Teaching For Too Long English As A Second Language

3). Some ELL students may start school without any English language skills, while others may have “limited language proficiency or dual language deficiency in both their native language and English” (p. 3). Just as native English speakers, ELL students also have different levels of intellectual abilities; however, their struggle with school in English may be related to background knowledge and not solely on intellectual abilities (Short & Echevarria, 2004). Samson and Collins (2012), purposes if school districts, administrations, and teachers want to see improvements in achievement for ELLs, “greater continuity in how general education teachers are prepared by teacher-education programs, certified by states and evaluated by local education agencies, or LEAs, is essential. By making sure that the special needs of ELLs are addressed at multiple stages of the teacher preparation process, schools may gain higher quality

English language learners (ELL) are one of the fastest growing classifications of students attending schools in the United States today. They represent a diverse group of students typically coming from homes or backgrounds where English is not the primary language spoken. Additionally, ELL students experience difficulties communicating or learning academic instruction in English.

Co-teaching is important, especially in the school I did my special education field experience at because they are full inclusion. This school district did co-teaching for math and reading. Students receive their assistance with in the classroom while the teacher is instructing class. It takes a lot of planning and collaboration with the classroom teacher, I believe this is not the most beneficial way to teach students that have learning needs. it can become very distracting for the student because what is going on around them. Learning with their peers is important, the instructions their receiving in the classroom are above their level. I wonder how this is providing the best education possible?

The article goes into great detail over the fact that co-teaching, when implemented correctly, has the potential of really enhancing the learning of all students (Conderman & Hedin, 2014, p.359). Before any co-teaching can happen though the article elaborates on the fact that a teacher needs to know who their students are. And when differentiating instruction a teacher needs to be able to address a “students’ unique strengths, interest, skills, and readiness” (Conderman & Hedin, 2014, p. 353). After all helping each child learn, whatever that looks like, is the ultimate goal, and this article shows how teachers can do this with a co-teacher.

“They are your kids, not mine!” The typical excuse content area teachers will say to the ESOL teachers when any issue arises regarding the education of the emerging bilingual students. The truth is that everyone in the school building, including content area teachers, office personnel, and administrators, should be involved in educating the emerging bilingual students, not only the ESOL teacher. Content area teachers need to be aware that if the students are not proficient in the new language, they will have challenges in all the content classes. Even in the Common Core Standards, the expectation is for teachers to develop not only their content area, but at the same time improve the academic language. One reason is that since the Common

ELL continue to rise year after year. In EDUC 628, the class delved into the rise of ELL in America and how the best teaching methods to approach each learner with. Every ELL student is unique and has different learning process. Although the semester covered a wide variety of topics ranging from dialects to teaching methods, every module served its purpose in providing a framework for future ELL teachers. Learning about how to teach ELL was significant to me because when I first entered the school system in America, I was placed into ESL and I have gone through the process of many of these teaching methods. EDUC 628 main focus was preparing students whose goal in the future was to educate ELL. The articles and readings assigned in the class provided a funds of knowledge going into each new lesson. Coupled with the readings, hands on activities such as the mini lessons and designing lesson plans provided each student with experience that will reflect on their teaching abilities in the classroom. In my paper, I will be provided a step by step synthesis of what was learned and accomplished every week along with a brief summary of the readings. I will probe deeper into the modules and lessons that piqued my interest the most and that also challenge my mindset.

Hill, J.D., & Flynn, K.M. (2006). Classroom instruction that works with English language learner. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

With the immigration population increase comes a language barrier increase. Therefore, English as a Second Language (ESL) tools in the classroom is essential. ESL was established in the 1970s when children of many mother tongues, crowded classrooms due to the immigration increase (Tomkins, G., 1981, p.

A full range of services are provided to meet individual needs. One of these services, English as a Second Language, provides support in general education classrooms for students whose first language is not English. The English Language Learning (ELL) Program utilizes various instructional models where students work within a classroom setting, in small groups or individually

This paper takes a close look at various instructional strategies for teaching English Language Learners (ELL). It explores many methods and techniques utilized by ELL teachers; specific strategies include sheltered instruction, scaffolding, and the transfer of cognate knowledge. It is imperative in the ELL classroom that comprehensible input be disseminated to the students on an age-appropriate basis; therefore, it will be detailed in this paper. Various methods of feedback

One factor that plays a huge role in successful implementation of integrated co-teaching and has better outcomes for students is when the co-teachers are trained and work together. Magiera and Zigmond (2005) preformed a study at four middle schools in New York that focused on the instructional practices for students with and without disabilities; with teachers who were not trained in integrated co-teaching

Four models of instruction are at the forefront of conversation in the great debate: (1) English submersion/structure immersion; (2) English as a Second Language (ESOL); (3) transitional bilingual education; and (4) two-way bilingual or dual language education. English submersion or structured immersion forces students to receive instruction in an English only setting. The teacher may utilize simplified English, through accommodations, so that students learn both English and academic subject material. This approach was initially known as the “sink or swim” approach, expecting students to “pick-up” the English language as they participate in instruction. The premise is that the more English a student is immersed in, the more proficient the student will become. Per Leidis Arechavaleta, “immersion was horrible, I remember crying for six months straight after being thrown in a classroom to start kindergarten when I was 4 years old” (Teacher and Cuban Immigrant, through personal communication, March 3, 2017). The second approach, English as a second language, looks similar to immersion however practices include support to individuals in their native tongue. Students may participate in either a push-in or pull-out model. In the pull-out model, students are removed from the general classroom setting and instructed for a portion of the day by an ESL teacher. Typically these classes are comprised of students who speak many different languages and receive English language instruction. They may attend classes for only a period a day, to work strictly on English skills, or attend for a full day and focus both on academics and English. Push-in models provide instructional assistance in the general education classroom by a specialized teacher. Transitional bilingual education offers instruction in the students’ native language and a certain amount of each day is spent on

The challenges an English language learner (ELL/ESL) struggles with, such as “how one flips from one language to another ultimately determines an English language learner’s success,” existed before the Common Core (Vilson). Other educators, like Lori Musso, have been working on implementing the Common Core for ELL students. Musso is with the San Mateo County Office of Education and has explained that the standards for ELL, and the standards for the general curriculum, have been merged into the same standards as their peers (Avendano). The executive director at Stanford University’s Understanding Language initiative, Martha Castellón, works to improve the education of ELL under the new Common Core. “We know what needs to be done in terms of educating ELLs, to give them the language skills they need to be successful under the [Common Core],” says Castellón, but she realizes that there’s a shortage in resources for the ELL instructors

Currently, there is no one size fits all model for English language learning classrooms. Research is still being done and success and failures of these programs varies widely from more urban populations to rural populations. Common Core is now being implemented into all schools by the end of 2017, so finding a way to use Common Core in an ELL mainstream setting is now the current trend. That being said, “Despite the growing trend to keep ELL’s in the mainstream classroom, there is relatively little research that examines the benefits of teaching ELL’s in the mainstream classroom rather than in an English for speakers of a second language (ESOL) setting. McClure & Chanmaman-Taylor (2010). This leads to teachers being put into

Reflecting back on my field experience, I was able to gain quality insight as well as a better understanding of the teaching and the learning process of ESOL in a mainstream classroom. My experience in Mrs. Little’s classroom has shown that the role of the ESOL teacher is to educate students in functional language skills, offer content that is academically challenging, and helps students acculturate to the new language and culture.