BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Purpose and Rationale of this Bilingual Peer Tutoring Project (Why was this project chosen?):
In the past three years the percentage of Hispanic student enrollment at WJHS increased by 5%.
And this year (2014-2015) 22% of WJHS student enrollment was composed of Hispanic
students. And out of the 22% of the Hispanic students, 8% of these students did not speak
English and did not have the academic background to succeed in school. The data clearly shows
there was a need to develop a Bilingual Program to assist our 8% Hispanic students.
Action Plan:
Action Plan
Stakeholders
Involved
Activity
Timeline
Met w principal
to identify
project
September 2 of
2014
Principal and me Project identified
To develop a
program to assist
English language
learner
(ELL)students
Proposal
Informal
Presentation
September 3 of
2014
Principal, me,
registrar,
counselors,
attendance of
office head
secretary, special
ed. Life skills
specialist
Met with the Life
Skills specialist
to gather ideas
on how to create
the program
disclosure
Met with the
registrar
September 4 of
2014
Heather Tester
and me
September 4 of
2014
Registrar and
me
1
Anticipated
Results
Discussed ideas
and benefits of
the bilingual peer
mentoring
program to assist
English
Language
Learner (ELL)
students.
Requested a copy
of the Peer Tutor
Disclosure
Requested
Skyward
students’
enrollment by
student ethnicity
Notes/Other
Brainstorming
ideas on how
create a
mentoring
program to assist
new students
who don’t speak
English.
1- Develop the
program
disclosure and
student
orientation
before recruiting
students.
Looked for some
ideas on how to
develop the
Bilingual Peer
Mentoring
disclosure
Analyzed the
2014-2015
students
enrollment and
identified the
number of
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Entering- English
language
development
(ELD students
data and
determined who
needed assistance
Conference call
with the district
counselor
specialist
September 4 of
2014
Nancy K and me Requested to
create a course
number for the
Bilingual Peer
Tutoring
program
Met with
September 5 of
counselors and
2014
Spanish teachers
to ask for
outstanding
bilingual
students’ referral.
Counselors,
Spanish teachers,
and me
Identified
potential
bilingual
students who
would be great
role models for
the new English
Language Learn
(ELL) students.
Meet with
potential
bilingual
candidate
students
interested in
participating in
the program.
Proposal results
September 5- 25
of 2014
Several potential
bilingual
candidates and
me
September 5 of
2014
Principal, me,
vice principals,
and counselors,
Selected more
than one
bilingual student
per period. Total
of 20 students.
Total was more
than we
expected.
Highlighted the
outcomes and
benefits of the
2
Findings: Course
number should
be created and
approved before
the end of first
quarter October
30th. District
specialist said
that a new course
number could not
be created for
this school year,
so we decided to
use the existing
Peer Tutoring
course # 02075
then.
2- Analyzed
bilingual
students’
academics,
attendance, and
behavior.
2- Interviewed
bilingual existing
students to
participate in the
program.
Bilingual Peer
Tutoring students
would provide
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
attendance office
secretaries,
counseling office
secretaries,
registrars, life
skills specialist,
and district
counselors
specialist
Met with the
English
Language
Development
teacher
September 5 of
2014
ELD teacher and
me
program would
have on student
learning, parents,
school
participation,
teachers
contribution, and
graduation rates.
Support from
stakeholders.
Identified ELL
students who
would benefit
from the
Bilingual Peer
Mentor Program.
interpretation and
translation
services to
Entering English
language learner
(ELL) students,
parents of ELL
students, and
school staff.
Went over the
English language
development
(ELD) list and
identified
students who
needed help the
most.
1. Detailed Description of Project
The Bilingual Peer Mentoring program was designed with the primary objective
to assist entering level #1 and emerging level # 2 English Language Learner students.
The World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) system
classifies students with level #1 language proficiency as students who do not
understand or speak English with the exception of a few isolated words or expressions.
It classifies students with level #2- language proficiency as students who understand
and speak conversational and academic English with hesitancy, who also have
difficulty in understanding parts of lessons and simple directions and who are at a preemergent or emergent level of reading and writing in English that are significantly
below grade level.
To qualify to participate in The Bilingual Peer Mentoring program, students
would need to speak another language other than English or be willing to creatively and
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
patiently repeat the teacher’s instructions to the ELL student to whom he or she will be
mentoring.
Also, the bilingual peer mentor students will be required to act as a role model to
their mentees and be in good standing with the school community. They must have
good behavior, good school attendance, and be on track for graduation. In addition, the
bilingual peer tutoring students would need to feel comfortable interpreting for the
school offices when it is needed.
Moreover, the bilingual peer mentor students need to have the passion and ability
to inspire their mentees, and to follow school policies and procedures as well as to
teach the mentees how to use the school facilities.
The bilingual- peer mentor students’ participants in the program will experience
the opportunity, under the supervision of the bilingual counselor, of tutoring entering
level# 1 and emerging level# 2– English Language Learn (ELL) students in their core
classes: such as math, science, and social studies. As well as assisting in the counseling
center, attendance office and main office with such tasks as:

Interpreting from Spanish, Portuguese to English for staff as needed.

Being a role model for the Entering- English language learner (ELL) students.

Assisting Entering English language learners (ELL) new students in their native
language by: explaining and showing their schedule and classrooms, showing
and teaching how to use their locker, the lunch process, and encouraging ELL
students to participate in one or more of the school extra-curriculum activities.

Tutoring and helping ELL new students with homework and class assignments
as needed.
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER

Answering parents’ phone calls in their native language and communicating
with the office staff in English.

Helping with the organization of Spanish Latino parent night event.

Facilitating the communication between office staff and parents who do not
speak English by converting one spoken language to another.

5
Helping the Skylerts specialist with Spanish.
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Program Data Results/Outcome
2014-2015 - Quarter 1 and Quarter 2
Total classes passed during Q1 and Q2 of English Language Learner (ELL) students
who are being provided with Bilingual Tutoring Services
I
8
8
H
8
8
G
8
8
F
8
E
0
8
2014-2015-Q1-Classes Passed
3
2014-2015-Q2-Classes Passed
D 0
6
C
7
B
8
8
A
8
6
0%
20%
Students
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
6
2014-2015Q1-Classes
Passed
6
8
7
N
8
8
8
8
8
8
40%
60%
2014-2015Q2-Classes
Passed
8
8
8
6
3
W
8
8
8
80%
100%
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
2013-2014 Quarter 1 and Quarter 2
Total classes passed during Q1 and Q2 of English Language Learner (ELL) students who did
not receive Bilingual Peer Tutoring Services
R
4
Q
1
6
P
6
2
4
O
N
M
9
7
4
3
3
L
2013-2014-Q2-Classes Passed
3
4
K
2013-2014-Q1-Classes Passed
1
4
7
J 0
0%
Students
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
7
20%
40%
2013-2014Q1-Classes
Passed
0
4
4
3
4
9
2
6
4
2013-2014Q2-Classes
Passed
0
7
1
3
3
7
4
6
1
60%
80%
100%
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Total of classes passed Q1 in 2013- 2014 and 2014-2015
A comparison of ELL students who did not receive bilingual services in 2013-2014 school year
with ELL students who did receive bilingual services in 2014-2015 school year quarter 1
R,I
4
Q,H
8
6
P,G
8
2
8
O,F
9
N,E
8
4
2013-2014-Q1-Classes Passed
8
2014-2015-Q1-Classes Passed
M,D
3
L,C
0
4
K,B
7
4
8
J,A 0
0%
Students
J,A
K,B
L,C
M,D
N,E
O,F
P,G
Q,H
R,I
8
6
20%
2013-2014Q1-Classes
Passed
0
4
4
3
4
9
2
6
4
40%
60%
2014-2015Q1-Classes
Passed
6
8
7
0
8
8
8
8
8
80%
100%
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Total of classes passed Q2 in 2013- 2014 and 2014-2015
A comparison of ELL students who did not receive bilingual services in 2013-2014 school year
with ELL students who did receive bilingual services in 2014-2015 school year quarter 2
R,I
1
8
Q,H
6
P,G
8
4
8
O,F
7
N,E
3
2013-2014-Q2-Classes Passed
3
2014-2015-Q2-Classes Passed
M,D
3
L,C
6
1
K,B
8
7
8
J,A 0
0%
Students
J,A
K,B
L,C
M,D
N,E
O,F
P,G
Q,H
R,I
8
20%
2013-2014-Q2Classes Passed
0
7
1
3
3
7
4
6
1
9
40%
60%
2014-2015-Q2Classes Passed
8
8
8
6
3
Withdrew at the
end of Q1
8
8
8
80%
100%
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Total of No Grades in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015
A comparison of ELL students “No grades” who did not receive bilingual services in 2013-2014
school year with ELL students “No grades” who did receive bilingual services in 2014-2015
school year semester 1
12
10
10
8
6
6
2014- First Semester -NGs
6
5
4
2
2
0
2
0
J,A
Students
J,A
K,B
L,C
M,D
N,E
O,F
P,G
Q,H
R,I
10
0
K,B
0
L,C
2014- First
Semester
NGs
2
0
6
10
6
0
2
0
5
0
M,D
0
N,E
2015-First
Semester
NGs
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
O,F
0
P,G
0
Q,H
0
R,I
2015-First Semester NGs
BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Additional actions taken to help these ELL students succeed in school
•
Met with parent and phone calls were made regularly regarding students’
attendance, required shots, school dress code, transcripts, and graduation
requirements
•
Calls were made home every time students missed school
•
On-going conversations with teachers regarding student’s progress happened on
a regular basis
•
Ideas on how to use differentiated teaching strategies were discussed with some
teachers who asked for help
•
Students were removed from class where differentiated strategies were not
applied to help students to succeed
•
Teacher training on how to use differentiated teaching techniques was scheduled
to help teachers teach ELL’s student more efficiently
•
Ongoing conversation with the BPT students about how to encourage their
assigned ELL's student to learn and speak English. This happened on a regular
basis.
Bilingual Peer Tutoring Students’ comments:
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Bilingual Peer Tutoring Program Teachers’
Survey
23 Responses
• Summary
Have you ever taken advantage of our bilingual peer
tutoring program translation services? If yes, how helpful
was the program?
•
no
•
I have not but I think its an excellant idea!
•
So far the tutor is doing great. Sometimes I have to remind her to teach the
students and not do it for them!
•
These services have been very helpful. As an office employee I frequently have a
need to communicate with Spanish-speaking students and have used the peer
tutors to translate for me.
•
No.
•
I think the program is great. It is much easier to assist students and have them
understand what is required of them when they can have it spoken in their home
language.
•
I have not.
•
No
•
No- but I want to!
•
yes, it was very helpful.
•
Yes, helped several students I have that speak almost no english.
•
Yes!
•
No, I have not used this program. I teach Spanish so all of my students need a
bilingual peer tutor basically... ;)
•
Yes. It was helpful until my peer tutor stopped showing up and now I rely on
another student in class to help.
•
Not yet, but I plan to in the future.
•
The program has really helped our students succeed better in school.
•
i love having a student who is dependable and helpful who can translate for me. I
am not bilingual (my high school Spanish did not stay with me unfortunately,.
•
Yes! I currently have two tutors who help translate for four of my ESL students.
They have been crucial in my student's success. I have no experience with ESL
and am not endorsed so their help is greatly appreciated!
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
•
yes. One of the bilingual peer tutoring students helped me understand one of the
parents when they came into the Counseling Center one day.
Have you ever taken advantage of our bilingual peer
tutoring program translation services? If yes, how helpful
was the program?
•
yes, the translation was helpful
•
No.
•
I have not.
•
No
•
The tutor was able to help me understand a parent that needed interpretation.
What do you think about the bilingual peer tutoring
program
•
I believe it did until the tutor no longer showed up.
•
awesome
•
Most definitely! They are the reason my ESL students are successful. By having
them involved I am also learning how to modify my practices so that my ESL
students can be more successful.
•
don't know
•
?
•
i think that is a good idea. If non speaking English students can interact with peers
that do and that peer can help them learn English,I believe they will be better off.
•
Yes they have understood a lot better.
•
I am certain that the program has helped both me and my students in the
classroom. My students are more likely to stay on task, take better/more complete
notes, and score higher on tests when a translator is their to read to them.
•
It seems to be doing quite well.
•
Fantastic!
•
I think it is a great idea and very needed at our school.
•
Even though I have not used it, I think it's great! I can only imagine that it's helping
the students.
•
Yes!
•
I think this is one of the most helpful services at our school. It has made a huge
difference for our ELL population.
•
I don't know if any of my students have used it, so I don't know.
•
I think it's awesome!
•
I think the idea is wonderful, and I would guess that it is very helpful. However,
because I have not used it, I cannot say for sure.
•
I am fortunate in that my peer tutor is able to help more than one student in my
class. These students are doing much better with her help.
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
•
I work in the Counseling Center and I see the tutors mentoring and helping their
students with homework and finding their way around the school. I think it will help
them in the classroom tremendously.
To what extent do agree with the following statements
about the bilingual peer program? a) My English language
learner (ELL) students are benefiting from the translation
services provided by the bilingual peer tutoring students
Strongly agree
10
52.6%
Agree
7
36.8%
Disagree
2
10.5%
Strongly disagree
0
0%
b) The bilingual peer tutoring students have helped my
English language learner (ELL) students to learn the
subject taught in my classroom
Strongly agree
7
38.9%
Agree
8
44.4%
Disagree
3
16.7%
Strongly disagree
0
0%
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
c)The bilingual peer tutoring program is helping my
English language learner (ELL) students to feel more at
ease using English
Strongly agree
7
41.2%
Agree
7
41.2%
Disagree
3
17.6%
Strongly disagree
0
0%
d)The bilingual peer tutoring program is helping my
English language learner (ELL) students to be engaged in
the classroom's activities
Strongly agree
8
47.1%
Agree
8
47.1%
Disagree
1
5.9%
Strongly disagree
0
0%
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
Do you think that WJHS should continue with the bilingual
peer tutoring program next school year?
Yes
22
100%
No
0
0%
Do you have any suggestions for improving our bilingual
peer tutoring program?
•
I believe that It could help if the program is done differently. It needs to be known
through out the school, because not every student is aware about the program.
Perhaps I am not well informed, if so please send me something so I can become
aware and guide ELL students to the area where they need to go for help.
•
There is a struggle to find students that are willing to participate in the program.
And often times, they miss class on extremely important days, such as test day.
Would it be possible to have a "back up" translator? A student who might not be
wiling to help in the classroom everyday, but might be will to be a TA in the
counselor office and pitch hit for classrooms that are in temporary need for the
day. I don't know that having the peer translators have encouraged most of my
students to speak English in any way. But it has enables them to succeed in math
class in spite it.
•
After the ELL have been helped the first year, allow them to be mentors for new
students in the next school year. If they are teaching it to others, it will help them
to continue to master the English Language.
•
My answers are all disagree because of the fact that my tutor stopped showing up
about 3 months ago.
•
I don't know if you did this this year or not, but I think it would be helpful to make
sure that the tutors have training on how to effectively tutor in 2 languages and to
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BILINGUAL PEER TUTORING PROGRAM BY CLAUDIA KASSNER
make sure that the student is still paying attention to the real teacher and trying to
understand instead of just relying only on the peer tutor...
•
yes
•
I don't actually disagree, but I don't know if any of my kids are using it, so I don't
know if it has helped them, but it is making me choose... Important things to
consider: (1) Try to avoid pulling kids from core classes--then they miss
information/assignments/activities and are even more behind. (2) Make sure the
tutor performs well in that subject. It the tutor doesn't understand the subject, they
will not be able to accurately translate subject-specific concepts into Spanish, and
neither one is likely to know the "technical" terminology in Spanish. This is true for
science, art, history, or any other subject.
•
Do the peers get credit for the tutoring? Maybe give them more credit, or some
how link it to an award at graduation.
•
Often my tutors are either late or absent. Luckily, I have a student in the class
who speaks Spanish and is willing to move to help my ESL students, but this is a
very big problem. If this bilingual student was not in my class, my ESL students
probably would not be as successful, as my tutors are frequently late or absent.
Program Results/Outcome Statement
Based on the above students’ quarter 1 and quarter 2 grades’ results, students’ first semester
attendance school results (NG’s), Bilingual Peer tutoring students’ comments, and teachers’
program survey, the outcome of our bilingual peer tutoring program has been successful.
To make certain that our bilingual peer tutoring program continues to be successful in helping
our ELL students learn the academics while acquiring the English Language, data will be
collected every year, teachers and staff survey suggestions’ will be implemented, and bilingual
peer tutoring students will be carefully selected to participate in the program.
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