The biggest mistake done by such professionals as special education teachers, psychologists among other people is that they get the wrong impression about language acquisition as a learning disability. The above professionals should therefore make attempts to distinguish the two. Determination of a student if he or she has learning disability can be viewed a technique of elimination. In reality, test to determine whether a student has LD does not exist. Therefore, these professionals should appreciate subsequent language acquisition methods such oral language, written language and literacy and any other issue that can be confusing ((Albeg et.al, 21). Next is to understand the likely traits linked with LD. They should also focus on the instruction standards and chances for student to learn.
The approach to differentiate between learning disabled student and individuals with limited English proficiency is based on the fact that individuals with learning disabilities depict difficulties in their initial language and also English (Cockcroft, 96). Often when students show some signs chronological bilinguals, it is easier to determine if he or she has challenges in the two languages. Additionally, the use of response intervention approach is often advocated for. Despite its appropriateness, it is evident that there is inadequacy of professionalism. Understanding socio-cultural learning is also essential in differentiating learning disabled student and individuals with limited English proficiency.
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"Learning Disability and Limited Language Proficiency".
Some of the challenges experienced by professionals in conducting the assessment involve inadequate skills to differentiate learning disabled student and individuals with limited English proficiency. Additionally, there is the degree of validity and accuracy is low, inadequate test fairness (Albeg et.al, 34). These challenges and limitation hinders success of the assessment. For instance, high number of the assessment is developed taking into consideration English-Speaking Culture. Student who are ELLs with LD are disadvantaged in taking the assessments. The reason behind this is the fact that there could be some kind of unfairness and biasness in the test.
There is a concern on the assessment methods used for students who are from a different culture to the dominant culture because majority of the assessments were based on standards of the English-speaking culture. This results into very little chances of appropriate, useful and meaningful scores being obtained (Cockcroft, 126). For example, a mathematics test does not just assess math, but it also assesses culture and reading which decreases the validity as well as the accuracy in the assessment. Policy makers have also not focuses on language and cultural barriers for ELLs with LD. The question therefore still remains unanswered as to how this special group of students be accommodated.
On the issue of limited English proficiency, ELLs with LD are at a disadvantage when they take these assessments because the test may be biased against them hence unfairness. In such a case, the test needs to be translated in the native language of the ELLs with LD (Albeg et.al, 112). Nevertheless, this option has its own challenge. The first challenge is that of translating the test without changing its difficulty, and secondly, translators may not be properly trained and qualified to work with this special group. These results to the assessment decreasing in validity and in the long run, it leads to unfairness.
Finally, there is a concern with dealing with those in this special group who have a possible disability. The assessment is quite time consuming and takes a very long detailed process. There is a challenge with determining the difference between acquiring a second language and a language-based disability. This makes educators hesitant to even refer the ELLs to special education with the hope that they will acquire the language with time (Cockcroft, 187). The major problem is with those educators who are quick to jump to the conclusion that the ELL has a problem due to his/her slowness in completing some tasks and hence make the referral to the special education quickly. Therefore the concern of over referral of the assessment ELLs is a major issue.
