Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Interesting story from my field experiance
As I stated in a previous post there are no ESL or bilingual learners at the school I am placed in, but I did hear an interesting story today about one particular student. There is a girl in 4th grade who just got here about 2 months ago from an African country ( the teacher couldn't remember which one). She spoke and understood enough English to "test out" of the ESL program. She was placed in the 4th grade as that's appropriate for her age and they thought her ability but it was quickly obvious that she was far behind the other students in her class. She has a very heavy accent, often hard to understand, and the teacher is not sure how much schooling the girl has had but, she always raises her hand to answer questions even though she hardly ever has the right answer. The girl also has some interesting cultural habits one of which is to stand whenever she answers a question or is called on by a teacher. Unfortunately the girl is so far behind academically and really lacks an understanding of American culture. She is being "retained" ( kept back) and will repeat 4th grade again next year. I found it fascinating that she still wouldn't qualify for ESL classes and that keeping her back is considered the best alternative. I agree that it will give her the opportunity to catch up academically, learn about American culture and feel more comfortable in this country butI can't help wondering if ESL classes would be even more beneficial to her.
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5 comments:
Jennifer, I cannot help but wonder the same thing. I do not think it is fair to retain someone because he or she is new to the American Culture. I strongly believe that even though she tested out of ESl, she should have been given the opportunity to stay in the program until she grasps the new language a little better. After all, she had only been in the country for two months. This story reminds me of a time when I just came to this country. I am from Guyana and even though we only speak English in that country, we speak it with a heavy West Indian accent like those from Jamaica or Trinidad. When my younger sister was enrolled in school. they heard her accent and decided to enroll her in ESL. She clearly did not need it because she understood English perfectly. However, they kept her there the entire year. So I think that maybe the amount of time spent in ESL depends on the school and its regulations. It is sad to see that the 4th grade student you mentioned did not get a fair chance to learn English before she "tested out" of the program. I hope by next year she understands the language better than she do now. I definitely think that the ESL program would have been beneficial to her.
I agree that it isn't fair to retain someone when there are classes she could be taking in order to help her. She should be able to enter the ESL program even though she tested out of it atleast until she is able to speak and understand our language. As for her standing up everytime she answers the questions shows another way how our culture may be different from others. The fact that she is so anxious and answers every question even if she isn't right just shows how much she enjoys learning and being in school. She shouldn't be punished by being held back. She is probably now familiar with the students in her class and will not be allowed to move forward with them next year. This might cause her to regress even more.
I have to agree with all of you. Just because a child has came to this country and speaks well enough to be tested out of the ESL program should not be left back because she is new to our country. Different countries have different cultures so it is only human to do what we know, such as standing up when answering a question. With some role modeling of the other children she will soon understand that we don't get out of our seat to answer a question. This child should have the opportunity to be placed in the ESL program and eventually they would see her progress academically and understand the American culture. She shouldn't be funished for what is new to her.
Jennifer, I too was shocked that there are no ESL students at Calvin Coolidge (Hillside, NJ), especially since the school is so very diverse. I am even more shocked, however, that this girl is apparently not eligible for the ESL program. From what I read in your blog I think the ESL program would have been beneficial to her. Maybe if she had been given the opportunity to be in an ESL program, she would have done better in the fourth grade and would not be repeating it next year. She obviously is engaged in the class and eager to learn so maybe her poor performance was a result of a language/cultural barrier and not a lack of ability.
I think this child should definitely be in an ESL program. She may know enough English to be able to speak to her classmates and teacher but she is still behind. Her schooling in her home country may not have been up to speed with America's schooling. Keeping her in a regular classroom will keep her back.
When the child stands up in class, this shows how different some cultures can be from each other. It isn't a major difference, but it still is a difference.
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