Analyzing Tómas's Primary Issues

Identify the problem. What are Tómas’s primary issues? One primary issue is that Tómas is not being provided support for his lack of English proficiency. Another issue is that he is missing school due to family responsibilities. Another issue is the negative social interactions that are occurring with his peers. Another issue is his wish to go on to college, but his poor performance on his homework and classwork due to his lack of understanding is preventing him from getting the grades he needs. 


Determine if the problems are widespread. Is anyone else affected? How can you find out? Other students with limited English proficiency may also struggling with their grades. Other students with diverse backgrounds may be having negative experiences with their peers. One way to find out …show more content…
Are there opportunities for collaborating with others? There is an opportunity to collaborate with the teacher that is already assisting the student with one of his classes. Gaining support from the teacher could help to get other teachers and the administration to support change within the school. Another possible ally could be counselors in other schools in the community that are working on the same issues. In addition, the counselor could contact the National Association for Bilingual Education and collaborate with them to support change at the state level, such as not testing students’ IQ unless it is in the students’ home language. 

Identify sources of resistance. What are the potential barriers to change?
Potential barriers include resistance from teachers, administration, parents, and students. For instance, teachers may have a difficult time providing tutoring to the student on a regular basis. In addition, the school board may also try to block changes to the school’s policies regarding testing of ELL students. Other barriers include the time it would take to translate homework or classwork into the student’s home