User:Miriam Reyna/review

1st ARTICLE REVIEW
MIRIAM IDALY REYNA AGUIRRE September 17th, 2011. Academic Writing.

Review of Albus, D., Shyyan, V., & Thurlow, M. L. “Online Survey on Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with disabilities (ELLs with Disabilities Report 13)”.

This article was based on the situation that some teachers face when teaching students with learning disabilities in the USA. The article states that it is important to assess students that have in common both characteristics: students who are English language learners (ELLs) and also students who have learning disabilities. According to statistics, these situations are faced in most of schools; that is the reason why they should focus on the strategies teachers use to integrate them into the class. The article is based on three main research questions: 1.	What instructional practices do teachers recommend for delivering grade-level, stan¬dards-based instruction to English language learners with disabilities? 2.	How do educators who report working with ELLs with disabilities rate the importance and use of strategies? 3.	What do educators report as being the most influential factor in their choice of strate¬gies overall? The study also states how this topic is important not only to English teachers, it is also important to general teachers, they also opened participation to other teachers of English language learning with disabilities in other subjects such as reading, mathematics, and science besides special education, and general education as well.

The method of this research it is divided into three main categories. The first category refers to the strategies that can be used with students that present learning disabilities in other subjects such as reading, mathematics, and science. In this part of the survey they focus their attention on questions about the characteristics of the student popula¬tion taught, and the educator’s familiarity with state standards. The second part of the survey refers to the use of certain strategies that can be applied to students of a second language with learning disabilities. In this part, it also includes strategies that can be used for students by their own. The third part of the survey is about information of gender, location, job title, and grade served. The survey was based on 48 participants; the participants were teachers of students with learning disabilities. Of those teachers, 3 were males, 15 were females, and 8 did not in¬dicate their gender. Only 26 teachers reported in their answers being teaching students with learning disabilities and the rest did not answer the complete survey. In the survey were found disabilities such as mental retardation, emotional behavioral disabilities, and speech/language disabilities. Most of these students were classified as having beginning or intermediate levels of English proficiency and only the 8% were in an advanced level. Only 16 teachers reported that their classes were in English all the time, 6 teachers reported that they provided some contents in their native language, and only 1 reported teaching with meaningful native language use; 1 indicated no language service and 2 did not answer the question. The results of this survey were interesting. It was noticeable that the result were presented for both educators, the ones that teach others subjects such as science, mathematics and reading; and on the other hand, for English teachers that work with students with learning disabilities. Since the survey is quantitative, in the results are discussed the most important strategies that can be used to teach these kind of students. About the strategies that can be used with English language learners with disabilities it was found that can be classified according to the level of students (elementary school, middle school, and high school. The most common strategies were Teaching pre-, during-, and post-reading strategies Chunking and questioning aloud, Fluency building, Directly teach vocabulary through listening, seeing, reading, and writing in short time segments.

This kind of information can be used to apply it in some cases that are presented in our country and being more specific in some Elementary pucblic schools; it is noticeable that students with learning disabilities exist around the world. Integrate this kind of students is very important for teachers to contribute in the public system of education. Students with learning disabilites must be included as equal persons through using special strategies that help to develop their learning process. It has been proved that using specific strategies (Teaching pre-, during-, and post-reading strategies Chunking and questioning aloud, Fluency building, Directly teach vocabulary through listening, seeing, reading, and writing in short time segments) can contribute to students progress in their academic progress.

Albus, D., Shyyan, V., & Thurlow, M. L. (2006). Online Survey on instructional strategies for English language learners with disabilities (ELLs with Disabilities Report 13). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Check your notes and review the requirements for each of the four paragraphs required for this assignment. If you have questions, see me.

2nd ARTICLE REVIEW
Review of DeFalco, L. “Integrating the Secondary School Foreign Language Classroom through Multiple Learning”.

English teachers always face a reality: teaching students with learning disabilities. It is noticeable that those students are special; for that reason it is important to apply different activities that should help teachers to achieve their class objectives. The real challenge for them is teach in groups that have standard students and students with learning disabilities at the same time. For those reasons, the use of appropriate strategies in classes would help students and teachers to succeed in the teaching-learning process of both. Learning a second language must be fair for all students, no matter if they have learning disabilities or not. It is noticeable that most of teachers are supported by special education teachers. In that way, teachers are able to share experiences and strategies that would be useful to be applied when teaching groups that contain students with special needs. Learning disabilities students’ is not a new topic for experienced teachers. Most of them think that their learning process depends on the correct application of the appropriate strategies and methodologies according to the disability that each student has.

What are the most common difficulties that teachers face when working with students with learning disabilities? What kind of strategies can teachers use to help students to succeed? Should teachers use multiple learning activities in the classroom?

The participants are two foreign language teachers, one special education teacher, and a student that has a learning disability from a rural school in Central New York.

DeFalco, L. (2011). Integrating the Secondary School Foreign Language Classroom through Multiple Learning. SUNY Oswego: EDU 520