Deaf ESL Students - Gallaudet University

Assessing the
ESL Student
Clerc Center Procedure
By Maribel Garate
Maribel Garate, M.Ed., is an English as a second language
teacher/researcher at Kendall Demonstration
Elementary School, at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf
Education Center at Gallaudet University.
By law, all students who come from
homes in which a language other than
English is used are entitled to services.
At Kendall Demonstration Elementary
School, the ASL/Multicultural program
coordinator is responsible for
identifying these children, coordinating
their evaluations, and making recommendations
for services. The social
worker interviews the child’s parents,
and the child’s existing records are
evaluated. The focus is on the child’s
language development. A team of professionals
begins to assess the child’s
current skills in his or her dominant
means of expression—receptive and
expressive, signed, written, or spoken—
as well as assess the child’s English.
The evaluation team includes the
American Sign Language (ASL) specialist,
audiologist, speech and language
specialist, English as a second
language (ESL) teacher, school psychologist,
occupational therapist, and
other professionals as needed. Here is
a glimpse of how each may proceed.
ABOVE: Students are assessed in spoken,
signed, and written language.
PHOTOS: PHILIP BOGDAN
American Sign Language
Specialist
Francisca Rangel,
Francisca.Rangel@gallaudet.edu
Ruth Reed, Ruth.Reed@gallaudet.edu
The ASL specialist assesses the child’s
sign communication skills, videotaping
the child for later analysis and recommendations
for instruction. An interpreter
fluent in the child’s home language
may be present. A deaf student
from the same country as the child’s
family may be asked to assist with sign
language and cross-cultural issues and
to provide input on the proficiency of
the child’s signing.
English as a Second
Language Teacher
Maribel Garate, Maribel.Garate@gallaudet.edu
The ESL teacher determines the
child’s English proficiency, and carries
out recommendations of team members
through following up with the
child and his or her teachers. The ESL
specialist may administer the following
tests:
• The Language Assessment Scale
(LAS)
• Inventory of Basic Skills by Brigance
Audiologist
Debra Nussbaum,
Debra.Nussbaum@gallaudet.edu
Stephanie Marshall,
Stephanie.Marshall@gallaudet.edu
The audiologist may have to modify
testing that involves word recognition.
In some situations, a list of vocabulary
from the home language may be
used. An interpreter is on hand
when necessary.
Speech and Language Specialist
Bettie Waddy-Smith,
Bettie.Waddy-Smith@gallaudet.edu
Jane Doyle, Jane.Doyle@gallaudet.edu
Julia Coleman, Julia.Coleman@gallaudet.edu
The speech and language specialist
evaluates the child’s use of sign, gesture,
paper and pencil, sequencing,
and categorizing, as well as the child’s
ability to remember and repeat signs
and respond to environmental sound.
32 Spring 2000