Teaching ESL among Adults with Learning Disabilities

Training Materials for Facilitators and Participants
CAEPA Conference Fall 1999

Prepared by: Ardith R. Loustalet Simons
Staff Development Specialist
Northern Colorado Literacy Resource Center
619 Bowen Street
Longmont, CO 80501

Note: This segment is designed to follow an introductory presentation covering the definition of the term "learning disability,"  a discussion of the legal implications of serving learning disabled (ld) adults, and a review of screening and assessment strategies recommended for developing effective approaches for teaching ld adults.

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Table of Contents, Training Goals, and Target Students
 

Table of Contents

Training Goals and Target Students
Background Information
Background Information Focus Questions
Demonstration Materials
Participant Activity #1
Participant Activity #2
Reading List


Training Goals

 After completing the activities presented in this module, participants will be able to:

1. Identify some major characteristics of learning disabilities exhibited by adults learning English as a Second Language.

2. Identify two ways an instructor can gather evidence (without screening or formal diagnosis) in order to determine that a student may have a learning disability rather than any number of other challenges that interfere with second language learning.

3. Identify and begin to apply six principles of instruction that an instructor can employ in every lesson to ensure better progress for adults with learning disabilities and other learning problems.

 Target Students 

The information presented today will be most valuable in working with adult students of English as a Second Language enrolled in adult education classes with instruction at SPL 1 through SPL 6.

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ESL and Adults with Leaning Disabilities

Background Information

The Problem

Literacy instructors working with adult students of English as a Second Language sometimes find themselves surprised and a bit frustrated that some learners make little progress in learning English while other members of the class demonstrate steady acquisition. Most adult ESL learners come to school with a great deal of motivation, a resourceful nature, and demonstrated tolerance for struggle. So why, no matter how hard they try, do some learners lag so far behind their peers in class? Could a learning disability be the problem? If so, how can instruction be tailored to better assist the learner in acquiring language skills?

While recent research on adults with learning disabilities is yielding some recent findings, it is still very difficult to find research results focussed on the adult with learning disabilities engaged in language learning. What research has been done emphasizes the need for instructors to be aware that many ESL students have characteristics of learning disabilities simply because those same characteristics can be the result of cultural differences and other temporary challenges with second language acquisition. And some learners just happen to be less apt at learning a new language than others are. While research on native English speaking adults with learning disabilities tells us that 40-80% of those learners are likely to have learning disabilities, no such statistics exist for adult learners of English as a Second Language.

Most definitions of a learning disability include the following:

Learning disabilities can interfere with employment, social adjustment, self-esteem, and the ability to carry out daily tasks. Learning disabilities can be more evident in second language learning because the student may have used compensatory strategies in the native language that are not available in learning English. Inconsistent performance and/or unexpected underachievement are significant indicators of a learning disability. For example, a student may be able to organize and execute some tasks well, but gets lost or confused when the instructor gives multi-step directions. Another student performs a task well during a class period, but has problems remembering the task in successive meetings.

Identifying Learning Problems

An interview can be the first step in identifying learning disabilities. The questions should be asked in the learner's native language, if possible. Depending on the answers to these questions, instructors can eliminate learning disabilities as the cause of failure to progress. Additionally, the interview can address the student's learning style. Most people show strength in one modality but can integrate different learning styles depending on the task to be learned. However, an adult with a learning disability will find it next to impossible to learn in a weak modality. Thus, knowing the student's learning style is very important in planning instruction for someone with a suspected learning disability. Possible interview questions are:

  1. Have you been screened for vision and hearing disorders? How much schooling have you had?
  2. Do you have any health problems, and how are you treating them? Can you read and write in your native language?
  3. Is this ESL class one of your first formal schooling experiences? Did you have any special help in school?
  4. Did you have problems learning to read/write in your language? Why did you leave school if before graduation?
  5. What was your most challenging subject(s)? What was your best subject(s)?
  6. How do you remember things best: hearing, seeing, doing? Do you have problems keeping track of time?
  7. Any problems concentrating with background noise? What work did you do in your native country?
  8. Any problems remembering multi-step instructions? Are you working now? What is your job?
  9. Does the print blur, fade, or move when you try to read? Any problems causing sporadic class attendance?
  10. Do you get day-to-day English practice outside of class? How long have you been in the United States?
  11. What are your goals and expectations?

There are several characteristics that can indicate a learning disability. An adult with a learning disability may exhibit some, but not necessarily all, of the traits on the following list. Instructors should be aware that most adults exhibit some of these characteristics, and a "yes" answer to one (or even a few) does not mean that the student has a learning disability. However, if a learner exhibits several of these characteristics over a period of time, to the degree that they interfere with learning, then the learner may have a learning disability. Beginning-level ESL students will have problems in many of these areas until they acquire some language proficiency but, in the absence of learning disabilities, these difficulties will be temporary. The following checklist is not a screening assessment, but can provide an indication of a learning disability:

Does the student have...

Principles of Instruction

After the instructor has gathered information from the interview, the checklist, and other observations, the student can be directed to a screening or to formal assessment by a licensed professional. In the absence of these, the instructor can plan lessons that incorporate general principles of instruction that have been found to be useful by educators of adults with learning disabilities. While this list is not all-inclusive, it has the added benefit of improving instruction for learners with other types of learning problems as well:

  • Be highly structured and predictable.

Always: explain the purpose of the lesson; break down tasks into small, sequential parts; present directions one step at a time, using both oral and written directions;

  • Include opportunities to use several senses and learning strategies.

Always: provide auditory, visual, and concrete cues; use physical demonstration of abstract concepts, such as left/right; use color for visual impact; encourage the student to repeat verbal information; act out action verbs.

  • Provide constant structure and multi-sensory review.

Always: preview and review major points, both orally and visually; ask the student to state in his/her own words what has been presented; make frequent eye contact to maintain attention and encourage participation.

  • Recognize and build on learners' strengths and prior knowledge.

Always: relate new materials to daily life; combine life skills such as reading medicine labels and filling out forms with phonics, word recognition, and reading comprehension; provide success-oriented activities.

  • Simplify language but not content; emphasize content words and make concepts accessible through the use of pictures, charts, maps, time lines, and diagrams.

Always: use visual aids such as overhead projectors, films, videos, slides, chalkboards, flip charts, computer graphics, or illustrations; use games, songs, rhymes to help students listen to sounds.

  • Reinforce main ideas and concepts through rephrasing rather than through verbatim repetition.

Always: provide intensive instruction until the materials is mastered; allow ample time for learning a task (a student with a learning disability will take longer to master new material; provide instruction to help transfer of learning from one task and setting to another; set up small discussion groups to allow time for each student to talk and use the language they have already developed.

As more research is done, more strategies will be developed for instructing adult ESL students with learning disabilities. In the interim, these principles can help provide more success for all students --those with undiagnosed learning disabilities and other learning problems, as well.

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ESL and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Background Information Focus Questions

1. Why is it difficult to pinpoint characteristics of an adult ESL student with a learning disability?

 

 


2. What are two difficulties that signal a learning disability could be interfering with learning?

 

 


3. How can a personal interview help an instructor better understand the learning problems of an ESL student?

 

 

4. What are eight indicators that can suggest a learning disability over time?

 

 

5. Name six principles of instruction that can help instructors better meet the needs adult ESL students with learning disabilities as well as other learners?

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ESL and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Participant Task #1

In a group of 3-5 people, brainstorm ways to add the six principles of instruction to a lesson for intermediate-level ESL students. Discuss how you would augment the text page below. Identify one member of your group to share your best ideas with the whole group for 30 seconds.

tASK1.GIF (229533 bytes)

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ESL and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Participant Task #2

In your teaching setting, ask someone to observe you teaching your ESL class/student(s) during one entire class period. Provide your observer with a list of the six principles of instruction and ask him/her to note how you used each of them in your lesson. After the class, discuss with your observer the relative success of the six principles of instruction in this lesson in benefiting any learners you suspect may have a learning disability

 

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Facilitator's Notes

Pre-presentation: Prepare a helper to distribute handouts, prepare a place for completed evaluation forms to be returned, focus overhead projector.

I. Opening

A. Self-introduction and workshop title

B. Direct the participants to complete an opening activity: turn to talk with one person whom you don't know, introduce yourself, and share your perceptions for one minute. "Describe a learning problem one of your ESL learners has (which you suspect may be caused by a learning disability)." This activity is intended as an icebreaker to prepare participants to focus on the agenda. Time: 2 minutes total

C. Review the presentation agenda and advise participants of tight time schedule.

D. Helper distributes handout packets.

E. Show an overhead transparency listing the training goals, refer participants to them in the handout packet, and ask for agreement of purpose.

II. Presentation

A. Introduce the Background Information

1. Compare the ideas shared in the introductory activity. Were your experiences with adults with suspected learning disabilities alike? Often, they are varied. There are many different ways that learning disabilities can affect adults learning a second language.

2. Silent reading. Read pages 2 and 3. Then see page 4 for focus questions you can answer to help you process the information. (Facilitator, get out answer key.)

3. Focus questions. Group offer ideas for answers orally. Answer participant questions.

B. Demonstration and Discussion

1. One minute introduction to the demonstration:

2. Present an abbreviated demonstration lesson for ESL learners that includes clear illustration of the following suggested methods:

a. "Be highly structured and predictable."

b. "Include opportunities to use several senses and learning strategies."

c. "Provide constant structure and multi-sensory review."

d. "Recognize and build on learners' strengths and prior knowledge."

e. "Simplify language but not content; emphasize content words and make concepts accessible through the use of pictures, charts, maps, time lines, and diagrams.

f. "Reinforce main ideas and concepts through rephrasing rather than through verbatim repetition."

3. Follow-up: participants pair off and discuss elements of the lesson that demonstrate the six suggested methods above. Share with another pair.

III. Practice

A. Participant Task 1

1. Refer participants to the portion of the handout directing the task.

2. Group participants and allow time for completion

3. Each group share best ideas for 30 seconds.

B. Participant Task 2

1. Refer participants to the handout directing the task.

2. Assign as a take-home task for use in own teaching setting.

IV. Closing

A. Refer to agenda and check for completion.

B. Refer to training goals. Answer any participant questions.

C. Refer to further reading on the Reading List.

D. Participants complete evaluations and place them in pre-arranged drop-off spot.


ESL and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Opening Activity

For one minute... 

Describe a learning problem one of your ESL students has (which you suspect may be caused by a learning disability).


ESL and Adults with Learning Disabilities Reading List

NOTE, TO PARTICIPANTS-- I read the following materials to research the topic of this presentation. Although neither of the books presents any specialized information on instruction for adult students of English as a Second Language, I highly recommend both to you as resources for contemporary general information on adults with learning disabilities. The publications and articles all presented research-based ideas and instructional principles appropriate to adult students of English as a Second Language in adult education/literacy education programs. I found them all to be useful resources on this topic. I extracted the background material for this module from the publication entitled The Adult ESL Literacy Student and Learning Disabilities. -                                                                                                                      Ardith Loustalet Simons

Books

Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (1991). BRINGING LITERACY WITHIN REACH: Identifying and Teaching Adults              with Learning Disabilities. Ottawa, ON/LDAC

The National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center (1999). BRIDGES TO PRACTICE: A Research-based Guide for              Literacy   Practitioners Serving Adults Disabilities. Washington, DC/NALLDC (a project of the National Institute for              Literacy)

Publications

Academy for Educational Development Inc., National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center (1996). The Adult ESL              Literacy Student and Learning Disabilities. Washington, DCINALLDC (a project of the National Institute for Literacy)

Chapman, Jean B. and Others (I 980). Learning Disabilities and the Adult Student of English as a Second Language. Springfield,              Illinois State Board of Education

Learning Disabilities Association (I 994). Learning Disabilities and the Acquisition of English as a Second Language Skills in the              Adult ESL Population: A Demonstration Project. Minneapolis, MNALDA

Articles

Holt, Gram Massey (1995). Teaching Low-Level Adult ESL Learners. ERIC Digest (January, 1995. EDO-LE-94-07)

Schwarz, Robin and Miriam Burt (1995). ESL Instruction for Learning Disabled Adults. ERIC Digest (January, 1995. EDO-LE-94-08)