Recorded on September 20, 2016

What are best practices for isolating the source of an English learner student’s academic difficulties? How do educators know if a student’s issue is related to second-language acquisition, a learning disability, or some other factor?

In this webinar, presented by the Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West) at WestEd, Julie Esparza Brown (Portland State University) illustrates how a deep knowledge of the lives of English language learners can help educators assess students’ English language acquisition progress and inform decisions about when — or if — to seek additional supports.

Who Will Benefit

• General education, English learner, and special education teachers
• Coordinators, school psychologists, principals, and district leaders

What You Will Learn

• What is important to know about English learner students: their language development/profile, cultural background, life experiences, education experiences, and personal characteristics
• The second-language acquisition process and the differences between typical and atypical language development
• Appropriate supports and screening tools

A video segment and case studies will demonstrate the strategies discussed, and an interactive segment will allow participants to ask questions and walk through the ideas presented.