1)
Addressing The Needs of Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Students Who
May Also Require Special Education Services
2)
Guillermo A. Rivas, Ph.D.
3)
Sonoma County Office of Education
4)
3401 Castlerock Ct.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
5)
gar@scoe.org
6)
Abstract following:
EDUCATIONAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
BILINGUAL ASSESSMENT
Theoretical Foundations: Cultural and language factors often play a significant
role in problems related to academic achievement. It is considerably more
difficult to assess the needs of those who have delays which are intertwined with
language and cultural factors and therefore diagnostic problems may arise in the
ability to distinguish between actual learning disorders and difficulties in language
proficiency, as well as in the differentiation of cultural adjustment reactions from
emotional problems.
Historically, the assessment of language minority students may be characterized
by the use of inappropriate procedures including the evaluation of children in
their non-dominant language or with instruments standardized on an Anglo,
middle-class population. Early, appropriate identification and diagnosis, based on
valid assessment procedures is crucial and may have long-lasting effects upon
the child's eventual progress and achievement potential, as well as their self
esteem - which in the long-run may be equally as important.
Rationale for Use: Research in the area of test bias with minorities has
demonstrated the potential bias in the use of tests with English Language
Learners (ELL’s) and Bilingual students. These studies consistently indicate that
administering verbal tests in English to these children yield questionable scores
at best, if interpreted as tests of cognitive ability rather than as short-term
predictors of achievement, when English is the medium of instruction (Jensen,
1980). Relevant issues in test translations and other alternative procedures have
also been identified (Oakland, 1977; Samuda, 1975). I