Language evaluations are challenging enough; but when we’re evaluating multilingual and bilingual students, they become even more complex.
Language in state education codes may not take the nuance of multilingual evaluations into account; which means they may unintentionally encourage protocols that don’t enable clinicians to conduct quality evaluations and service plans.
When clinicians ask me about language evaluations, the questions are typically:
What tools/protocols can I use?
Who can I go to for help?
How can I advocate for change if current policies don’t support best practices?
That’s why I invited Prabhu Eswaran and Puja Goel to episode 186 of De Facto Leaders to help answer some of these questions as they relate to multilingual learners.
Prabhu Eswaran is an ASHA certified school-based speech-language pathologist in Los Angeles, California. His areas of interests include child language disorders, communication disorders in culturally and linguistically diverse populations and technology in special education. He is now serving in the advisory board of MCCG SAC-ASHA’s Executive Board.
Puja Goel, MA, CCC-SLP, PNAP, (she/her/hers) is a multilingual school-based speech language pathologist (SLP) who has worked for the Chicago Public Schools and currently works in New Mexico as a supervising SLP. Puja recently completed her administrative licensure in the state of NM which allows her to work as an administrator in schools. Puja is a member of ASHA, CASE and appointed to NAP. Puja is predominantly school based, but has worked across all settings: early intervention, private practice, acute care, skilled nursing facilities and outpatient settings. She completed the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Leadership Development Program and Minority Student Leadership Program and served on the Multicultural Issues Board. Puja graduated from Northwestern University for her Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Smith College for her Bachelor’s Degree in Government. She earned a certification in Assistive Technology from University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently pursuing a terminal degree in educational leadership. Puja is a first-generation South Asian born in the United States. Puja can be contacted via email: pujagoel2020@gmail.com.
In this episode, we discuss:
✅What to do when standardized assessments aren’t normed in a student’s language.
✅Making a case for non-standardized data when standard scores don’t provide quality information.
✅Service planning for multilingual students and recommended resources
✅Getting started with advocacy at the state and national level.
You can listen to the entire episode here:
The following resources were mentioned in this episode:
School-Age Language Assessment Measures (SLAM)
WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards Framework
Language Access Assessment and Planning Tool
American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA)
The South Asian Caucus of ASHA
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here.
In this episode, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.
You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 31. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. *If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus.