FLES in FCPS - is it possible to opt out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol2/Bridge2.2.pdf

http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/965/Marjorie_L_Myers_Dissertation.pdf

http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/sl/index.html

I'm not minimizing the impact of various disabilities but I do think that parents of special needs kids often think it's just too hard to learn another language. There's research out there showing that this is often not the case (as well as detailing situations where, in fact, it would be problematic)

I've not heard anyone on this site say their child could not learn another language, what I hear people saying is that their DCs require additional support to learn - above and beyond what NT kids need when learning another language. As indicated in the research papers you provided, there is a significant difference between the academic delays of due to unfamiliarity with the language and delays because of 'developmental immaturity'. If a child is having difficult with learning in his native language, he will have difficulty in a second language. In fact, the researcher recommends 'developmentally immature' student NOT be in immersion programs until they have matured.

Providing the dissertation is misleading. The Key School is fully bilingual and provides special education in the target language. That's very different than what is provided in other schools. I know you say it's not your intention to minimize the impact of disabilities but it certainly feels that way. Unless and until the delivery is changed, many special needs kids should not be learning second languages until much later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They provide special ed services in English.

Do you mean services like OT, Speech therapy, etc? I can understand not being able to provide these services in the target language (although it shouln't be too difficult to fine Spanish speaking OTs, etc.)

If you mean the school is only able to provide special ed support in English that's too bad considering it's an immersion school. My DC gets 2 hrs of Sp Ed support daily per his IEP and it's in either English or Mandarin depending on whether it's English day or Chinese day. Would be very unhappy with the school (and likely illegal) if they only provided 1/2 the support mandated by his IEP.

Yes. I mean that special education (NOT OT/SLP/PT) are provided only in English.

If this is an immersion school, I would complain to the school's principal and the school board. It's ridiculous that an immersion school especially a Spanish one with a large Spanish speaking population does not provide Sp Ed support in Spanish.

My child is on the spectrum and does great in an immersion program with an IEP. PreK for him was 100% Mandarin and as a kindergartener enjoys both English days and Chinese days equally. According to him either language is fine and he has no preference. It's really amazing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol2/Bridge2.2.pdf

http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/965/Marjorie_L_Myers_Dissertation.pdf

http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/sl/index.html

I'm not minimizing the impact of various disabilities but I do think that parents of special needs kids often think it's just too hard to learn another language. There's research out there showing that this is often not the case (as well as detailing situations where, in fact, it would be problematic)

I've not heard anyone on this site say their child could not learn another language, what I hear people saying is that their DCs require additional support to learn - above and beyond what NT kids need when learning another language. As indicated in the research papers you provided, there is a significant difference between the academic delays of due to unfamiliarity with the language and delays because of 'developmental immaturity'. If a child is having difficult with learning in his native language, he will have difficulty in a second language. In fact, the researcher recommends 'developmentally immature' student NOT be in immersion programs until they have matured.

Providing the dissertation is misleading. The Key School is fully bilingual and provides special education in the target language. That's very different than what is provided in other schools. I know you say it's not your intention to minimize the impact of disabilities but it certainly feels that way. Unless and until the delivery is changed, many special needs kids should not be learning second languages until much later.

But Key has kids who come in with special needs and no previous background in the language. It's also not clear that they have special ed services in the target language - the study looks at students' English performance and standardized test performance. I'm the parent of a child with special needs (ADHD and writing disability, along with delays in reading and math) in an immersion program, so I'm not a troll and have experience with what I'm writing about. Developmentally immature is not completely the same as LDs.

And immersion is not the same as FLES. A "special" (which is what FLES is) is not going to negatively impact a child's English - not saying the child will learn much Spanish but it doesn't count for much in the school curriculum. The example of writing Is as Si seems to be an ordinary reversal - the type our DC still makes periodically (in both languages) - and is more a visual processing issue than language confusion (expecially when Is and Si mean completely different things)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol2/Bridge2.2.pdf

http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/965/Marjorie_L_Myers_Dissertation.pdf

http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/sl/index.html

I'm not minimizing the impact of various disabilities but I do think that parents of special needs kids often think it's just too hard to learn another language. There's research out there showing that this is often not the case (as well as detailing situations where, in fact, it would be problematic)

I've not heard anyone on this site say their child could not learn another language, what I hear people saying is that their DCs require additional support to learn - above and beyond what NT kids need when learning another language. As indicated in the research papers you provided, there is a significant difference between the academic delays of due to unfamiliarity with the language and delays because of 'developmental immaturity'. If a child is having difficult with learning in his native language, he will have difficulty in a second language. In fact, the researcher recommends 'developmentally immature' student NOT be in immersion programs until they have matured.

Providing the dissertation is misleading. The Key School is fully bilingual and provides special education in the target language. That's very different than what is provided in other schools. I know you say it's not your intention to minimize the impact of disabilities but it certainly feels that way. Unless and until the delivery is changed, many special needs kids should not be learning second languages until much later.

But Key has kids who come in with special needs and no previous background in the language. It's also not clear that they have special ed services in the target language - the study looks at students' English performance and standardized test performance. I'm the parent of a child with special needs (ADHD and writing disability, along with delays in reading and math) in an immersion program, so I'm not a troll and have experience with what I'm writing about. Developmentally immature is not completely the same as LDs.

And immersion is not the same as FLES. A "special" (which is what FLES is) is not going to negatively impact a child's English - not saying the child will learn much Spanish but it doesn't count for much in the school curriculum. The example of writing Is as Si seems to be an ordinary reversal - the type our DC still makes periodically (in both languages) - and is more a visual processing issue than language confusion (expecially when Is and Si mean completely different things)

I completely agree. It's doubtful the twice a wk FLES will negatively impact a child's English. I don't think you can have your child opt out of a class even if it's only a "Special" simply b/c they hate it even with an IEP which OP did not mention they have.

[Anonymous]

OP again. DS does have an IEP. I really wish people would stop insisting that my concern with his participation (or lack thereof) is because he hates it when I've already made it clear that is not the reason.

Also, I am well aware that reversals are common in first grade even in kids without disabilities. However, as I have stated before, I feel (as his own mother) that FLES (yep, even at a mere 2 times a week) is contributing to his difficulties with English language processing, reading, and writing. There is research from leading experts in dyslexia that supports my concerns.

DH and I absolutely push DS to do things he hates (homework, chores, etc), but this is not a matter of him just not wanting to do it. It's is incredibly hard and frustrating for him, and the support and accommodations are not there. I think it's great that some kids with LD's are doing well learning other languages. But I'm not sure why it is apparently so difficult for others to imagine that Spanish class 2 times a week with no accommodations could be inappropriate, confusing, and miserable for a child with significant languages based learning disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Then the thing to do is to call for an IEP meeting and see if you can get the school to let your DS opt out of FLES. Hopefully all you'll have to do is ask. Good luck!