Article Review of "Different Types of ESL Programs"

In this article, Denise McKeon highlights the different kinds of ESL programs and the reasons for choosing them. With the number of ESL students on the rise year after year, schools must institute many new ESL programs. Apparently, these programs are very different from school district to school district. The one thing that they have in common is their minimal goal of making students capable of functioning in an academic setting.

The first part of this article then deals with the factors that influence what type of ESL program a district adopts. The first consideration is the demographic makeup of the district. For example, some districts may have high concentrations of one particular ethnic group or small numbers of people from various ethnic groups. Each district must consider the number and size of its population, its mobility, and other factors when choosing an ESL program. The second consideration is individual student characteristics. What McKeon means by this is that some students come from countries where they have had great access to schooling and can both read and write in their native language.

Other students come from countries where they have had little or no access to education. The third factor to consider is district resources. Some districts have more money and a more diverse community so that they can find more resources for ESL students. Some districts are in a much worse state. Again, some districts have the space and money to house separate ESL programs, and some are overcrowded as is. All of these factors and more will determine what kind of ESL program the district will develop.

The next part of this article discusses how ESL programs are categorized-either ESL or ESL-plus. Basic ESL programs are pull-out programs where students are put into a special class with other ESL students and are taught English similar to the way other students are taught a foreign language. The focus of the instruction is linguistic. In some districts, students may get a few hours a day in this sort of arrangement. In others, they may only get a couple hours a week. On the other hand, the ESL-plus program, the instruction goes beyond a strictly linguistic focus to some content area study too. Students usually get more hours of instruction in this kind of program, and in some schools, a student's whole day may be spent like this. The student would be receiving language instruction as well as content area study.

In the next part of the article, examples of stand-alone ESL programs are given. The first example is that of a pull-out program, which is typically used in elementary school. The children are pulled out for special instruction, although the teacher may or may not be trained in ESL or bilingual. The second example is called class period instruction and is typically used in middle school or high school. Students would take ESL as a class, like an other class, and receive credit for it. The third example is that of a resource center run much like the resource provided in special education. Students may be assigned there for one hour or more a day, and this setting has a teacher and other resources to help.

The next part of the article provides examples of ESL-Plus programs. One is a bilingual education program. In these programs, students are provided instruction but can transition out of these programs based on levels of proficiency. Whether they are early or late transition programs, students receive instruction in their native language, ESL methods, and the content area. This kind of instruction is more comprehensive, and the teachers are bilingual. Another example is Structured Immersion, which develops the first language and some content instruction as well. Another example is Sheltered English or Content-Based programs. These are typically used in high school and speakers from different backgrounds are grouped in content-specific classes. Next is High Intensity Language Training. In these groups, students from different backgrounds are grouped together for most of the school day, and students receive up to 3 or 4 hours a day intensive training in ESL. Eventually students are mainstreamed into regular classes one by one beginning with the less academic classes first.

The author then points out that there is no one academic program that works for every student or every district. The program that a district chooses must meet the needs of the students and allow them to go through school at a rate similar to other non-ESL students. Lastly, the district must make good use of its money with its choice of ESL programs.

McKeon makes many good points in this article about ESL programs. I am just afraid that many of the ESL programs out there are not doing the best job for students. Depending on the student's level of language proficiency, it seems as though the intensive model would be best for most. However, it is also the most costly. With declining enrollment in many school districts across the nation, not to mention decreased funding, it seems as though many districts could not afford these kinds of intensive programs.

California and Arizona have backslid on many of their ESL programs, and they both have large populations of ESL students. Decreased funding for these programs will certainly not help America; it will only widen the gap between those who have things and those who don't. English is not our official language, but I think we all know that it is the language of monetary success in this country. Schools should be giving ESL students all the possible resources they can, and the government should be funding these programs at much higher rates as well. After all, America is supposed to be the land of opportunity, and schools are supposed to be the great equalizers. Better ESL programs would benefit all.

Works Cited

McKeon, D. (1987). Different Types of ESL Programs. Retrieved August 1, 2007 at

Web Site: http://www.cal.org/resources/archive/digest/1987differenttypes.html