Question:
There has been some debate in my district as to what are the types/models of bilingual education. For example: pull-out, self-contained, dual immersion, etc. Some teachers are confusing ESL models with bilingual models.
Also, there has really been some question as to what a push in bilingual program would look like for all grades (elementary to middle school) but especially for the primary grades and for port of entry students. I don't understand how that model would work. Could you please explain it? If anyone else would like to chime in and help me, that would be great. I would really also love to hear from someone that has this type of model in their school and would like to elaborate on it for me.
Thanks!
RM
Reply 1:
I'm new to NJ, so my understanding of ESL/Bilingual Education (BE) is based on my experience as a Dual
Immersion teacher in California, where EVERY teacher must now have an ESL certificate in order to obtain
their teaching credential. I've given workshops about Dual Immersion (aka Two-Way Immersion or TWI) programs at local, state, and national-level conferences, so TWI is what I am most knowledgeable about. Hopefully this explanation will clarify the ESL/BE debate.
My understanding of ESL is that it is a subject to be taught, just as English Language Arts, Math, Science,
Social Studies, etc. are subjects. Some teachers integrate subjects taught, for example they might integrate Social Studies standards into Language Arts and teach reading and writing standards in a Social
Studies context. While ESL in itself is not a model, there are different models to teach ESL, such as
content-based, sheltered SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction delivered in English), or the
least effective pull-out model, to name a few.
ESL models are NOT synonymous with bilingual education models. While bilingual education (BE) in itself is not a model, under the BE umbrella, there are models such as: Transitional (Early Exit), Transitional
(Late Exit), and Dual Immersion, to name a few. High-quality direct instruction ESL is an absolutely
essential component to the success of any bilingual program, regardless of what the model is. ESL classes
should be conducted in English.
Depending on what BE model is followed, portions of the BE class should incorporate native language
instruction. Teaching ESL should occur separately from teaching other subjects in the native language.
However, this is not to say that ESL must be taught in isolation, as it is often very effective to integrate
ESL instruction with other content areas.
I hope this helps to clarify the debate in your district.
LB
Reply 2:
Go to www.colorincolorado.com.
Hit the glossary. Look for all the easy explanations they have. AN
Reply 3:
While the explanations of ESL, Dual Language, and Bilingual programs were
interesting, there are some differences here in New Jersey. In NJ, we do
subscribe to multiple exit criteria rather than early exit and late exit programs.
Bilingual programs are usually classified as Maintenance, Transitional, or
Immersion. A maintenance program instructs the students in their L1 for the first
year or two, concentrating on developing their literacy skills in the L1
while the student is exposed to beginning ESL. A transitional program utilizes
the L1 as a bridge to acquiring the L2, with the students being exposed to, and
expected to use English in a sheltered environment (hopefully). An immersion
program is one in which the ELLs are placed directly into an all-English
speaking environment and are expected to acquire the language skills (with some ESL
support) as they work in English in their mainstream classes. Many teachers
provide the students with peers to work with until they can manage to work on
their own.
In addition, we must
consider the changing of ESL from a separate subject area to one in which content
and language instruction are intertwined. The SIOP model integrates language
and content so that while the students are utilizing their English language
abilities, they are learning and discussing academic language and content. This
is the direction in which English Instruction is moving in New Jersey. SIOP
incorporates all previously determined methodologies of teaching ESL but under
one umbrella and with direction. (There will be workshops devoted to SIOP at
our Spring conference in May.- check the website).
Language cannot be taught in isolation but must be integrated within the
scope of the curriculum as well as social contexts. For example: If language is
taught in isolation, students will do fine when speaking with someone outside
of the class until that person utters a statement to which the student has not
been exposed.
JK
2/1/07
