ESL in America...thoughts? PLEASE POST :)
Hola! I am doing my thesis work about ESL programs, especially at the high school level, in America, and what improvements might be made so that bilingual Spanish students can increase their success, go on to college, and feel competent at the college level, especially in science and math.
If you have any thoughts on the matter, or have friends who might give me some insight, they are welcome to give it to me straight. I would love to hear from as many people as possible.
Please state your reference background, like age, gender, and experience with or why you are interested as well, in ESL programs. I will not quote names, everyone will be quoted as "anonymous" if I use your words.
Muchas Gracias ![size=3][/size][color=purple][/color]
5 Answers
How cool I get a chance to talk about myself'oh come on, who doesn't like to talk about them selves!
Well when I first arrived in the US from Mexico I was thirteen, up to that point I had never been exposed to the English language not even a little bit in other words I was clueless. My dad put me in middle school and I was placed in an ESL class for beginners. I had ESL classes both during my seventh and eighth grade. Then when I started high school I was supposed to be in an advance ESL class but some how the high school administration made a mistake and put me in regular all English classes instead. Well to make this short story long (lol) that was the best thing that ever happened to me. I learned how to write, read and communicate in English super fast! I was also able to get Americanized a little better and faster because of my interaction with other American kids. Remember when we are in ESL we only get to interact with others kids just like us'.so we really don't get exposed to other ways, and cultures. I'm not trying to put the ESL program down not even one bit I think is great but for only a short while maybe one or two years at the most are enough for any high school level and below kid. I think at that age is easier to learn a new language. I hope this helps.
I would have to disagree a bit. English as a second language and "Americanization" are two different things. Maybe I want to learn russian for buisness. I agree that learning a bit about the culture will help me learn russian but why the history of Russia? Also, why would I want to lose my culture to change to russian. It is very interesting to me how Americans assume that everyone should change to this culture?
As far as ESL suggestions, first it is interesting how ESL programs are able to instruct people from so many backgrounds. My only suggestion would be access to instruction. A lot of people need instruction but are either not able or don't know where to go for help. There is an interesting program in Austin right now that goes to the peoples place of buisness and conducts classes there. Other than that I would say times of day the courses are offered would be important.
One could stay in the USA for ever and not learn to speak English< why? 'cause to do a menial job you don't have to speak it. In someplaces in California and Texas you don't need to learn it.But, forever stay on the outside. In this country there are a lot of riches, cultural wise ,that a non English speaker will never absorb.
At any rate we need to unite the country not split it into different ghetos. Everyone in this country should be an American.
I'm 27, male, British and an E.S.L.teacher.
First of all I would like to say in no uncertain terms that 95% of what exists with regards to teaching English as a second language is crap. The methodologies are generally too grammatical and learning a language becomes like learning algebra. I've seen many a student who has been able to learn grammatical rules of English using this methodology and the end result is an ability to write well but an inability to speak with any kind of fluency.
The other so-called methodology is immersion. This works for some people but not a lot. The ability to generate grammatical rules that a child has is not something that adults are able to simulate and therefore they generally end up with a very poor ability to express themselves properly and no real idea of grammatical structure.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Immersion with some kind of grammatical base to ensure correct expression. I think the key is that grammar doesn't need to be taught with a board and a marker; instead students should be made to produce functional sentences that hit the target language (a specific grammar theme for example) without seeing the process as outright learning.
I have no experience of the American school system and so don't know if any of what I have written is useful or even plausible in said system but I thought I would add my two-penny's worth anyway.
I would have to disagree a bit. English as a second language and "Americanization" are two different things. Maybe I want to learn russian for buisness. I agree that learning a bit about the culture will help me learn russian but why the history of Russia? Also, why would I want to lose my culture to change to russian. It is very interesting to me how Americans assume that everyone should change to this culture?
As far as ESL suggestions, first it is interesting how ESL programs are able to instruct people from so many backgrounds. My only suggestion would be access to instruction. A lot of people need instruction but are either not able or don't know where to go for help. There is an interesting program in Austin right now that goes to the peoples place of buisness and conducts classes there. Other than that I would say times of day the courses are offered would be important.
Hola! I am doing my thesis work about ESL programs, especially at the high school level, in America, and what improvements might be made so that bilingual Spanish students can increase their success, go on to college, and feel competant at the college level, especially in science and math.
If you have any thoughts on the matter, or have friends who might give me some insight, they are welcome to give it to me straight. I would love to hear from as many people as possible.
Please state your reference background, like age, gender, and experience with or why you are interested as well, in ESL programs.
Muchas Gracias ![size=3][/size][color=purple][/color]
The ESL program should be cancel. And, in it´s place special schooling should be started. This school should teach the fundamentals of English,Arithmetic and US´ history. All of this should be dome in English only. Total immersion is what I am speaking about.This program would be aimed to Americanized people,so an important component of this schooling should be to teach the American way of life. Elementary thing that we have to abide by to make our lives in this country more livable.
The aim would be to teach people to handle themselvse in an American enviroment within a year.
I knew a girl that after four years in this country she was unable to speak English and she graduated from an American High School, how can this be possible? I don't know,but she was a participant in an ESL program.I am willing to bet that there are plenty of people like her.
In the early 1960, I went to an Americanization school and after six months I was able to handle a regular American school.
So that is the aim, get the school age children in a total immersion program and get them out of there and into a regular school within one year.
