“I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse.”  This quote is commonly attributed to the former Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, who ruled over most of Europe.  He shows that if communication is not tailored to specific audiences, then the message will likely be poorly understood, if at all.

The United States has experienced a significant increase in the number of students with cultural, linguistic, and diverse backgrounds in recent years. There are over 400 different languages recorded for these students. They bring with them new challenges for educators, many who are lacking knowledge or training on how to address the needs of these students. As a result, many of these children are referred to special education services. Without extensive knowledge of acculturation and language factors, educators rely on bilingual assessment specialists to intervene on their behalf.