A different kind of deficit in the USA: foreign language proficiency

Read this article about a disturbing trend in public education:  

http://www.forbes.com/sites/collegeprose/2012/08/27/americas-foreign-language-deficit

For English (Literature/Composition) teachers of English Language Learners

What the English teacher needs to know

In most international schools, ESL students are excluded from the mainstream English/Language Arts class until they have reached a certain level of proficiency in the language. The English teacher, therefore, does not have to concern himself so much with modulating his language to ensure it is comprehensible to the students - unlike the science or math teacher, for example, who must ensure that the language of classroom instructions, homework, worksheets and tests is also comprehensible to beginning learners.
It is worth recalling at this point, however, that .. it can take learners of English as a second language as much as 5-7 years to catch up with their native-speaking peers as far as academic language proficiency is concerned. So the ESL students that have "made it" into the mainstream English class still need extra support.
Clearly, part of this extra support can be provided by the ESL teacher, who takes time in ESL class to allow students to ask questions about what they are finding difficult in the reading they have to do. The English teacher could also devote a little more time to ESL students in English class - for example, during the teacher-student discussions that form part of the frequently-used process writing/writing workshop approach. Another way to help ESL students is to use graphic organizers to enable them to understand plot or compare characters etc.

Read more:  http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/eng.htm

For Science teachers of English Language Learners

What the science teacher needs to know

Most ESL students do well in science and many say that it is their favourite subject. There are good reasons for this. Firstly, science is based on certain universal principles and procedures. So, very often students will be familiar with science lab practices; they may also have some prior knowledge in the particular field being studied. Secondly, science is a subject that generally advances from the concrete to the abstract. Students are first required to observe and measure before being asked to hypothesize and analyze. And thirdly, much work in the science lab is done in small groups. This maximizes the ESL students chance to engage in meaningful interactions with their peers and the teacher, thus improving their chances both of learning English and of learning science.
So, it seems that the very nature of the science class is ideal for the ESL student! The advice to the teacher can be summarized as follows:

• activate existing knowledge
• progress from concrete sensory experiences to abstract reasoning
• organize the class in small workgroups with clearly defined tasks.

There is an excellent extended account of how the science teacher can help the ESL students in her class at: http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/ncbepubs/pigs/pig11.htm

"Most ESL students do well in science and many say that it is their favourite subject."

Source:  http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/scienc.htm

For Math teachers of English Language Learners

What the mathematics teacher needs to know

Mathematics has been called the universal language, and it is certainly true that many ESL students come to FIS with a high degree of proficiency in speaking it. The advantage this confers on teachers and students can be considerable, because it allows existing knowledge to activated as a lead into the teaching of new skills and concepts. Alternatively, it allows students to focus more attention on the language of math, because they already know how to do the problem.
There is, however, a potential disadvantage in the often strong math proficiency of ESL students. It can lead to high levels of frustration when students find that their lack of the English language interferes with their ability to do math that they would otherwise find easy. They go from high achievers in the subject in their own language to strugglers in the math class at FIS. This can be a blow to their self-confidence and self-esteem. It is important therefore that the math teacher does not further undermine the student's confidence by calling into question computational methods that are different from the ones standardly used in our school.
Of course, modern math classes expect students to do much more than computation. Students are required to analyse possible solutions to problems and be able to explain why they chose the method they did, both verbally and in writing. This is a very demanding task for non-native speakers, and it is essential that they get the kind of help they need to perform such tasks successfully. Suggestions on how to provide this support can be found in other pages of this subsite, and there is a book* in the FIS ESL library which lists a number of specific strategies for math teachers in some detail. In common to all of this advice is the fundamental principle that the math teacher at an international school is also a teacher of the English language!
* Second language students in the mainstream classroom: a handbook for teachers in international schools   Sears, C.    (1998) Multilingual Matters, Clevedon

"There is, however, a potential disadvantage in the often strong math proficiency of ESL students. It can lead to high levels of frustration when students find that their lack of the English language interferes with their ability to do math that they would otherwise find easy."

   Source:  http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/math.htm

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A guide to learning English .. all your English needs ..

  

Helping ESL students understand written texts

Introduction

Every day in school and at home ESL students have many different texts* to read. It is through reading that they acquire much of their knowledge and understanding of the different subject areas, and reading often forms the basis of follow-up work such as class discussions or homework questions. For these reasons it is essential that ESL students are helped as much as possible and necessary to understand what they read. Many ESL students, often with their parents’ help, waste a great deal of precious time trying to make sense of texts that are too difficult for them. It is not unusual for a student to pore over a text for a couple of hours with a dictionary and still not understand it very well. Yet with a little assistance their frustrating reading experience can be turned into a more profitable one.

[* The word texts is used here to refer to all kinds of reading material that ESL students have to deal with; e.g., textbook passages, worksheet questions, short stories, Internet articles, etc.]

The purpose of this article therefore is to suggest to mainstream teachers how they can help the ESL students in their classes to become more effective readers. Firstly, I list some of the factors that can make texts difficult to understand. And secondly, I suggest ways that the texts that students are expected to read, e.g. in textbooks, can be made more accessible to them.

Read more:

http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/commun.htm

8 Things Your ESL Students Won't Tell You

 Diversity is one of the earmarks of today’s classroom, and chances are if you have never had an ESL student in your classroom, somewhere along the way you will.
Working with these children is often very rewarding and can bring an exciting dynamic into the classroom, while also offering a challenge.
To increase your effectiveness with these students, there are a few things you should know. Things these students won’t tell you themselves. Things that can make a difference in the growth and educational well-being of these unique members of the classroom.

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/esl-students-diversit/#ixzz23eDgN7hX

US Dept of Ed to Make Broader Global Skills a Priority

The U.S. Department of Education wants to ensure that more American students have the skills to compete in a global workplace, and not just build up "deep, deep expertise" among a smaller group of graduates in foreign languages or cultures, the agency's top official for international education says.

In a recent interview with The Chronicle, Maureen McLaughlin, the department's director of international affairs, said it was trying to be more deliberate and intentional in its international efforts. "We didn't previously have a strategic framework for the things we would engage in and those that we weren't going to internationally," said Ms. McLaughlin, who has led an internal working group to develop a global plan.

"We believe in a deliberative, sustainable, strategic approach to international engagement," she said.





 Source:

http://chronicle.com/article/US-Will-Make-Broader-Global/133435/

The Culture Shock Curve

Yes, this is an example of a student visiting Australia, but the principle is the same.

Limited English Proficiency in America

From:  http://nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/demographics/mapping-language-limited-english-proficiency-in-america-20120730#.UBmQW3rnpzE.facebook

Mapping Language: Limited English Proficiency in America

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By Brian McGill

Updated: July 31, 2012 | 9:08 a.m.
July 30, 2012 | 10:00 a.m.

Although English is America’s common tongue, immigrants’ efforts to learn it present challenges to institutions and individuals alike. These graphics compare regions, schools, and communities where newcomers have settled to learn and integrate.

http://nationaljournal.com/thenextamerica/demographics/mapping-language-limited-english-proficiency-in-america-20120730#.UBmQW3rnpzE.facebook

Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/scmsAdmin/uploads/005/120/Culturally%20Responsive%20Differientiated%20Instruction.pdf

Teaching English Internet Journal

This resource has all kinds of strategies and activities for the classroom.

http://iteslj.org/

Preparing ESL Students for College Writing

http://iteslj.org/Articles/Fregeau-CollegeWriting.html

Multilevel speaking/reading activities

http://www.altaesl.com/handouthaven/EffectiveRdgSpkng%20ActivitiesforMultiLevelClasses.pdf

Motivating International Students reference

http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/handbook/printable/motivating_international.pdf