Equal Protection for English Language Learners English language learners in the classroom and how to teach them effectively, with good will, and in their best interests is a highly-contested subject. Civil Right Laws and the Fourteenth Amendment are supposed to guarantee that all students have an equal opportunity to receive a good education however because of how the classification process for ELL students in school systems work this has become an area of contention (Wright, n.d.). There have been a vast amount of court cases and legislative decisions that surround this topic. This paper will look at the background of how ELL students have been classified, legal issues that were caused by these classifications, and how the ELL student have …show more content…
In the state of Arizona when a student is enrolled in school the parents fill out paperwork and one of those papers is a home language survey. During school enrollment parents fill out a questionnaire with three questions about the language spoken at home and about the child, if a yes is answered to any of these questions the student will then begin the testing for placement process. This placement process will lead to the student taking the AZELLA-Arizona English Language Learner Assessment test. AZELLA is an assessment test that meets federal and state requirements. It is standards-based and is used to measure the student’s English language proficiency. This is how the students are classified as ELL and the test results determine which ELL category the student will be placed in. Now that we know how ELL students have been classified this paper is going to look at the legal issues that have arisen because of these …show more content…
Under this Act ELL students have the right to free school and all the programs and activities that primary English students have. Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) grants all students, any one that wants an education, the same opportunities to attend educational programs, schools, etc. (Bruner, n.d.). Ester de Jong (2011) states that The Bilingual Education Act, which provided federal funds to bilingual programs was replaced in 2001 with No Child Left Behind and in 2015 was replaced with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (United States Department of Education, n.d.). These laws all work together to ensure that ELL students receive the same educational opportunities at the same cost as other students, they also ensure that ELL programs get federal funding to ensure that the ELL students have a high-quality
Much research was completed for the making of this article. It was found that ELL’s need time to develop oral English proficiency, teachers need to use ongoing authentic formative assessments throughout the year due to
English learners have classes like ELD, can seek extra help to ensure their understanding in English curriculums, and take certain tests to help their fluency in English. One of those tests that English Language Learners have to take to build proficiency, is the CELDT Test. While taking other classes like ELD, out of the 224 English language learners at a local elementary school who took the test, 8 students got advanced, 57 students got early advanced, 85 students got intermediate, 56 students got early intermediate, and 18 students got beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. ** Out of the 224 students that took the test, 206 students were fluent or almost fluent in English. According to these stats, ELD classes and the CELDT test, help with making an English learner’s proficiency in English almost as proficient as a native English speaker, making the system seem equal for everybody to succeed. But, what happens to the students when they move on to higher classes or come from another country and do not have the opportunity to take these classes. According to statistics published by http://www.pewhispanic.org/files/2007/06/2007-math-01.png, English language learners had the highest percent of students at below basic in English and math in 4th and 8th grade. Students that do not get to take ELD classes, often have lower test scores because
Recently immigrated parents often learn English from their children. Over 70% of Hispanic Americans in California are English Language Learners (ELL) and are given the resour...
The purpose of this study is to figure out which ways experienced teachers work best with culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study illustrates which strategies experienced teachers have found to work best. The diversity in school in the United States has increased each year. This means that there are an increasing amount of students who are learning English, English language learners (ELLs). This article comes from the perspective that each child should be taught to their specific needs. All students deserve a fair chance to learn. Fair means that every student is treated differently, not equally. Every student learns differently. In order to give every student a fair chance at learning, you must teach them according to their needs. An experienced teacher, Tiffany, describes her experiences working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study watches her methods and discusses what works based on data analysis of the success of her students.
ESEA is an extensive statute that funds primary and secondary education, emphasizing high standards and accountability. The initial stage of ESEA showed some issues relating to race, money, and religion. But later on congress passed the Higher Education Act, which created a National Teachers Corps and provided financial assistance to students wishing to attend college and also protects the students from discrimination based on
Due to the rise in immigration and the demographics of classrooms in America are changing. As a result, English Language Learners are becoming more common in schools. English Language Learners make up one of the largest demographics in the American Classroom (Flynn & Hill, 2005). These students have been observed to have a major achievement gap because many of these students are placed in mainstream classrooms with basic literacy skills. Many English Language Learners are born in the United States (Goldenberg, 2008). These students have only attended the school system in America. However, the achievement levels are nowhere near the level of their peers. According to Calderon, Slavin, and Sanchez (2011) “these students, who have been in U.S. schools since kindergarten, are still classified as limited English proficient when they reach middle or high school— suggesting strongly that preschool and elementary programs are not adequately addressing the needs of English learners.” The achievement gap between English Language Learners and native English speaking students is extremely high. English Language Learners tests scores are low. According to the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress, “fourth grade ELLs scored 36 points lower than their peers on the reading section of the test and 25 points below their peers in math. The results in eighth grade were worse with a difference of 42 points in reading and 37 points in math” (Goldenberg, 2008). The gap between ELLs and non-ELLs are three to eighteen points larger then students from low-income households.
America’s educational system is home to an increasing number of English language learners. Some research indicates that by the year 2030, over 40% of elementary and secondary students served by schools in the United States will come from homes where a language other than English is spoken (Thomas & Collier, 2001). In an effort to accommodate these students, the United States has adopted policies at both the federal and state levels. Generally, the direction taken to meet the needs of English language learners has depended on the climate of the nation. During times of peace and prosperity, policies reflect the nation’s tolerance of other languages and cultures. However, during times of war or conflict, policies have reflected intolerance or fear of anything deemed “un-American.”
The number of ELLs being educated in the United States has increased dramatically. Although total enrollment between the 1993-1994 school year and the 2003-2004 school year rose by only 10%, the number of school-age ELLs increased by 100% (Short & Echevarria, 2004), and researchers predict that by the year 2030, 40% of the school-age population will be ELLs (DelliCarpini, 2008). This rise in school-age ELLs can be attributed to the increasing immigrant population in the U.S. (Echevarria et al., 2006). Although 75% of all immigrant children reside ...
Education is the key to individual opportunity, the strength of our economy, and the vitality of our democracy. In the 21st century, this nation cannot afford to leave anyone behind. While the academic achievement and educational attainment of Hispanic Americans has been moving in the right direction, untenable gaps still exist between Hispanic students and their counterparts in the areas of early childhood education, learning English, academic achievement, and high school and college completion.
In the United States, there has been an increase in in the number of children from Spanish speaking backgrounds. The English Language Learners, commonly known as ELL’s, are being placed in Special Education without being properly tested for a learning disability. However there are a large number of ELL’s with learning disabilities in elementary grades that truly have a learning disability and are over looked. Many school districts have problems placing ELL’s. As a result these students end up in special education whether they have a learning disability or language impairment. Teachers are also indecisive when dealing with ELL’s. Most teachers recommend that ELL’s be placed in special education from day one. It is not because the child has a learning disability, it’s because most teachers are not properly trained to interact with ELL’s. Teachers also find it difficult, due to lack of training, having ELL’s with learning disabilities in their classrooms. More teachers would find their selves comfortable if they had training in dealing with ELL’s and ELL’s with learning disabilities. This paper discusses the issues and the concerns teachers have in dealing with ELLs and ELLs with disabilities, the challenges of identifying individuals with learning disabilities, and what type of assessments classify English Language Learners as having a learning disability.
One of the first challenges that ELL instructors must come to terms with is the identification and assessment of their students’ learning capabilities in their classroom. Traditional identification instruments designed for English speakers may not be valid with English language learners. Identification of English language learners with special needs should include consideration of several factors, such as family history, developmental and health history, first language and literacy development, previous schooling, and the learners' current academic ability, just to name a few. Learning in any language is affected by learning disabilities, but second language learners with special needs present additional educational challenges. According to the British Columbia Ministry of Education, Skills, and Training (Fowler & Hooper, 1998), instructors of English language learners with special needs should consider the cultural, developmental, and first language background of the learner. They should also do the following: (1.) Provide a highly structured learning environment; (2.) Focus on contextual learning;
Monzó and Rueda (2009) conducted a study examining the concept of passing for English proficient in Latino immigrant children. They studied a group of Latino English language learners (ELLs) in and outside of school. They not only observed these students but also interviewed them as well. Within these interviews students opened up about their feelings about their first language, English, and their place in American society. Monzó and Rueda (2009) then found within their data the most common forms of passing for English proficient that these students used.
As I look back on my English 101 experience, I have come to the conclusion that I have learned many new things that have improved my abilities as a writer. I have learned some new techniques that have improved my ways of approaching an essay. I learned all about the rhetorical appeals and how to apply them in my writing and how to look for them in a essay written by a author. I have also learned how to argue both sides of a argument, and how to look for reliable sources and to properly quote and site the author of the essay. I feel as if I have become a better writer and my improved writing skills are shown within each essay.
The purpose of this assignment is to explain the impact of English language learners in the classroom. As a foreign student, English language learner in the United States faces multiple challenges for achieving academic success. To successfully complete a task, they need to master both English as a language and how it is used in core content classes especially when they are an adult. When trying to assist in instructing English language learners, they usually have many concepts and language abilities that they need to master, as do the teachers that are trying to teach them. With the incorporation of the concepts and approaches to identify and assess the issues and concerns that we have learned in our classroom instruction, such as lesson preparation,
...l survival in our society. I work as a counselor each summer at a sports camp in Philadelphia, and each summer I encounter very intelligent students who are placed in lower tracks or labeled as ìlearning deficientî because of their language. This disturbs me because as a speaker of both Black Vernacular speech and Standard English, I know that students can learn to use Standard English just as I have. Unfortunately, many students are not privileged enough to have the same educational opportunities that I was given by my parents, therefore, it is my responsibility to teach these students Standard English the way that I have been taught. But I must learn more about teaching students and dealing with the issues that plague the educational system, and I am looking forward to receiving more of this knowledge during my pre-student teaching and student teaching experiences.