Dual Language Learners Working With Families Of Young Childrenest T ✓ Solved

Dual Language Learners: Working with Families of Young Children Est. Time: 30 Minutes The contents of this resource were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #H325E120002. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Project Officers, Sarah Allen and Tracie Dickson. n THE IRIS CENTER ï„® Activity Objective Understand the importance of supporting a child’s home language in the classroom and of involving families in decisions about how to support their child’s language development. DEC Recommended Practices This Activity addresses the DEC Recommended Practices (DEC-RP) topic areas outlined below: Family F1. Practitioners build trusting and respectful partnerships with the family through interactions that are sensitive and responsive to cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic diversity. F8. Practitioners provide the family of a young child who has or is at risk for developmental delay/disability, and who is a dual language learner, with information about the benefits of learning in multiple languages for the child’s growth and development.

Environment E1. Practitioners provide services and supports in natural and inclusive environments during daily routines and activities to promote the child’s access to and participation in learning experiences. E3. Practitioners work with the family and other adults to modify and adapt the physical, social, and temporal environments to promote each child’s access to and participation in learning experiences. Overview The families of young dual language learners (DLLs) are an important resource for classroom teachers.

Families are a critical partner in helping children to maintain their home language. In addition, teachers can enlist the assistance of families in supporting their classroom learning environments in a variety of ways, including inviting them to share stories, songs, or foods from their culture. Asking families to share materials shows a value and respect for the families and their cultures. Further, if specific linguistic and cultural materials are not readily available, teachers can create these with the help of families using photographs and other materials from the children’s homes. Dual Language Learners: Working with Families of Young Children Est.

Time: 30 Minutes n THE IRIS CENTER ï„® Activity Activity The DEC Recommended Practices (DEC-RP) can help families to understand the benefits of maintaining children’s home language as they learn English. Click either the URL or the image below to visit a Webpage where you can watch the video The Best of Both Worlds: Nurturing Multiple Languages. After you have done so, answer the questions that follow. Credit: National Center on Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness (2015). Washington, DC: Office of Head Start.

Questions/Discussion Topics 1. Why is it important to involve families in decisions about how to support young children’s language development? 2. What suggestions do you have for working with the families of young DLLs? SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION CASE Robert A.

Cropf, Jennifer M. Giancola, and Christine Latinette OVERVIEW Abstract As organizations grow to meet increasing demands for services, old systems and processes can start to break down, resulting in inefficiencies that give rise to increasing frustration on the part of employees and service recipients. Under these circumstances, achieving a fair review process for citizens can be a trying affair for everyone concerned. This case focuses on both the individual and organizational dilemmas raised in attempting to provide a fair and transparent process for receiving benefits. Main Topics Bureaucracy and structure, Human resources administration Secondary Topics Intergovernmental affairs, Ethics Teaching Purpose To examine the difficulties encountered while trying to balance the demands of both job and citizen in terms of responsibility, accountability, and equity; and to raise issues concerning the treatment of disabled citizens by public agencies.

The Organization The U.S. Social Security Administration is an independent agency of the United States that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability, and survivors' benefits. Main Characters •Vince Rogov, a veteran seeking disability benefits •Mike Lawrence, Disability Advocate BACKGROUND The Social Security Administration (SSA), the organization in question, has the characteristics of both a social welfare organization and a typical large federal agency. Social welfare organizations have a unique set of factors that determines their structure and culture. These organizations are designed to serve people, many of whom often have great needs.

Complicating this, however, is the fact that—typically—federal agencies, due to their size and scope, are top-down bureaucracies. For example, a single printed policy manual for SSA employees is composed of fifty separate three-inch binders. In order to try to compensate for its bureaucratic structure and to respond to the changing roles of the agency, SSA emphasizes a more flexible response and more employee involvement. Commissioner of Social Security JoAnn Barnhart described the goals of the agency as service, stewardship, solvency, and staff. Decreasing budgets and a smaller workforce, at the same time that application caseloads are increasing, can lead to conflicts in pursuing all of these goals.

In light of these challenges, SSA workers must strive to achieve an ambitious agenda— nothing less than meeting the social security needs and expectations of the American people. These workers are required to exhibit the values of respect, responsiveness, and reliability in accomplishing this daunting task. Clearly, these employees are faced with a challenge. At the same time, they are committed employees, who are dedicated to their jobs, as exemplified by the fact that the agency was ranked seventh by its workers in the Best Places to Work in Federal Government Survey. SSA workers also have a great deal of respect for one another, ranking the agency third in the same survey in team orientation.

They find their work meaningful because it eventually touches the lives of every American citizen. The same survey identified some serious problems, however. One problem is leadership. Since the agency's executives are political appointees, who turn over with every new presidential administration, the change at the top can lead to serious disruptions in the agency. As a result, SSA workers give the agency low scores for effective leadership.

Disability Insurance (DI) is one of the three major programs administered by SSA, along with Old Age and Survivor Insurance (OASI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The work of administering disability benefit claims has risen dramatically in recent years. During the five-year period from 2000 to 2005, applications for disability insurance increased 60 percent to more than two million. Billions of dollars are now paid in disability benefits. This explosive growth has caused a significant backlog of cases, which can extend for months or even years, from the initial application.

In his testimony to Congress in February 2007, Sylvester Schieber, chair of the Social Security Advisory Board, highlighted many issues that contribute to this flood of cases. Perhaps most important are the dual factors of technology and insufficient resources. Thus, while commending the recent improvement in technology and electronic application and review, he reiterated a call for funding appropriate to the growing list of duties this agency must deliver. THE DISABILITY BENEFITS PROCESS The process of applying for disability benefits can be long and arduous. Each state's Disability Determination Service (DDS) is charged with conducting the initial review and referral.

The standards for determination vary from state to state. This lack of uniformity presents some significant problems for both agency employees and citizens. Obtaining disability benefits is subject to certain basic qualification requirements. First, the worker must have an established work history with a minimum number of employment periods based on age. Second, the length of the disability itself must be expected to last a minimum of twelve months.

In some states, the DDS erroneously referred pregnant workers for Social Security Disability, despite the fact that the length of pregnancy would not meet the minimum time required. These flawed referrals, however, may be an attempt by a state to pass along its funding burden to the federal government. Third, and perhaps most important, the disability must be so severe as to eliminate employment in any occupation. Disability is not allowed if a worker can engage in any activity that can generate another source of income. For example, an airline pilot may no longer be able to fly a plane, but he/she may be able to obtain employment as a flight teacher.

If this is the case, the ex-pilot does not meet the qualification for disability benefit approval. After meeting the initial criteria, an applicant is then referred to the federal Social Security Administration. Here the input from field workers becomes crucial. Observational data and any documentation of disability must accompany the application. The majority of SSA workers are conscientious in assisting in the completion of an application.

They are unbiased in their assessment of the situation and attempt to present a fair and accurate statement of the disability. In certain cases, a physician's input is required as well. These observations may influence the decision to allow or deny benefits. Mental illness presents perhaps the most challenging disability decision. Whereas physical disability may be temporary and treatable, in psychiatric cases, the expectation of improvement may be less certain.

Moreover, the system is not exempt from fraud. In some cases, unscrupulous citizens have been known to collect undeserved benefits. Here the caseworker must balance the citizens' service needs against other agency goals, including stewardship and fiscal responsibility. An issue with the process becomes apparent after the initial application for benefits. Until recently, the only time review of decisions was allowed was after benefits were awarded.

There was virtually no review for cases that resulted in denial of benefits. Given the constrained budget and political pressures, denial was therefore quite common for initial decisions, with the exception of the most obvious and compelling cases. Only recently has some review of the denial of benefits become a part of the decision-making process and even then on a sporadic basis. When denial occurs, it is the function of the caseworker to inform the applicant. Not surprisingly, the denial is met with emotions such as anger, sorrow, frustration, confusion, and often feelings of being insulted.

Caseworkers attempt to diffuse the denial message by informing the applicant of his/her right to appeal and providing educational material on the appeals process. However, the multistep appeals process is exhausting and frequently can take years for claims to be decided. In a few instances, appeals have even reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Unfortunately, applicants have sometimes died waiting for their claim to be decided.

THE CLIENT ADVOCACY COMMUNITY An advocacy community has gradually evolved in response to the growing backlog of disability cases. The appeals process requires an in-depth knowledge of legal procedure, medical expertise, and an encyclopedic understanding of the rules and regulations governing the Social Security system. The average disabled worker does not possess the ability or skills to navigate this path by himself/herself. Qualified advocates are therefore needed to fill this role. Given their expertise and their ability to successfully navigate what is a veritable maze, these advocates often demand fees for their services.

Advocates connect with clients through a variety of means, including walk-ins, phone-ins, and referrals. Their fee is contingent on the award of retroactive benefits to an applicant. Typically, the fee equals 25 percent of the dollar value of an award. Moreover, because the backlog for a case may exceed three years, a retroactive judgment can be significant. Advocates are not motivated by the fees alone, however; many have a background in social service and are seeking to achieve a fair outcome for their clients.

A symbiotic relationship has come into being between advocates and private long-term disability insurance coverage providers. Typically, the insurer is already paying benefits to the disabled worker. Because insurance coverage is integrated with Social Security disability payments, there is motivation for the insurer to seek federal benefits to offset or replace the private insurance benefits. If the advocate helps the client obtain a Social Security disability payment, the insurer may be able to reduce or eliminate the private coverage expense. As a result, insurers do a thorough job of documenting the cause of disability for everyone involved.

In many cases, these referrals are then ready for an advocate. At the same time, advocates are experts in the appeals and application processes. They make sure that all the paperwork required by the Social Security Administration is completed to the letter. As the demands of the agency increase, SSA workers have come to have a true appreciation for the role advocates play in expediting many aspects of application or appeal. A truly collaborative relationship often results between agency workers and advocates.

VINCE'S CASE When Vince Rogov initially entered Mike Lawrence's office, both Vince and his case seemed reasonable enough. Vince had multiple medical problems, including hypertension, a history of cardiac arrest, and back problems. Furthermore, his medical issues were well documented by physicians at the Veteran's Administration (VA) hospital. Vince, however, mentioned to Mike some psychiatric problems as well, which he brushed off as minor. Despite multiple medical and psychiatric issues, Vince had been denied disability benefits by SSA several times.

After an introductory interview, Mike decided to take Vince's appeals case. As his research progressed, Mike unearthed more details of Vince's disabilities. It was during Vince's military service in Iraq that his mental illness began to manifest. He served as a private first class from March 2003 to May 2004. It was during this time that Vince first reported having great difficulty maintaining or engaging in interpersonal relationships.

His family and friends said Vince had irreparably severed ties with them. His recent history included several violent episodes and encounters with the military police. He had already accumulated a significant police record at the time of the interview, including numerous weapons charges. After his return from Iraq, Vince's life and grip on reality quickly unraveled. He reported not remembering where he spent the night on many occasions and began having hallucinations.

Mike believed that an appeal with competent legal representation would favorably resolve the impasse. At the most recent meeting, he observed Vince's growing agitation, as he attempted to manage Vince's scheduling expectations. After the advocate's appeals filing, as is standard procedure, the administrative law judge (ALJ) requested that Mike arrange to represent Vince at a hearing of the evidence and testimony. The ALJ also wished to observe Vince. Mike contacted Vince to confirm the appointment.

It was at this time that Vince's personality took a violent turn. Vince told Mike that he would be happy to appear. He wanted to get together with all the parties because he was going to shoot everyone: the field worker, Mike, the ALJ, and himself. Mike was understandably shaken and concerned. Clearly, Vince believed that he had nothing to lose by his outburst.

The next day, however, Vince called Mike and apologized profusely. He said he had been drinking and did not mean a word he said to Mike the day before. Vince promised that he would never say or do anything that would cause harm to anyone else. The outburst was, in fact, due to the unbearable amount of stress the case had been putting him through. Mike, however, was understandably skeptical.

Although Vince sounded reasonable on the phone, Mike considered Vince's recent psychological history and could not definitively say that Vince had not been serious in his intention to harm. It was a few minutes before he was scheduled to meet with the ALJ. As he walked down the long corridor to the judge's chambers, Mike pondered the situation.

Paper for above instructions

Understanding the Importance of Involving Families in Supporting Young Dual Language Learners' Language Development

Introduction

In today's increasingly multicultural and multilingual societies, the needs of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) stand at the forefront of educational discourse. DLLs, defined as young children (typically under the age of 8) who are learning two languages simultaneously or consecutively, bring unique linguistic and cultural backgrounds to the classroom (Vaughn et al., 2022). Involving families in decisions that support their child's language development is crucial for fostering a conducive learning environment that respects and nurtures children's home languages and cultures. This essay explores why family involvement is essential in aiding young DLLs, proposes effective methods to collaborate with families, and emphasizes the importance of strategic practices in language development.

Importance of Family Involvement

Family involvement is foundational to a student's educational success. Research has shown that when families participate in educational processes, children's learning outcomes dramatically improve (Henderson & Mapp, 2002). Specifically for DLLs, involving families can:
1. Promote Home Language Maintenance: Supporting DLLs in maintaining their home languages while they learn English enhances the overall cognitive and academic abilities of a child (De Jong & Lesaux, 2013). This practice not only reinforces the importance of cultural identity through language but also mitigates the risks of linguistic and academic loss.
2. Create a Support System: Families often provide emotional and social support that eases transitions into educational settings. This support can help alleviate anxieties related to learning a new language and navigating a new environment (Hill & Tyson, 2009). Building a bridge between schools and families ensures children have cohesive support both at home and in educational settings.
3. Facilitate Cultural Exchange: Involving families allows teachers to gain insight into children's backgrounds, promoting respect for cultural diversity within the classroom (Vygotsky, 1978). This cultural exchange can enrich the classroom environment and offer children a sense of belonging.
4. Enhance Teachers' Understanding of Students: Engaging with families enables educators to gain insights into each child's linguistic strengths, preferences, and potential challenges. This understanding is critical for tailoring learning experiences that address the specific needs of each DLL (Suh & Lewis, 2019).
5. Encourage Active Participation: When families are actively engaged, it fosters a sense of ownership over the learning process. Encouraging families to share stories, songs, or cultural practices can significantly enrich classroom experiences (DeCarlo et al., 2018).

Suggestions for Working with Families of Young DLLs

Effective collaboration with families requires intentional strategies and approaches. Teachers can adopt various methods to cultivate partnerships with families of DLLs:
1. Implement Regular Communication: Establishing ongoing channels of communication is essential. Utilizing newsletters, phone calls, or digital platforms allows teachers to keep families informed about classroom activities while also providing opportunities for family input (Calderón et al., 2021). Understanding the family's linguistic preferences can help tailor these communications.
2. Organize Cultural Events: Schools can host multicultural events that celebrate diverse traditions, food, and languages. Families can be invited to share their cultural practices through storytelling, song, or dance, fostering community and mutual respect (Tobin et al., 2016).
3. Create Resource Networks: Providing families with valuable resources, such as bilingual books, educational materials, and community support services, can empower them to engage effectively in their child's language development (Baker, 2017). Establishing a resource center at the school specifically for DLL families can help promote this engagement.
4. Training and Workshops for Families: Offering workshops that educate families about the benefits of bilingualism and effective strategies for supporting their children’s language learning can help bridge the knowledge gap (Genesse et al., 2006). Families can learn how to incorporate language development activities into daily routines.
5. Incorporate Family Feedback in Curriculum Development: Actively soliciting and integrating family feedback into curriculum planning can ensure that lessons resonate with the diverse experiences and interests of DLLs (Murray et al., 2018). This not only engages families but also promotes cultural responsiveness in teaching practices.
6. Utilize Technology: Leveraging technology can enhance family engagement. Tools such as multilingual apps, educational websites, and social media platforms can offer DLLs and their families interactive opportunities for language practice and involvement in learning (Calderón et al., 2021).
7. Encourage Story Sharing: Encouraging families to share their cultural narratives or personal experiences related to language learning can enrich the classroom curriculum. These stories can serve as valuable teaching moments that reinforce language and cultural appreciation among peers (Tobin et al., 2016).
8. Individualized Learning Plans: Developing individual learning plans considering the child's cultural and linguistic background can be instrumental. Involving families in this process fosters collaboration and ensures that educational goals align with their values and expectations (Genesse et al., 2006).
9. Home Language Activities: Encouraging families to implement home activities that promote both home language and English in daily routines, such as bilingual story time, can help maintain the child's linguistic balance (Baker, 2017).
10. Seek Feedback Regularly: Creating a feedback loop where families can share their experiences and insights regarding their child's progress ensures a responsive educational environment (Murray et al., 2018).

Conclusion

In conclusion, involving families in decisions that affect their children’s language development is essential for the success of Dual Language Learners. By fostering partnerships, respecting cultural differences, and incorporating family input into educational strategies, educators can profoundly influence DLLs' educational journeys. Advocating for a strong collaboration between home and school settings not only enriches children's linguistic experiences but also nurtures their identity, well-being, and academic success.

References

1. Baker, C. (2017). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism. Multilingual Matters.
2. Calderón, M., Slavin, R. E., & Sanchez, M. (2021). Effective instruction for English learners. The Future of Children, 31(1), 59-74.
3. DeCarlo, L. T., Nussbaum, N. A., & Mikulecky, M. (2018). Expanding family engagement and support for English learners in preK-12 schools. Educational Psychology Review, 30(4), 971–994.
4. De Jong, E. J., & Lesaux, N. K. (2013). Language minority students in elementary school: Overview of research and current practices. American Educator, 37(3), 4–9.
5. Genesse, F., Paradis, J., & Crago, M. B. (2006). Dual language development and disorders: A handbook on bilingualism and second language learning. Brookes Publishing Company.
6. Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.
7. Hill, N. R., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: A meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 740–763.
8. Murray, A., & Rieu, C. (2018). Bilingual education models: A review for educational leaders. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 21(1), 1–15.
9. Suh, S. H., & Lewis, J. D. (2019). Understanding the perceptions of parents of English learners on their educational experiences: Implications for educators. Bilingual Research Journal, 42(4), 442–459.
10. Tobin, J. J., Wu, D. D., & Davidson, C. (2016). Teaching: Making a difference – An introduction to diverse classrooms. Wiley.
By leveraging a collaborative approach with families, educators can ensure that DLLs not only thrive in their language development but also flourish in their overall educational experiences.