Case Book Four

Mr. Quiock is meeting with his mentor, Louis Ramos.

MR. QUIOCK: I was going through the students' files. I thought it would help me better understand what I could do to help them. Afterall, if they didn't get the scores they needed to really functionally pass eighth grade, and ended up in my transitional ninth, there must be something in their files. What I learned is that 75% of these students didn't start school speaking English. Most of them moved to this country from all over the world. Some of them attended English-as-a-Second-Language classes, and some went to bilingual education. Isn't that interesting?

MR. RAMOS: We have known for a lot of years that the bilingual kids take awhile, usually years, to catch up to the English-origin speaking kids in achievement test scores in the U.S. However, they do catch up.

MR. QUIOCK: Okay, say it takes five years to catch up. Then, given when my students started classes here, they should just be starting to catch up now.

MR. RAMOS: I think the literature is more like seven years, but you can check that at the library.

MR. QUIOCK: Okay, seven years. That means that my students need at least two more years to really catch up. The question is, what can I do for them?

MR. RAMOS: First, let's start with the basics. You need to identify who has how many years of exposure to English, and look at who is not achieving, particularly in language areas. Then, you have to have an action plan to expose them to as much natural English and the cultural meanings behind the words as possible, before the end of the year. You need to figure out who has strengths in what subject areas and use that so that everyone learns from everyone else. I think that you'll find that the students will do better this year on tests, because they are motivated to leave this building and go to high school.

Well, that's all I have time for today. Email me and let me know your plans.

Teacher notes:

• As with all things, learning any language takes time and effort. Some students will learn English quickly, and for others it will take more time. Some may not sound like they have an accent, and others may keep a strong accent for many years. It is important to know what kinds of language-learning opportunities have been provided to students, so you can best provide them with the support they need in the classroom.
• Some teachers have a hard time with students talking to each other in the classroom, but for students learning English, this method of support is often very helpful. Students can translate for each other and explain things in ways that often the teacher can't.
• Knowing that a student comes from another-language background may mean that there are other cultural or ethnic differences that the teacher should be aware of when planning lessons.
• Learning at least a few words in the native languages of your students typically helps build rapport, and also provides a model for your students that you are willing to learn and try to use language.