PM3023: Improving the Identification, Support, and Education of English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: A Qualitative Study

Background: English language learners (ELL) are surging in the United States school system. To date, addressing learning disabilities (LD) in the setting of second-language acquisition has not received significant attention in the literature. Studies have found that ELLs may be over- or under-identified with LDs and may not receive educational services that are properly targeted to their needs. We conducted a qualitative study of front-line pediatric clinicians and educators and we report on the barriers they faced in diagnosing, supporting, and educating ELLs with LDs.

Methods: Sample: We employed theoretical sampling to recruit 40 professionals (20 educators, 10 pediatricians, and 10 child mental health clinicians). We identified all professionals via Internet searches or based on reputations in their fields, and initially contacted them by e-mail and telephone. We sought to incorporate professionals from a wide range of practice settings across the United States, varying in their training with LDs. In addition to seeking clinicians from the community and academia, we identified educators with experience in charter, private, and public schools. Of the professionals, 20 were generalists who had not received particular education in LDs; 20 were trained experts possessing knowledge of practices for detection and remediation. We also aimed to increase diversity by incorporating professionals from a range of racial and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and genders.

Data collection: We completed individual interviews with each professional — virtually all of them lasting approximately one hour. Using constructivist grounded theory, we identified two major themes from professionally transcribed interviews.

We completed the analysis for this abstract on a dataset used for a different research question.

Results: We identified one main theme reflecting barriers that impact families of ELLs with LDs, including the following sub-themes (Table 1): 1) resource disparities that jeopardize effective education 2) linguistic, social, and knowledge barriers afflicting parents or guardians and 3) unique sources of stigma. We also identified a second main theme reflecting barriers to understanding language learning in the workplace, including the following sub-themes (Table 2): 1) inconsistent policies for the education of ELLs with LDs 2) sources of underdiagnosis of LDs and 3) sources of misdiagnosis of LDs.

Conclusion: Our findings implied that front-line pediatric clinicians and teachers identified challenges in their day-to-day work that compromised the education and well-being of ELLs with LDs. In turn, the clinicians and teachers suggested improvements. Our work illuminated opportunities that professionals could eventually consider utilizing to better engage families in the educational system and allay their concerns and to improve the diagnosis and individualized supports for LDs in the setting of second-language acquisition. Such approaches, infused with language- and cultural-sensitivity, have the potential to foster greater educational achievement in this population with unique needs.