Re: ESL survey

Posted by Nancy M. on 10/24/03

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On 4/28/03, Jason wrote:
> I have some questions regarding ESL students and teachers,
> and would like to do a survey to find out these answers.
> If anyone would please answer these, and give any
> additional information, that would be very helpful. Thank
> you.
>
> Questions for teachers to consider:
>
>
> 1. Are you aware that there is an ESL policy?
> Yes.
>
> 2. Should full inclusion be accepted with ESL
> students, or should teachers not include them to risk
> embarrassing them?
> Expected. It's the only way they are going to learn to
USE their English. Nothing is more distressing than to walk
into a classroom to see the ESL students sitting alone and
not participating.
>
> 3. If an ESL student doesn’t respond to me, should I
> just let them be?
> No. Often they know and understand more than we think
they do. Also I've run into students who use their "not
understanding" as a way to get out of doing what's expected
of all the other students.
>
> 4. What takes precedence in a student’s learning: The
> English language, or the material being taught?
> It has to be balanced. Sometimes when they don't know any
English, the balance needs to be tilted toward learning
English, but the material can not be ignored. When their
English becomes more advanced, then the material needs to
take the lead, but continuing to strengthen their English
cannot be ignored.
>
> 5. Is it that important to involve parents in the
> child’s learning process, and if so, how would I go about
> doing that?
> Yes. Include them in all routinely scheduled events.
Translators serving the district or bi-lingual volunteers
from the community can aid in conversing. Having
communications printed in their native language is great.
>
> 6. Should I mix ESL students with other students, or
> leave them to be with other ESL students?
> Mix. If you "ghetto" them, they will never become
proficient in English.
>
> 7. How often do you encounter ESL students in your
> classrooms?
> Everyday as I am one of two ESL instructors for my school
district.
>
> 8. How do you think the ESL program is progressing in
> your particular school?
> We need more teachers and more individual time with the
students every week. Currently, there are only two teachers
for 101 students tutoring 30 minute sessions from once to
four times per week. Some students at the middle school to
high school levels have to meet in small groups of two to
three instead of individually like at the elementary level.
Also we're classified as instructional assistants instead of
teachers when both of us are degreed and state licensed
teachers! The district is just meeting the letter of the
law in providing special service to ESL students.

Posts on this thread, including this one

• ESL survey, 4/28/03, by Jason.
• Re: ESL survey, 10/24/03, by Nancy M..