Reading Difficulties

Running Head: READING DIFFICULTIES IN ENGLISH LEARNERS

EDPS 65 S!"#t Pa$e# %
Reading Difficulties in Englis! Language Lea#ne#s: cu##ent issues
&a#ia S"u''"tina
Uni(e#sit) "f Calga#)
*
Reading Difficulties
Canada is a cultu#all) di(e#se c"unt#) +it! ,"#e t!an *-- (a#i"us languages.
"t!e# t!an Englis! and F#enc!. #e$"#ted as $#i,a#) language ') Canadians/ Acc"#ding t"
Statistics Canada --6 census data -0 "f t!e $"$ulati"ns +e#e all"$!"nes/ Des$ite t!e
dec#eased "(e#all en#"ll,ent t#ends d"cu,ented in sc!""ls ac#"ss t!e $#"(inces. t!e
nu,'e# "f students #ecei(ing inst#ucti"n in a language "t!e# t!at t!ei# fi#st language !as
'een inc#easing state+ide/ T!e nu,'e# "f students en#"lled in s$ecial educati"n $#"g#a,s
!as 'een inc#easing as +ell 1Statistics Canada. -*-2/ 3!ile Englis! Language Lea#ne#s
1ELL2 students al#ead) faced +it! t!e c!allenge "f lea#ning sec"nd language. t!e) als"
need t" ,eet t!e cu##icula# e4$ectati"ns/ Language s5ills f"#, t!e 'asis f"# ac6ui#ing
5n"+ledge in ,ulti$le acade,ic a#eas. and ac!ie(e,ent $#"'le,s c"uld #esult f#", $""#
language $#"ficienc)7 !"+e(e# lea#ning disa'ilit) 1LD2 c"uld 'e an e6uall) li5el) cause
"f $""# ac!ie(e,ent/ Identificati"n "f lea#ning disa'ilities in ELL students $#esents ,an)
c!allenges 1Sand'e#g and Resc!l). -**7 &cca#dle. 8elle#9Allen : S!ui. --;7 3agne#.
F#ancis : &"##is. --52/ T!is $a$e# +ill #e(ie+ cu##ent issues in assess,ent and
identificati"n "f LD in c!ild#en +!" a#e ELL +it! t!e ai, t" identif) 'est $#actices and
fu#t!e# ste$s in #esea#c!/ T!is #e(ie+ +ill f"cus "n #eading difficulties in $a#ticula#
'ecause #eading is a $#e#e6uisite f"# ,an) "t!e# acade,ic and life s5ills7 in additi"n
#eading disa'ilities acc"unt f"# t!e la#gest $#"$"#ti"n "f LDs 1Nati"nal Ass"ciati"n "f
Lea#ning Disa'ilities2/
&an) aut!"#s #ecentl) !a(e $"inted "ut t!e sca#cit) "f inf"#,ati"n and lac5 "f
attenti"n all"cated t" t!e issue "f identif)ing lea#ning disa'ilities in ELL/ T!e#e is a g#eat
deg#ee "f c"nsensus #ega#ding +!ic! as$ects "f t!is $#"'le, need t" 'e ta#geted/
13agne# et al. --57 &cCa#dle. &ele9&cCa#t!) : Le"s. --57 Li$5a. Siegel. :

Reading Difficulties
<u5"(ic. --57 Lesau4. --62/ In t!ei# '#ief #e$"#t &cCa#dle and c"lleagues 1--52
suggests t!e f"ll"+ing fi(e 6uesti"ns t" 'e add#essed: *2 assess,ent and identificati"n
st#ategies 2 n"#,al lite#ac) and language de(el"$,ent t#a=ect"#ies in ELL >2 t!e #"le "f
indi(idual and c"nte4tual fact"#s ?2 unde#l)ing neu#"'i"l"g) 52 de(el"$,ent and
effecti(eness "f inte#(enti"n a$$#"ac!es/
Usuall) LD identificati"n $#"cess in("l(es t!e use "f n"#, #efe#enced assess,ent
t""ls t" identif) s$ecific a#eas "f st#uggle f"# a student/ T!"se $#"cedu#es ,a) n"t 'e
suita'le f"# ELL students f"# se(e#al #eas"ns/ Linguistic c",$"nent is in("l(ed in ,an)
,easu#es. e(en if t!e c"nst#uct 'eing ,easu#ed is n"t #elated t" language $e# se/
Language de,ands "f testing int#"duce additi"nal s"u#ce "f e##"# and affect t!e c"nst#uct
(alidit) +!en assessing ELL students/ It !as 'een f"und t!at ELL students fall 'e!ind in
all a#eas "f ac!ie(e,ent: language. science. and ,at!/ 3!ile ELL students fall 'e!ind "n
,at!e,atical $#"'le, s"l(ing tas5s. n" diffe#ences +e#e f"und 'et+een nati(e Englis!
s$ea5e#s and EEL students "n ,easu#es "f ,at!e,atical c",$utati"n/ &"#e"(e#. "nce
acc",,"dati"ns +e#e ,ade t" eli,inate linguistic de,ands "f a tas5. $e#f"#,ance "f
EEL students significantl) i,$#"(ed/ S",e aut!"#s als" #e$"#t t!at including dicti"na#)
in testing ,ate#ials i,$#"(es ELL@s $e#f"#,ance in ,at! and science 1A'edi --. A'edi
--62/ <alidit) and #elia'ilit) "f t#aditi"nal assess,ent f"# ELL $"$ulati"n is
6uesti"na'le/ S$inelli 1--;2 als" $"ints "ut t!at standa#diAed test d" n"t disc#i,inate
+eat!e# ac!ie(e,ent difficulties a#e #elated t" unde#l)ing lea#ning disa'ilit) "f "t!e#
fact"#s/ &isidentif)ing student as LD can lead t" se#i"us c"nse6uences: li,ited access t"
gene#al cu##iculu, and in tu#n li,ited $"st9sec"nda#) educati"n and e,$l"),ent
>
Reading Difficulties
"$$"#tunities. da,aged self9$e#ce$ti"n. and stig,atiAati"n/ Si,ila#l). failu#e t" identif)
LD in ELL leads t" failu#e t" inte#(ene and dee$ening "f ac!ie(e,ent $#"'le,/
&an) aut!"#s e4$l"#ed t!e $a#allels 'et+een fi#st and sec"nd language
ac6uisiti"n. and LD in Englis!9s$ea5ing "$$"sed t" ELL $"$ulati"n/ Recentl) #e$"#ted
stud) 1S+ans"n. B#"sc" : Lussie#. -*2 e4a,ined c"gniti(e diffe#ences a,"ng ELL
and 'ilingual c!ild#en +it! and +it!"ut #is5 f"# #eading difficulties 1RD2 1e6uall)
$#"ficient in Englis! and S$anis!2/ ELL de,"nst#ated significant disad(antage "n t!e
,easu#es "f +"#d identificati"n. c",$#e!ensi"n. and $!"n"l"gical $#"cessing. 'ut "nl)
"n Englis! tests/ C"t! g#"u$s $e#f"#,ed e6uall) +!en tested in S$anis!/ Aut!"#s #e$"#t
t!at in '"t!. ELL and 'ilingual g#"u$s. c!ild#en at #is5 f"# RD de,"nst#ated si,ila#
c"gniti(e $#"file/ T!e "nl) e4ce$ti"n +as S$anis! $!"n"l"gical a+a#eness. +!ic!
disc#i,inated RD g#"u$ in 'ilingual sa,$le/ 3"#5ing ,e,"#) +as significantl)
i,$licated in RD/ Results "f additi"nal anal)sis als" suggest t!at. +!en "t!e# fact"#s a#e
c"nt#"lled. Englis! $!"n"l"gical $#"cessing and +"#d na,ing. as +ell as inattenti"n.
diffe#entiated 'et+een RD +it! $#"'le,s in #eading c",$#e!ensi"n and RD +it!
$#"'le,s in '"t! c",$#e!ensi"n and +"#d identificati"n. +it! latte# g#"u$ $e#f"#,ing
significantl) +"#se/ C!ia$$e and Siegel 1*DDD2 #e$"#ted t!at $!"n"l"gical a+a#eness and
+"#d #ec"gniti"n tas5s disc#i,inated +ell 'et+een g""d and $""# #eade#s. 'ut n"t
'et+een EEL c!ild#en and nati(e Englis! s$ea5e#s/ Li$5a et al 1--52 $#"(ide a
c",$#e!ensi(e su,,a#) "f Canadian #esea#c! "n t!is t"$ic/ It is #e$"#ted t!at EEL
c!ild#en +it!"ut ac!ie(e,ent $#"'le, de,"nst#ate si,ila# "# su$e#i"# $e#f"#,ance "n
$!"n"l"gical a+a#eness tests c",$a#e t" nati(e Englis! s$ea5e#s/ P!"n"l"gical
a+a#eness in 5inde#ga#ten $#edicted #eading s5ills in g#ade "ne in '"t! g#"u$s/ Se(e#al
?
Reading Difficulties
studies a#e sited +!" #e$"#ted c"##elati"n 'et+een $!"n"l"gical s5ill in fi#st and sec"nd
language. and '"t! #elated t" $e#f"#,ance "n +"#d #eading tas5/ Aut!"#s als" site studies
+!e#e i,$ai#ed +"#5ing ,e,"#) $e#f"#,ance +as f"und in ELL c!ild#en. c",$a#e t"
c"nt#"ls/ T!is diffe#ence +as n" l"nge# f"und in "lde# c!ild#en/ 3"#5ing ,e,"#) +as n"t
#elated t" lite#ac) tas5s/ Si,ila#). in studies #e(ie+ed ') Li$5a et al. $e#f"#,ance "n
se,antic a+a#eness tas5s +as significantl) l"+e# in ELL. c",$a#e t" nati(e Englis!
s$ea5e#s g#"u$7 !"+e(e# diffe#ence dec#ease +it! age. and n" c"##elati"n +as f"und
'et+een #eading s5ills in ELL g#"u$ and se,antic a+a#eness/ Alt!"ug! ,i4ed. #esults
suggest t!at si,ila# $#"cesses a#e in("l(ed in lea#ning '"t! fi#st and sec"nd language.
and si,ila# issues unde#lie #eading difficulties in Englis! s$ea5e#s and ELL. 'ut
,anifestati"n "f RD is ,"#e c",$licated in ELL. and #"le "f fi#st language needs t" 'e
ta5en int" acc"unt/
IE9ac!ie(e,ent disc#e$anc) ,"del "f LD identificati"n +as !ea(il) c#iticiAed f"#
t!e failu#e t" add#ess t!e needs "f ,an) c!ild#en +!" did n"t ,eet c#ite#ia/ Liu and
c"lleagues 1--;2 c"nducted t!e #et#"s$ecti(e stud). +!e#e *D cases "f ELL c!ild#en +!"
+e#e identified +it! #eading #elated LD/ Afte# t!e $anel "f e4$e#ts #e9e4a,ined t!e cases.
"nl) D c!ild#en ,et c#ite#ia f"# LD 'ased "n IE9ac!ie(e,ent ,"del7 diagn"sis "f RD +as
su$$"#ted in "nl) "ne c!ild. > !ad "t!e# disa'ilities. and 5 !ad #eading $#"'le,s
att#i'uta'le t" "t!e# fact"#s/ &isdiagn"sis +as att#i'uted t" t!e failu#e t" use a$$#"$#iate
,easu#es. suc! as testing "nl) in "ne language and in "ne ,"dalit). failu#e t" include
#es$"nse t" inte#(enti"n. lac5 "f c"nside#ati"n f"# c!ild@s !ist"#) and en(i#"n,ental
fact"#s. and failu#e t" c"nside# "t!e# causati(e fact"#s/ Si,ila# $"ints a#e discussed ')
8lingne#. A#tiles and Ca#letta 1--62/ S$inell) 1--;2. 'ased "n !is #esea#c! #e(ie+.
5
Reading Difficulties
suggests t!at inf"#,al assess,ent ,easu#es s!"uld 'e used f"# ELL students/ Cu##iculu,
'ased ,easu#es "ffe# an ad(antage "f all"+ing acc",,"dati"ns +it!"ut sac#ificing
(alidit)/ D)na,ic assess,ent is als" +ell suited f"# ELL. as n"n9'iased. inst#ucti"n
'ased. and $#"g#ess9f"cused $#"cess/ Aut!"# als" e,$!asiAes t!at assess,ent s!"uld
'egin +it! ea#l) inte#(enti"n. +it! $a#ticula# f"cus "n e4t#ane"us fact"#/ Res$"nse t"
inte#acti"n $a#adig, #ecentl) #e$laced IE9Ac!ie(e,ent disc#e$anc) $#actices. and
#ecei(ed $"siti(e #e(ie+s in #elati"n t" ade6uatel) add#essing lea#ning difficulties in ELL
13agne# et al. --52/ Li$5a et al 1--52 $"ints "ut t!at +!ile !ig!e# $e#cent "f ELL
c!ild#en a#e diagn"sed +it! RD in 5inde#ga#ten. ') g#ade t+" e6ual $#"$"#ti"ns "f ELL
and nati(e Englis! s$ea5e#s a#e identified. suggesti"n t!at ea#l) inte#(enti"n. and $e#!a$s
,"#e f"#,al language e4$"su#e. a,eli"#ate ,an) difficulties e4$e#ienced ') ELL +!ic!
a#e n"t att#i'uta'le t" f"#,al RD/ 8lingne# 1#ec",,ends t!at ea#l) inte#(enti"n f"# ELL
students s!"uld f"cus "n $!"n"l"gical a+a#eness in '"t! languages. e4$licit ("ca'ula#)
inst#ucti"n. and use "f effecti(e c",$#e!ensi(e st#ategies in '"t! languages/
In su,,a#). des$ite d"cu,ented si,ila#ities in unde#l)ing c"gniti(e $#"cessed.
accu#ate identificati"n "f #eading disa'ilities is ,"#e c!allenging in EEL c",$a#e t"
diagn"stic assess,ent "f nati(e Englis! s$ea5e#s/ Due t" d"cu,ented issues +it!
n"#,ati(e $s)c!",et#ic inst#u,ents. !ea(ie# e,$!asis s!"uld 'e $ut "n c"nside#ati"n "f
c"nte4tual fact"#s and ec"l"gicall) (alid assess,ent ,et!"ds/ Res$"nse t" inst#ucti"n
,"del dee,ed $#",ising ') scientific c",,unit)/ &an) aut!"#s $"int t" t!e i,$"#tance
"f assess,ent and inte#(enti"n in '"t!. fi#st language and Englis!/ T!is #ec",,endati"n
c"uld 'e difficult t" $ut t" $#actice. c"nside#ing t!at ,"#e t!at *-- diffe#ent languages a#e
#e$#esented in Canadian $"$ulati"n/ Alt!"ug! ,an) #esea#c!e#s a#e #aising a+a#eness "f
6
Reading Difficulties
issues #elated t" a$$#"$#iate assess,ent and inte#(enti"n f"# ELL +it! #eading disa'ilities
in $a#ticula#. and ac!ie(e,ent $#"'le,s in gene#al. t!is field lac5s c"nsistenc) in
te#,in"l"g). ,et!"d"l"g). findings. and inte#$#etati"n/ Fu#t!e# #esea#c! add#essing
,a="# issues is +a##anted/

F
Reading Difficulties
Refe#ences
A'edi. G/ 1--2/ Standa#diAed ac!ie(e,ent tests and englis! language lea#ne#s:
Ps)c!",et#ics issues/ Educational Assessment, 81>2. >*95F/
d"i:*-/*-FHS*5>6DFFEA-;->I-
A'edi. G/ 1--62/ Ps)c!",et#ic issues in t!e ELL assess,ent and s$ecial educati"n
eligi'ilit)/ Teachers College Record, 1081**2. ;9>->/ d"i:*-/****H=/*?6F9
D6-/--6/--F;/4
C!ia$$e. P/ : Siegel. L/S/ 1*DDD2/ P!"n"l"gical a+a#eness and #eading ac6uisiti"n in
Englis!9 and Pun=a'i9s$ea5ing Canadian C!ild#en/ Journal of Educational
Psychology, 911*2. -9;/
8lingne#. G/8/. A#tiles. A/G/. : Ca#letta. L/&/ 1--62/ Englis! language lea#ne#s +!"
st#uggle +it! #eading: language ac6uisiti"n "# LDJ Journal of Learning
isa!ilities, "912. *-;9*;/
Li$5a. B/. Siegel. L/ S/. : <u5"(ic. R/ 1--52/ T!e lite#ac) s5ills "f Englis! language
lea#ne#s in canada/ Learning isa!ilities Research # Practice, $01*2. >D9?D/
d"i:*-/****H=/*5?-95;6/--5/--**D/4
Liu. K9G/. B#tiA. A/A/. R"'e#ts"n. P/. : 8us!ne#. &/I/ 1--;2/ F#", ea#l) c!ild!""d
s$ecial educati"n t" s$ecial educati"n #es"u#ce #"",: identificati"n. assess,ent
and eligi'ilit) dete#,inati"ns f"# Englis! language lea#ne#s +it! #eading9#elated
disa'ilities/ Assessment for Effecti%e &nter%ention, ""1>2. *FF9*;F/
&cCa#dle. P/. 8elle#9Allen. C/. : S!ui. T/1--;2/ Lea#ning Disa'ilit) Identificati"n: H"+
D"es It A$$l) t" Englis! Language Lea#ne#sJ In E/L/ G#ig"#en5" 1Ed/.2.
;
Reading Difficulties
Educating indi%iduals 'ith disa!ilities( &EA $00) and !eyond 1$$/ *>F9*6?2/
Ne+ K"#5. NK. S$#inge# Pu'lis!ing C",$an)/
&cCa#dle. P/. &ele9&cCa#t!). G/. : Le"s. 8/ 1--52/ Englis! language lea#ne#s and
lea#ning disa'ilities: Resea#c! agenda and i,$licati"ns f"# $#actice/ Learning
isa!ilities Research # Practice, $01*2. 6;9F;/ d"i:*-/****H=/*5?-9
5;6/--5/--*/4
Nati"nal Ass"ciati"n "f Lea#ning Disa'ilities
!tt$:HH+++/nald/caHldan'Henglis!H$dfHstats/$df
Su,,a#) Pu'lic Sc!""l Indicat"#s f"# Canada. t!e P#"(inces andTe##it"#ies. --*H--
t"--FH--;Rile) C#"c5ingt"nStatistics Canada Catal"gue n"/ ;*95D59& N"/ -;>
S$inelli. C/ G/ 1--;2/ Add#essing t!e issue "f cultu#al and linguistic di(e#sit) and
assess,ent: Inf"#,al e(aluati"n ,easu#es f"# englis! language lea#ne#s/ Reading
# *riting +uarterly( ,%ercoming Learning ifficulties, $)1*2. *-*9**;/
d"i:*-/*-;-H*-5F>56-F-*F5>*D5
S+ans"n. H/ L/. B#"sc". &/ G/. : Lussie#. C/ &/ 1-*2/ C"gniti"n and lite#ac) in englis!
language lea#ne#s at #is5 f"# #eading disa'ilities/ Journal of Educational
Psychology, 10)12. >-9>-/ d"i:*-/*->FHa--65
3agne#. R/ 8/. F#ancis. D/ G/. : &"##is. R/ D/ 1--52/ Identif)ing englis! language
lea#ne#s +it! lea#ning disa'ilities: 8e) c!allenges and $"ssi'le a$$#"ac!es/
Learning isa!ilities Research # Practice, $01*2. 69*5/ d"i:*-/****H=/*5?-9
5;6/--5/--**5/4
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