English Language Learners

Challenges Facing ELL Students:

ELL students struggle scholastically for a variety of reasons. One has to consider the following -

• Many English learners students come from families that have recently moved to the US or reside in communities that speak languages other than English and follow their own norms, values, and traditions. These students bring rich perspectives, knowledge, and opportunities to the nation’s schools. Despite this, the educational system is failing these multi-language learners (Pere & Morrison, 2016) . Research shows that students with a home language other than English have a higher high school dropout rate and fail to complete education once these students enter high school (only 44 percent of ELL students graduate, which is a sharp contrast to non-ELL students with 70 percent of graduation rate). There are extremely low chances of completing the program once these students enter institutions of higher education to seek undergraduate degrees. Additionally, these students also perform low in standardized tests. Menken et al. (2014) studied the performance of ELLs in every state across the US on both reading and math tests and compared their performance (data) with native English-speaking students. The data clearly demonstrated that on average ELLs score approximately 46% below on reading tests and 31% below on math tests.

• Research shows that bilingual/multilingual students are at an advantage in various domains of cognitive functioning (Winsler et al., 2014) because "they manage multiple languages and continuously monitor the appropriate language for each communicative interaction" (Blom, Boerma, Bosma, Cornips, & Everaert, 2017). However, the process before ELLs acquire English language skills or become proficient in English presents them with various emotional, social, and behavioral challenges (Peguero, 2008). . For example, because of their accented language and cultural customs, these students are often the targets of bullying.

• "The average native English speaker starts schooling knowing at least 5,000 words. The average ELL may be aware of 5,000 words in their native language, but very few words in English. While native speakers continue to learn new words, ELLs face the dual challenges of learning a new language while keeping up with the academic content of their grade level" (American Youth Policy Forum, 2009, p.2; Colorin Colorado, 2007) Further, because of their low levels of English proficiency, these students are pulled out of the classroom for additional support which leaves them isolated from their non ELL peers (Jaffe-Walter & Lee, 2011; Pere & Morrison, 2016). This increases the stress level of the learners. In addition to this, when parents of such kids attend school conferences, these kids assume the role of interpreters which may lead to embarrassment for them (Pere & Morrison, 2016).

What Do Teachers Need to Know?

• Second Language Development- English learners enrolled in the K-12 education system are expected to acquire English proficiency while learning grade-level academic content. To accomplish this task, teachers must be familiar with the basic tenets of language development and know the stages of second language acquisition in order to choose developmentally appropriate resources and activities that facilitate language development (Samson & Collins, 2012). By understanding these stages, it would be easy for educators to identify which stage students are in, and based on this knowledge, they can differentiate learning content, strategies, and products for ELLs. Failure to not pay attention to second language acquisition may have unreasonable expectations that result in referrals to special education or learning disability education (Deussen, Miller, Lockwood, & Stewart, 2008)

• Please visit this page if you want to learn more about the stages of first language acquisition - Language Acquisition Part 4 (mnstate.edu)

Stages of Second Language Acquisition-

• Understand the difference between BICS and CALP acquisition - Some ELL students speak conversational English at home but are less familiar with academic English.

• Educator Expectations- In an era of accountability, benchmarks play an essential role in designing and planning curriculum, teaching instructions, and assessment; this holds true for all students including ELLs. Unfortunately, many times ELLs students' abilities and knowledge are often evaluated based on their low English proficiency level. Because of this, they are often placed in courses that do not challenge them enough. Sometimes, teachers even lower their expectations about what ELLs can accomplish or achieve (Callahan, 2005). As a result, they reduce the assignment standards/benchmarks for them or ask them less rigorous questions than they ask for native‐speaking students (Verplaetse, 1998) which could lead to disengagement in the classroom. Therefore, it is essential for educators to set high expectations for the English learners in their classes while at the same time giving them the support that they need to achieve (Deussen, Miller, Lockwood, & Stewart, 2008).

• Culturally Compatible Instruction - Teachers must have an understanding of how culture plays an important role in language development and academic achievement. Cultural differences/cultural variabilities often affect ELL student’s classroom motivation, participation, and performance because the expectation for behavior, interaction, and communication with others that these students have in their homes and communities usually do not match the norms that are imposed in the school environment (Samson & Collins, 2012). For example, some ELLs may come from families in which younger individuals do not question their elders; they, as a result, may be reluctant to ask questions from teachers or make eye contact with the teachers. This kind of behavior may conflict with the teacher's expectations in the classroom and can lead to misunderstandings or confusion. Therefore, it is essential for educators to recognize and appreciate these cultural differences as this will enable them to respond in ways that help to create a positive and reciprocal learning environment (Alrubail, 2016; Cultural Challenges & Recommendations, n.d.).