I substituted in an ESL Classroom....

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

I signed up with my county to be a substitute teacher and substitute paraprofessional. Yesterday, I was assigned to sub for an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at my kids high school.

 

During homeroom I was briefed on my students by another ESL teacher. My class was made up of 17 high-school-age students; 15 Spanish speakers, one ?Mixtec? speaker, and one Farsi speaking young lady. The ESL teacher told me that the majority of them cannot read or write in their own language. The poor Mixtec and Farsi-speaking girls had no one to communicate with. He said they speak little to no English.

 

The teacher had left lesson plans for me.

My first task was instructing them to write in their journals. I don't speak Spanish so I had to demonstrate everything. I wrote, "This weekend I ______________.". Half of them wrote one or two very simple but complete sentences. Half did not participate.

 

I moved on to my task of introducing the students to science vocabulary (canyon, shore etc.). I demonstrated cutting up strips of vocabulary words and gluing them into their journal (word bank). I then demonstrated gluing in the preprinted definitions. This was a big fail. Huge fail.

 

I was relieved to hear the Bell ring as there was an increasing amount if chatting, jumping around and physical stuff going on. I was losing control over the class.

 

After the class emptied out, the other ESL teacher asked me if I would come back today and fill in again. He was impressed that I was not afraid of the students and that I engaged them. I told him that my science vocabulary task was a failure and he said no worries.

 

I don't think these ESL students are being served in our school. They are so behind. There doesn't seem to be a systematic approach to teaching them English. How are English-language skills acquired in a classroom where the teacher is the only one speaking it? You can't use flashcards with students that can't read the written form of their native language. These kids will age out of public schools at the age of 22. Can they catch up? There doesn't seem to be community support to assist in learning the language.

 

It's discouraging and disturbing. Where will these kids be in 3 to 5 years? I can't stop thinking about these kids!

[Lang Syne Boardie]

:(

 

Thank you for doing what you can. It seems the process would need to be so much more deliberate and systematic, if they're to make progress.

[Anne in CA]

I agree that what you described seems quite discouraging, but I think you being there and caring will make more progress than someone who doesn't even care. I hope there is more to the program than what you saw.

[Matryoshka]

If they can't read or write in their own language, that means the majority of the class is not even familiar with the Latin Alphabet??  I'd want to know how many letters they recognize, and if they know the sounds that typically go with them before putting up random 'science vocabulary' cards for them to 'read'. 

 

Spanish is a much more phonetic language than English and uses the same alphabet.  If they can't read that, how are they going to read words in a different language they don't understand?? You'd have to go back to the beginning  (I'd also want to confirm that's true, it seems.... unlikely).

 

This class seems very badly designed.

 

 

[Incognito]

nm

 

[Ipsey]

I have a Masters in teaching ESL and have been teaching for 15 years, and can't get a job in my new district in the public schools. :( 

 

Most ESL programs are extremely underfunded and districts can't support the sorts of programs that will give these students the intensive English instruction they need. And it's a problem not limited to ESL teaching.

 

 

[Guest]

I saw this over and over again growing up, my district was very immigrant heavy.

 

I really wish the kids and teens were allowed to start from the ground up with the sounds that make the English language, then basic rules, and didn't expand to vocabulary until they could spell the words properly. But a lot of that is skipped for quick fluency that lacks a strong enough structure to build on. It isn't a money issue so much as a problem with educational philosophy, and by the time they're in high school they'd benefit more from three months with a tutor than immersion group classes. And honestly the money probably is better spent with the tutor than wasting three or five years in a group setting where they aren't really learning :(

 

ETA - what I mean by a money problem is that my district will put in marble floors in a cafeteria and hire three new administrators, but won't pay for ESL tutoring. The money is there, the proper use of those funds and allocation to the most critical programs is an epic fail.

[Arcadia]

. How are English-language skills acquired in a classroom where the teacher is the only one speaking it? You can't use flashcards with students that can't read the written form of their native language.

 

My district's ESL teachers are all bilingual in English and Spanish since the Asian ESLs usually pay for afterschool tutors and catch up in a year.  For middle and high school ESL students, they get an extra one to one ESL session after school from the district to help them catch up. There is also volunteers helping at the local libraries.

 

We also have math and science textbooks which are bilingual (English-Spanish) for kids to use.

[happypamama]

My school had several immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Haiti. I was one of the few students who knew enough French to communicate with the Haitian students even a little bit, so my senior year I spent a class period or two tutoring them. I adored those kids so much. They were so sweet and worked so hard. Sometimes it was hard to find a different way to explain something, between their limited English and my limited French (and non-existent Spanish), but was a wonderfully rewarding experience to work with them, to have even a small part in their learning. I still have a soft spot for ESL students.

 

I graduated twenty years ago. I looked a couple of them up on google a few months ago, just out of curiosity, and it made me so happy to see that one of them is serving in the military now. Maybe my pitiful but earnest efforts added to other people's efforts gave that kid enough of a hand up to help him gain a productive job in American society? You never know how much good you might be doing.

[Lanny]

What you wrote is both interesting and very sad.  I wonder if the Spanish speakers were among the huge number of people who crossed into Texas during the Summer of 2014?  As I recall, the majority of them were from El Salvador and 1 or 2 other Central American countries. Distributed around the USA, they were then placed into grades appropriate for their ages, but not appropriate for their grade level.  It doesn't sound like they came from a country like Colombia, where almost everyone can read and write.  If they cannot read and write in Spanish, they have no skills to transfer to learning to read and write in U.S. English.  They are older and they are big, but their education level is probably Kindergarten or First grade. Someone mentioned that Spanish is a phonetic language and that's true. Once you learn some basic rules, if you hear a word, you can probably spell it correctly. In English, that's impossible.  

[TheReader]

One thing I would mention is that often times, the lesson plans left for the substitute teacher are not necessarily indicative of what really goes on in a classroom. 

 

It's possible the high school kids were just being uncooperative due to having a sub, and that their usual lesson plans are more fruitful. 

[plansrme]

I think asking a public high school to teach literacy, from the ground up; English and substantive high school material in four years (or fewer) is ridiculous.  That's not what high school is for. 

 

For what it's worth, I taught ESL to adults at my church for many years.  One of my first and most faithful students came to the U.S. from Mexico at 14, knowing no English and having attended only half-days at a one-room village school in rural Mexico.  I assume he could read Spanish when he came, but I have no idea at what level.  He went straight to work in construction jobs--at 14--and never attended an American high school.  He was in his early 20s when he was in my class, and his spoken English was pretty good.  He attended every week for nearly the entire five years that I taught, but before he outgrew my class, he graduated from high school!  He took correspondence classes and got a real diploma in his mid-20s.  That was several years ago, but I heard from him again a few weeks ago; he tracked me down to invite me to his wedding.  He was marrying a lovely blond girl (not Hispanic--this surprised me, frankly) from California.  So, there is hope even for poorly-educated teen immigrants; you just don't go from "illiterate in any language" to "high school graduate" in four years.  

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

What you wrote is both interesting and very sad. I wonder if the Spanish speakers were among the huge number of people who crossed into Texas during the Summer of 2014? As I recall, the majority of them were from El Salvador and 1 or 2 other Central American countries. Distributed around the USA, they were then placed into grades appropriate for their ages, but not appropriate for their grade level. It doesn't sound like they came from a country like Colombia, where almost everyone can read and write. If they cannot read and write in Spanish, they have no skills to transfer to learning to read and write in U.S. English. They are older and they are big, but their education level is probably Kindergarten or First grade. Someone mentioned that Spanish is a phonetic language and that's true. Once you learn some basic rules, if you hear a word, you can probably spell it correctly. In English, that's impossible.

The ESL teacher told me many of them have only been here a couple of years.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

I have a Masters in teaching ESL and have been teaching for 15 years, and can't get a job in my new district in the public schools. :(

 

Most ESL programs are extremely underfunded and districts can't support the sorts of programs that will give these students the intensive English instruction they need. And it's a problem not limited to ESL teaching.

There are 9 positions available Prince William County in northern Virginia. Want to relocate?

[Renai]

I think asking a public high school to teach literacy, from the ground up; English and substantive high school material in four years (or fewer) is ridiculous.  That's not what high school is for. 

 

For what it's worth, I taught ESL to adults at my church for many years.  One of my first and most faithful students came to the U.S. from Mexico at 14, knowing no English and having attended only half-days at a one-room village school in rural Mexico.  I assume he could read Spanish when he came, but I have no idea at what level.  He went straight to work in construction jobs--at 14--and never attended an American high school.  He was in his early 20s when he was in my class, and his spoken English was pretty good.  He attended every week for nearly the entire five years that I taught, but before he outgrew my class, he graduated from high school!  He took correspondence classes and got a real diploma in his mid-20s.  That was several years ago, but I heard from him again a few weeks ago; he tracked me down to invite me to his wedding.  He was marrying a lovely blond girl (not Hispanic--this surprised me, frankly) from California.  So, there is hope even for poorly-educated teen immigrants; you just don't go from "illiterate in any language" to "high school graduate" in four years.

 

Conversational English can take up to 3-5 years; academic English takes 5-7 years.

 

I'm surprised the activity was gluing a bunch of words to paper. Were there no visual cues as to what the vocabulary was about? But, as a pp mentioned, more than likely that was just a sub plan and (hopefully) the regular plan is more substantial.

[TechWife]

Many of our school systems seem to have difficulty teaching native English speakers how to read and write. With this in mind, it doesn't surprise me that ESL students in public high schools have such a difficult time. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Subbing in classes like this are hard because it is hard to effect change when you are handed activities that aren't educationally appropriate to do with the class.  

 

If I were teaching ESL to kids who were illiterate in their native countries I would do the matching activity with pictures matched to the vocabulary word.  I might engage them first by showing them the picture (for example of a canyon) and asking them for the word in their language and then giving it in English.  And I would not be having them write in a journal unless I had done a lot of other ground work first.  But of course you didn't set up these activities and were just following the plan given to you by the teacher.

 

:grouphug: to you as a sub and  :grouphug: to them because they aren't getting appropriate instruction.  

 

 

[Lanny]

Sounds like those students were sent to your area after crossing into Texas (some on Jet Skis) (the Spanish speakers) and were dumped into your local  Public School system. That they are in High School and illiterate in their native languages, is a further burden on their ability to learn U.S. English (assuming they are interested in doing that)

 

I believe ESL in Texas Public Schools permits Spanish language instruction/textbooks in Elementary grades and a gradual introduction to and transition to U.S. English. That, IMHO, is probably much more likely to be successful at the transition to U.S. English.

 

The students in the class you were in will probably remain illiterate, unless and until they are self motivated to learn U.S. English and integrate into society. Very sad...

[Pink and Green Mom]

This is so sad to me.  My mom came to Newark, NJ from Greece in the early 1950s.  She had 6 siblings ranging in age from 17 to 2.  Everyone school aged was plopped down fresh off the boat into kindergarten. They were moved up grades when each individually was ready to move up. Some moved faster than others.  Some of the youngers surpassed the olders.  But it worked.  Could you imagine that being done now?

[DawnM]

I have a Masters in teaching ESL and have been teaching for 15 years, and can't get a job in my new district in the public schools. :(

 

Most ESL programs are extremely underfunded and districts can't support the sorts of programs that will give these students the intensive English instruction they need. And it's a problem not limited to ESL teaching.

 

 

This is where I am as well. I can get a job as there are plenty available, but I need to stay home right now.  I have an MA in TESOL and taught ESL for years before becoming a school counselor.   ESL is typically the step child in the educational system.  It isn't heavily monitored and teachers are pretty autonomous overall.  I have to admit I liked that part.  I wasn't bound by any of the current standards or state mandates.

 

However, we also had a very high transient rate, and high absenteeism, and a whole host of other issues that didn't allow us to provide what was needed for the students.

 

The other thing you really need to see is that it is VERY difficult for an ESL teacher to leave sub plans.  It is so hands on and so based on what you did yesterday, that is is difficult to write out something a sub would be able to do easily.  Most of us came up with things we thought someone not familiar with the kids, would be able to do.  I may stand alone in this, but I think you did just fine and I wouldn't judge the entire program based on your sub days.

[bolt.]

English skills can be acquired in a classroom where the teacher is the only one speaking it -- but only if they are teaching *that* as their focus and intention. They would be doing 'English immersion' and should be able to accomplish basic (verbal) communication with intelligent, interested teenage students fairly shortly. (Even quicker with a few bilingual students popping in to offer a few moments of translation to bridge specific gaps.)

 

Basic literacy and specific topic-oriented vocabulary can both be worked on, but would need to start from scratch -- not from unintelligible new words defined by even more unintelligible paragraphs.

 

But these ESL approaches don't sound *at all* like the activities you are discribing going on your recent classroom experience... So it strikes me as odd that that was the plan for the ESL class. The other persons sense of being 'impressed' that you were unafraid and motivated to interact tells me that those qualities themselves not be the norm for how this class is treated. I see indicators of systemic neglect or incompetence.

 

How much opportunity do you have to really engage this situation? Or is the neglect out of your hands after the next few days?

[Butter]

I have a friend who moved to the US as an adult from Brazil.  She is adamant that people who move here should learn English.  She struggled to learn it for several years and often apologizes when she doesn't remember or know the right word to say something.  It is hard, but can be done and doesn't have to be done in a school situation.

 

Being in San Antonio, we have a lot of people who get their immigration paperwork approved at various times of the year and then their kids are enrolled in school.  I know what the elementary schools in our district do.  Most of these kids speak Spanish (though occasionally there are other languages).  A lot of kids in the schools also speak Spanish so the teacher will arrange the desks so the non-English speaker is put with a group with kids who are bilingual (it's harder for non-Spanish languages, but if possible the kids are put with another kid who speaks their language).  After a little bit, the teacher rearranges the desks to remove one bilingual kid and put in an English-only speaker instead.  Over time the teacher continues to remove a bilingual kid at a time and replaces that kid with an English-only speaker until the Spanish-only speaker is sitting with only English speakers.  By then the Spanish-only (or whatever language) kids are speaking English pretty well.  It's quite amazing to see how quickly they learn English actually.  They've found the kids just acquire English skills better from other kids than from teachers.  I don't know what they do in middle and high school classrooms.  I only know the elementary way because a teacher was telling me about it (he speaks no Spanish but often has newly immigrated Spanish speaking kids put in his classroom).

[staceyobu]

This is so sad to me.  My mom came to Newark, NJ from Greece in the early 1950s.  She had 6 siblings ranging in age from 17 to 2.  Everyone school aged was plopped down fresh off the boat into kindergarten. They were moved up grades when each individually was ready to move up. Some moved faster than others.  Some of the youngers surpassed the olders.  But it worked.  Could you imagine that being done now?

I could see where a one room schoolhouse model could really help put each student where they are at without regard to age.

 

Do you think what you saw was the regular work? Or was it work that would be easy to fill time with a sub?

[Desert Strawberry]

My mom was an ESL teacher. She used picture flash cards to teach basic vocabulary, letters and sounds, numbers. Some of her students were literate in their home language, some were not. All instruction was in English, in small groups. She was in 1-6 grades, but all of her students were tested out within two years, with the goal being under a year. 

 

It can definitely be done better. 

[Junie]

When I was in third grade we had a "new kid" who had an accent and dark skin.  I don't know where he was from.  As far as I was concerned back then, he could have been from the next town over.

 

I was very surprised when he was moved into seventh grade the next year.  He was apparently small for his age and they placed him in our class so that he could learn English.

 

 

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

Substitute jobs are offered randomly through an automated system. Administrators can override the system and request specific subs.

 

I did not offer to take consecutive days in this classroom because I felt that I did not have the communication skills needed to effectively manage the classroom, much less instruct the students. I had a couple of male students that were beginning to exhibit inappropriate behaviors and I didn't feel comfortable being alone in the classroom with them.

 

School has only been in session 3 weeks. I hope the teachers are quickly able to come up with a plan to cobble together a program that will get the students enough language proficiency that they are employable. These students are almost adults. I hope what I saw was just a case of students goofing off because they had a sub, not the norm for the class.

 

K

[Southern Ivy]

One thing I would mention is that often times, the lesson plans left for the substitute teacher are not necessarily indicative of what really goes on in a classroom. 

 

It's possible the high school kids were just being uncooperative due to having a sub, and that their usual lesson plans are more fruitful. 

I was just coming to say this. 

I had to leave sub-plans today and unless I know for certain that I have a specific person, I leave "dummy proof" plans. There are way too many worksheets on my kidney table right now and some 'fluff' assignments. No way someone can mess it up unless they are just a real special snowflake. :/

 

While I agree that the ESL/ELL classes can be and often are extremely underfunded, the teacher may have left some dummy-proof plans in the event they got a real loser substitute. (We have them often. Last year, we had a guy who would play on his phone the whole time. NEVER read the sub plans, never did anything. It was crazy.) 

 

The fact that you said school has only been in session for 3 weeks gives me hope. I've seen great strides in ELL students by the end of the year. 

[Southern Ivy]

Substitute jobs are offered randomly through an automated system. Administrators can override the system and request specific subs.

 

I did not offer to take consecutive days in this classroom because I felt that I did not have the communication skills needed to effectively manage the classroom, much less instruct the students. I had a couple of male students that were beginning to exhibit inappropriate behaviors and I didn't feel comfortable being alone in the classroom with them.

 

School has only been in session 3 weeks. I hope the teachers are quickly able to come up with a plan to cobble together a program that will get the students enough language proficiency that they are employable. These students are almost adults. I hope what I saw was just a case of students goofing off because they had a sub, not the norm for the class.

 

K

100x this. :) 

If they are already struggling with language skills and now they have a sub that they don't know, they're rarely going to pay attention. 

And, if the teacher is good at their job, they will certainly get together a program to get the students proficient enough in English. Such a hard job, though, when they are in HS. Seems to be much easier when they are little. 

[SporkUK]

I agree that it is likely their rowdiness is from being a sub and lack of appropriate material being given to you. The school should deal with the inappropriate students rather than just praising you for not seeming afraid of them (that sounds to me like they know there is an issue there). 

 

Responding to the question marks, Mixtec are American Indigenous people and they have many languages that by Western groups are either smushed into one or divided into dozens. They would likely be the hardest of the 3 to get bilingual resources for as funding and recognition of American Indigenous languages is really hard to get even with recent pushes from communities for language and literacy in those languages because the main resources especially in schools are between the colonizing European languages with the assumption of one of those being known and with the lack of funding being put for bilingual resources and language acquisition between those being thin on the group, the smaller languages which still in many places have social stigma after years of boarding school among other things have little chance. 

 

The cutting and pasting things seems a really odd choice. Some of most used resources I've seen for those languages or unknown language to English are similar to what Jean in Newcastle discussed - picture, blank for the word in a language, and then the English word. It would be great if the will to put the funding there to get what these young people need, it really shouldn't be this bad, it sounds like you've done the best with what you were given which wasn't much.  :grouphug: