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Case: ESL "Pull Out" Program Mrs. Green's fourth graders are experiencing an interesting year. These particular nine and ten year olds have grown up together in the community and have been classmates throughout previous school years. However, this year a new student has joined their class. Lee, is a friendly young man who is learning English as his second language. Mrs. Green has referred Lee to the school's ESL (English as a Second Language) program director. The new system involves a "pull out" program that removes the ESL student from the regular classroom for individual tutoring. Mrs. Green has been careful to follow all of the guidelines set by the ESL director. Mrs. Green agrees that Lee needs individual attention as he acquires the English language. However, she is experiencing problems with Lee prior to his appointed tutoring time and when he returns from his individual instruction. He continues to display disruptive behavior when he is in Mrs. Green's classroom. She considers Lee's behavior to be distracting to the other students in her class. When she is presenting content area lesson material to the students, Lee's outbursts and comments result in off task behavior by the other students. Mrs. Green's frustration with Lee's behavior has made her question the good intentions of the ESL "pull out" program. Questions: 1. Is an ESL "pull out" program appropriate for second language learners? 2. How should Mrs. Green deal with Lee's classroom behavior? 3. Should Mrs. Green academically accommodate Lee while he is in her classroom? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) ESL "Pull Out" Program Mrs. Green's fourth graders are experiencing an interesting year. These particular nine and ten year olds have grown up together in the community and have been classmates throughout previous school years. However, this year a new student has joined their class. Lee, is a friendly young man who is learning English as his second language. Mrs. Green has referred Lee to the school's ESL (English as a Second Language) program director. The new system involves a "pull out" program that removes the ESL student from the regular classroom for individual tutoring. Mrs. Green has been careful to follow all of the guidelines set by the ESL director. Mrs. Green agrees that Lee needs individual attention as he acquires the English language. However, she is experiencing problems with Lee prior to his appointed tutoring time and when he returns from his individual instruction. He continues to display disruptive behavior when he is in Mrs. Green's classroom. She considers Lee's behavior to be distracting to the other students in her class. When she is presenting content area lesson material to the students, Lee's outbursts and comments result in off task behavior by the other students. Mrs. Green's frustration with Lee's behavior has made her question the good intentions of the ESL "pull out" program. Questions: 1. Is an ESL "pull out" program appropriate for second language learners? Although it may seem like a "pull out" program is the best thing for a second language learner, at times, it can be the worst. Second language learners need as much authentic exposure to the second language they are learning as possible. Removing them from a classroom setting, and taking them into a separate classroom to dissect the English language, break it apart, practice flashcards, and complete drills until the student learns the second language is not helpful majority of the time. A lot of the time, this just creates resentment within the child, and this may be why Lee is being disruptive in Mrs. Green's classroom. The best way for second language learners to learn a second language is to be exposed to that language in a similar way as they were exposed to their first language. That means they need to be around children their own age, and around materials that support both a language they can communicate in and the language that they are trying to learn. Children learn that language is a means of communication, and they will learn a second language for the sole purpose of communicating. When you take the purpose away from language by "pulling the student out", you are holding them back from taking big leaps in their educational steps towards a second language. 2. How should Mrs. Green deal with Lee's classroom behavior? Mrs. Green needs to make Lee feel like he is wanted in her classroom. "Discipline without relationships leads to rebellion". Mrs. Green needs to develop a relationship with Lee. Mrs. Green is most likely doing what she feels is best for Lee without knowing what detriments it could have on his second language learning. However, she needs to make it known to Lee that she has his best interest at heart, and while he is in her classroom, she wants to make the best of their time together. Developing a relationship with students can go a long way in preventing behavior problems. It will also help make discipline easier when behavior issues arise. Right now, I feel like Lee doesn't feel like he is a part of the classroom. Therefore, he feels as if the rules do not apply to him. Mrs. Green needs to change this feeling, and they only way she can do this is by making Lee feel like he is in fact a part of her classroom. 3. Should Mrs. Green academically accommodate Lee while he is in her classroom? Of course! Lee most certainly needs some accommodates being an ELL, and I really think that with accommodations; Lee could stay in Mrs. Green's room full time without being pulled out from individual tutoring. |
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