Question:
Many mainstream teachers have ESL students in their classrooms. I was
wondering if any one could share what types of professional development
or training you have received to work with ESL students or whether you
have not had any support. With or without support how do you then
incorporate these students into your classroom activities? Thank you
for any information you may have in this area
Answer:
I was just having this rant...er, conversation, the other day.
We have ESL kids mainstreamed into our team's classes. No separate
bilingual or ESL classes, no pullouts, nothing. They are mixed in with my
regular 6th period class (a bunch of behavior problems, to be sure) with
nothing but me for support. I have several who can function just fine and a
couple who don't speak much English at all. One of them has picked up quite
a bit of English fromt he tutors I've scared up to work with her
one-on-one, thank goodness.
I was told at the end of last year that we were eliminating our
self-contained ESL unit and I had to get ESL certified, and oh BTW the test
was in 3 weeks. I passed it and my principal paid for the test, but that's
about it. I had $100 budget and no materials. No inservices were required,
except the one on how to pass the certification test. No support, or very
little.
It is NOT serving these kids' needs. They are kids who need a LOT of
special attention mixed in with kids who have behavior problems and need a
lot of special attention. My 6th period has 28 kids. It's crowd control and
is not serving their ESL needs, save for what the tutors pull out of their
hats two days per week.
Our principal has requested an ESL teacher for next year, to work
one-on-one with these kids and work towards serving them better. But I do
not expect much. It depresses me, for the sake of those kids who need much
more than I can provide. Time, more than anything.
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