E34 - Difference or Disorder: Understanding Cross-Linguistic Patterns in Multilingual Readers

How can educators distinguish expected language differences from signs of a language disorder? In this episode, Dr. Ellen Kester explores how contrastive analysis helps teachers understand the influence of students' home languages on English literacy development. She discusses predictable cross-linguistic patterns, the importance of explicit instruction grounded in students' existing linguistic knowledge, and the role of dynamic assessment in preventing inappropriate special education referrals. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Kester challenges deficit-based interpretations of multilingual learners' language use and emphasizes how an assets-based approach can strengthen literacy instruction, assessment, and educational equity. Dr. Kester founded Bilinguistics to meet the speech and language needs of children from diverse backgrounds. She provides workshops around the United States and beyond on bilingualism, assessment of bilingual students, and effective intervention practices with diverse populations. Dr. Kester has served as adjunct faculty at The University of Texas at Austin teaching courses in language development, assessment and intervention of language disorders, early childhood intervention, preschoolers with special needs, and measurement. Her research and clinical work address the important issue of differentiating bilingual children with typical development from those with language impairment, and identifying appropriate goals for intervention with bilinguals. 1. Home languages are an asset for learning English. Teachers can build on what multilingual learners already know to support literacy development. 2. Language differences are not always errors. Understanding how languages work helps teachers recognize expected patterns and make better instructional decisions. 3. Assessment should focus on how students learn, not just what they know. Dynamic assessment helps educators distinguish language differences from potential disorders and identify when additional support is needed. <!--THE END--> 1. Access the Bilinguistics World Language Library to explore cross-linguistic patterns and language comparisons. 2. Discover Difference or Disorder through Bilinguistics to support more informed language assessment and literacy instruction. 3. Explore Sharynne McLeod's Multilingual Children's Speech resources to learn about speech sound development across languages. Visit us at ⁠literacyacrosslanguages.com⁠, follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠, or connect with ⁠⁠Mary⁠⁠ and ⁠Katherine⁠⁠ on LinkedIn. Enjoying the podcast? Follow, leave a review, and share your favorite episodes with fellow educators to keep the learning going. multilingual learners, bilingual education, contrastive analysis, cross-linguistic transfer, language difference versus disorder, English language development, literacy instruction, home language, linguistic diversity, speech-language pathology, phonological development, phonemic awareness, phonotactic constraints, language acquisition, morphology, grammatical development, language assessment, dynamic assessment, special education referrals, educational equity, assets-based instruction, culturally responsive teaching, explicit instruction, multilingual literacy, linguistic repertoire, language development, instructional decision-making, Bilinguistics, Dr. Ellen Kester, Difference or Disorder