Alabama-Mississippi
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
AMTESOL has a new mailing address! AMTESOL PO Box 360122 Hoover, AL 35236
PCI Workshop C
Thursday, January 28, 2027
1:30 - 4:30pm
Birmingham, Alabama
Beyond Learning Difference of Disability: Supporting ELs through the Tapestry of Shared Decision-Making
Intended Audience: Teachers and Administrators who provide services to English Learners
Distinguishing language and cultural differences from disability is complex—and multilingual learners can be both English learners and students with disabilities. This session moves beyond the traditional “difference or disability” question to explore how educators can recognize patterns of concern, use multiple sources of evidence, and ensure timely and equitable access to appropriate supports and special education services. Through authentic student cases, collaborative problem-solving, myth-busting activities, and practical tools, participants will examine language development, opportunity to learn, response to intervention, performance across contexts, and family and student perspectives. Participants will leave with an evidence-informed framework for collaborating with problem-solving and eligibility teams and supporting multilingual learners before, during, and after special education identification.
Presenters
Emily Day
Emily has worked in Alabama public schools for 27 years. She holds degrees in Special Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, and TESOL. Emily serves as the Special Education Specialist and Transition Coordinator for Gadsden City Schools. She instructs students on job readiness skills including self-advocacy. She has worked with children in Honduras, Cuba, and with refugee families from Afghanistan. She and her husband became foster parents last year. When not in the classroom, she enjoys reading, hiking, coaching beginning soccer, and cheering on her son’s paralympic basketball team.
Amber Brown Hipps, Ed.S.
Amber is an experienced school psychologist and special education professional with expertise in assessment, eligibility determination, evidence-based intervention, and support for culturally and linguistically diverse students. She currently serves as a school psychologist with Gadsden City Schools and has previously worked as a school psychometrist, special education teacher, and special education coordinator. Amber earned her Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and has completed advanced study in behavior analysis and the assessment of English learners. She is an active member of the Alabama Association of School Psychologists and has presented at state and national conferences on equitable assessment, English language acquisition, learning disabilities, and academic interventions.