Special Educators' Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Instructional Practices for Students Who Are Dually Identified as English Learners with Specific Learning Disabilities

Currently, schools throughout the United States are growing increasingly more diverse. This is true in urban, suburban, and even rural areas that were previously majority Caucasian and English speaking. Furthermore, the population of students who are English learners is on the rise and of those, an estimated eight to nine percent are dually identified as having a disability. The following dissertation is a qualitative multiple case study examining the instructional practices of special educators providing educational services to students who are dually identified as English learners with specific learning disabilities. The study focuses on special educators' use of culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices. Further, the study examines how special educator characteristics (background, training, teaching context) are relevant to their use or non-use of culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices. In this study there were three schools from three geographically different locations (rural, urban, and suburban). Embedded within each school were three special educator participants for a total of nine participants. Data was collected through an iterative process of interviews, observations, self-assessments, and the examination of documents and artifacts. The data from each case (or school) was analyzed separately. From there, a cross case analysis was conducted, identifying similarities in practices and the reasons for using those practices. There was also an examination of the participants' context, training, and backgrounds as possibly influencing the level of implementation of culturally and linguistically responsive instructional practices. Some of the themes that emerged were: building background knowledge, first language supports, social emotional needs, family connections, and long term professional development as a part of a school culture. Across all three cases, special educators found themselves building background knowledge by using iPads, telephones, and laptops for easy immediate access to Google Images and YouTube videos. These participants were less likely to use first language supports as they did not speak the students' languages, yet they were open to pursuing this concept further. Participants found that they needed to be cognizant of the stressors these students' and their families were experiencing given the current climate surrounding immigrant status. Finally, the context for the suburban and urban cases included a school culture that promoted long term intensive professional development in sheltered instruction for English learners. However, in the case of the rural school, there were limited resources for ELs. By examining current practices, special educators' strengths and weaknesses when working with this population of students could be identified. It is from there, suggestions for improvement to special educator preparation programs for pre-service special educators and professional development for in-service special educators can be made. As the population of students becomes more diverse, all teachers must learn to provide instruction that is both culturally and linguistically responsive. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]