A Guide for Classroom Teachers - Education

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The ESL Learner 6 Definition Definition of of an an ESL ESL ESL Student: Student: ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE i students are those whose primary language(s) or language(s) of the home, is other than English and who may therefore require additional services in order to develop their individual potential within British Columbia’s school system. Some students speak variations of English that differ significantly from the English used in the broader Canadian society and in school; they may require ESL support ii . i In some literature, this is referred to as English as an Additional language (EAL) ii In some literature, this is referred to as English as a Second Dialect (ESD) There are no typical ESL students. They come from many linguistic and cultural backgrounds and have had a wide variety of life experiences — attributes that can significantly enrich the life of the school and help enhance learning for all students. Not all require the same types of support: • Some are Canadian-born, but enter school having had varying degrees of exposure to the language and cultural norms of the majority of English-speaking Canadians. They may need to complement their early childhood experiences and home languages with extensive ESL support, including a variety of cultural-bridging experiences, if they are to be successful in the English-speaking school system. • Some have immigrated to British Columbia with their families after having received some formal education in their home countries. In some cases, they have learned English as a foreign language in school. Given appropriate ESL support, including cultural-bridging experiences, these students usually progress well in their new schools, particularly if their parents support their academic efforts and their evolving bilingualism. • Some arrive in Canada as refugees. These students may have received little or no schooling in their home country. They may also have experienced the traumatic conditions caused by political, social, and economic upheaval. They have often left their country involuntarily, perhaps leaving key members behind. In addition to ESL support, these students may need specialized counselling and literacy training in their home language(s). • Some who require ESL support also have special needs associated with mental challenges, physical challenges, behavioural difficulties, and/or giftedness (having English as a second language or dialect does not in itself make a student “special needs”). ESL ESL Learners: Learners: A A Guide Guide for for Classroom Classroom Teachers Teachers from ESL Policy Framework Ministry of Education, 1999
Adjustment Challenges Facing ESL Students Students who have a limited command of standard English and who are new to British Columbia’s culture and school system require a period of adjustment. A sense of dislocation, or the trauma that new arrivals sometimes experience upon leaving their homeland, can cause some ESL students to appear withdrawn, fatigued, or uninterested. Teachers need to be alert to this possibility, if they are to make accurate assessments of students. While individual circumstances and personal responses will vary enormously, students who have newly arrived in Canada typically experience some form of culture shock. It is in fact common for new arrivals to go through four stages of adjustment: 1 Wai Wai Lung Lung Wai Wai Lung Lung is is a a ten-year-old ten-year-old student student who who has has arrived arrived from from Hong Hong Hong Kong Kong Kong with with with his his parents parents and and older older older sister. sister. He He has has gone gone to to school school school regularly regularly regularly and and has has has received received English English instruction instruction since since preschool. preschool. Even Even Even with with with this this extensive extensive introduction introduction to to English, English, his his reading reading comprehension comprehension is is low low and and he he still still requires requires considerable considerable assistance assistance with with the the the language. language. This This is is frustrating frustrating for for for both both him him him and and his his parents. parents. parents. His His His father father father intends intends intends to to to spend spend spend the the the next next two two two years years years flying flying between between Vancouver Vancouver and and Hong Hong Hong Kong Kong on on business; business; his his his mother mother mother may may join join her her her husband husband in in Hong Hong Kong Kong on on occasion. occasion. Research indicates that the more highly developed a student’s first language, the more success that student will have acquiring a second. 1. The Honeymoon Stage: This stage takes place when people first arrive. It is characterized by extreme happiness, even euphoria. This is especially prevalent with refugees who have finally arrived safely in North America. For them, this is truly the “land of milk and honey.” 2. Hostility: After about four to six months, reality sets in. Newcomers know a bit about getting around and have begun learning the ropes, but this new place is not like their home: they can’t get the food they are 1 adapted from Law, Barbara and Mary Eckes, The More Than Just Surviving Handbook: ESL for Every Classroom Teacher (Winnipeg: Peguis, 1990), p. 58. ESL ESL Learners: Learners: A A Guide Guide for for Classroom Classroom Teachers Teachers 7 Alexa Alexa Alexa Alexa is is a a fourteen-year-old fourteen-year-old student student who who recently recently arrived arrived in in Canada Canada from from Bosnia-Herzegovenia. Bosnia-Herzegovenia. Although Although her her schooling schooling was was was interrupted interrupted by by the the strife strife in in her her home home country, country, she she has has been been able able to to acquire acquire a a solid solid elementary elementary education. education. Her Her parents parents have have also also helped helped helped her her to to continue continue with with informal informal studies studies studies outside outside of of school. school. Although Although she she she has has not not yet yet yet studied studied studied English English formally, formally, she she she has has acquired acquired some some conversational conversational skills skills that that will will help help her her in in her her schooling schooling here. here. The The loss loss of of family family members members and and and friends, friends, however, however, is is an an ongoing ongoing source source of of of distress distress for for for her, her, causing causing her her to to feel feel despondent despondent and and unhappy. unhappy.
Page 1 and 2: English as a Second Language Learne
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Introduction ....
Page 5: Introduction Students for whom Engl
Page 9 and 10: Perceived Behaviour Possible Cultur
Page 11 and 12: The Nature of ESL Programming ESL s
Page 13 and 14: Identification Although it is frequ
Page 15 and 16: produced standardized tests may be
Page 17 and 18: Instructional Tips and Strategies E
Page 19 and 20: this, rephrase it so that ESL stude
Page 21 and 22: ➤ establish a supportive environm
Page 23 and 24: • the parents’ or guardians’
Page 25 and 26: It may help to keep in mind that th
Page 27 and 28: Date: Teacher(s): First language or
Page 29 and 30: Characteristics of Students’ Read
Page 31 and 32: The Role of the ESL Specialist The
Page 33 and 34: * Collier, Virginia. “How long: A
Page 35: In addition, the ministry extends i

A Guide for Classroom Teachers - Education

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