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In a recent article released on December 24, 2011 titled Calif. educators look to better English learning, it reported on the study of LAUSD middle schoolers. The article stated that researchers found 30 percent of students learning English had not gained language proficiency by 8th grade, although most had been in the English learning program since kindergarten. Of those who remained in English classes in high school, almost one half dropped out. The article stated that only 6 percent passed the state high school exit exam.
In a 2005 report, a state auditor found that districts have a financial incentive not to move students out of English learning program because districts were on average receiving $448 annually per English learner in extra state and federal funding.
The state deputy superintendent of education, Deborah Sigman, disputed that by saying districts are simply being cautious about not pushing through students out of EL programs sooner.
Language learner experts note that although 80 percent of Spanish-speaking children are born in the United States, many are at a disadvantage because the majority comes from immigrant communities that are low income and provide limited exposure to English. These children's parents commonly have no high school diploma as well.
30% is too much of a large number of students not becoming English proficient. How can we lower this number?
I don't know. It makes me wonder how it was accomplished in the past. The reality is that those kids are exposed to English at school but then go home to a non-English environment so don't get to practice English.
I have a small number of students who are proficient in English and another language, primarily Spanish, with a few kids also speaking Tagalog (Phillipines).
I would note that my, I believe, great grandmother never learned English, although she was born in the US, and spoke German her entire life. Her brothers and sister did learn English, though. This was in the mid-1800's, she died around 1905 in her mid to late fifties. This is all family lore as I wasn't exposed to her, obviously.
In a recent article released on December 24, 2011 titled Calif. educators look to better English learning, it reported on the study of LAUSD middle schoolers. The article stated that researchers found 30 percent of students learning English had not gained language proficiency by 8th grade, although most had been in the English learning program since kindergarten. Of those who remained in English classes in high school, almost one half dropped out. The article stated that only 6 percent passed the state high school exit exam.
In a 2005 report, a state auditor found that districts have a financial incentive not to move students out of English learning program because districts were on average receiving $448 annually per English learner in extra state and federal funding.
The state deputy superintendent of education, Deborah Sigman, disputed that by saying districts are simply being cautious about not pushing through students out of EL programs sooner.
Language learner experts note that although 80 percent of Spanish-speaking children are born in the United States, many are at a disadvantage because the majority comes from immigrant communities that are low income and provide limited exposure to English. These children's parents commonly have no high school diploma as well.
30% is too much of a large number of students not becoming English proficient. How can we lower this number?
Hightlighted in bold is the reason. Typical carrot/stick. Move them out when they improve and you lose money..is that the carrot reward for doing better ?
I don't know. It makes me wonder how it was accomplished in the past. The reality is that those kids are exposed to English at school but then go home to a non-English environment so don't get to practice English.
I have a small number of students who are proficient in English and another language, primarily Spanish, with a few kids also speaking Tagalog (Phillipines).
I would note that my, I believe, great grandmother never learned English, although she was born in the US, and spoke German her entire life. Her brothers and sister did learn English, though. This was in the mid-1800's, she died around 1905 in her mid to late fifties. This is all family lore as I wasn't exposed to her, obviously.
We didn't provide everything in the immigrant's native language like we do today. Notice that almost all packaged goods today have an English/Spanish side to them now ?
They had to learn to read/write/speak English or always have someone with them who could.
Today is a different story. If you are Spanish speaking only then you have no need to learn English and can live in the US just fine without ever having to learn it.
We didn't provide everything in the immigrant's native language like we do today. Notice that almost all packaged goods today have an English/Spanish side to them now ?
They had to learn to read/write/speak English or always have someone with them who could.
Today is a different story. If you are Spanish speaking only then you have no need to learn English and can live in the US just fine without ever having to learn it.
Nor were you given a job if you could not speak English.
We didn't provide everything in the immigrant's native language like we do today. Notice that almost all packaged goods today have an English/Spanish side to them now ?
They had to learn to read/write/speak English or always have someone with them who could.
Today is a different story. If you are Spanish speaking only then you have no need to learn English and can live in the US just fine without ever having to learn it.
There have always been "ethnic neighborhoods" where it was entirely possible to survive without speaking English -- they're just larger and more prevalent now.
With respect to education, ESOL classes obviously weren't around 100 years ago -- but neither was NCLB, mandatory exit exams, etc. Dropping out wasn't as much of an issue, because people could leave school at an early age and find employment in a manual trade, and they didn't have to be fluent in English to do so.
How do we solve the problem today? Scrap NCLB, then provide minimal ESOL funding, and give schools incentives to move the kids OUT of the program.
Still, as with other social issues, change needs to come from the community. Students have to WANT to learn, and parents have to INSIST that they learn -- and that's not happening. How do we fix those social issues? That's something we've yet to figure out .....
I consider ESL to be near child abuse. In the brain, children's language learning centers are wide open until about the age of 10. The best way for kids to learn English is total immersion. Where I live, kids are taught ESL (English as a second language) and then taught math, science, etc in their native language (usually Spanish). Unfortunately, they are taught in Spanish by people who think they know Spanish, but don't (more like Tex-Mex). The result? Kids don't learn English well and don't learn proper Spanish either. The best way would be as it was done prior to the past 50 years. Toss them in a regular classroom and teach in one language- English. They'll get it. It honestly couldn't be any worse than it is now.
Hightlighted in bold is the reason. Typical carrot/stick. Move them out when they improve and you lose money..is that the carrot reward for doing better ?
I guess so or so it seems when you look at how much money is being spent by the federal government to improve the English proficiency of our EL learners. In this tough economy, school districts need every extra time to keep their ELD directors paid as well as the ELD lead teacher/coaches paid as well.
I consider ESL to be near child abuse. In the brain, children's language learning centers are wide open until about the age of 10. The best way for kids to learn English is total immersion. Where I live, kids are taught ESL (English as a second language) and then taught math, science, etc in their native language (usually Spanish). Unfortunately, they are taught in Spanish by people who think they know Spanish, but don't (more like Tex-Mex). The result? Kids don't learn English well and don't learn proper Spanish either. The best way would be as it was done prior to the past 50 years. Toss them in a regular classroom and teach in one language- English. They'll get it. It honestly couldn't be any worse than it is now.
I am hearing what you are saying. But that type of method only works for kids who are proficient in their primary language. What is happening today, which is a tragedy, is that Spanish speaking kids aren't proficient in their primary language as they are learning English as a second language. I can only speak for California, we have dual immersion programs, native language classes for our Spanish speaking students, yet they aren't becoming proficient because for one they haven't learned how to read and write in their primary language, while learning English as a second language.
I am hearing what you are saying. But that type of method only works for kids who are proficient in their primary language. What is happening today, which is a tragedy, is that Spanish speaking kids aren't proficient in their primary language as they are learning English as a second language. I can only speak for California, we have dual immersion programs, native language classes for our Spanish speaking students, yet they aren't becoming proficient because for one they haven't learned how to read and write in their primary language, while learning English as a second language.
Which is why we should insist they become proficient in one language- English, and leave the second language to the home. It's sad.
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