Module 2:
Who are our ESL students?
In this module, we will consider the backgrounds of our ESL population.
Pre-Assessment Discussion
Please choose one of the following composite descriptions of an ESL student at Southwest:
Consider and comment on how the different factors listed below affect the students' educational needs or how Southwest could best help each student in their journey.
Educational background
Nationality
English proficiency level
Career goals
Reasons for learning English
Reason for moving to Memphis
Who are our ESL students?
Our ESL students come to us with different
- Educational backgrounds
- Nationalities
- English proficiency levels
- Career goals
- Reasons for learning English
- Reasons for moving to Memphis
Despite these differences
ESL students are grouped together in a single category. This categorization doesn't help you, the teacher, understand what their individual needs are or how to address them. That will only come when you ask.
While there are these differences, our ESL students have much in common with their neighbors and classmates, and with the world. They are all multilingual. By nature of being in one of our classes, they are at a level of English language development and are part of the majority of the world that is bilingual or multilingual.
Another commonality that our immigrant students face is the current political climate, one which has become increasingly hostile to immigrants in the past two decades. As educators, we know that students must "Maslow before they can Bloom." In other words, students must have their basic needs met before they can be motivated to reach higher needs and engage in educational activities at higher levels of complexity and specificity. Understanding, or trying to understand, our students' individual experiences is essential if we are to help our students move ahead.
