Language Proficiency

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Hi student,

I provided you with some information relevant to standards that regulate testing and/or counseling when working with students having a diverse background. Be sure to include in your paper a section explaining the ethical concerns that can arise with this scenario. Good luck with your paper.

Research would suggest that there is no hard-fast rule of thumb on language proficiency. However, research does indicate when working with persons having a second language, and with students who have special needs, the rule of thumb is "to make learning comprehensible and accessible" (Special populations). In the same way, no research is noted that addresses the issue of identifying and supporting special needs students (perhaps with the exception of No Child left Behind, NCLB). This law was designed to assure that students in some demographic groups, who were unlikely to succeed not be left behind. For example, the law applies to schools that receive Title I money from the federal government. Students who fall short of reaching state standards, under the NCLB must be given alternate assessments (Browder, Karvonen, Davis, Fallin, & Courade-Little, 2005).

Thus the primary emphasis on language proficiency within the school system is individualized school programs in the United States. As a result, most of the research-based relates to second language learners, or those with special needs, regardless of educational context. The research further indicates because of a long-term language difficulty or a long-term disability, "a common rule of thumb is that true learning disabilities will be evident in both the first and second language, while a second language-learning issue will only be evident in that language. Additionally, federal regulations require the use of unbiased assessment measures and techniques for minority students to address their overrepresentation in special needs classes. These suggestions have included using a variety ...