Language Difference or Disability? Evaluating SLD in Emergent Bilinguals

Language Difference or Disability? Evaluating SLD in Emergent Bilinguals

March 19th | 11:00 AM CST | 12:00 PM EST

Determining whether academic challenges reflect a language difference or a specific learning disability (SLD) is one of the most complex decisions evaluation teams face, especially for emergent bilingual (EB) students. 

In this one-hour webinar, we’ll walk through a real case study of a Spanish-speaking student referred for reading difficulties. Participants will explore background data, language proficiency, instructional history, and WJ V results to explore how to distinguish language acquisition from SLD and make defensible, equity-centered decisions aligned with IDEA guidance. 

Attendees will leave with practical strategies for: 

• Distinguishing language difference from disability
• Integrating proficiency data into SLD decision-making
• Writing clear, legally defensible reports
• Avoiding both over- and under-identification of EB students

Ideal for school psychologists, LSSPs, diagnosticians, and multidisciplinary evaluation teams.

Continuing Education Credit:
Participants who attend the live session will be eligible to receive CEUs. Additional details regarding CE credit requirements and documentation will be provided during the webinar.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this professional development session, participants will be able to:

1. Apply culturally and linguistically responsive assessment practices to differentiate typical language acquisition from Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in emergent bilingual students.

2. Use data-based decision-making to integrate WJ V assessment results (including W Scores and RPI), language proficiency data, and instructional history when determining SLD eligibility.

3. Formulate legally defensible SLD eligibility determinations that align with IDEA exclusionary criteria and promote equitable identification practices for emergent bilingual learners. 

Speakers: Becki Robertson, M.Ed.

Becki Robertson, M.Ed. is a national presenter and experienced practitioner with more than 30 years of service as a public-school educational diagnostician, including leadership roles, preceded by work as both a general and special education teacher. She currently serves as Senior Product Advocate for the Woodcock-Johnson® V at Riverside Insights and as a field supervisor in an educational diagnostician certification program, supporting the preparation and professional growth of evaluation staff.

Her professional interests include specific learning disability evaluations, assessment of low-incidence populations, and the application of learning theory to evidence-based evaluation and intervention practices. Outside of her professional work, Becki enjoys outdoor activities, running, crafting, and woodworking.