Children with Special Needs

Preschool English learners with disabilities or other special needs, like their peers without disabilities or other special needs, benefit from having their home language and culture honored and supported. The principles and practices included in this site will also apply to preschool English learners with disabilities or other special needs. Research has shown that children with disabilities are capable of learning more than one language and can function as effective bilingual citizens just like their peers without disabilities or special needs.

Some questions that teachers may ask are:

"Is it alright for the child to use her home language and English when the child has a disability?"

"How do I know if a child has language learning difficulties such as a speech disorder or is just going through the process of second language acquisition?"

"How long before I wait to make a referral when I have concerns regarding a child who is learning English as a second language?"

These are common and important questions. Careful observation, documentation over time and in multiple settings, and gathering information from the many adults who know the child will provide a more accurate picture of the child’s language abilities in his home language and in his second language.

What is important to remember is that the child with a disability or special needs who is growing up in a bilingual family or community will benefit from learning both the home language and English just like any other child. This child may find herself in contexts or situations in which the adults caring for her only speak the home language or when many of her friends and peers in her neighborhood speak the home language better and more often than English. The same child may hear mostly or only English at school or in specialized settings. Encouraging the continued development of both the home language and English will assure that the child has access to the caring wisdom and support of all the adults responsible for her growth and development.