The number of Chinese-speaking students in Wayne County Public Schools has virtually doubled over the past year, prompting some teachers to study the language to better communicate with their families. Hope Meyerhoeffer, director of the English-as-a-Second-Language programs for the school system, attributed some of the influx to local companies hiring employees from Chinese-speaking countries.

Last year, the school district had about 75 Chinese students, as compared with an estimated 150 at present, she said. The growth has been rather sporadic, primarily in the area that feeds into Greenwood Middle School and the northeast part of the county. Tne important fact to note, she said, is that the students do not speak any English and neither do their parents. “A lot of times they will bring someone with them when they first come to register” to help translate, she said. The situation prompted officials to consider an educational plan for themselves. “Some of the teachers said, ‘We want a Chinese class,’” Mrs. Meyerhoeffer said, explaining it would help with learning the language as well as gaining a better cultural understanding. (more…)

search for : Wayne County Public Schools, English-as-a-Second-Language

Batesville Community School Corp.’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program aids a diverse group of students who speak Spanish, Indian and Chinese, reports ESL teacher Kathy Gutzwiller. Currently there are 16 kindergartners through 12th-graders enrolled in the program. Each day these students attend their regular grade level classes and also meet with the ESL teacher, who travels to each school to help students perfect their

Previously Barb Hartman had taught the ESL program, but now teaches both morning and afternoon kindergarten programs. Gutzwiller has taken over this position, along with teaching the morning developmental preschool program. Her special education background provides students with the individualized instruction necessary to meet each one’s needs. Continuing to volunteer her time to the program is Sister Donna Rohman of the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, who provides one-on-one instruction for some of the students at Batesville High School. (more…)

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The federal government wants to require ESL students after one year to take the same tests as other students. City school leaders say ESL students would have trouble doing well on these tests, causing the school system’s scores to drop. Tonight Harrisonburg School Superintendent Dr. Don Ford presented a possible resolution to the school board that would comply with federal guidelines. But still offer ESL students a fair shot at taking the standardized test all students in Virginia have to take.

After a grueling three hour meeting, the school board approved a Limited English Proficient testing resolution with an added amendment. The resolution makes it clear that the board does not intend to have students who cannot read English take tests that are written in English. The school board felt it was appropriate to go on record saying it wanted more than what that the state superintendent requested…That the US Department of Education change to 24 months because 12 months is an insufficient amount of time for students to become proficient in English. (more…)

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Like many 6-year-olds, Julia Velazquez of Greeley loves Bratz dolls and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. Classmate Juanito Ayalas-Amiles dreams of becoming a policeman. Although there is nothing remarkable about what the first-graders would like to do when they grow up, the fact they can articulate their future goals is. Until recently, neither Julia nor Juanito spoke English.

Among the nearly 3,000 elementary school students in Greeley-Evans School District 6 who participate in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, Julia and Juanito meet with teachers in separate sessions at Bella Romero Elementary School to develop their language skills in order to integrate into American society. “We want to be able to make students speak English as quickly and fluently as possible,” said Michele Turner, principal of Bella Romero in east Greeley. (more…)

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Crystal River Elementary School plans to move forward with implementing dual-language instruction in Fall 2007. The Roaring Fork School District Re-1 Board of Education approved the proposal presented by a dual-language committee Wednesday. Administrators said it’s another option to boost student achievement for a school that has about a 79 percent Hispanic population and has struggled with segregation issues in the past. About 71 percent of Hispanic students at the school speak English fluently, according to RFSD records

Instruction in the dual-language classes would be about half Spanish and half English for most subjects. Kids in the program might learn addition in English one week, and in Spanish another week, Haptonstall said. But literacy instruction would still be provided primarily in students’ native languages. If kids learn to read well in their native language first, skills will transfer over to a second language more easily, Olson said. A draft schedule has native English speakers receiving about 180 minutes of English as a second language instruction and 125 minutes of Spanish instruction per day. Native Spanish speakers would receive about 155 minutes of English instruction and 150 minutes of Spanish instruction per day. But Olson stressed that the schedule is a preliminary draft and subject to change based on additional planning, monitoring of student’s needs and the results of the programs.
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Teenagers from Uzbekistan, Korea and Egypt huddled one recent morning in a Fairfax County classroom, studying English words on slips of paper. Dozens were familiar, but not “bitter,” “nibble” or “wicked.” Felobateer Hana, 13, held up another. An animated movie character came to mind: “Shrek?” “That’s a good guess, but Shrek doesn’t have an ‘i’ in it,” said teacher Karyn Niles at Liberty Middle School in Clifton. “This is ’shriek.’ Shriek is kind of like yelling.”

Until now, Virginia has given English learners a specialized proficiency test to measure progress in reading. Many Virginia educators say that children who lack mastery of the language aren’t prepared for grade-level exams that may include questions about similes, metaphors or analogies. They say it can take three or more years of school to reach that level. Federal law requires testing every year in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school. The government exempts students who have been in a U.S. school for less than a year from taking standard grade-level reading tests. But after one year, the students are supposed to enter the testing mainstream. Federal officials say that students with limited English skills may be given special assistance, such as a bilingual dictionary or more time on a test. (more…)

search for : English learners, bilingual dictionary

Refugio Loza’s life is broken into two vastly different worlds. At home, he speaks Spanish to his Mexican parents. But at school, he speaks English to his American peers. Although it can be hard to separate the two arenas, the Meadowlark Elementary fifth-grader likes immersing himself in two languages and two cultures. “When you learn two languages, it’s a lot better for your mind,” Loza said. Scenarios like Loza’s have become more common in Campbell County.

In the past year, the Hispanic student population has risen 22 percent while the overall student population has grown only 3 percent. That growth has greatly enhanced the diversity within local schools, but it has also stretched local resources thin. “We need more people who understand the needs of the children,” said English as a Second Language teacher Margaret Nunn, who works at Meadowlark. While the ESL population has increased by 48 students over the past year – bringing the total number to 129 – there are still only 2.2 full-time ESL teacher positions to work with those students. The ratio is actually far better than the one ESL teacher to 100 students the state Department of Education recommends, but some teachers say it’s still not ideal. (more…)

search for : English as a Second Language, ESL teacher positions, ESL teacher

Despite an urgent need for more qualified educators, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School leaders are expected to let go a group of current teachers through a reconstitution plan. Seventy-one teachers at four low-performing CMS high schools West Charlotte, West Mecklenburg, Waddell and Garinger have been placed on an action plan in an attempt to improve the performance in their classrooms. Those teachers who do not show improvement will be fired, and will never be allowed to work at a CMS school again.

Superintendent Dr. Peter Gorman admits the money for the bonuses will come out of the classroom budget, but says he believes it is necessary. “If we can’t get the teacher into the classroom, how much we have to spend in the classroom doesn’t matter, he said. “It really is self-defeating.” Currently there are 81 teacher vacancies, or about one percent of the faculty, throughout CMS. The majority of those positions work with exceptional children, ESL students, and in the Math, Science and Foreign Language departments. (more…)

search for : Charlotte-Mecklenburg School, ESL, Foreign Language department