There is a lot of literature that discusses the overwhelming misrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in the special education system. The disproportionate numbers are over-represented for students that are disabled and under-represented for students that are gifted (Shealey, McHatton & Wilson, 2011). Research has found that many of these cases are a result of errors that occur in the diagnostic process. Misdiagnosis can occur because of various reasons, including cultural bias, low teacher efficacy, or personality conflict between teacher and student. Dina is a student whose challenges in the classroom clearly exemplify how misdiagnosis can occur, because her multilingualism and diverse cultural background present a challenge for her teacher. While a diagnosis that entitles one to special education services can be beneficial for many students, it can be disadvantageous to those who are not actually disabled. Many students receive “labels” that they do not feel they deserve (Arnold and Lassman, 2003), and many students placed in the special education system suffer from low expectations and are not pushed to reach their maximum potential. This is a big issue in our increasingly diverse society, and the high incidence of pedagogically induced disabilities must be addressed. There are a number of possible causes behind the amount of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the special education system. One of the main causes is the potential for racial bias to affect the diagnostic and referral process. Arnold and Lassmann, (2003) suggest that by looking closely at the diagnostic process, it is possible to find sources of unconscious bias against specific races or ethnic groups. F... ... middle of paper ... ...cher, and in his students as learners, can have a tremendous impact on each student that comes his way, regardless of where she comes from. References Arnold, M., & Lassmann, M. E. (2003). Overrepresentation of minority students in special education. Education (Chula Vista, Calif.), 124(2), 230-236. Chu, S. Y. (2011). Teacher perceptions of their efficacy for special education referral of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Education, 132(1), 3-14. Jimenez, T. C., Graf, V. L., & Rose, E. (2007). Gaining access to general education: The promise of universal design for learning. Issues in Teacher Education, 16(2), 41- 54. Shealey, M. W., McHatton, P. A., & Wilson, V. (2011). Moving beyond disproportionality: The role of culturally responsive teaching in special education. Teaching Education, 22(4), 377-396.
While differentiating instruction and being able to design lessons geared towards the needs of diverse learners are currently highly prized skills for teachers, this has not always been the case. The history of education in the United States is a history of segregation. Even today, schools and curriculum are designed to meet the needs of a core group of students, which does not include students with disabilities (Hitchcock, Meyer, Rose, & Jackson, 2002). In the past, learners who were different, out of the mainstream, or did not fit into the mold to which teachers taught (were not part of the core) learned how or lost out on learning. This is not to say that teachers of the past did not care about their students, about being effective teachers, or about student learning. However, as schools are mirrors reflecting mainstream societal norms (Chartock, 2010; Delpit, 2006)—and, given that our society has not always valued diversity in people, be it due to disability, class, culture, or race—teachers in the past have largely focused their efforts where they could earn the largest return on their investment: the average student .
Kenneth Tyler | Ruby Stevens | Aesha Uqdah. (2003-2009). PREVALENCE OF CULTURAL BIAS EDUCATION. The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved
Incorporating the culture of the disabled into the culturally responsive classroom and curriculum will help these students feel accepted and welcomed into the class. This in turn will help them become successful academically. Teachers can do so by learning about the history of their students’ culture and creating instructional strategies that meet their diverse needs and abilities; demonstrating values and using techniques that include rather than exclude disabled students; and maintaining high but appropriate expectations. Teachers can create culturally responsive curriculum by using materials that are free of bias and stereotypes as well as finding ways to include different cultures and learning styles into every lesson possible. An effective teacher is one who can master the skill of culturally responsive
...h identification and then through the implementation of a program such as the Intergroup Relations Program expanded on a larger scale such as the Michigan Student Study, can we decrease bias and promote cultural acceptance by implementing programs that cultivate cultural diversity and discussion in the classroom. The study proposes that the although implicit biases may exist in the DoDEA facilities, the classroom environment fosters a cultural experiential dynamic that allows minorities to flourish academically without bias for racial or ethnic differences in learning outcomes. Furthermore, implementation of diversifying programs like the IRP in a public high school can determine if greater SAT scores can be achieved by minorities who have participated in the program. Elevating the academic performance of SAT’s in minorities can provide lasting educational benefits.
A longstanding national issue that continues to concern the public is the disproportionate representation of children from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in special education. The fact is that the proportion of minority students in the population of school-age children has risen dramatically to over 35%, which is increasing the diversity of students in many public schools throughout the nation. This makes the phenomenon of disproportionality especially troubling. With a growing population of minority children comprising a greater percentage of public school students, we must be responsive to the growing needs of an increasingly diverse society. The overrepresentation of minority students in special education has been posed as an issue for more than 3 decades, but it is worth asking whether the efforts of legislative actions, educational reforms and legal challenges have really made improvements to this issue. More importantly, disproportionality should be examined as a correlation to underlying conditions that can pose a great effect upon not only the quality of a child’s education, but also ______.
A special education setting is based on educational needs of those with learning disabilities. Students should not be immediately placed in a special education classroom, but instead should be taught strategies that are appropriate to their educational needs. Notwithstanding, Serge did not have a learning disability and as a result, should not have been placed in a special education setting. This was inappropriate placement for him as his only problem was his inability to speak English. Although he eventually did thrive with the instruction he received from Mrs. Evans, a resource teacher, his placement was not appropriate. In correlation with Ortiz (2001), “Early Invention for English Languages who are having difficulty in school needs to be implemented by general eduction teachers. Supportive school climates and instruction tailored to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students (Ortiz, 2001, pg. 4). Also, if Serge was placed into a general education setting with individualized instruction, he would have been barely able to perform at all. He would not understand anything that is going on and would have been completely lost. In order to grasp material, Serge should have both Serbian and English material provided for
First, teachers are rarely prepared to handle the challenges of assessing students who have a learning disability coupled with limited English proficiency (Haung, Milczarski, Raby, 2011). Teachers usually have trouble distinguishing between a learning disorders and acquiring a second language. Eve...
Standard 1.1 discusses how special education teachers need to understand how language, culture, and family background influences the learning of students with exceptionalities. Standard 4.3 discusses how teachers should collaborate with other teachers and parents to use multiple types of assessment information in making decisions. Standard 5.5 discusses the transition plans they have to implement in collaboration with the students, families, and teachers. Standard 6.3 discusses how teachers understand that diversity is a part of families, cultures, and schools, and that they can interact with the delivery of special education services. Standard 7.0 discusses the collaborations that teachers need to start having with families, educators, and related service providers. 7.3 discusses the promotion of collaborations for the well-being of the individuals with exceptionalities. These standards show what the teacher is beginning to do with the families that have a child with
Alison’s story is the perfect example of what many families must go through when faced with the possibility of having a child diagnosed with a learning disability. Alison was not diagnosed with visual and auditory dyslexia until the summer before entering college. However, while still a toddler, her symptoms had been brought to her mother’s attention by her sister’s teacher. Alison’s mother then noticed her habits in repeating words incorrectly and how Alison would need tactile clues to follow directions. At the recommendation of her kindergarten teacher, Alison was tested for learning disabilities and the results from the school psychologists were that she was acting stubborn or disobedient. Her family did not stop with the school’s diagnosis. They had private testing completed that confirmed Alison did not have a specific learning disability. The final word came from a relative that happened to be a psychologist. He insisted Alison would grow out of her difficulties. So Alison continued on with her entire elementary, middle and high school journey as a student and daughter with an undiagnosed learning disability.
Zavislak, Alyssa. “Are General Education Requirements a Waste?” The Cornellian. Cornell University, 10 October 2013. Web. 24 March 2014.
Each school, because of government mandate, has to provide services for exceptional students. The textbook Human Diversity in Education defines exceptional students as “those eligible for special educational services” (Cushner, McClelland & Safford, 2011). There are several categories for exceptional student but they all fall under the Ability/Disability continuum. Some of the categories for exceptional students are the: intellectually gifted, specific learning disability, emotionally handicapped, hearing impaired, visually impaired, mentally handicapped, and physically handicapped. In this paper the specific type of students that will be discussed, fall under the disabled side of the continuum. As one can see from the list above there are various types of disabilities that can affect students. One of the disabilities that affect many students in schools today is known as the Learning Disability (LD). Students with learning disabilities, also known as specific learning disabilities, tend to be of at least average intelligence. Of at least average intelligence is the key phrase. A learning disability is defined as “a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information” (National Center for Learning Disabilities,). Learning disabilities can affect students in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing and spelling, reasoning, and mathematics. A student that has a learning disability can at times suffer for a social anxiety. Though social anxiety can be something minor, for students with this disability 2011it can cause major problems. Their social anxiety is caused by fearing that they will not fit in because they are unable to understand or process the information a...
The article “Diversity: Attitudes” lists three different cultures viewpoints on disabilities and how understanding these perceptions could better help their home to school interactions. Most Americans in the education system understand that each individual student with a disability needs a bit more care and patients in order to receive an opportunity for equal education. American culture is taught a scientific approach to explain why some individuals are born with certain disabilities. A common example would be Down’s syndrome which is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 and not because of some bad karma like the Pacific Islanders and Philippine would like to believe. Just like any culture there several different viewpoints on any subject
Inclusion is a vital and importance aspect of education that promotes effective teaching however it can often be easily neglected due to the problematic nature of teaching which may cause teachers to be overwhelmed by other aspects of teaching. I believe that inclusion is an extremely relevant component of teaching due to the diversity of students that we may interact with as a teacher. Diversity includes multiple characteristics ‘such as gender, race ethnicity…….cognitive abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs and so on’ (Spandagou, 2016) and there it will be essential for me as a teacher to understand that teaching involves a heavy amount of interaction with a diversified range of students which contribute to the relevance of inclusion
To be truly inclusive teachers, we need to first know the student and identify the real reasons for any individual to be classified as having a learning disability.
As a prospective secondary mathematics educator, I felt that it was unfair that I would have special education students in my classes. I would rationalize my attitude by saying that I signed up to teach “normal” students, and that the special education students were not my problem or responsibility. I did not want to deal with them. I did not see them as individuals who seek meaning through learning.