ESL Administration Issues

What topics and issues should be addressed when I collaborate with content area teachers about the needs of ESL students in their classes?

These situations generally include three groups and their individual goals and perceptions to keep in mind as you design a workable educational plan for the affected ESL students in the content area courses. They include: the content area teachers; the ESL students in their classes; and the government, specifically related to the state and federal core curriculum standards on which the content classes are based.

First, gather input. Review the state and federal curriculum mandates that govern the affected content class. Interview the responsible content area teacher(s). If possible, interview the affected ESL students, as well.

Second, sort out what is required versus what is desired (“needs versus wants”) by all parties using the curriculum mandates as the definitive, objective guide. What are the real needs (not teacher and student preferences) for which you have to design an educational plan? What is the observable, factual information (not teacher and student perceptions thereof) on which you determine these needs? This is often where cultural miscommunications and misperceptions arise and can be addressed.

Third, consider all elements of language use as you write your plan: listening (responding to instructions, taking notes, following class discussions, viewing multi-media materials/films); speaking (class discussions and oral presentations); reading (textbook, Internet, newspaper, and novel assignments); writing and grammar (essays, book reports, tests, and other writing assignments).

A more specific list of questions to use in this process includes the following.

When interviewing the content area teachers:

•  What is the curriculum material that they must cover?

•  What are their perceived ideas of the needs of their ESL students?

•  On what do they base these ideas (observation, test results, student comments, etc.)?

•  Can they identify one or more specific language areas that are especially troublesome in their content area for the ESL students, namely listening, speaking, reading, writing, and/or grammar? (If they respond with “all”, then have them list the areas in priority order.)

•  What differences do they note in student output in their classes between the native speakers and ESL students?

•  What learning activities (not content) have the ESL students responded well to in class so far? And, not responded well to in class so far?

•  What are the goals and outcomes required of their classes?

•  What are their evaluation/assessment criteria for student work (tests, papers, state tests, essays, etc.)?

•  What are their preferred methods of presenting material to the students (visual, oral, “hands-on”, a combination of these)?

•  What aids, handouts, checklists, etc. do they use currently?

•  What aids, handouts, checklists, etc. do they think need/should be added?

For the affected ESL students:

•  What are their perceived needs and difficulties?

•  On what do they base these perceptions?

•  How do these needs and difficulties compare with those of the native speaking students in their class?

•  Can they identify one or more specific language areas that are especially troublesome in their content area for the ESL students, namely listening, speaking, reading, writing, and/or grammar? (If they respond with “all”, then have them list the areas in priority order.)

•  What learning activities (not content) do they respond well to in class so far? And, don't respond well to in class so far?

•  What methods of presentation do they prefer (best respond to)?

•  What are their learning styles (oral, visual, hands-on, a combination)?

•  How long have they been living in the United States , using English regularly, and going to an American style school?

•  What family responsibilities do they have that may take them out of school periodically (being family translator at the doctor's office, with government agencies, etc.)?

•  To what aspects of American academic (school) culture are they having difficulty adjusting?

•  What aids, handouts, checklists, etc. would help them understand the content more readily?

If you can, get feedback and suggestions from other experienced ESL teachers or those familiar with ESL issues about your plan before you meet with the content area teachers again. These others may think of something more or different to include in your plan.

How do I address ESL student violations of class or assignment requirements that seemingly conflict with “cultural differences”?

The best time to address these types of issues is when a class first begins, when the assignment is first given to the students, and in writing. ESL students need to understand that the American educational system can be quite different than the one from which they came, and that cultural difference cannot be used as an excuse for violating these rules. They need to know that our stated rules are enforced.

Many other cultures have the same stated rules as we do, but without the enforcement . Therefore, it is vitally important that administrators and all teachers involved in overseeing a class communicate the same, consistent message to ESL students pertaining to class and assignment requirements. As an example, many ESL students are surprised to learn that our casual, easy-going American culture views the copying of others' work without citation (plagiarism) the same as stealing one's intellectual ”property”.

Incorporate this “message” in your regular teaching. Review and “fix” plagiarized examples of anonymous student work as class learning activities, so ESL students know how to do this with their own work. Create a permanent classroom bulletin board display or poster size wall chart listing chronic problems with class assignments: plagiarism/no citation; little or no editing; repeating of main ideas or wording; a lot of writing with little substance; etc. This same idea can be incorporated in any description/expectation/evaluation handout page given to the students for class assignments, as well. Then, refer the students to the wall chart or handout when there is a problem with their work. Have them circle or otherwise identify the specific areas of their writing that need “fixing”. Finally, have them show you the parts of their work that are problematic and tell you their plan for correcting these issues. Certainly, you can guide them through the last step, but allow the ESL students to think through this process on their own first. Don't do it for them (as much as they want you to). Otherwise, they will never learn to do it for themselves, a necessary skill in the workforce or college environment post-graduation.

Finally, if administrators and teachers have some basic familiarity with educational differences from the specific cultures of the students they serve, it can help them to anticipate probable areas of confusion and problems that may arise, as well as be ready to address them. For example, some countries prioritize the memorization and rote retelling of text-based information, even in written form generated by the student. There, it's the correct answer; here, it's plagiarism. Other countries require no minimum class attendance, class work, class participation, or completion of homework assignments. Instead, final yearly grades rest solely on the results of a battery of final exams taken in each subject area at the end of the academic year. Additionally in some cultures, the higher the social and economic status of a family, the more “second chances” their children receive for academic assessment and access. As a result, ESL students may have no idea of the differences in grading and ongoing class expectations here in the United States . It's important for them to understand that they cannot use these cultural differences as an excuse for submitting plagiarized work, no work, or not passing courses. Instead, they must learn what these differences are and adapt to them in order to be successful in our system of education.