Entry 3: Interview with an ESL Specialist.
have been friends for over twenty years. We did the same Master in the Teaching of English to
Speakers of Other Languages. She has been working in a school district for over 15 years. This is the
interview. I hope you enjoy it. Please click here to watch it.
REFLECTION
This interview made me realize that many of the things that researchers have found in the field of
ESL, particularly about ESL programs, correspond to the reality many teachers live every day.
One of the most striking points made by my interviewee was that in her district the Pull-out program
is the most common. This coincides with what Wright (2015) assertion about this program being
frequent in the United States despite having been highly criticized. About this Wright (2015, p. 107)
states:
ESL, particularly about ESL programs, correspond to the reality many teachers live every day.
One of the most striking points made by my interviewee was that in her district the Pull-out program
is the most common. This coincides with what Wright (2015) assertion about this program being
frequent in the United States despite having been highly criticized. About this Wright (2015, p. 107)
states:
The problem are many. First and perhaps most important, students
miss out on instruction in their regular classrooms when they are pulled out.
Second, pull out ESL may lead some mainstream classroom teachers
to view that ELLs are mainly the responsibility of the ESL teacher.
miss out on instruction in their regular classrooms when they are pulled out.
Second, pull out ESL may lead some mainstream classroom teachers
to view that ELLs are mainly the responsibility of the ESL teacher.
Listening to Camila was like reading this excerpt from the article published by a well-known scholar
in the field. She clearly states that she feels that many of the content areas think that the development
of the ELLs' linguistic skills is not their responsibility. This is something that in this class we have
learned as a must do. Every content area teacher is responsible for providing ELLs with all the
opportunities they need to develop both their linguistic and cognitive skills.
of the ELLs' linguistic skills is not their responsibility. This is something that in this class we have
learned as a must do. Every content area teacher is responsible for providing ELLs with all the
opportunities they need to develop both their linguistic and cognitive skills.
Additionally, Camila commented that ....
References:
Wright, W.E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy and practice. (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Calson.
Dr. Avellaneda,
ReplyDeleteI watched the video and automatically knew what I wanted to comment on. Then I read your reflection, and it seems you highlighted the same point. I was going to mention the point that with the pull-out program children are only receiving one period of ESL instruction. Then for the rest of the day they are in a general-ed classroom. These students miss out on the instruction when they are pulled out (and may already be struggling with keeping up in class due to the language barrier). Moreover, like Camilla mentioned many of the teachers are not familiar or trained in the skills to teach and interact with ESL students. They think it is the ESL teacher's full responsibility. Rather all the teachers in the school need to collaborate and work together, especially in a pull out method as the students are only receiving minimal instruction time. It will take a lot more than one teacher and one class period for these student's success.
Norah Basyouni
Thank you Norah. The more I read and learn about this method, the least I like. However, I wonder if there students and teachers just the victims of an educational system that favors numbers and accountability over quality of education according to students' needs. Most colleges in the United do not provide the training teachers need and once again this might be linked to the fact that this area of teaching is not considered a priority. I have not read any studies regarding college graduate's preparedness to teach ELLs.
DeleteHello Dr. Avallaneda,
ReplyDeleteI’m also curious as to why the pull-out program is more popular to use within schools although it seems as if there are several other methods that are far more effective. As you said, perhaps it is due to the educational system that favors numbers and accountability over quality of education according to students' needs. Pull out programs may seem easier and more favorable- but since ESL instruction has its own separate content-area and standards, there still needs to be more of a focus on stronger programs that help ELL’s become fully bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. According to Wright (2015, p. 106-7) Pull out ESL programs only aim at English monolingualism and cultural assimilation; this frequently results in the loss of students’ ability to speak their first language. I find this to be very true in my experience as well! I now struggle to be bi-lingual at times and have never really accounted for the pull out program I was in to be a major reason as to why.
I have realized that lack of training is a major issue for the popularity of programs. Teachers do the best they can with what they have or are given and this may lead them to the wrong choices or not to do what is best for their students.
DeleteIndeed lack of training is an issue. I recently learned from another classmate's blog that ESL teachers do not necessarily need to know and be proficient in another language to work with and guide English language learners. Although all ESL teachers undergo training to work with these students, ones that speak another language (the same as the student's primary language) are able to assist ELL's a little better because of how the teacher may relate to the student and notice where their strengths and weaknesses may lay.
DeleteDr. Avallaneda,
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing Camila talk about the different procedures such as push-in, pull-out, and content-based ESL, I have come to realize that the push-in program directly benefits ELL students. I believe this because students are not missing any important instruction time. Having this additional help of an ESL specialist in the room working with the students is the ideal situation. In reality, this cannot always be the case because not all schools have enough staff members, particularly ESL specialists. As a general education teacher, it is important to realize that not all specialists have the training needed as Camila said. Because of this, I think teacher should be aware and do what they can to meet ELL learners' needs in order to make sure they are getting the instruction and help that they need.
Shelly, what research-based evidence can you think of to support your idea about the push-in programs? What I have read contradicts what you stated.
DeleteBriana Clausell
ReplyDeleteHello Dr. Avellaneda,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed hearing and watching your video. I think it is really interesting to hear Mrs. Camilla be so vocal about how she feels about the program(s). I think there is a lack of training at times in certain programs. Programs that have potential but there is just a lack of skill in certain teachers. My mentor teacher told me earlier today that our school did have an ESL program at one point. However, there were only 6 students in the program so they had to cut it. Mrs. Camilla brought up a great point about the Pull Out program. Students are often pulled out and lose some of the material in the general classroom. The students really need to absorb all the material that they can! That way they are fully emerged into the language. Mrs. Camilla is absolutely right about how students scores reflect on the teachers. It makes perfect sense. However, the school/district needs to take into consideration of the students background, previous grades and their scores, language(s), etc. There a lot are a variety of factors in language learners and their test scores.
Maisa Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteShawn Lightener
ReplyDeleteNatalie Mungavin
ReplyDeleteDr. Avellaneda,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed listening to your video; because I found a lot of common similarities from your interview and my own. One of the common things I heard in both interviews was the constant stress these ESL teachers are faced with. I don’t think its right that teachers put all the work on the ESL teacher; I think all teachers should be equally educated and engaged for ELL students. Generally these students spend the majority of the day in the general classroom so teachers need to know how to communicate and teach these ELL students. Teachers need to do a better job educating themselves, in the text it mentions “the teacher not only is certified in the regular content areas but also has some knowledge of the students’ first language and culture” (Brown & Lee, 2015, pg.171); these ESL teachers spend a lot of time becoming educated enough to communicate to these students.. As mentioned in both interviews ESL teachers are low staffed, and with having so many students there isn’t a way for the ESL teachers to provide every student with his/her own aide. Therefore, the Pull-Out Method is very common; resulting in more harm than good with students missing out on instruction. After conducting an interview of my own I’ve decided to become ESL certified as soon as I graduate and become a teacher. I feel like it’s something that needs to be done in order to fully help all my students.
Based on this interview, it appears that your friends’ school uses the submersion method with a “pull out” program. It is important to note that in regards to the submersion method Brown states, “The assumption is that they will ‘absorb’ English as they focus on the subject matter. Research has shown that sometimes they don’t succeed in either English or the content areas, especially in subtractive situations” (Brown, 2015, p. 171). Therefore, this method is not proven as the best method to use for second language learning. Your friend also seems to agree with this because she said that her school did not enough staff to conduct the program properly. Unfortunately, a lot of schools have to divert to this method due to funding. This is the case at my school. However, we have the ESL specialist come in mainstream classrooms for thirty minutes a day. Thus, the ESL students are not receiving direct ESL instruction.
ReplyDeleteBrown, H. Douglas. Principles of language learning and teaching. 12th ed., White Plains, NY, Pearson Longman, 2015.
Dr. Avellaneda,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed listening to your interview last week, but I was better able to comment after having my own interview. After reflecting upon my own interview, I can see there are many differences between the district of your friend and the district I am placed in. The most striking difference is the lack of qualified staff members at her district. In my district, all content teachers are required to become ESL certified leaving responsibility on all of the teachers. I have seen many of the teachers on my campus consider the needs of the students who are still working on their proficiency in English even in the smallest ways, which I feel shows that they are aware that they must provide the right support when helping students who are ELLs.
My concern, as many in the bilingual field, is the fact that ELL learners in ESL programs are subjected to practices that are detrimental to their learning process while there are better approaches to teaching ELLs. Baker and Wright (2017, p. 254) state "By Grade 11, two-way bilingual education students are performing above the average levels of native English speakers on English language tests"
DeleteBaker, Colin, (2017) Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 6th Edition