Culturally and linguistically diverse families can offer a great deal of information about their backgrounds that can aide special educators in planning for students with exceptionalities. It is extremely important for special education professionals to take the time to get to know their families by inquiring about their culture, their language, and their beliefs regarding education and discipline. Through learning this valuable information, special educators can conduct more equitable evaluations and write education plans that embrace diversity and improve student success. By having open conversations, special educators can show respect to the family and increase their involvement in the educational planning. For this Assignment, you will complete a CLD questionnaire with a family and apply the background information to the IEP and initial evaluation processes. To Prepare: Review all module Learning Resources. Complete the “Parent Questionnaire to Gain Information Regarding Students Who Are Culturally/Linguistically Diverse” with a family from a different culture, preferably a family in your school setting. Note: If you are unable to interview a family from a different culture, a completed CLD questionnaire is provided in the Learning Resources. Conduct additional research on strategies to provide general education teachers for the inclusion of and support for CLD students. Consider your past and/or current experiences working with CLD students. How did knowledge of the students’ backgrounds help support the IEP and initial evaluation processes? How did you provide guidance to general education teachers to support those students? By Day 7 of Week 8 Compose a 3- to 4-page paper in which you explain the following: How you would use the information from the CLD questionnaire to inform the initial evaluation, IEP, and re-evaluation processes for the student The background information and strategies you would provide to the general education teacher for support in the successful inclusion of the student in the classroom, being sure to cite specific resources regarding the strategies you selected How your use of information in the evaluation and IEP processes and selected strategies for the general education teacher address Walden University’s Professional Dispositions and Diversity Proficiencies and the CEC Standards for Teachers .
