A Descriptive Study of Literacy Events in Secondary Special Education Programs in Linguistically Diverse Schools

Abstract

This study examined the linguistic and interactional features of print-related activities in secondary special education programs located in linguistically diverse schools. Descriptive data generated by participant observations of 15 special education classrooms in three high schools revealed that the printed materials used in these classrooms were written in English, academically oriented, and used by students and teachers in a teacher-to-student or student-working-alone interactional structure. In addition, English was used to talk about the printed material and most of this talk, which focused upon instruction, was initiated by teachers. These findings are discussed in light of theoretical advances in the education of linguistic minority students; implications for instruction are presented.

Prereferral Interventions

“…whole-language, comprehensive input, cooperative learning, student empowerment), rather than traditional task-analysis, work-sheet focused special education classes (Wilkinson & Ortiz, 1986). A study of 15 special education classrooms in three linguistically diverse high schools in Southern California (Harris, Rueda, & Supancheck, 1990) revealed that English was the prevalent language of instruction. Furthermore, instruction did not allow for peer interactions or studentinitiated interactions, rather, a traditional teacher-directed interactional model predominated.…”