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Planning to Observe Young Children Who are English Learners

These pages may be used in (1) planning to observe and gather information about a child's language environments, and (2) estimating a child's language skills in the home language and in English. This information will be important in planning for the DRDP access or the PS DRDP-R for Children with I E Ps. Having an understanding of a child's current language skills in the home language and in English will allow you to plan for the support you may need to ensure that the assessment will be a valid measure of a child's abilities.

Step 1. Consider the child's language history.

1. How old is the child?

2. What language environments has the child been in prior to the beginning of special education services?

3. Is the child currently best described as monolingual or bilingual?

4. If bilingual, is the child best described as following simultaneous or successive bilingualism?

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Step 2. Consider the child's current language environments.

For example:

Environment	How often is the child in this environment?	What languages are spoken?	How does the child communicate in the environment?
Preschool	Five mornings a week	Teacher speaks English; assistant teacher speaks Spanish and English; other children speak English primarily and some Spanish	Understands Spanish; seems to understand certain English words; speaks Spanish to other children
In-home child care	Five afternoons a week	Provider speaks Spanish only; other children speak Spanish primarily	Understands and speaks Spanish
Home		Parents and grandparents speak Spanish only; older sibling speaks Spanish and some English	Understands and speaks Spanish

Environment	How often is the child in this environment?	What languages are spoken?	How does the child communicate in the environment?

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Step 3. Describe the child's typical communication in the setting where the DRDP is being administered.

The following questions address how the child currently appears to understand language (receptive language):

Questions	Home Language	English
1. What does the child use to understand language? (Select all that apply.)	Environmental Context Gestures Facial Expressions Body Language Speech	Environmental Context Gestures Facial Expressions Body Language Speech
Other (Specify)
2. Does the child understand single words commonly used in the environment?	Yes No	Yes No
Examples
3. Does the child understand routine word combinations?	Yes No	Yes No
Examples
4. Which type of routine word combinations does the child understand?	Spoken Signed Symbol-Word Combinations	Spoken Signed Symbol-Word Combinations
5. Does the child understand new word combinations?	Yes No	Yes No
Examples
6. Does the child understand simple sentences?	Yes No	Yes No
Examples
7. Is the child at age level in understanding language?	Yes No	Yes No

The following questions address how the child currently communicates (expressive language):

Questions	Home Language	English
1. Does the child use the following to communicate?	Vocalizations Gestures Facial Expressions Body Language Objects	Vocalizations Gestures Facial Expressions Body Language Objects
2. Does the child use some words?	Yes No	Yes No
Examples
3. Does the child use word combinations?	Yes No	Yes No
4. Does the child use simple sentences?	Yes No	Yes No
Examples
5. Is the child at age level in producing language?	Yes No	Yes No

The following questions address how the child currently appears to use language:

Questions	Home Language	English
1. Does the child communicate more in particular areas of the setting or during particular activities?	Yes No	Yes No
Specify
2. Does the child communicate more with particular people?	Yes No	Yes No
Who

Comments/Observations:

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“Planning to Observe Young Children who are English Learners” is the pullout guide found in the document Assessing Children with Disabilities who are English Learners: Guidance for the DRDP access and the PS DRDP-R for Children with I E Ps accessible at www.d r access.org. Both documents were developed by the Desired Results access Project to support the implementation of the Desired Results system based on the guidelines and specifications of the Special Education Division.

The Desired Results access Project is funded by the California Department of Education, Special Education Division (Contract #6217).