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Why Am I Pushing In???
by Jill on Feb 07 2010 7:52 PM
Here is an article I've written about my situation. I'd appreciate some feedback...
"There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education".........The United States Supreme Court, Lau v. Nichols.
This case reaffirms that all students in the United States, regardless of native language, have the right to receive a quality education. It also clarifies that equality of opportunity does not necessarily mean the same education for every student, but rather the same opportunity to receive an education. An equal education is only possible if students can understand the language of instruction. Within weeks of this Supreme Court ruling, Congress passed the Equal Educational Opportunity Act mandating that no state shall deny equal education opportunity to any individual, "by the failure by an educational agency to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by students in an instructional program." This is an important piece of legislation because it defines what constitutes denial of education opportunities.
In a memorandum written by the Office for Civil Rights, it states: "Where the inability to speak and understand the English language excludes national origin minority group children from effective participation in the educational program offered by a school district, the district must take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiency in order to open its instructional program to these students."
Under the No Child Left Behind in New Jersey, the Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook clearly states: "LEP students enrolled in the bilingual, ESL, or English language services program shall be placed in a monolingual English program when they have demonstrated readiness to function successfully in an English-only program." If you look at what has been happening in some schools across the country today, the opportunity for ESL students to adjust to American culture and to learn English, is rapidly diminishing when it is ESL teachers who are being forced to "push in" and teach portions of a "balanced literacy" reading program which teaches to guess at words instead of actually reading them. NCLB wants ESL students to learn English while learning this curriculum, then, after one year, pass the test. Many states are crying "Foul!" recognizing that it can take as long as seven years to achieve academic proficiency in a new language.
I have been a teacher of English as a Second Language in the Jersey City School District for twenty-nine years. I have literally been a voice and advocate for my students throughout the years. Working mostly in sub-standard rooms and conditions with my ESL students, I have still managed to beat the odds and succeed in teaching students of many languages, to speak, read, and write in English. Many of my former students have gone on to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, and teachers. I am proud of the achievements of each and every one of them, and I keep in contact with many of my former students until this day. Their success is my success.
For the past twenty-nine years, I have been pulling my students from their classrooms and teaching them English in my ESL classroom. This year, the ESL Department in the school I work in, was told to "push in". To my understanding, "push in" means to go into the rooms my students are in,support the classroom teacher in whatever subject matter he or she is teaching, and to look over the shoulders of all the students in the room, not just ESL students. Naturally, I questioned this method along with my colleagues, but to no avail. I asked, along with the other ESL teachers, how this could possibly help our students acquire English any faster, and no administrator seemed to have an answer for us. They just wanted what they wanted.
Being a person of curiousity, I began researching the subject of "push in" vs. "pull out". I've discovered that no substantial research has ever been done on this subject. The interesting part of this that I did find out for myself, is that schools which have been utilizing this method, have significantly scored lower on standardized tests.
So where is this all coming from? Who invented this "push in"/"pull out" for ESL learners? Why do school administrators follow blindly without knowing or understanding the end result? Why is this being implemented at all? And lastly, why do administrators and educators go along with it?
Interestingly enough, as my research continued, a variety of culprits became clear to me. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, there has been a giant step backwards for the children it purports to help. Buzz words such as "accountability" have arisen and administrators are running scared. Unrealistic achievement targets and punitive sanctions are pushing all the "left behind" groups even further behind. Today, schools with an ELL "subgroup" are being labeled and punished for failure. "Balanced Literacy" reading programs have only succeeded in pushing test scores further down, and ESL teachers in my district are being forced to become "guided reading" teachers instead of teaching their students English first. Through my research, I have learned that this isn't about ESL at all. This is about pushing "balanced literacy" programs which are failing students around the world. ESL teachers are currently being used as extra bodies in classrooms in order to implement this "balanced literacy" agenda whose theories have fallen short. It used to be that ESL programs were being promoted to be part of the solution. Today, instead, we are being forced to be part of the problem. The demoralization of students and teachers is rampant throughout the country. This is educational malpractice in every sense of the word. What is happening in America?
How is it explained that in some suburban school districts today, they are still teaching spelling, phonics, and all the rudiments of English grammar? How is it explained that these same suburban school districts are passing the test and ESL students are achieving as well? How is it explained that reading programs in these suburban school districts have actual workbooks and REAL books (instead of dittos) for their students to read and absorb? Naturally, there is better teaching and abundant learning happening in these schools because they are using proven methods of instruction.
Back in the day, ESL students test scores on English achievement tests weren't counted into the mainstream. ESL teachers were told to administer the test for practice, but it was clearly understood by all that there was no way the majority of these students could pass a standardized English test, as long as they were students in an ESL class. Today, these same students are being fed a steady diet of test-prep, worksheets, and other "skill building" exercises from a menu mostly reduced to reading and math. Their language-learning needs are increasingly being neglected by the marginalization of bilingual and ESL instruction, while the more advantaged students are studying art, music, and foreign languages. All the "frills" have systematically and routinely been denied to children whose test scores have become life-or-death matters for educators' careers. Ironically, No Child Left Behind, along with sub-standard "whole language" reading programs, are increasing the achievement gap, and with it, an equal chance to succeed in life.
After twenty-nine years of teaching, I know from experience that looking over a students' shoulder, or "guided reading", can in no way help my students successfully acquire English. We are the "highly qualified professionals" in the methods of teaching a second language, and these methods have been proven time and time again, to work. I do not in any way accept the rhetoric that I have not done my job. I am, frankly, tired of the finger-pointing and accusations that ESL teachers, along with others, have been forced to listen to. We have a job to do. We are the experts at language acquisition. We, as ESL teachers, must be the advocates for our students who cannot express themselves. We must take affirmative steps to rectify this "push in/ pull out" debate. THIS is the American way!
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Re: Why Am I Pushing In???
I have read that the push-in model for ESL has come from the Special Ed trend toward inclusion. As I agree in general that it is a noble goal for the Sp Ed population, I agree with you that it is not best for the ESL population. Understandable, comprehensible learning are key for ESL learners and pushing them into classes crowded with distractions will inhibit their ability to learn for sure.
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Re: Re: Why Am I Pushing In???
I agree that for entering to beginners guided reading is simply not enough to acquire English. Poorly run push in programs where the ESL teacher is an aide are a waste also.
I am working in an urban and district where my intermediate students have greatly benefited from guided reading coupled with strategy instruction and a writing component.
Currently I do shared reading or interactive read alouds with beginners which does have research to back up benefits to oral language development.
For the kids that come with low first language skills it is a real struggle. Because they never learned to read in the first language you are given the task of teaching them to read in addition. It simply doesn't meet the need.
As an educator I am very concerned with academic vocabulary acquisition. We have a dearth of emphasis on science and social studies. You can not "read to learn" by inferring vocabulary from context alone (even though context clues really help). Reading science and social studies texts during guided reading lacks real connection.
We really need to focus on each child and come up with plans that make sense for their unique needs I am not sure we can do this but we really need reform!
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Re: Why Am I Pushing In???
Jill, thank you, thank you , thank you!!! I have been teaching ESL for 26 years and like you have been extremely frustrated with the what has been happening since the No Child Left Behind Act. I know how to best service my ESL students and it's not by pushing in! Your message was so well put and I can't thank you enough. Yes, "we must be the advocates for our students" as we are the experts!
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Re: Re: Why Am I Pushing In???
You're most welcome Diane. This fight is NOT over yet.
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Re: Why Am I Pushing In???
Bravo!!! My thoughts for the past six months were so well stated in your letter. It is a problem in Massachusetts as well.
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Re: Why Am I Pushing In???
This year we ESL teachers are pushing in on the elementary level in my building for one of the mandated periods for Beginner and Intermediate students, and for the one period for Advanced students. While it took some adjustment on our part, there is some benefit to our providing ESL in the back of their classrooms. We get to see how the students interact with their teacher, what the room dynamic is, and the ownership of shared accountability is reinforced. Plus, I've learned a few things along the way!
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