Classrooms throughout the country are becoming increasingly more diverse, as new students from all different backgrounds enter the public school system each year. ESL programs and their resources are crucial to millions of students whose population is the fastest-growing in the country, ESL has tremendous benefits for students’ education, yet funding and resources have become more limited than ever.
What is ESL?
ESL, or English as a Second Language, is a program in place at almost all public schools in the United States, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act, this program serves to help students who are not fluent in English. There are many different ways in which public schools may choose to approach the integration of this program into a district, but in most cases, these students are fully incorporated into English-dominated classes along with their peers while also attending specialized ESL classes.
What are some of the Benefits of ESL Programs?
Students who are part of this program experience a great deal of benefits that have further opportunities than just the ability to speak two languages, some benefits include.
- Improved academic performance in other classes
- Development of skills to learn other foreign languages
- Students confidence levels often increase
- Increased ability to focus on other topics
Research from Lamar University supports the claim that “acquiring a blocking technique that helps them choose the right word from one language while blocking the same word from the other. Learners use this same technique to ignore distracting information while working on classroom assignments.”
I spoke to an ESL teacher from a central Texas school district, who has requested to remain anonymous. She stated that throughout her 14 years as a teacher, she recalls many instances where she has seen improvements in her students in numerous aspects after they have been integrated into the program. She truly believes that “In many cases, this is the only environment where these kids feel safe and understood at school. I have seen many kids blossom into beautiful and smart people as a result of this program, and in some cases, I have had students who have left the program with more advanced reading and writing skills than those of their peers who were raised speaking English.”
What are issues ESL programs face?
Even though ESL programs have tremendous benefits for students and are more necessary than ever as the number of learners grows yearly, there are inherent flaws within the system. When asked about what the major issues in the program were, the Texas teacher quickly came up with an answer; “Funding, that is the biggest issue that I face here, and that I am sure many other teachers face throughout the country. There are too many students and simply not enough resources for all of them. It’s hard to be able to do my job to the maximum capacity when neither the budget nor the curriculum allow me to.”
The root of the issue is mostly attributed to the fact that the No Child Left Behind Act, which allocates funding to schools for this program, was passed in 2002 and has had no major revamps since then. So, even though the number of students has since then increased by over 1.77 million students, the funding allocated to schools has not reflected change. As a result, many programs run on the bare minimum requirements, while teachers desperately try to help their students in any way they can.
Is there a need for advocacy for non-native English speakers, considering the impact of the ESL program?
The ESL program has tremendous benefits for non-native English speakers both in and outside the classroom. This diverse group of learners is undeniably the future of the United States, as they form the most diverse and rapidly expanding group of students yet. However, it is necessary to recognize that there are issues within this program, that should be discussed on a national level. If we want the children to truly succeed and have hope for a better future, it is necessary to start advocating for them now.
