English Language Learners- A Simple Teacher with Simple Ideas

Hometown Heroes... They Surround Us!   I would love to add to this blog a weekly highlight of an ESL teacher who rocks their job! There are endless teachers out there who meet the needs of their L2 students. They may not even be ESL certified! The same teaching practices and strategies apply for all students. L2 students can handle more rigorous and demanding content but need assistance with the language barrier. So Lauren McCoy, recipient of the Hometown Hero in Education Award, kept her expectations high and started an Advanced Placement course in English to give ELLs the opportunity to pursue greater goals. “ McCoy, 28, told the Daily News , "I didn’t make the readings easier, but gave them the tools they needed to understand the readings." That what being a hometown hero is about… knowing our students potential and providing the tools and opportunities for our students to succeed! https://patch.com/new-york/gramercy-murray-hill/murray-hill-teache

Finally…           Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) now allows states flexibility to assess the growth of English Language Learners (ELLs). No learner is the same including our growing number of ELLs in the United States. It states that now ¼ of all students speak a language other than English at home. ESSA now allows a growth-to-target model. It sets annual and long-term goals based on their baseline test upon entering the US. Each ELL has an individual learning plan. That sounds familiar (IEP). It finally makes some sense now !         “Historically, ELs have often been held accountable for making exactly the same English language growth each year. Trouble is , research reliably shows that different levels of language proficiency take different amounts of time to develop. That is, many students move rapidly from basic to intermediate English language skills but then take longer to move to advanced levels of academic language proficiency ”         Things are finally

“So Sad!” Another article rethinking bilingual education. Massachusetts voted to restrict bilingual education in 2002. A few thoughts, Did the voters even know any of the research on this before voting? Why was this question even on the ballot? How sad that ELLs had to struggle and fail in full immersion classes for 15 years! How sad that no one for 15 years could see the, and I quote, “abject failure” of the full immersion program! How sad that anyone would think a “one size fits all” approach would work for any diverse group of students? How sad that 15 years had to pass? So the good news… After 15 years districts are finally given flexibility to meet the diverse needs of ELLs! During those 15 years, 64% of ELLs graduated, despite the fact that districts were not permitted to take their students individual language needs into consideration. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/massachusetts/articles/2017-06-07/bill-seeks-new-approaches-for-s

Our States’ Laws and Districts’ Decisions Do Not Match the Research or Reality.   After reading many, many academic articles, any district with a high percentage of ELLs (English Language Learners) should include bilingual education. Below are links to just two articles written in the last week regarding this issue. The evidence cannot be argued. It is not only about keeping their native language but also their cultural identity. It is also shown to increase their English Language proficiencies as well. So why is it not a priority or even part of a serious conversation in especially urban districts where a higher percentage of ELLs attend? 7 More CPS Schools to Add Dual Language Programs by Stephanie Lulay states, “Expanding dual language programming will provide more students with the opportunity to enhance their language skills, develop their cultural literacy, and build the needed skills to pursue their dreams.” https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170531/pilsen/7-more