that the student really needs to be referred? Does the student display the same lack of adaptive behavior and/or cognitive difficulties in the home/school community as he/she does in the classroom? What are the student’s prior experiences with school?- Has the student received ELL or bilingual instruction? Has the student had time to adjust to the new environment (language, community, classroom, etc.)? Some of the questions teachers need to ask themselves when deciding on the appropriateness (or not) of a referral of an ELL student to the Committee on Special Education are:
They are not the same.In individual cases where ELL students also appear to have a disability, it is important that the school district follow the required procedures for pre-referral and referral before placement in special education is made. It is important that NOT confuse students with disabilities with ELL student. It is important for school district personnel to know how and when referrals should or should not be made. Conversely, ELL students are sometimes denied special education services when they do, in fact, have a disability, and are in need of such programs. ELL students are sometimes referred improperly to special education.
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