English-as-a-Second Language Programs

Definition of ESL Programs ESL program is one that “provides instruction in the English language and other courses of study using teaching techniques for acquiring English, and . . . incorporates the cultural aspects of the pupil’s experience in his instruction.”

Instruction is always presented in a meaningful context and it is categorized by three phases: ESL I (Beginner), ESL II (Intermediate), and ESL III (Advanced). These phases are based on a child's English proficiency. Children begin their second language acquisition by starting somewhere in these phases. The outcome of this instructional process must enable children to listen, comprehend, speak, read, write, analyze and think in English.

The Ultimate Goals of ESL Programs: The goals of all of these programs are: (1) to help ESL/EFL students achieve comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing competence in the English language; (2) to enable students to maintain grade level status; and (3) to enable students to meet graduation standards.

WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE THE DESIGN OF ESL PROGRAMS? Several variables influence the kind of program required to operate in any given place: 1- Student population to be served. 2- Individual student characteristics. 3- Institution resources.

1- Student population to be served: Some institutions have large, relatively stable populations of ESL/EFL students from a single language or cultural background. Others have large groups of ESL/EFL students representing several language backgrounds. On the other hand, some institutions have very small number of ESL/EFL students from many different language groups. Characteristics of these populations--including the numbers and kinds of students per language group, the size of language groups and the mobility of their members, as well as geographic and grade distribution of students--influence the type of ESL/EFL instructional program design that any educational institution could develop to serve its students.

2- Individual Student Characteristics: Characteristics of individual students can influence ESL/EFL program type. Some students enter U.S. schools with strong academic preparation in their native language. They have attended school in their own country, have learned to read and write well in their first language, and are at comparable (or better) levels in such content areas as mathematics. Other students may not have had such extensive academic preparation. Due to social, economic, or cultural factors, their schooling may have been interrupted or never begun. Some students at every age level come with little or no exposure to reading and writing, with no basic linguistic abilities.

3- Institution Resources Availability of resources varies from place to place. Some have trained ESL/EFL teachers, while others are scrambling to find someone to work with a few students on a volunteer basis. Some establishments are experiencing declining enrollments, freeing up classroom space to allow for such designs. In others it seem impossible to find classroom space to house an ESL/EFL program. Thus, the capability of educational institutions to provide human and material resources will greatly influence the type of ESL/EFL program organization that will be developed.

ESL PROGRAMS: Submersion :     Takes place in an environment in which only one language is used. The student is in a "sink-or-swim" situation. There is no attempt to aid the student in understanding the "new" language.

Teachers may not be familiar with student’s language or culture. DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES Student’s first language is never spoken and adequate amounts of individualized instruction are not given in second language. It is cost effective for School Boards and no teacher training is needed.  Teachers may not be familiar with student’s language or culture. Students are provided many examples of the second language. Students may be treated as intellectually inferior because they do not speak, read and/or write adequately in second language as soon as expected.    Students may experience frustration, low motivation, and/or high anxiety due to the demanding content and instruction.   No modifications are made for students.

Immersion:     Takes place in an environment in which only one language is used; however, there are attempts made to adjust the learning experience for the student.

Students are provided many examples of second language. DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES Student’s first language is never spoken and adequate amounts of individualized instruction are not given in the second language.  Students are provided many examples of second language.  Students may not understand the language enough to be able to construct knowledge.  Focus is on student’s construction of knowledge.  Student’s may not understand classroom discourse as soon as expected .  Classroom discourse is adjusted to student’s needs, such as, simplified sentences, pictures, etc.  Teacher’s may not receive the support they need for aiding the LEP student.  It is cost effective for School Boards and minimal teacher training is needed.  Lack of models for 2nd language acquisition. Students feel more comfortable in the Immersion classroom than the Submersion Classroom and may take more risks.

Structure Immersion:     is an environment in which students are taught lessons in a protected manner and are gradually mainstreamed totally in the regular classroom. ESOL pull-out classes are a method of structured immersion.

The students may be mainstreamed before they are ready. DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES There are no native speakers of the target language in the pull-out classroom besides the teacher.  Students are provided many examples of second language in the regular classroom. Student’s may not be acquiring second language fast enough and fall behind in grade levels.  The focus is on content knowledge with support in the acquisition of the second language.  Students may still need explanation and/or clarity provided in their first language.  English is used, modified, and taught at a level appropriate to the class of English learner.  The school board must have qualified teachers and must provide resources for the modifications of the second language learners. This may be costly to a struggling school board.  The teacher is trained in ESOL and is familiar with the culture. However, they may not be fluent in the student’s language The students may be mainstreamed before they are ready. Students are gradually mainstreamed into the regular classroom.

Bilingual Education:     is an environment in which all students are taught using a combination of first and second languages.

All students use their first language in order to learn their second. DISADVANTAGES` ADVANTAGES Usually this is for Arabic and English speakers. Speakers of other languages are not provided for adequately.  All students use their first language in order to learn their second.  Students may be become dependent on instruction in their first language and not try to understand content in the 2nd language. Both groups of language users serve as models for each other.  Current classroom teachers would be required to learn and become fluent in a foreign language. This would take additional time and money.  The classroom teacher is proficient in both languages and will instruct knowledge in both languages.  School boards must have trained individuals and resources in both languages. The students all stay in one classroom and the stigma of the pull out class is not present.  Students are more successful in acquiring second language because literacy development is fostered in their first language. This provides for a stronger transfer of knowledge. Students self-esteem is fostered because it is a low risk environment and both languages and cultures are valued. 

Content-Based Integrated and Content- Based Self-Contained ESL Programs: The goal of both the Content-Based Integrated and Content-Based Self-Contained approaches is the acquisition of English and grade level academics so that the ELL student can succeed in an English-only classroom. Both approaches have the following features:

all instruction is done in English; when possible, the child’s primary language is used to clarify instruction; English is taught through reading, language arts, math, science, and social studies; there is a strong English language development (ELD) component in every lesson; the acquisition of English takes place in a structured, non-threatening environment in which students feel comfortable taking risks; and lessons include controlled vocabulary while students gradually acquire the necessary language skills to succeed academically and become lifelong learners.

Generally, schools or grade levels with a low number of ELL students should group students and place them in an integrated grouped classroom model where ESL instructional strategies are employed. Schools or grade levels with a large number of ELL students shall implement Self-Contained ESL classrooms or Integrated ESL Classrooms. An Integrated 50/50 ESL classroom shall have an approximately equal number of students who need ELL services and students who are native English speakers. Self- Contained classes shall include ELL students only.

Pull-Out Programs: In ESL pull-out programs students from one or more classrooms or grade levels attend special intensive language classes for part of each day. In other cases, the ESL specialist may work with ELL’s in their own classrooms and acts as a resource to their regular classroom teachers.

Sheltered Content ESL Instruction: It is a content-based instruction which refers to content courses taught in the second language by a content area specialists to a group of ESL/EFL learners who have been grouped together for this purpose. The Sheltered Content ESL Instruction Model is an integrated content language approach. The goal of the Sheltered Content Instruction Model is for ELL students to develop English language skills in content classes. Secondary ELL students have a limited time to become academically proficient in English. Therefore, they must learn both English and academic content as quickly as possible. English is taught through content areas by including a strong language development component.

The purpose of the language development component is to teach English language learners to communicate (listen, speak, read, and write) in English. This component takes into account the ELL student’s current English language proficiency level and guides the teacher in providing the appropriate instruction for each level. This model is implemented at the secondary level in both self-contained and integrated classrooms.

A self-contained classroom consists of only ELL students grouped together for instruction. An integrated classroom consists of students who need ELL services and native English speakers. At the high school level, this model also allows students to earn credit toward graduation in required core subject areas. Emphasis is on cooperative learning, hands-on activities, visuals, demonstrations, modeling and sheltered vocabulary.

End of the Lecture 