ELL Instructor Interview

Interview an ELL instructor from a Title I school about how assessment is used for placement. You may interview one of the instructors that you have observed during your observations for this course. Inquire also about how placement is determined for both special education and gifted ELLs. Your questions might include (but should not be limited to) the following:

1. What are the indicators of exceptionality a classroom teacher should look for when a student also has a language barrier?

2. How can informal as well as formal assessment results factor into placement?

3. What role do parents and teachers have in placement?

4. What are some primary factors that are exhibited in underachievement that may not necessarily signal special education needs?

5. How are changes among individual ELL proficiency levels over the course of the school year accounted for?

6. How are diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments integrated for ELLs in mainstream classrooms?

7. What are the benefits of the SIOP protocol for native English speakers as well as those for whom English is an additional language?

Consolidate your findings in a 750-word essay, supporting your findings with at least three current sources.