Our school used to "pull out" our middle school students for anywhere from
2-5 periods a day. It was a nightmare. We were not allowing to give the
kids a decent exposure to reality and the culture of a mainstream
classroom...which is where they would eventually end up, so we felt they
were missing out. Their world was skewed. Last year, at semester time, we
began to push kids into classes. I just called it "mainstreaming" the
kids. For the kids, the learning curve was high. The teachers were scared
that the blank looks on the kids' faces meant there was no comprehension at
all. We assured them that immersion was the fastest way for the kids to
attain the language. It worked: the first girl we mainstreamed passed the
writing portion of the state assessment. Now we mainstream all our kids.
They have "ELL" class once a day, but in addition to learning English, we
layer what the mainstream teachers are doing in their classes. My job is
chaotic because of that portion, but it's awesome to have them explain to
me what order of operations means from their math class or how to write a
correct response to a short answer question from their English class.
Maybe our model is not true push-in because I have them for one class a
day. They are NOT being robbed of any mainstream instruction, however.
They are in my class during their elective. At the G.L.A.D. training I
attended last summer, the first thing they told us was how ineffective
pull-out is for ELL students.

On 10/29/09, lbp wrote:
> I am also fighting the push-in philosophy at my school. Everyone in
> our area was so gungho on it for a while, but I couldn't see how it
> would possible work at my school. Unfortunatley what ended up saving
> me from push-in was they cut the ESL teacher position down to
> halftime. I have other licensures, so I am still full time, but I now
> only have half the day to accomplish what I used to have all day to do.
> Needless to say this effectively ended push-in except for a few
> diehards who keep pushing for it.
>
> Trying to decide where to push in would be a nightmare, I have six
> grades and only three periods. I also have quite a few new arrivals
> which speak absolutley no English at all. Sheduling would be a
> nightmare, not to mention trying to schedule common prep times with
> all those teachers and I don't see this working with out at least some
> common prep time.
>

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