Federal Government Programs for New Americans with Disabilities-

I recently participated in a listening session on Language Learning and Access sponsored by the the White House New American Task Force (TFNA).  One question asked may be of particular interest to this forum and the task force is requesting feedback by February 7, 2023.

Question Seven: 

How should the federal government better ensure that it is also centering New Americans with disabilities when designing or improving language learning and access policies or programs?

Please contact MBX.WHO.TaskForceNewAmericans@who.eop.gov

Comments

Thanks for sharing this, Jennifer.  I've emailed to see if there's a recording of this listening session and will post a link if there's one.  Here's the link to the event announcement, with this and other questions: TFNA Listening Session on Language Learning and Access.

One consideration that I have is how we're screening New Americans and if that process can be used to help distinguish between what is within the norm of the language acquisition process, and what is potentially a language-based learning disability.   I know that the identification of many learning disabilities in English Language Learners is especially challenging.  We need guidance on how adult education programs can use the language screening process to document concerns about potential learning disabilities, and support referral to appropriate learning evaluations to better assess these concerns.

What are your questions, concerns, and ideas about serving these learners?  Feel free to share your ideas here for us to communicate to the task force.

 

 

Hello,

We are grappling with these challenges in WI - especially in beginning ESL courses- and I am also interested in hearing what others are doing. 

There may be cultural differences or misunderstandings about what  accommodations and disabilities are    so  it's important for instructors or navigators to talk to students about their rights to access accommodation services and to explain what that actually means.  

The work, however, also extends to disability services and the tests they have available or providers in the community which can assess ELs in a culturally competent manner. 

Thank you 

Cristina Parente, WI Technical College System