Arthur Goldstein is a veteran high school teacher of English and English as a Second Language.
He warns here that New York State is harming students whose native language is not English by reducing the time allotted to teaching them English. He calls on the State Board of Regents to reverse this policy.
“High school can be rough. Our children and students are frequently insecure, uncertain, and grasping to find their way in a new and unfamiliar environment. Some students have to deal with not only that, but also the fact that they don’t speak English.
“For most English Language Learners (ELLs), one safe haven has been their English classroom, where a teacher understood their special needs and made sure no one made fun of their inevitable errors and struggles with a new language. But the most recent revision of Commissioner’s Regulation Part 154, which governs how English as a second language (ESL) instruction is distributed, has largely withdrawn that support system. For example, beginning ELLs who formerly took three classes daily in direct English instruction may now have as few as one.
“Instead of ESL classes, New York State purports to blend English instruction into other courses. For example, in the daily 40 minutes that an United States-born student has to study, say, the Civil War, ELLs are expected to study both the Civil War and English. So not only do they get less English instruction, but they also get less instruction in history than native speakers. Principals may see it as a win-win. They can dump ESL classes, add nothing, save money, and hope for the best.
“I don’t know about you, but if I went to China tomorrow, I’d want intense instruction in Mandarin or Cantonese before I ever attempted opening a history book. I want the best for my students, and that includes as much English instruction as possible. Expecting children to master history before being able to order a pizza or even introduce themselves is remarkably short-sighted, reflecting total ignorance of language acquisition.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Not just total ignorance of language acquisition, but total ignorance period.
But let us not forget who is the captain of the SS Deform: Andrew Cuomo
“Captain Cuomo”
Deform is like Titanic
With iceberg in it’s sight
It’s “full speed” and “don’t panic”
“The ship is water tight”
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It should be noted that New York has been watering down the level of training for ESL teachers and providing ancillary options for teachers that plan to teach ELLs. As a result, New York can churn out less prepared teachers to work with this population, and they will be able to have a larger pool of teachers from which to draw. However, as Mr. Goldstein states, the net result will be to water down the instruction for this very needy population. The students will be the losers, if the blended instruction does not provide enough intensive English instruction.
My district offered some blended content instruction in the high school. However, the class was co-taught by two trained and certified teachers, one in ESL and the other teacher in the content area. This approach worked well in my district, but it is an expensive option. Clearly, the state is looking to reduce the cost associated with educating vulnerable ELLs, most of whom are years behind in all academic content areas.
If the state’s plan dilutes instruction of ELLs, more of them will fall through the cracks. It is possible to teach English and content; however, it takes very skilled, well trained teachers to do it. The state, it seems, is unwilling to make this investment.
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I believe this model may have been the reasoning behind the change in Part 154. And in a perfect world it might work. It sounds like you taught in that perfect world. In NYC, it is a hot mess. When you have 35 students shoved in a tenth grade global class; two of whom don’t speak English, and part of your yearly evaluation is dependent upon your students’ Global regents test scores, guess who you will be ignoring? – even if you have those magical extra add on ESL credits to your “regular” license. In my particular case, I am the ESL teacher pushing into a Global 10 class. I have 2 students who don’t speak English and several others who are at varying levels. Right now, all of my effort and time is going to get the two who don’t speak English to pass the Global 10 Regents. What am I doing? Preparing them to take it in Spanish. This is their only chance to graduate high school. What am I not doing? Teaching them English. I’m also not helping the other ESL students advance their English skills because, again, they need to pass the regents. I often wish I was able to just have one period so we can just concentrate on their English. That is not possible. They will graduate High School with very poor English Language Skills but, with any luck, will be able to answer multiple choice questions about the French Revolution. Like I said, a hot mess..and by the way, many of them are sitting in beginner level Spanish classes although they are fluent in Spanish. This is what you get when you have ignorant bureaucrats imposing regulations.
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What you describe is the problem with the city. Most ELLs are extremely needy, but they are in large classes that will prevent ELLs from getting the attention they need. We cannot blame teachers for the problem; it is the system of unfair funding for urban schools. I taught in a suburban NYC district as an ESL teacher for many years, and the blended ELL content classes were capped at twenty-four students in the high school. The class had two certified teachers, ESL and content. You cannot duplicate the level of support provided with the numbers and needs described.
By the way teaching students to take the test in Spanish may work only if the instruction in English in comprehensible to them. Another problem with ELLs is they have to read in L1 to test in L1. If they are illiterate or minimally literate in Spanish, this may be an added problem. These students require lots of attention, but with intensive support, most of them will make it.
Your situation is a “hot mess.” The state dishes out regulations intending to create higher standards without giving the teachers and students what they need to make it work. The other problem in high school is that some ELLs enroll in in 10th or 11th grade. These students will most likely age out of the high school with poor language skills. If they want a diploma, they will wind up in a GED program. I wish I could be more helpful, but the whole situation is totally frustrating and unreasonable.
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It is very short sighted for people coming here not to learn English and speak it in their home before coming here. We should not have to teach their kids English as well as History.
If we were to move to France I want to know how to speak it and teach it to my children before going there.
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Hmmm, my grandmother (born in the very late 1800s’) had quite a few friends and her parents who spoke German as first generation immigrants.
The way it works schiltz3 is that the first generation to immigrate to this country as adults very rarely learn to speak English if it is not their native tongue. The second generation is usually bilingual and then the third generation usually only speaks English (until they get older and try to “find” their heritage).
It makes sense to teach those children, who don’t know English, in their native tongue for a while to assist the acquisition of knowledge, and eventually English. To attempt to teach a child in a language they cannot comprehend is not teaching, it’s insanity.
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Wow, what planet do you live on? One where foreign folk carefully plan immigration to US by studying English for years before applying for visa? I know a few ESL teachers. Their students are mostly from families fleeing terrible political situations in Somalia, Congo, Venezuela, Central America et al. They get in because one parent has sufficient lang/job skills to get employed – spouse will get lower-level work that doesn’t require much Eng. Kids shouldn’t go to public sch till they learn Eng? & how is that going to happen? (& who will bbs themwhile they’re somehow learning Eng?)
You need to decide whether you agree that immigration is a regular part/ driver of US economy. Centuries of experience tell us this is so. Then recognize that the world has changed since our major waves of immigration a century ago. It was OK then to just plunk non-Eng-speakers into pubsch & let them sink or swim, because the labor demand was such that even 8th-gr grads could make a liveable wage. Today, if we want to accept immigrants, we must put forth funds to educate non-Eng-speakers thoroughly, so that they will be able to participate in today’s labor pool.
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Outrageous.
Why does this sound to me so similar to pushing SpEd students into the “least restrictive environment” while simultaneously cutting SpEd budget, so what you end up w/ is resource room & self-contained classes cut to the bone, w/most SpEd kids in mainstream classes w/maybe a SpEd aide to hobnob w/during class?
That scenario is boosted by selling parents in denial on ‘normal’ classes for their “not-really” handicapped kids as a cynical ploy to deny them rights under IDEA law— w/the ultimate goal of underserving/ cutting funds. I wonder how the ESL-budget-cutters will sell this to recently emigrated parents? Shouldn’t be too hard, as they have a lot on their plate & can barely speak English…
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Here’s a bright spot is an otherwise dreary thread: After 16 years of depriving our English language learners of effective instruction, the Massachusetts legislature has decided that policy for ELL’s will be based on – drum roll – RESEARCH!
In 2002, by a ballot initiative (which was rejected in all urban areas; i.e.those schools most affected) Massachusetts revoked its groundbreaking Transitional Bilingual Act of 1973, which had provided for instruction in the native language together with ESL until kids reached sufficent proficiency in English to transition to all English instruction. It was called the Unz Initiaitive and was bankrolled by a wealthy Californian software developer (!), Ron Unz, who wanted English only instruction. Mitt Romney, then MA governor, endorsed it.
This link has a good look at the saga: http://www.wbur.org/edify/2017/08/09/english-language-learning-bills
Here is a link to the bill, which will also establish a “State Seal of Biliteracy”: https://languageopportunity.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/look-bill-fact-sheet-sep2016-revised.pdf
The bill passed both House and Senate with only one nay; Republican Governor Charlie Baker is dithering over whether he will sign it. Clearly there are sufficient votes to override a veto.
Yaaayyy!
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The questions become “Whose research?” and “How valid is that research?”.
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