Critical Consciousness in Decision-Making: A Model for Educational Planning and Instruction With Bilingual/Multilingual Students with Disabilities

"Was dual language immersion the best choice for my student, Fanny, if she is still not prepared for middle school? " Ms. Suárez’s reflection depicts common issues faced by parents, teachers, and administrators who must decide what type of services will be most beneficial for a student who is acquiring English as a second language and has a disability. Making the decision is challenging when the members of the individualized education program (IEP) team does not have the necessary expertise to determine the instructional environments that best meet the needs of the largest growing subgroup of K–12 students, those classified as English learners (ELs), referred to here as bi/multilingual English learners (b/mELs).