Inclusion of English Language Learners in Mainstream Classrooms by ReCher Kim

1. Inclusion of English Language Learners in Mainstream Classrooms by ReCher Kim

2. With a continuously increasing number of ESL students, it is vital that mainstream classroom teachers understand and meet the needs of ESL students both academically and culturally.

3. Difficulties ESL Students Face While all young adolescents face difficulties in the process of adjusting to physical, cognitive, social, moral,and emotional development, ESL students face added difficulties of learning to adjust to two languages, two cultures, and the demands of American academics.

4. Being caught between two cultures, many immigrant children speak of extreme loneliness, frustration, and fear as they go through a period of relative silence until they feel safe in their new environment. The Intricate Process of Acculturation

5. Validation & Understanding The importance of validation and understanding of ESL students’ cultures from teachers and peers is critical. Simple actions, such as learning to pronounce each student’s name correctly, finding out where each student is from, and gather a little background information about each one are just some of the actions that a teacher can take to make sure ESL students feel included and validated.

6. By utilizing activities that encourage ESL students to make home-school connections, allowing them to personalize her/his space in the classroom with items that make her/him feel safe, encouraging the development of strong peer relationship, and taking multicultural approach to instruction, mainstream classroom teachers help them feel the sense of belonging and membership in the culture of the classroom as well as the larger culture of American society. Sense of Belonging & Membership

7. Academic Challenges Despite the ruling in Lau vs. Nichols, which required schools provide services to ESL students, more recent government education policy has set an unrealistic three year timeline to bring ESL students to proficient levels of English. As a result, more and more students are being placed into mainstream classrooms before they are ready and without further support from ESL teachers.

8. Mainstreaming into a Regular Classroom from a Sheltered ESL Classroom • Many ESL students feel that the mainstream classroom teachers do not explain as well or use enough examples as the ESL teacher. Many also feel that the mainstream teachers ignored them and did not call on them. • Mainstream classroom teachers need to find various ways to make the classroom more inclusive by first understanding that ESL students perceive an example to be step-by-step directions with students following along with the teacher and students, not just passively listening and watching.

9. Inclusive Classroom Environment • Mainstream classroom teachers need to understand that unlike the majority of native English speakers, ESL students rely heavily on their teachers to make participation in social and academic conversation. • Feelings of being ignored and excluded can be eliminated, or at least minimized, by lightening the linguistic burden of participation in class by asking yes/no or either/or questions, incrementally involving ESL students in classroom routines and interactions that require more and more language use over time, assigning buddies, allowing students to write responses before speaking, and assigning roles in cooperative learning activities.

10. Reference Case, R., & Taylor, S. (2005). Language difference or learning disability? Answers from a linguistic perspective. Clearing House, 78(3), 127. Retrieved from ERICdatabase. Curtin, E. (2005). Teaching practices for ESL students. Multicultural Education, 12(3),22. Retrieved from ERIC database. Igoa, C. (1995). The inner world of the immigrant child. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Miller, P., & Endo, H. (2004). Understanding and meeting the needs of ESL students. Phi Delta Kappan, 85(10), 786. Retrieved from ERIC database. Teemant, A., Bernhardt, E., Rodriguez- Munoz, M., & Aiello, M. (2000). A dialogue among teachers that benefits second language learners. Middle School Journal, 32(2), 30-38. Retrieved from ERIC database. Watts-Taffe, S., & Truscott, D. (2000). Using what we know about language and literacy development for ESL students in the mainstream classroom. Language Arts, 77(3), 258-65. Retrieved from ERIC database.