MODULE 1
ESL TERMS AND NUMBERS
Purpose
To acquaint participants with selected terminology related to education of language minority
learners and to demonstrate that increasing numbers of such learners present urgent
challenges to educators across the nation.
Materials
The following transparencies:
1.
“Terms”
2.
“Numbers of School-Age ELL Learners”
3.
“Numbers of LEP Students, by Grade, 2000-2001”
4.
“Percentage of LEP Students Receiving Instruction Incorporating the Native Language, by
Grade, 2000-2001”
5.
“Growth in Elementary and Secondary LEP Student Population and Total Student
Population, School Years 1990-1991 through 2000-2001”
Procedures
1.
Show Transparency 1 with only acronyms visible. Ask participants to speculate what
acronyms stand for. Then show full transparency and note terms.
2.
Note that some educators are concerned that the term “Limited English Proficient”
highlights the negative “limited”, whereas “English Language Learner” emphasizes that
English is an additional language. Point out that “Second” in “English as a Second
Language” denotes that English is second in chronology for these learners, not second in
importance! TESOL is the name for both the New York State certifiable teaching field of
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as well as the international
professional organization of English teachers.
3.
Ask participants to speculate about: total number of K-12 public school students in the
nation? (It’s 47 million). Total number of K-12 LEP/ELL students in those grades
nationwide? (4.6 million). Show Transparency 2. Note that LEP/ELL learners make up
close to 10% of the total national and New York State public school K-12 enrollments. The
local LEP/ELL population of 1,738 is for the 17 county area around the Capital District and
northward to the Canadian border. Given these figures, it is likely that participants will
encounter such learners at some point in their work in the schools.
UAlbany TAT- 1
Transparency 1
Terms
ELL =
English Language Learners
(Gradually replacing LEP)
LEP =
Limited English Proficient
ESL =
English as a Second Language
TESOL =
Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages
Bilingual Education = a program utilizing two
languages as mediums of
instruction
Dual Language Program = a bilingual program for both
language majority and language minority learners
UAlbany TAT- 2
Transparency 2
Numbers of School-age ELL Learners
NATIONAL: 4.6 million (of 47 million) K-12
public school students are LEP/ELL
NEW YORK STATE: 239,000 (of 2.8 million)
public school students are LEP/ELL
LOCALLY: 1,738 students are LEP/ELL
(17 county area)
Source for national and New York State numbers:
Kindler, Anneka. 2002. "Survey of States' Limited English Proficient Students and Available
Educational Programs and Services. 2000-2001 Summary Report." Washington, O.C.: National
Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs.
Retrieved from www.ncela.gwu.edu June 8,2003.
Source for local number:
Adam, William. Specialist, Northeast Regional Information Center, Capital Region BOCES, Albany,
NY. (Personal Communication, June 2003)
UAlbany TAT- 3
4.
Show only the title of Transparency 3. Have participants speculate on which grades have
the largest LEP/ELL populations. Show the full transparency, noting that LEP populations
are concentrated in the lower grades. What might be some explanations for this? Note
also the increase in LEP/ELL numbers from grade 8 to grade 9. What factors might
account for this?
5.
As background for Transparency 4, note some pros and cons of instruction incorporating
the native language of LEP learners. (Examples: pro = learners more likely to understand
instruction; facilitates closer home-school connections; literacy in a first language
facilitates literacy in English, etc; con = greater costs in short term).
6.
Show Transparency 4. Have participants describe some of the facts illustrated on this
chart. Have them discuss some implications of these facts. What are the implications, for
example, of these instructional patterns for developing and maintaining bilingualism in
learners? For maintaining literacy in a language like Spanish which will enable Hispanic
background students to read classics such as Cervantes in their heritage language? Elicit
participants’ views of these issues.
7.
Show the title only of Transparency 5. Have participants speculate about the growth
rates of LEP K-12 student populations contrasted with total K-12 student populations over
the past decade. By what percentage did each population grow during those 10
years according to participants’ guesses? Show all of Transparency 5. How close
were they? What are some factors that might help explain the disparity in growth
rates? Ask participants if they expect these growth rates to be sustained. Why or
why not? Note again that, given these numbers and rates of population growth,
most participants are likely to experience first hand the challenges of working with
LEP learners. The readings noted below and in other modules will assist in
meeting these challenges.
Further reading
Baker, Colin. 1996. Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism. Philadelphia, PA.:
Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems Company. 1999. Enriching content classes
for secondary school students: Study guide and Trainer’s manual. Washington, D.C.: Author.
Meskill, Carla. 2002. Teaching and learning in real time: Media, technologies, and language
acquisition. Houston, TX: Athelstan.
New York State Education Department. 2000. The teaching of language arts to limited
English proficient/English language learners: A resource guide for all teachers. Albany, NY:
Author.
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