Mainstreaming ELL Students - Case Study Example

Mainstreaming ELL Introduction: The rich linguistic diversity of the population in the United s of America in the recent yearshas offered a major challenge to the teachers as the instruction of the students with limited English language proficiency demands greater experimentations with the techniques which assist in the exertions. The purpose and significance of this study has been to determine if the limited English language proficiency students will benefit from being mainstreamed into regular education classes at the middle school level and if this placement will improve test scores and overall academic grades. In other words, this paper has been the result of the long felt need to classify and evaluate the effectiveness of various ELL programs and particularly the value of mainstreaming ELL students in response to the challenges in the instruction of the students with limited English language proficiency. The findings of the study which was conducted with Special Day Class (SDC) students, specifically, 8 mainstreamed students (2 males and 6 females) and 7 students who were not mainstreamed (1 male and 6 females), revealed that the mainstreamed students did not achieve the expected higher academic achievement than their peers who were not mainstreamed. That is to say, the strategy of mainstreaming students, in contrast to the expected result, has not been found an effective method to deal with the challenges raised by students with limited English language proficiency. Further, it was also concluded that there was no relationship between participants’ Gender and the mainstreaming Status. Links to the Research: Student diversity which has serious implications in the American context has been a significant topic of researches in education and several psychological theories deal with this relevant situation. The studies in the area of student diversity call for the need for the educators to find effective ways to cater to the needs of different sects of students such as the poor, the neglected, and the linguistically and culturally backward students. Slervine (2001) points out that poor students comprising of culturally and linguistically different population are the most affected groups. Learning-styles research can be maintained as the most useful resource for designing appropriate instruction techniques for the students of diverse background. English language teaching can offer one of the most appropriate research areas relating to the efficiency of different instruction techniques for the students of this background. Recent researches in English language teaching links mainly to the constructivist approaches which have been found central in the learning process. Accordingly, the learner acquires a new language more effectively when their preferred learning styles and the teachers preferred teaching style come to meet. The learning theories of Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, and John Dewey proposed that learners actively engage in learning, rather than passively receive knowledge from experts as the comprehension of content happens when students can demonstrate understanding. Thus, these perspectives indicate the need for effective learning experiences for the students that promote active knowledge acquisition. As the literature review clearly concludes content specific instruction which is appropriate for English learners effectively develop their proficiency and literacy in the English language. According to this theory, course material needs to help the English learners to construct knowledge through concrete advance organizers, cooperative-learning activities, and imaging. It is also imperative that the students are given room for self-esteem and motivated to be active so as to learn English effectively. A learner also needs to be linguistically or culturally secure, if he needs to rise to the teacher’s expectations for academic achievement. This important finding by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (2001) essentially links to the need for supportive classroom environment for English learners. Krashen’s theories suggest the importance of the thematic presentation of the content in the comprehension and acquisition of course knowledge by English learners. Herrce’s second-language acquisition theory proposes that the teachers should use thematic teaching methods with English learners for an effective learning. As Cruz (1998) suggests, this method of teaching and learning helps the longer retention learning item by the English learners. Jim Cummins’s research also contributed to the English language teaching and his findings about the two dimensions of language i.e. demand for cognitive skills and “embeddedness” of context to each learner had significant impact on learning. Tracy Terrell (cited in Herrce, 2000) suggests that classroom activities should be included in learners’ activities to allow them to participate. The importance of the social context of learning is emphasized by Merrill Swain’s theory which specifically connects to the teaching of English to the students of diverse language backgrounds. Cross-curricular instructional strategies have been found effective with English learners in the second-language acquisition as reported by Herrce (2000). The review of the literature and the expertise and experience of the researchers who have studied the situation suggest that appropriate instructional strategies need to be followed if the language learning should be effective. The mainstreaming of the ELL students is an effective instructional strategy that has far reaching effects. Interpretation: As the literature review as well as the researches undertaken in the field suggests, there have been essential evidences that validate the effectiveness of strategies such as mainstreaming of ELL students in the most successful language teaching. In the constructivist teaching approach, there is an important role for the effective and active participation of the student in the learning activity. It is also important the cultural as well as the linguistic security of the learner is ensured. In this process, the mainstreaming of the students with special needs has a major validity and literature review specifically conclude this. The theories of second language acquisition as reported by the Herrce (2000) argue that the cross-curricular instructional strategies can heavily contribute to the effective learning of English language by the students with special needs. An investigation of the relationship between mainstreaming special needs students and academic achievement, as initiated by this research, suggests that the mainstreaming of such students apparently makes a mammoth difference in their learning result. This finding has been in parallel with the literature reviewed as well as the perspectives of the researchers in the area. For an effective learning process for the special needs students, it is primary that their cultural as well as linguistic security is ensured which will help them in their active participation in the learning process. If the students with limited linguistic proficiency need to be incorporated in the active learning processes as suggested by the current theories of constructivist learning, some imperative methods such as the mainstreaming of these students is a necessary precondition. However, the research findings do not find evidence to support the effectiveness of the method to assist the teachers who are faced with the issues raised by students with limited English proficiency. Implications for Teaching Practice: The findings of this research, which conclude that there is an apparent relation between the mainstreaming of students with limited linguistic proficiency and their learning achievement, have wide applications in the teaching practice in the United States where teachers face the challenges raised by linguistically diverse population. The ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity of the United States has been widely recognized and the early childhood professionals face the challenges raised by their diverse developmental, cultural, linguistic, and educational needs. As the position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children would point out, “The acquisition of language is essential to children’s cognitive and social development… Educators recognize that linguistically and culturally diverse children come to early childhood programs with previously acquired knowledge and learning based upon the language used in their home. For young children, the language of the home is the language they have used since birth, the language they use to make and establish meaningful communicative relationships, and the language they use to begin to construct their knowledge and test their learning.” (Responding to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Recommendations for Effective Early Childhood Education: A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1). The various approaches that assist the teachers in meeting these challenges are most useful in teaching. The validity of the findings of this paper in the teaching practice is unquestionable as these help in selecting the most appropriate methods of teaching for the students with limited linguistic proficiency. The study does not categorically prove the effectiveness of mainstreaming of students with special needs in influencing their achievement. However, the study has been especially useful in the efforts to find alternative approaches that successfully deals with the issues in question and further researches in the area are called for. The results of the study will inform the educators to examine the validity of different strategies to deal with the challenges raised by students with limited linguistic capacity. It also indicates the need for proper analysis of the various strategies in relation to the theories and research evidences in the area. Limitations of the Study: Whereas the findings of the study undertaken have great educational implications, some of the major limitations of the study cannot be overlooked. Thus, one major limitation of the study has been the inability of the small sample size in making an effective generalization regarding the impact of mainstreaming on the learning performance of the students of limited language proficiency. The study which was conducted with 15 SDC students, 8 who are mainstreamed for one period of the academic day and 7 students who are not mainstreamed at all, do not actually represent a larger volume of such students effectively. It is difficult make a successful generalization of the research findings. The limited sample size for the study has been evidently reflected in the research findings. Similarly, the period of study has been too short a period to make an effective conclusion regarding the effect of mainstreaming on the achievement of the students with special needs. That is to say, the study needed to be conducted in a wider sample population and for a longer period to make an ultimate conclusion. The lack of exact literature and researches in the area also offer some limitations with regard to the result of the study. Future Research: The validity of the research topic in the given backdrop of the teaching of English to the students of diverse linguistic background in the United States is incontestable. It is of particular note that the studies that connect to the needs of the teachers in the teaching of students with limited language proficiency have been inadequate. As the challenges raised by the issue are enormous in number, there is scope for more specific studies covering various aspects of the issue. Various methods and approaches that assist the educators in the area have long validity as such studies can contribute to the teaching practice indubitably. The future researches in the area need to incorporate the issues as faced by the teachers as well as the students who face the challenges of the issue and these studies need to help in the wider applications of the result in the teaching practice. Further researches in the area which investigate the validity of mainstreaming of the learners in affecting their learning achievement have been found most essential. Works Cited Responding to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Recommendations for Effective Early Childhood Education, A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. National Association for the Education of Young Children. 1995. . Read More

Thus, these perspectives indicate the need for effective learning experiences for the students that promote active knowledge acquisition. As the literature review clearly concludes content specific instruction which is appropriate for English learners effectively develop their proficiency and literacy in the English language. According to this theory, course material needs to help the English learners to construct knowledge through concrete advance organizers, cooperative-learning activities, and imaging.

It is also imperative that the students are given room for self-esteem and motivated to be active so as to learn English effectively. A learner also needs to be linguistically or culturally secure, if he needs to rise to the teacher’s expectations for academic achievement. This important finding by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (2001) essentially links to the need for supportive classroom environment for English learners. Krashen’s theories suggest the importance of the thematic presentation of the content in the comprehension and acquisition of course knowledge by English learners.

Herrce’s second-language acquisition theory proposes that the teachers should use thematic teaching methods with English learners for an effective learning. As Cruz (1998) suggests, this method of teaching and learning helps the longer retention learning item by the English learners. Jim Cummins’s research also contributed to the English language teaching and his findings about the two dimensions of language i.e. demand for cognitive skills and “embeddedness” of context to each learner had significant impact on learning.

Tracy Terrell (cited in Herrce, 2000) suggests that classroom activities should be included in learners’ activities to allow them to participate. The importance of the social context of learning is emphasized by Merrill Swain’s theory which specifically connects to the teaching of English to the students of diverse language backgrounds. Cross-curricular instructional strategies have been found effective with English learners in the second-language acquisition as reported by Herrce (2000).

The review of the literature and the expertise and experience of the researchers who have studied the situation suggest that appropriate instructional strategies need to be followed if the language learning should be effective. The mainstreaming of the ELL students is an effective instructional strategy that has far reaching effects. Interpretation: As the literature review as well as the researches undertaken in the field suggests, there have been essential evidences that validate the effectiveness of strategies such as mainstreaming of ELL students in the most successful language teaching.

In the constructivist teaching approach, there is an important role for the effective and active participation of the student in the learning activity. It is also important the cultural as well as the linguistic security of the learner is ensured. In this process, the mainstreaming of the students with special needs has a major validity and literature review specifically conclude this. The theories of second language acquisition as reported by the Herrce (2000) argue that the cross-curricular instructional strategies can heavily contribute to the effective learning of English language by the students with special needs.

An investigation of the relationship between mainstreaming special needs students and academic achievement, as initiated by this research, suggests that the mainstreaming of such students apparently makes a mammoth difference in their learning result. This finding has been in parallel with the literature reviewed as well as the perspectives of the researchers in the area. For an effective learning process for the special needs students, it is primary that their cultural as well as linguistic security is ensured which will help them in their active participation in the learning process.

If the students with limited linguistic proficiency need to be incorporated in the active learning processes as suggested by the current theories of constructivist learning, some imperative methods such as the mainstreaming of these students is a necessary precondition.

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