Promoting Academic Success with English Language Learners: Best Practices For RTI

Educators and school psychologists throughout the country are working with growing numbers of English language learners (ELLs), but often feel unprepared to help these students excel. This highly informative book presents evidence-based strategies for promoting proficiency in academic English and improving outcomes in a response-to-intervention (RTI) framework.

Illustrated with a detailed case example, the book describes best practices for working with K-5 ELLs in all stages of RTI: universal screening, progress monitoring, data collection, decision making, and intensifying instruction. In a large-size format with lay-flat binding for easy photocopying, the book includes over two dozen worksheets. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials.

Key features:

• English-language acquisition is a high-needs area: increasing numbers of districts are getting ELL students and many K-5 teachers are inadequately trained in this area.
• Shows how school psychologists can partner with teachers and special educators to incorporate the needs of ELLs into existing RTI frameworks.
• Research based and accessible: clearly describes how to facilitate second-language acquisition'an often-intimidating topic.
• Useful resources include worksheets to help school psychologists and educators implement, evaluate, and improve their practices.

Audience: school psychologists, classroom teachers, special educators, and ELL teachers in grades K-5; school administrators; speech'language pathologists; graduate students in these areas.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Who Are These ELLs? Foundations, Demographics, and Outcomes
3. Understanding RTI and How It Will Help Your ELLs Succeed
4. The Critical Variable: Academic Language Proficiency and Its Impact on Students Learning English as a Second Language
5. Best Practices in Assessment and Interaction for ELLs at Tier 1
6. Monitoring Progress, Determining Growth Rates, and Intensifying Instruction for ELLs at Tiers 2 and 3
7. Special Education Referral and Evaluation Consideration for ELLs Who Have Not Responded to Instruction and Intervention
8. Next Steps: Conclusions and Directions for the Future

"'This book has unique value for any educator or school striving to provide the most effective instruction for ELLs. Within an RTI framework, the authors provide excellent contextual and demographic information, practical recommendations, user-friendly worksheets, and many case examples--all cohesively integrated in a way that will surely assist current and future educators and rsquo; efforts to best serve ELLs. Put simply, the volume is timely, important, and offers a significant contribution to the relatively small literature base in this area."
- John Begeny, PhD, Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University