School Culture and English Language Learners

English Language Learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing subpopulation in the country with the highest dropout rate and lowest graduation rate of all subgroups. While you can find specific statistics on the ELL population by going to individual districts and department of education sites, it is very difficult to find actual up-to-date statistics as a nation on the total English language learner population. These students must meet the same graduation requirements and standards as the English-speaking population. Therefore, schools must provide an environment that embraces their culture and reaches out to ELLs specifically according to their needs. Teachers are encouraged to learn how to use teaching strategies that engage students at their level and ability. For these reasons, helping children feel that they will succeed begins with the counseling process. So here are some questions about your school’s culture as it relates to its ELL population.

• How much do the staff at your school know about the culture of your new students?
• How can your school staff learn more to reach your ELL population? How can your school staff promote a sense of community among students, parents, faculty, and staff?
• Does your school have an action plan that encourages students to exit the ELL program? If so, what is that plan? Do all the staff know what it is?
• Does your school offer regular ELL training on topics like placement, parental involvement, culture?
• Does your school have student ambassadors or student mentors paired with new ELL students to better support their transition to a new school?
• How does the school provide guidance to its parents and ELL students?
• How can school staff make the first day for ELLs successful?
• How can school personnel assess your ELL’s learning ability to determine the level of instruction needed?
• Do they give entering students a diagnostic test for more accurate placement in classes?

How did you answer the above questions? Did you answer yes? Does your school provide a welcoming environment for its immigrant students and their families?

Immigrant children face many challenges. English language learners come to school with a wide range of educational and life experiences due to their diverse backgrounds. They may have come to the United States under false pretenses or may have been separated from family members for a better life in pursuit of the ‘American dream.’ Burdened with the stress of moving from one country to another, they also struggle with not knowing the language. Communication is the number one issue that almost all ELL students and parents struggle with; then follows culture shock.

Culture shock is dealing with the stress of something new and unknown. Students learning English as a second language may have come from a country where the goal of education is to teach and learn rotely. Therefore, these students will not be used to learning by discovery and the idea of ​​thinking critically and sharing out loud is unheard of. ELLs may shy away from enjoyable class activities, group discussions, or teamwork because they may feel threatened by the language barrier, the unfamiliar expectations of the activity, or simply lose face because they may not know the correct answer. They may also perceive that a wrong answer causes the teacher to lose face, which could result in them not responding. Teachers who do not understand a child’s culture may then perceive these behaviors as disrespectful or may accuse the student of not participating, when in reality it is simply a case of ‘culture shock’. Many ELLs are also not used to giving praise and may feel uncomfortable when asked to share an opinion or belief. They may feel that it is a private thought and will not feel safe sharing it with others. At the other end of the spectrum, your ELL may have never had a formal education in his country and is so educationally and socially lost that he needs long-term ongoing guidance for each and every lesson and activity. This would require a great deal of patience on the part of the teacher and true differentiated instructional strategies for learning to be successful for ELLs in this situation.

Instead of causing your ELLs more stress than naturally occurs with culture shock, be creative and patient. Show your support for learning and growth at all levels. Celebrate all cultures in your classroom and school. Learn about different countries, provide opportunities for your ELLs to share about their country, their language, and their purpose for coming to the United States. Talk to them individually. Have your ELLs teach you a new word in their home language while you teach them a new word in English. Doing this builds great relationships and opens the lines of communication creating a sense of safety and comfort. Students want to feel safe in a classroom environment. Provide your ELL students with a class mentor (a classmate) to answer questions, help navigate the classroom, provide peer tutoring if necessary, or whatever is necessary until you are comfortable with the routines of class, expectations, and lesson activities. The mentor can also rotate each week, allowing other students to participate in your mentoring program. Provide your ELLs with translated documents, homework sheets, class activities, etc. This can be done by translating documents in Google translate, Yahoo translate or other online translators for free. Just as important as the translated documents is encouraging students to use a bilingual dictionary for everything, including exams and tests. Word-for-word translations provide support and are additional resources for success.

We know that culture can affect classroom behaviors, but it can also influence content comprehension. The role of the school and the teacher is essential to create a safe and nurturing environment that supports the development of these students as bilingual learners. Teachers have a unique opportunity to use the culture and experiences that ELLs bring to school to expand learning for all students in the classroom. Reinforcing effort helps students see a clear relationship between what they do and what they achieve. Through careful planning and open communication, your school will not only make the first day of orientation for new ELLs an extremely enjoyable experience, but will also create an atmosphere of inclusion and belonging that will result in the student’s desire to being in school, as well as increasing their academic, social, and personal achievement.