On 5/30/09, Laura wrote:

>" BTW: I really don't want to debate bilingual vs. ESL. This is
> the way the state law is written."

OK, then accept what I say without debate...

> In Illinois if a school has 20 or more
> students that are not proficient in English and speak the same
> language, the students must be taught in their native language
> in addition to learning English.
>
> So what happens is ... kids have bilingual education if they
> speak a language with a large population.

Well, you're kind of right. State law says what you say it does, but
many times districts can't provide bilingual education because there
just aren't people to staff the positions. Even the more common
languages like Polish and Spanish are hard to fill, but usually get
filled, even if its with someone with no teaching degree who speaks
the language and has a college degree. My district has even gone to
Mexico and Spain to find Spanish speakers, and came back with MDs
from Mexico and even one former Provincial legislator from Spain, but
they had never taught.

District 54 in Schaumburg, for instance, has had a Japanese Bilingual
job opening for several years, because they have a population that
requires it, but absolutely no candidates. Not even someone with a
college degree, no teaching experience, who speaks Japanese. I know
the ELL/Billingual administrator over there, and he's even tried to
get one of the student's parents to teach, but its not happening.
So, these kids are educated by an ELL teacher, because there's no
other option.

Also, there are some districts that just ignore the law, and ISBE
hasn't slapped their hand yet. Plainfield District 202 has a growing
Spanish population, and they have practically no ESL/Bilingual
services. I know two teachers who teach in that district and they
have Spanish speakers, and others, with no to minimal English skills
in their classrooms with no support. Maybe an ELL administrator's
phone number comes along with the student, and a call to them will
get a suggestion like seeing if a student could translate.

ESL jobs are more in demand than regular elementary or high school
social science, but you're right that Bilingual Spanish and a few
other languages are highly sought after. Still, if you're looking to
add an endorsement to get a job, and don't want to work special
education, then this might be a good option.

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