Written by Amanda Johnson

In 2006, the National Clearing House for English Language Acquisition reported that 5 million, or 10%, of students are English as a Second Language (ESL) students (de Oliveira, 2011, p. 59).  How can a general education teacher address the needs of ESL students? Three main areas can be examined for improving ESL student learning: teaching, classroom environment, and assessment.

The best teaching approach for teaching English is a student-centered, integrated approach (Youb, 2008, p. 431). A teacher’s goal should be to talk less while having students speaking more in authentic, meaningful situations. Using modeling, gestures, and visuals is most effective for teaching ESL students, because visual input can be understood without any English knowledge (Williams, 2001, p. 753). Teachers need to become facilitators of student language rather than controllers of it (Williams, 2001, p. 754).

Additionally, teachers need to be aware of how much and what types of teacher talk they use. Good teacher talk includes a slow but natural rate of speech, delivering one direction at a time, giving wait time, providing constructive feedback, and checking for understanding (Parrish, 2004, p.175).

Consider assessment. When checking for understanding, asking, “Do you understand?” is not an effective measure of student learning. Students may say yes to not offend the teacher, they may feel embarrassed to share what they understand, or they may understand something completely different from what the teacher was expecting (Parrish, 2004, p. 179). A teacher needs to ask probing questions and get students talking and modeling to accurately measure understanding.

Unfortunately, many teachers assume that students who have good conversational skills will be able to perform at the same level academically (Cheng & Milnes, 2008 p. 52). However, conversational fluency takes students only two years to acquire, while academic fluency takes seven to fifteen years. Therefore, it is incorrect to assess students’ language ability by conversational language alone (Parrish, 2004, p. 16). Beyond speaking, students also need to use English to read, write, and listen. These skills develop at different rates (Williams, 2001, p. 751).

Should ESL students be assessed exactly as other students are? Teachers often report that ESL students are the hardest workers, so they use participation and effort to bump up grades (Cheng & Milnes, 2008, p. 50). An important question is: “Do we assess students on what we think they are trying to say, or what they actually write (Cheng & Milnes, 2008, p. 55)?” What is most important is that as a school, teachers decide on one model for assessing ESL students so that it is consistent.

A positive classroom environment is essential for ESL student success. It is important to study accommodation strategies for ESL students, but it is better to empathize with their needs and feelings (de Oliveira, 2011, p. 59). Students need to feel safe and comfortable in the classroom. This can be done by allowing students to share their language and culture with classmates (Williams, 2001, p. 752). It is important to be aware of students’ affective filters, which are an emotional barrier that hinders learning (Parrish, 2004, p. 14)

I had an opportunity to become a Japanese language learner in July. The lesson completely changed my teaching philosophy because I experienced what teaching methods were most effective. During the Japanese lesson, I was very nervous and scared that I would be called on to speak. I thought I couldn’t learn if the teacher didn’t use my native language, and I would sound stupid if I had to speak Japanese. However, through choral repetition, small group work, and partner work, I was able to practice without the stress of an entire class hearing me. The teacher was very kind and encouraging. These supports contributed to an environment where I felt comfortable. By the end of the class, I felt confident enough to do a role play in front of the class.

I encourage all teachers to develop empathy and understanding by being taught a lesson in a foreign language. Reflect on your feelings, what helped or hurt your learning, and how you can use that to improve your teaching. Take coursework to become certified to teach English as a foreign language. Read research about ESL students and reflect on it. Finally, talk to colleagues about how they have been successful with ESL students and adapt their ideas to fit your classroom. ESL students are a rapidly growing group with whom we can share Christ’s love. I hope to help make our WELS and ELS schools a place where ESL students can come to grow spiritually and academically.

Amanda Johnson is a 2013 graduate of Bethany Lutheran College and MLC graduate student. For a more complete treatment of this subject, read here.

References

Cheng, L., & Milnes, T. (2008). Teachers’ Assessment of ESL Students in Mainstream Classes: Challenges, Strategies, and Decision-Making. TESL Canada Journal, 25(2), 49-65.

de Oliveira, Luciana. (2011). In Their Shoes: Teachers Experience the Needs of English Language Learners through a Math Simulation. Multicultural Education, 19(1), 59-62.

Kim, Youb. (2008). The Effects of Integrated Language-Based Instruction in Elementary ESL Learning. Modern Language Journal, 92(3), 431-451. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00756.x

Parrish, Betsy. (2004). Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Williams, Joan. (2001). Classroom conversations: Opportunities to learn for ESL students in mainstream classrooms. The Reading Teacher, 54(8), 750-757.