The Language-Minority Student and Special Education: Issues, Trends, and Paradoxes

1994 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Gersten ◽  
John Woodward

Because of immigration pressures, the classrooms of many teachers include students from language-minority groups; these teachers often turn to special education for assistance. This article examines key issues and tensions in the areas of referral and special education instruction for these students. Potential solutions derive from two sources: first, the increasing consensus regarding effective approaches to bilingual education; second, the growing belief that these students need both systematic instruction in academic skills and a more “natural” approach to language to promote comprehension and use of English. The article discusses the collaborations needed in the fields of learning disabilities, bilingual education, and special education.

Author(s):  
Kathryn H. Gordon ◽  
Jill M. Holm-Denoma ◽  
Ross D. Crosby ◽  
Stephen A. Wonderlich

The purpose of the chapter is to elucidate the key issues regarding the classification of eating disorders. To this end, a review of nosological research in the area of eating disorders is presented, with a particular focus on empirically based techniques such as taxometric and latent class analysis. This is followed by a section outlining areas of overlap between the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) eating disorder categories and their symptoms. Next, eating disorder classification models that are alternatives to the DSM-IV-TR are described and critically examined in light of available empirical data. Finally, areas of controversy and considerations for change in next version of the DSM (i.e., the applicability of DSM criteria to minority groups, children, males; the question of whether clinical categories should be differentiated from research categories) are discussed.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marley W. Watkins

Computerized drill-and-practice is currently a primary application of microcomputers in special education. This application has been disparaged by some, but in many cases has been demonstrated effective in improving the academic skills of learning disabled (LD) and underachieving children. This investigation found that 126 LD students who received computerized math and spelling drill-and-practice for a year expressed significantly more positive attitudes toward academic work on the computer than toward similar academic tasks undertaken in the regular classroom. They also reported opinions significantly more favorable toward math and spelling drill than opinions expressed by 89 other learning disabled students, who did not have access to computerized math and spelling instruction, toward academic work performed in their special education classrooms. Analysis by gender of student revealed that boys were significantly less positive about school than girls but that boys and girls were equally positive about practicing academic skills on the microcomputer. It was concluded that computerized drill-and-practice may be more effective than once believed and that additional research is needed to identify the components of computerized drill-and-practice that result in academic and attitudinal gains among learning disabled pupils.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-31
Author(s):  
J. F. L.

A federal judge in San Francisco ruled that any parent can arrange for the use of IQ testing in assessing students' learning disabilities, despite arguments that the tests discriminate against minorities. Judge Robert F. Peckham issued a summary judgment ruling in favor of the families of nine black schoolchildren in California. The families were challenging the constitutionality of a statewide ban on the use of standardized intelligence tests for black children in California special-education classes. The state Department of Education in 1986 banned the use of IQ tests for assessing black students, but the ban did not apply to students from other minority groups. Later, black students seeking access to programs for gifted students were exempted from the tests as well.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Yang Chen

<p><em>The term “bilingual education” can be described as a concept of educational research, based on its literal meaning, it usually refers to any educational program that involves two languages in the progress of teaching and learning. In modern society, bilingual education becomes increasingly popular, and has been widely used for the purpose of early education in many countries. This essay evaluates different types of bilingual education (early immersion, two-way language education, maintenance education) by analysing their strengths and limitations mainly in aspects of first language and second language development. From the systematic overview on the three most well-known forms of bilingual education, the author finds that all of them have influence on improving language skills and academic skills in a rolling basis while generally have no negative impacts on their growing process.</em></p>


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