Key Issues in Literacy: English Language Learners’ Deficits in Literacy The literacy instruction of English Language Learners (ELLs) has become an increasingly become a debated item in educational practice and policy, in state and local school districts across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Educational Sciences National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2012-2013 school year, there were 4.5 million ELLs in the nation's' public schools, making up for 9.2% of the total student enrollment. In states, the greatest concentrations of ELLs, this population of students can make up between 22% to 10% of the total student enrollment. California has the highest percentage of ELLs accounting for 22% of
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Slavin at Johns Hopkins University investigated what educational policies and programs have proven to be most successful at improving literacy and education for ELLs of Latino origins. The two programs most common in the U.S. are English Immersion and Bilingual Programs. In immersion programs, students are expected to learn English from the very beginning, their native language plays no role in the daily reading, classroom, or school routines. They are “immersed” in the English language and will get no support or further instruction in their native language. Some immersion programs will provide support in the form of an ESL class or a classroom aide to provide some one on one support, but the key feature in immersion programs is the sole use of English only texts. Immersion strategies have several valid criticisms. For example, with no support in their native language students will either “sink or swim”. Furthermore, because further education of their language of origin is not supported, students will loose those language abilities. Ironically, once in high school studying a foreign language is not only encouraged but a graduation a requirement. So the question is raised, why aren't bilingual students given further education and support in their native languages. Diane August co-author of English Language Learners: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners—Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth, makes the …show more content…
Students remain in a given bilingual program for a given amount of time until literacy is developed in their native language and verbal and literacy skills are developed and strengthened in English. Instruction in their native language and English are taught at different times of the day when students have acquired a functional understanding of English, then the transition is made into English-only instruction, with the possibly of an ESL class for support. The vast majority of bilingual programs in the U.S. are for native Spanish speakers, as there is a greater likelihood of concentrated Spanish-speaking students in large numbers throughout the country. Bilingual education programs also have their share of criticisms, one of which includes keeping minority students “segregated" in Spanish-only instruction longer than need be, possibly hindering their growth potential in English. This instance is more common in school districts or schools with large amounts of Spanish-speaking
Slavin at Johns Hopkins University investigated what educational policies and programs have proven to be most successful at improving literacy and education for ELLs of Latino origins. The two programs most common in the U.S. are English Immersion and Bilingual Programs. In immersion programs, students are expected to learn English from the very beginning, their native language plays no role in the daily reading, classroom, or school routines. They are “immersed” in the English language and will get no support or further instruction in their native language. Some immersion programs will provide support in the form of an ESL class or a classroom aide to provide some one on one support, but the key feature in immersion programs is the sole use of English only texts. Immersion strategies have several valid criticisms. For example, with no support in their native language students will either “sink or swim”. Furthermore, because further education of their language of origin is not supported, students will loose those language abilities. Ironically, once in high school studying a foreign language is not only encouraged but a graduation a requirement. So the question is raised, why aren't bilingual students given further education and support in their native languages. Diane August co-author of English Language Learners: Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners—Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth, makes the …show more content…
Students remain in a given bilingual program for a given amount of time until literacy is developed in their native language and verbal and literacy skills are developed and strengthened in English. Instruction in their native language and English are taught at different times of the day when students have acquired a functional understanding of English, then the transition is made into English-only instruction, with the possibly of an ESL class for support. The vast majority of bilingual programs in the U.S. are for native Spanish speakers, as there is a greater likelihood of concentrated Spanish-speaking students in large numbers throughout the country. Bilingual education programs also have their share of criticisms, one of which includes keeping minority students “segregated" in Spanish-only instruction longer than need be, possibly hindering their growth potential in English. This instance is more common in school districts or schools with large amounts of Spanish-speaking