Program Delivery Models for English Language Learners

1
Program Delivery Models for English Language
Learners

• Paul Matthews, Ph.D.
• University of Georgia

2
Program Models What Why?

• All students legally and morally deserve an
  appropriate education.
• Must provide adequate instruction for ELLs (Lau
  v. Nichols, 1974). Violation of Title VI if
  programs dont teach English as soon as
  possible/not a dead-end track parents must
  receive information in language they can
  understand.
• 14th Amendment prohibits states from denying
  public education to undocumented children (Plyler
  v. Doe, 1982)

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Program Models What Why?

• Compliance with Equal Ed. Opp. Act criteria (1)
  program informed by an educational theory
  recognized as sound by some experts in the field
  or, at least, deemed legitimate experimental
  strategy (2) program and practice reasonably
  calculated to implement effectively the
  educational strategy adopted (3) program
  succeeds in producing results indicating that
  the language barriers are actually being
  overcome (Castaneda v. Pickard, 1981)
• Appropriate instruction with endorsed teacher,
  meeting class size limits, placement into/out of
  correctly, can receive federal via state DOE.

4
Class Size Limits (GA)

• Grade Levels Maximum Individual Class Size
• K-3 No aide 9, with aide 11
• 4-8 No aide 11, with aide 14
• 9-12 No aide 13, with aide 18A segment
  one-sixth of the instructional day. This minimum
  time varies by grade level as do minimum segment
  lengths Grades K-3 270 minutes a week per
  day 45 minute segmentsGrades 4-5 300 minutes
  a week per day 50 minute segments Grades 6-12
  330 minutes a week per day 55 minute
  segments. In addition, a segment consists of at
  least the minimum number of minutes required to
  earn a Carnegie unit in Grades 9-12.

5
Submersion

• No support given Sink or Swim
• Teachers may assume ELLs are someone elses
  problem
• Inappropriate or no modification of instruction,
  assessment, activities
• Likely a violation of students civil rights

6
Newcomers Programs

• Sometimes a separate facility
• Usually offer intensive, short-term survival
  ESOL (e.g., 2 of 4 blocks are English)
• May be coupled with sheltered courses
• May not have access to mainstream
  activities/social groups

7
Pull-Out ESOL

• Teachers (should be) ESOL endorsed
• Class size limited
• Most common instructional methodology
• Not always integrated with regular curriculum
• May marginalize students when pulled out of fun
  or helpful activities ESOL teachers, classrooms
  often under-funded

8
Sheltered Instruction

• Can be for full-day (elementary) or separate
  classes
• Teachers ideally trained in ESOL and content area
• Instruction is modified for ELLs
• Can get grade-level academic credit
• May create segregated setting with little peer
  language interaction
• www.siopinstitute.net/

9
Inclusion/Push-In

• ESOL teacher co-teaches in regular classroom
• Usually elementary-school past this can do a
  pre-teaching model
• Can minimize segregation and disruption of
  routines
• Requires joint planning time
• Personalities must work together and must treat
  as equals
• May need more teachers

10
Bilingual Programs

• Legal in Georgia (state law)
• Not everyone uses bilingual in same sense. Need
  to differentiate based on
• Goals transitional or maintenance/developmental
• Early-exit or late-exit
• Models by day, by class, by topic, by
  instructor, 50/50 or 90/10
• 1-way or 2-way immersion
• Difficult to implement in Georgia
  (infrastructure)
• Which languages?
• Which language variety?
• What teachers?
• Not always well done can segregate students

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Thomas Colliers research

• http//www.crede.ucsc.edu/research/llaa/1.1es.html
  
• Research from 1985-2001
• Multi-site, multi-language, looked at wide range
  of programs including ESOL, bilingual, and others
• Results support importance of L1 in education

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Thomas Collier

• only ELLs with at least 4 years of primary
  language schooling reach grade-level performance
  in L2 in 4 years. As a group, students with no
  primary language schooling are not able to reach
  grade-level performance in L2.
• The highest quality ESL Content programs close
  about half of the total achievement gap.

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Effective Programs (Romo)

• High expectations for all students
• Sufficient time in program to develop bilingual
  skills
• Rigorous academic content in the curriculum
• Quality language instruction
• School climate that values bilingualism
• Positive opportunities to interact socially with
  speakers of L2

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Things to watch out for

• Pressure to lose/abandon L1
• Pressure to take low-track classes tracking into
  courses which are not college-bound negative
  peer influence from low-achieving students
• Low expectations
• Marginalization/lack of access to English-using
  peers
• Teachers who dont understand SLA or who dont
  take responsibility for students

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What will your school do?

• Think about needs in present AND future
• What programs will best serve ELLs?
• What resources and training needed?
• Who helps make the decisions about program
  models? Do they have the necessary information?
• Who makes decisions about student placements? Do
  they have the necessary information?

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• Paul Matthews, pmatthew_at_uga.edu
• Center for Latino Achievement and Success in
  Education (CLASE), www.coe.uga.edu/clase
• 706-542-3368