Inclusion: Not Just for Students with Disabilities

Helping English Language Learners

by Olivia Herrera

What's a Democratic Education?

As stated by Apple and Beane, “democracy is the central tenet of our social and political relations” (Apple and Bean, 5). Democracy carries over into our education system in the United States. The purpose of having a democratic education, as stated by Dianne Ravitch, is “to shape good human beings, good citizens, people of good character with the knowledge and skills to make their way in the world and to join with others to sustain and improve our democracy” (Ravitch, 245). I believe we do this by giving students a well-rounded curriculum that allows for opportunities and experiences for students to advance intellectually.

Personal Motivation

However, one experience I will never forget makes me believe English Language Learners are not receiving a democratic education. I had a field experience in a kindergarten classroom in 2013, and there was a five year old English Language Learner named Juana*. She was in a regular education classroom all day every day. She spoke only a few words of English, and her parents spoke no English at all. The first thing the teacher said to me on my first day of tutoring Juana was, “Since none of the teachers here speak Spanish, we aren’t sure if she has a learning disability because she just isn’t picking up English quickly enough”. After talking to Juana for five minutes in Spanish, I thought there was very, very little chance she had any disability; she just couldn’t speak English! After observing her for various days throughout the semester, I noticed she wanted so badly to play with the other students, but quietly tagged along and I never heard her speak English to them. Juana was definitely not learning the skills needed to improve and sustain our democracy, and wasn’t having experiences to help her advance intellectually. She simply was sitting silently in class, not participating, and her teaching wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary to help Juana feel included in the class. I knew Juana and other students like her have what it takes to get the most out of their time in school, but they aren’t receiving a democratic education that allows for them to reach their full potential.

                                                                

Social Inclusion: Dual Language Immersion

            English Language Learners are not children who begin schooling with learning disabilities; they are children who partake in the same routine during school as other students, but have a huge difficulty added to that: “ELLs face the daunting task of learning the academic curriculum and meeting grade-level academic standards while concurrently learning a new language” (“English Language Learners”). English Language Learners are usually mixed in with general education students, and it is unlikely that general education teachers have the resources or confidence to help these students.  Most educators want ELLs to focus on just learning English, not acquiring skills that they can use in either language. Due to the lack of confidence of ELLs to socialize and use their English skills with other students, ELLs tend to be isolated and feel unwelcomed in the classroom. A great resource that teachers can use to help their ELL students academically and provide social inclusion within the classroom is dual language immersion. “Dual-language immersion programs bring English learners up to speed on English while they give native-English speakers desperately needed help in learning a foreign language” (“Teaching Tolerance”). In these programs, teachers, usually of early childhood grades, are given courses in Spanish, and have both ELLs and English speaking students in their class. Each activity has elements presented in both languages. A public school named Fratney in Wisconsin is effectively implementing this strategy. “With its comprehensive approach to dual-language education, Fratney could be seen as a model of social inclusion — yet its lessons can be applied to classrooms anywhere” (“Lonely Language Learners?”).

Benefits of Dual Language Immersion

            Dual language immersion is a great way that a general education teacher can help an ELL feel included, comfortable, and valued in their classroom. In order to implement this as a general education teacher, the teacher should advocate to the principal the importance of this program. If there is already an English Second Language Specialist in the school, the general education teacher should push for training in a second language for the rest of the teachers. By having teachers be bilingual and have the ability to have dual languages in each lesson, every single student will benefit. This program helps English speakers learn Spanish, a language that is spreading rapidly in the U.S., and helps English Learners feel more included and encouraged to participate. "When students from different languages learn together, side by side, it helps the students feel valued. And when a student feels valued, it gives them a boost of acceptance, confidence and pride," Alexopolous says. "That's at the root of learning. If a teacher doesn't do that, a child will stay silent — just like I did” (“Lonely Language Learners”).

Works Cited

Apple, Micheal, and James Beane. Democratic Schools: Lessons in Powerful Education. 2nd Ed. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2007. 1-12. Print.

"English Language Learners." Public Advocates: Making Rights Real. N.p., 2013. Web. 2 Dec 2013. <http://www.publicadvocates.org/education/english-language-learners>.

"Lonely Language Learners?." Teaching Tolerance. N.p., 2009. Web. 2 Dec 2013. <http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-35-spring-2009/feature/lonely-language-learners>.

Ravitch, Diane . The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education. Basic Books, print.

"The Gift of Second Languages." Teaching Tolerance. N.p., 02 June 2011. Web. 2 Dec 2013. <http://www.tolerance.org/blog/gift-second-languages>.