Assessment of the language-learning ability of a child whose first language is one other than English. The purpose is to differentiate language difference from language impairment. Nonbiased assessment involves using materials and methods of testing that are not linguistically or culturally biased against the child.
Published in Chapter:
The Preassessment Process for English Learners With Potential Language Impairment: Best Practices for Public School Professionals
Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin (California State University, Sacramento, USA)
Copyright: © 2020|Pages: 18
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-2261-5.ch001
Abstract
This chapter presents the case of Tanveer, a first-grade boy from an Urdu-speaking immigrant family from Pakistan. He is in the public schools and has been struggling academically since kindergarten. This chapter discusses the preassessment process and interventions that took place before Tanveer underwent a full special education evaluation, including testing by a speech-language pathologist for the possible presence of an underlying language impairment. (Note: this author personally worked with this child, and this is a true story with some details changed for confidentiality.) This chapter shows how even before formal special education testing commenced, conducting an extensive preassessment process helped to greatly increase the accuracy of the formal evaluation, eventual diagnosis, and intervention provided for Tanveer.
