Essential Essential Question Question

By Kayla KnottBy Kayla Knott

April 6, 2009 April 6, 2009 TEAC 413B TEAC 413B

The Question: The Question:

How can we help students in an How can we help students in an ESL classroom who have ESL classroom who have

limited formal schooling (LFS), limited formal schooling (LFS), students with interrupted students with interrupted

formal education (SIFE) and/or formal education (SIFE) and/or students who are illiterate in students who are illiterate in

their native or primary their native or primary language?language?

WHY? WHY?

The reasons for lack of The reasons for lack of schooling in most situations is schooling in most situations is

due to war, civil unrest, due to war, civil unrest, cultural customs, or children cultural customs, or children whose parents are migrant whose parents are migrant

workers. workers.

WHAT? WHAT?

The issue: students are entering as The issue: students are entering as emigrants or refugees into a U.S. School emigrants or refugees into a U.S. School

system with a weak foundation for learning system with a weak foundation for learning a second language, and have difficulty a second language, and have difficulty working at age-appropriate levels in working at age-appropriate levels in required subjects, even when these required subjects, even when these

subjects are taught in their native/primary subjects are taught in their native/primary languages. languages.

What are some problems this What are some problems this situation could pose?situation could pose?

WHO? WHO?

Limited Formal Schooling is Limited Formal Schooling is seen mostly in students from seen mostly in students from Mexico, Central America, the Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and some countries in Caribbean and some countries in Africa. Africa.

It is seen in both first generation It is seen in both first generation newcomers as well as second newcomers as well as second generation immigrants. generation immigrants.

Statistics Statistics

20% of LEP’s (Limited English 20% of LEP’s (Limited English Performance) at High School level Performance) at High School level and 12% of LEP’s at Middle School and 12% of LEP’s at Middle School Level have missed 2 years or more Level have missed 2 years or more of school since they were six years of school since they were six years old. old.

There are more than 4 million LEP There are more than 4 million LEP students in the U.S. (2000)students in the U.S. (2000)

Most upper level ESL and Bilingual Most upper level ESL and Bilingual education programs assume that education programs assume that children enter school with some children enter school with some

foundation of native language literacy, foundation of native language literacy, and are not generally equipped to help and are not generally equipped to help

students develop basic literacy that students develop basic literacy that children usually acquire in elementary children usually acquire in elementary

school. school. What does this mean for:What does this mean for: Elementary studentsElementary students Middle-level studentsMiddle-level students Secondary-level studentsSecondary-level students

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The issue: The issue:

Younger Students Younger Students Kindergarten and 1Kindergarten and 1stst grade students, grade students,

brought into an ESL classroom, will brought into an ESL classroom, will probably not face difficulties in terms of probably not face difficulties in terms of minimal formal education, since most minimal formal education, since most

native English speakers are in the same native English speakers are in the same playing field of limited content playing field of limited content

knowledge. knowledge. The main difficulty they could face is if The main difficulty they could face is if they have never connected spoken/aural they have never connected spoken/aural

language with written language. language with written language.

Elementary StudentsElementary Students

There are sometimes questions of There are sometimes questions of whether or not education, especially whether or not education, especially doing homework and having consistent doing homework and having consistent attendance, is as high on a list of attendance, is as high on a list of priorities for some ELL’s families. priorities for some ELL’s families.

Also, often times children are required Also, often times children are required to take on many family responsibilities, to take on many family responsibilities, to allow the parents to have more jobs. to allow the parents to have more jobs.

Middle Level Middle Level Think about the content level knowledge Think about the content level knowledge

that was expected of you, even by 5that was expected of you, even by 5thth grade…grade…

Now, imagine if you were entering an Now, imagine if you were entering an English speaking school, without having English speaking school, without having that content-knowledge foundation, AND that content-knowledge foundation, AND without speaking the language…without speaking the language…

How long do you imagine it would take How long do you imagine it would take for you to feel like giving up? How long for you to feel like giving up? How long would it take for you to truly “catch up”? would it take for you to truly “catch up”? Is it possible? Is it possible?

Secondary Level Secondary Level

The main issue with Limited Formal The main issue with Limited Formal schooling comes toward the end of schooling comes toward the end of middle school and entering the secondary middle school and entering the secondary level of education in the United States. level of education in the United States.

Learning high school curriculum is a Learning high school curriculum is a challenge for students struggling to learn challenge for students struggling to learn English, but can be especially English, but can be especially overwhelming for students working to overwhelming for students working to bridge literacy gaps in secondary bridge literacy gaps in secondary education. education.

Content Knowledge Content Knowledge Think about the content knowledge Think about the content knowledge

expected of an 8expected of an 8thth grader in the grader in the following mainstream classrooms: following mainstream classrooms:

social studiessocial studiessciencesciencemathmathenglishenglish

what are some words that might be what are some words that might be difficult for an ELL to understand if difficult for an ELL to understand if they have never had formal education they have never had formal education to explain those concepts? to explain those concepts?

Content vocabulary Content vocabulary area, square root, factor, piarea, square root, factor, pi principles of addition, principles of addition,

subtraction, subtraction, multiplication, divisionmultiplication, division

circumferencecircumference globalizationglobalization chemical reactionschemical reactions ecologyecology

Defining the issueDefining the issue

When they start school, students When they start school, students are already significantly behind, are already significantly behind,

and are categorized as and are categorized as “overage”, “pre-literate” or “overage”, “pre-literate” or

“low literacy LEP” with needs “low literacy LEP” with needs that are not generally met by that are not generally met by the design of a regular ESL or the design of a regular ESL or

bilingual classroom. bilingual classroom.

Definitions Definitions

Overage: need instruction generally Overage: need instruction generally given to elementary aged studentsgiven to elementary aged students

Pre-literates: they struggle with Pre-literates: they struggle with reading and writing in native reading and writing in native language and in Englishlanguage and in English

LFS: Limited Formal SchoolingLFS: Limited Formal Schooling SIFE: Students with Interrupted SIFE: Students with Interrupted

Formal EducationFormal Education

LFS/SIFE Students LFS/SIFE Students

In order to be categorized as LFS or In order to be categorized as LFS or SIFE, students:SIFE, students:

• will have had little or no formal schooling will have had little or no formal schooling • Exhibit pre- or semi-literacyExhibit pre- or semi-literacy• Be 2-3 grades behind peers their own ageBe 2-3 grades behind peers their own age• Perform significantly below grade level Perform significantly below grade level • Lack awareness of organization and Lack awareness of organization and

culture of school culture of school

General Issues associated General Issues associated with LFSwith LFS

Connecting verbal/aural to written wordConnecting verbal/aural to written word Developing study habitsDeveloping study habits Classroom behavior/organizationClassroom behavior/organization Reading comprehension strategiesReading comprehension strategies Identifying main ideasIdentifying main ideas Comparison in textsComparison in texts Basic writing skillsBasic writing skills Formal sentence structureFormal sentence structure Chronological narrationChronological narration SummarizationSummarizationWhat are some other issues you could What are some other issues you could

predict facing as a teacher when trying to predict facing as a teacher when trying to help an LFS or SIFE student? help an LFS or SIFE student?

Literacy Transfer Literacy Transfer

Students who arrive without a native Students who arrive without a native language foundation of reading, writing, language foundation of reading, writing, and schooling lack the skills and academic and schooling lack the skills and academic knowledge that knowledge that can be transferred to can be transferred to English Literacy development and school English Literacy development and school achievement. achievement.

Students who arrive well-prepared Students who arrive well-prepared academically and highly literate in academically and highly literate in language other than English possess language other than English possess conceptual knowledgeconceptual knowledge and skills that assist and skills that assist in their acquisition of English literacyin their acquisition of English literacy

issues continued…issues continued…

All of these conceptual tasks listed are All of these conceptual tasks listed are built into the elementary and middle level built into the elementary and middle level curriculum, but by secondary level schooling, curriculum, but by secondary level schooling, it is assumed that all students have it is assumed that all students have developed these skills to a level of developed these skills to a level of competency. competency. There is not time built into the secondary There is not time built into the secondary classroom schedule for teachers to teach classroom schedule for teachers to teach reading comprehension, summarization, or reading comprehension, summarization, or formal sentence structures. formal sentence structures.

…….on top of that, it can take up .on top of that, it can take up to 4-7 years to learn Academic to 4-7 years to learn Academic English in general, which is English in general, which is even more difficult to acquire even more difficult to acquire when the student doesn’t have a when the student doesn’t have a prior foundation of even basic prior foundation of even basic elementary schooling (it can elementary schooling (it can then take up to 10 years.) then take up to 10 years.)

issues continued….issues continued….

HOW? HOW?

How can teachers even begin How can teachers even begin to address all of the issues and to address all of the issues and complications that come when complications that come when

working with students who have working with students who have limited formal schooling, limited formal schooling,

students with interrupted formal students with interrupted formal education, and those with low education, and those with low

literacy LEP? literacy LEP?

Teach Through Content Teach Through Content Teach content, as well as literacy and Teach content, as well as literacy and

numeracy skills that are often many grade numeracy skills that are often many grade levels behind students peers levels behind students peers

Develop a thematic approach to vocabulary Develop a thematic approach to vocabulary and related skills and related skills

Emphasize the development of social skills Emphasize the development of social skills and academic language, and development and academic language, and development of literacy skillsof literacy skills

What might this look like in an ESL What might this look like in an ESL Classroom? Classroom?

What about in a mainstream classroom?What about in a mainstream classroom?

Critical and content based Critical and content based knowledgeknowledge

Even when students might not have a vast Even when students might not have a vast foundation with material being taught, focus foundation with material being taught, focus on content on content as well asas well as critical thinking and critical thinking and study skills study skills

Draw on background knowledge and Draw on background knowledge and experiences (migrant workers: planting, experiences (migrant workers: planting, crops) crops)

Organize group activities, peer scaffolding to Organize group activities, peer scaffolding to help students learn from the accumulated help students learn from the accumulated knowledge that the class brings as a whole knowledge that the class brings as a whole

““Big Question Themes” Big Question Themes”

Themes should provide students with Themes should provide students with opportunities to investigate opportunities to investigate big questionsbig questions

Connect curriculum to students lives and Connect curriculum to students lives and backgroundsbackgrounds

Draw on their language strengthsDraw on their language strengths Students know what topic is, even though Students know what topic is, even though

conversation is in 2conversation is in 2ndnd language language Students can engage with topic, feeling of Students can engage with topic, feeling of

success and relevancy to classroom success and relevancy to classroom Allow student to choose topics of interest, to Allow student to choose topics of interest, to

encourage student to take language learning encourage student to take language learning risks risks

ChallengesChallenges

Finding reading materials relevant to Finding reading materials relevant to older students that still support the older students that still support the development of basic literacy skillsdevelopment of basic literacy skills

Creating a community of learners when Creating a community of learners when students might come from a vast students might come from a vast spectrum of backgrounds and spectrum of backgrounds and educational experienceseducational experiences

Supporting academic skills while Supporting academic skills while promoting the “catching up” with content promoting the “catching up” with content learning as well learning as well

SUPPORT THE TROOPSSUPPORT THE TROOPS

Less than 3% of content teachers Less than 3% of content teachers with low literacy LEP’s in their with low literacy LEP’s in their classroom have ESL experience or classroom have ESL experience or degrees degrees

As ESL Teaches, it is imperative that As ESL Teaches, it is imperative that we realize our role of we realize our role of supportingsupporting mainstream teachers and mainstream teachers and casting a casting a visionvision of understanding the issue of understanding the issue and reaching solutions together and reaching solutions together

Resources Resources

Assessment guidelines: Assessment guidelines: http://www.rrcna.org/pdf/Freeman_Handouts.pdfhttp://www.rrcna.org/pdf/Freeman_Handouts.pdf

Keys to success for bilingual students with Keys to success for bilingual students with limited formal schooling - limited formal schooling - http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200101/ai_n8950697/?tag=content;cohttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200101/ai_n8950697/?tag=content;col1l1

Closing the achievement gap for ELL’s - Closing the achievement gap for ELL’s - http://www.rrcna.org/pdf/Freeman_Handouts.pdfhttp://www.rrcna.org/pdf/Freeman_Handouts.pdf

Immigrant Students and Secondary School -Immigrant Students and Secondary School -

http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/000001http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/a4/84.pdf9b/80/1b/a4/84.pdf

Sources/BibliographySources/Bibliography Keys to success for bilingual students with Keys to success for bilingual students with

limited formal schooling-limited formal schooling- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200101/ai_n8950697/?http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3722/is_200101/ai_n8950697/?tag=content;col1tag=content;col1

LFS: Learners with Limited Formal SchoolingLFS: Learners with Limited Formal Schooling -- http://suse-step.stanford.edu/resources/LanguageSite/LFS_Page.html http://suse-step.stanford.edu/resources/LanguageSite/LFS_Page.html

Closing the Achievement Gap for English Language Learners- http://www.rrcna.org/pdf/Freeman_Handouts.pdf

Establishing an Effective Newcomer Program- http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0312short.html

Interrupted Formal Schooling- www.ncela.gwu.edu/practice/itc/ifsinfo.html#EL

Literacy Characteristics of Hispanic Adolescent Immigrants with Limited Prior Education, by Anna Uhl Chamot