Social support among English learners with disabilities and other adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Social support is important for many youth but may be particularly important for English learners (ELs) with disabilities, a population that has historically faced barriers accessing resources to meet their educational needs. The current study investigates social support from parents, peers, teachers, and schools in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. METHOD: Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 was used to evaluate potential group differences in social support among participants that included ELs with (n = 440) and without disabilities (n = 100) and non-ELs with (n = 4890) and without disabilities (n = 1090). A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to evaluate potential between-group variations in social support among these student groups after controlling for variations in background demographic characteristics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Results showed between group differences in parental support and peer connectedness but not in teacher or school support. Parents of students with disabilities reported the highest levels of support, whereas parents of ELs without disabilities reported the lowest levels of support. Students with disabilities reported the lowest levels of peer connectedness among the four groups. Overall, levels of teacher and school supports were high across all four groups of students. These patterns contribute to our understanding of the social support network of ELs with disabilities in comparison to other students. Further investigation is needed to examine the mechanisms that contribute to these differences.

Impact of English-Speaking Environments and Chinese Language Pronunciation on the Speaking Proficiency of English Learners in China: A Comprehensive Study.

English is widely regarded as a global language, and it has become increasingly important for global communication. As a result, the demand for English language education has been on the rise. In China, a significant number of individuals are engaged in learning the English language. However, many English learners in China encounter challenges when it comes to developing their speaking skills. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the speaking skills of English learners in China. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through a questionnaire from 455 college students from three different courses (arts, science & business, and commerce) in China. The study findings identified several factors impacting the speaking skills of English learners in China, including limited opportunities for speaking practice, fear of making mistakes, limited exposure to English-speaking environments, inadequate teacher training, and the influence of the Chinese language on English pronunciation. Additionally, the study highlighted that learners who have greater exposure to English-speaking environments and more opportunities for speaking practice tend to demonstrate better speaking skills. The novelty of this study lies in its valuable insights into the factors influencing the speaking skills of English learners in China. Based on the findings, it is recommended that English teachers receive enhanced training to effectively teach speaking skills, and learners should be provided with increased opportunities for speaking practice, such as participating in group discussions or engaging in speaking activities.

The impact of educational and medical systems on autistic children from multilingual American homes: A systematic review.

LAY ABSTRACT: Research has found that autistic children can navigate multilingual schools and communities without harming their language skills or school success. However, they may encounter specific challenges within the United States, where educational and healthcare systems are insufficiently equipped to meet their needs. This review examined 46 US-based studies on the topic and findings reveal persistent deficit-based ideas about multilingualism and autism (e.g., professionals recommending that autistic students only speak and learn in English) accompanied by patterns of unequal identification of autism among multilingual children. These findings highlight issues of disproportionality and inadequate access to educational and healthcare resources. However, recent studies indicate that incorporating a child's native language in education not only enhances learning and behavioral outcomes but also boosts cognitive functions like problem-solving and planning. Taken as a whole, current research suggests that intentionally addressing linguistic diversity will allow educational and medical systems to better serve autistic children.

The influence of student engagement on the effects of an inferential reading comprehension intervention for struggling middle school readers.

Although many students benefit from evidence-based reading comprehension interventions, not all students will exhibit adequate response. Moderation analysis provides a statistical approach to examine for whom and under what conditions interventions are most effective. Conducted within a parent project, which investigated the effects of an inferential reading comprehension intervention, the current study examined factors related to the deployment of students' attention as well as language status that might be associated with differential response to intervention. Sixty-six struggling middle school readers were randomly assigned to a computerized version of the intervention, a teacher-led version, or business-as-usual (BaU) control instruction. The influence of language status (i.e., English Learner status) and pre-intervention levels of mind-wandering, anxiety, and mindset on the effects of the inferential reading comprehension intervention were examined. There were no moderator effects for the teacher-led group compared to the BaU control. Conversely, anxiety, mind-wandering, and language status moderated the effects of the computer-led intervention for some reading and inference-making outcomes. The computer-led intervention was associated with improved inference-making for students with higher levels of self-reported anxiety and mind-wandering. In contrast, the computer-led intervention was less beneficial than BaU instruction for English learners. Findings are discussed with respect to how these factors might be relevant for interpreting the effects of interventions for struggling middle school readers in general, and for English learners in particular. The findings also point to the importance of considering the characteristics of both student and instructional features in the creation and testing of reading comprehension interventions.

Language Preference of a Multilingual Individual With Disabilities Using a Speech Generating Device.

Individuals with disabilities who are English learners (ELs) and communicate using speech generating devices (SGDs) may demonstrate a preference for instructional language and language output of their SGDs. The influence of interventionist language on the preference of SGD language output and frequency of mands was examined using an alternating-treatments design with an embedded concurrent-chain arrangement with a 10-year-old with Down syndrome whose heritage language was Spanish. Language preference assessment for ELs is recommended because heritage language may be preferred for children with disabilities who use SGDs.

The Impact of Brown on EL Students: Addressing Linguistic and Educational Rights Through School Leadership Practice and Preparation.

In 1974, the Supreme Court drew on the 1954 Brown decision in Lau v Nichols, placing English learner (EL) students' right to a meaningful education at the forefront of educational policy. Subsequent federal decisions and legislation (i.e., Castañeda; Equal Educational Opportunities Act [EEOA], No Child Left Behind [NCLB], and Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA]) have placed the responsibility for providing quality educational programming on districts, schools, and school leaders. In this article, we propose a framework for the integration of linguistic equity in leadership preparation and an historical case of a university-based principal preparation program that has integrated this framework into coursework and clinical experiences.