Preparing English Language Learners for the Mainstream: Academic Language and Literacy Practices in Two Junior High School ESL Classrooms (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Education, Language, and Religion, 2022
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Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education, 2010
In U.S. middle and high schools, teachers of content-area subjects (mathematics, science, social studies, English/language arts) are increasingly responsible for teaching students from immigrant backgrounds who are in the process of learning English as a non-native language. Even in schools with specialists in second language education, mainstream teachers often provide the greatest proportion of instructional time for English language learners (ELLs) (Evans, Arnot-Hopffer, & Jurich, 2005; Walker, Ranney, & Fortune, 2005) and thus play a crucial role in students' access to a quality and equitable education (Merino, 1999), whether in regular content-area courses or in "sheltered" courses designed specifically for this population (Genesee, 1999). Mainstream teachers also play an important role in the education of former ELLs, who are still developing the language and literacy necessary for academic work even after they are reclassified as English proficient (Evans et al., 2005; Hakuta, Goto Butler, & Witt, 2000). As increasing numbers of students in U.S. schools come from non-dominant cultural and linguistic backgrounds, teachers remain overwhelmingly White and, presumably, monolingual speakers of English. 1 Many teacher candidates have studied a second language in at least a limited way; some have traveled abroad or lived in U.S. communities where non
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In a southeastern state, Grade 7 and 8 middle school general education teachers were not implementing cultural and individual instructional strategies consistently to support the academic achievement of the growing population of English Language Learners (ELLs). The purpose and key research questions of this qualitative study were designed to (a) identify what cultural relevant instructional strategies Grades 7 and 8 middle school general education teachers implement, (b) identify what individual relevant instructional strategies, and (c) understand what perceptions teachers have regarding strategies to facilitate consistent implementation of cultural and individual instruction to support ELLs. The nine participants were middle school (i.e., Grade 7 and 8) general education teachers from a school district in a southeastern state. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews and the themes included teachers’ beliefs in their abilities to provide consistent instruction to supp...
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2012
Debate concerning bilingual education effectiveness may focus around the definition of academic language. Two aspects of such-vocabulary and grammarwere examined in 4th and gth grade textbooks. Results showed substantial increases in the number of abstract words and complex sentences, suggesting more daunting language demands for older non-English-speaking students. Lisa Del pit (1998) states that children need to be language detectives. Educators in Language Education agree that children need instruction on how to discover language and make it their own. However, before children can become detectives, they have to be directed as to what they should be detecting. Therefore the main question we ask is, "What is academic language?" The defining of academic language can be viewed politically. Recent public referenda placed into law by electoral processes, such as Proposition 227 in California (1998) and Proposition 203 in Arizona (2000), have and are currently imposing a one-year limitation for English as a Second Language (ESL) students to acquire English and enter mainstream classrooms at a faster pace. Other states are currently considering such measures. In response to these ideas, many language education researchers (e.g., Castro Feinberg, Cummins, Krashen, 1996; Thomas & Collier, 1997; Wong Fillmore, 1991) have argued passionately that these propositions have considerably, if not completely, stifled the linguistic skills ESL students need to tackle academic language demands in mainstream classes. A single
Literacy and English Language Learners
Syllabus (grad & undergrad), 2019
This course is a collaborative inquiry into theoretical and practical knowledge that is essential for educators to understand issues in teaching English Language Learners. We will investigate how the educational experiences we construct with students are invariably informed by both our explicit and implicit theories of practice. Together, we will develop an understanding of our personal approaches to instructing English Language Learners. We will draw on cognitive, sociocultural, and critical theories to explore diverse topics in teaching diverse English language learning populations. Topics explored • Definitions of English Language Learners (ELLs); • Impacts of language and literacy policy on learning opportunities for ELL students and teachers; • Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and your understanding of language learning; • Program and assessment models; • Literacy instruction for ELL students including disciplinary literacy across ELL contexts; and • Teacher accountability regarding support for ELL students.