Shernaz B. García

Deconstructing Deficit Thinking: Working with Educators to Create More Equitable Learning Environments

Studies of comprehensive school reform suggest that such efforts often fail because of educators’ unwillingness to examine the root causes of underachievement and of failure among students from low-income and racially or ethnically diverse backgrounds and because of their tendency to locate the problem within students, families, and communities. Drawing on their research and professional development experiences, the authors present a conceptual framework for the deconstruction of deficit thinking through staff development. Next, they discuss assumptions and beliefs about culturally diverse students and families that they have encountered in low performing schools, and they illustrate how such beliefs may be successfully challenged and reframed.

Preventing Disproportionate Representation: Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Prereferral Interventions:

the 1970s in response to the concern about inappropriate identification and labeling of children for special education and has evolved over time into a variety of models. The primary concern of all models has generally been to differentiate students with disabilities from those whose academic or behavioral difficulties reflect other factors, including inappropriate or inadequate instruction. In all these models, students who are persistently nonresponsive to more intensive and alternative instructional or behavioral interventions over time are viewed as the most likely candidates for special education (Fletcher, Barnes, & Francis, 2002; Ortiz, 2002). Current discussions about responseto-intervention (RTI) models for the identification of learning disabilities (LDs) reflect these concerns as well (Vaughn & Fuchs, 2003). When RTI is implemented with culturally and linguistically diverse learners, it is critical that the prereferral intervention process is culturally and linguistically responsive; that is, educators must ensure that students’ sociocultural, linguistic, racial/ethnic, and other relevant background characteristics are addressed at all stages, including reviewing student performance, considering reasons for student difficulty or failure, designing alternative interventions, and interpreting assessment results (Ortiz, 2002). Without such examination, even prereferral intervention practices may not result in improved student outcomes and may continue to result in disproportionate representation in special education. In this brief, we highlight four key elements of culturally and linguistically responsive prereferral intervention for culturally and linguistically diverse students. These elements are (1) Preventing School Underachievement and Failure, (2) Early Intervention for Struggling Learners, (3) Diagnostic/ Prescriptive Teaching, and (4) Availability of General Education ProblemSolving Support Systems.

Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners With Learning Disabilities in the General Curriculuam

To be academically successful in general education classrooms, English language learners (ELLs) with learning disabilities (LD) need instruction that is simultaneously responsive to their disability, English language status, and culture. Because the majority of students with LD have reading disabilities, ESL and classroom teachers must be familiar with instructional strategies that will support language and literacy development in the content areas. This article provides an overview of instructional characteristics of ELLs with LD, and offers a framework for instructional planning and collaboration between content area, ESL, and special education teachers to ensure that students can be successful in the general education curriculum.

Long-Term English Language Learners’ Perceptions of Their Language and Academic Learning Experiences:

Long-term, adolescent English language learners (ELLs) experience persistent academic underachievement in spite of several years of schooling; yet, the research on this topic is scant. To increase our understanding of these students’ educational experiences, we explored perceptions of 13 long-term ELLs about their schooling in the context of their school history, including program placements, special education referral, and academic outcomes. Data from semistructured interviews and documents were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Participants viewed themselves as English-proficient, motivated learners, and described their school experience as positive but challenging. The findings revealed a gap between their postsecondary aspirations and the reality of their academic performance, which raises questions about the adequacy of educational programs and identification of ELLs with disabilities.

Serving Hispanic Students with Learning Disabilities: Recommended Policies and Practices

Educators continue to have difficulty distinguishing learning disabilities from second language differences among Hispanic students. This article identifies major issues in the identification, assessment, and placement of Hispanic students in programs for students with learning disabilities, with a focus on limited English proficient Hispanic students. The authors recommend policies and practices which can help safeguard these students against inappropriate special education placement.

Culturally Responsive Teaching Efficacy Beliefs of In-Service Special Education Teachers

Although teaching efficacy has been noted as an attribute of successful teachers of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds, special educators have not been represented in this research, nor have the influence of personal and professional factors on teacher efficacy been examined for this population. This descriptive, correlational survey research was conducted to investigate the influence of selected personal and professional variables on special educators’ culturally responsive teaching efficacy for serving exceptional CLD students. Participants (n = 344) from three urban school districts in the Southwest responded to an online survey. Statistically significant differences were found in respondents’ perceptions of self-efficacy as well as outcome expectancy by the perceived effectiveness of their teacher preparation in addressing diversity. Teachers’ language characteristics, instructional setting, certification in bilingual education/English as a second language, and perceived quality of professional preparation also emerged as significant predictors. Implications for future research are discussed.

Collective Teacher Efficacy and Culturally Responsive Teaching Efficacy of Inservice Special Education Teachers in the United States

The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of inservice special education teachers’ collective teacher efficacy (CTE), culturally responsive teaching (CRT) self-efficacy, and outcome ...

Preservice Special Education Teachers' Reflections on Their Developing Professional Awareness Via In-Context Learning

ABSTRACT The highly complex demands of the profession often overwhelm new teachers. Burnout and attrition are known consequences of inadequate preparation, burdening the education system with costly turnover and schools with disproportionate numbers of inexperienced teachers, including special educators. Many teacher preparation programs embed field experiences as a formative aspect of professional development with the intention of exposing candidates to the realities and demands of the profession. Little is known, however, about the ways in which preservice teachers’ professional awareness develops via in-context learning through field-based experiences. Using an exploratory, qualitative approach we analyzed end of course reflections of 31 special education preservice teachers for insights into the development of their professional awareness (professional roles and responsibilities) following a strategically aligned field experience. Findings suggest that participants expressed a growing understanding of professional practices, teacher dispositions, and professional relationships. A discussion of the findings and implications for teacher preparation are presented.