English as a Second Language as an Adult Learning and Education - Essay Example

What tensions exist between the espoused purpose of adult education and the enacted practice in the area of English as a second language program (ESL course), and how are they negotiated? Abstract Owing to the emergence of tensions between the espoused purposes of adult education and the enacted practice in the area of English as a second language program in Australia, I thought it was wise to put together a detailed report with the aim of looking at reasons causing the rise of these tensions and ways to permanently put to a stop the setbacks these tensions cause. Australia as we all know it has a considerable large percentage of its population who speak English but not as a first language. This has therefore caused rise to some problems which if not looked into would not promote the growth of a skilled Australian labor force. This document looks at four major parts; the first being critical and contextual analysis of ESL as an adult learning and education. Secondly, I will develop an analysis that seeks to look at different influences and how they conflict with each other in practice and also examine the impact on practice. The third part will look at major problems that emerge as a result of improper use of spoken English and reasons that cause these problems. The fourth and final part will seek to find solutions to these problems. The Australian Government influenced the adult English as a second Language (ESL) program and enforced policies on different issues from competitive tendering to language and from immigration to labour market development. The ESL program was aimed at improving communication between the native speaking Australians and the immigrants. Collins (1988) believed that the successful settlement of immigrants and the constituent development of a bridge between immigrants and the locals could be directly related to the familiarity of English. He continued to say that immigrants who had the ability to speak better English could seek better paying jobs as opposed to those immigrants who had trouble speaking any other language other than their first language. Critical and Contextual Analysis of ESL as Adult Learning and Education English as a second Language (ESL) is also referred to as, English as Foreign Language (EFL) program was designed for the non native speaking community to improve their conversational skills, grammar, pronunciation, writing and vocabulary. Before enrolling in any College or University, one is advised to join an ESL program to help boost communication skills in the area which you prefer. This program is designed to; help you practice your conversational English, make you ready to study in either a college or university or even a professional school, puts the student at a better position of scoring higher in English examinations, satisfies ones English learning needs and interests as it offers a wide variety of choices of classes, provides first-hand information of the host country’s culture and customs, provide an opportunity to use English, help you meet people you have never met before and offer services such as accommodations that eases your travels. I was lucky enough to have gone to Melbourne (Australia) where I did my “O” levels. This is an International School with most of its students being 80% Chinese and a few Japanese, Korean, Filipinos, Vietnamese and local (Australian). This prompted ESL course program being administered to every international student who came to Australia with a purpose of enrolling in high school education. The program is not just designed for only those who migrate to Australia to study but also those who come to Australia to do business and those that just want to travel. The Adult learners ESL classes are chosen by non natives who would like to increase their opportunities in life by making better their spoken English. People have often said that grammar does not matter, so long as you convey the message, but the truth of the matter is without proper use of grammar you cannot convey exactly what you want to pass through. You will often find people trying to make out what it is that you wanted to communicate. Grammar instruction assists English learners in becoming aware of a structure and then continuing to notice it in subsequent encounters (Fotos, 2001). Communicative practice is essential as it mirrors the real language used outside the ESL class. The real world is characterised by what we say and having no control over what we hear. Therefore the leaning process should never end and you should not stop learning. Australia’s settlement and second-language programs have made it unique. The country has been offering immigrants and refugees with settlement and second language (Martin, S. 1998). This only means that the need for the ESL can never be over emphasised. N Alanis, I. (2004). Argued that the development of literacy skills is where the achievement gap is the most severe and to narrow the gap. Some of the factors that help achieve this are: Classroom environment: a natural safe environment that is conducive for learning that offers an enrichment program that manipulate the native language Activating prior knowledge: the tutors need to bring together the native language and the new using games and different aids be it visuals. Instructional approaches: deals with the development of vocabulary. This might be by either writing journals or even reading aloud. Influences and Conflicts of ESL Acquisition Influences: I believe that English as second language is influenced by several things. Students do not all develop competence at the same level. This is due to the prevailing circumstances surrounding the learning. Some of these factors include: Age of the student on arrival Generally it is harder for older students to learn a new language than it is for children although studies that are concerned with morpheme acquisition in ESL learners normally research on adults. Bailey, Madden, and Krashen studied the oral responses of 73 adult learners of English using the BSM (Bailey et al., 1974). These learners were all receiving formal instruction in intensive English programs. The researchers came to a conclusion that both children and adults portray same acquisition patterns. They recommended that they should be more studies based on the outcome of instruction on morpheme acquisition. However a study done by Larsen-Freeman in 1976 also used the BSM with 24 adults with different language backgrounds. Location where student is learning the course If a student is learning in a country where English is spoken as a first language, then he is considered to be learning English as a Second Language. If a student is learning in his own country where English is not spoken as a native language, then he is considered to be learning English as a Foreign Language (H. Brown, 2000). This has a great effect since the student learning English as a foreign language will have the tendency of maintaining his or her own morpheme. The length of time the student has lived in Australia We cannot deny that time spent on a particular subject will perfect. Any study that is meant to look into outcomes of time and proficiency on ESL will likely show that the longer one stays at particular point will increase performance. Caudery (1990: 122) points out “that the teaching of writing skills involves more than training in producing grammatically correct sentences or in the use of cohesive devices,” it involves the formulation and manipulation of ideas and putting 2 those ideas in the most appropriate language. As Kroll (1990:140) aptly puts it, ESL students have to “create written products that demonstrate mastery over contextually appropriate formats for the rhetorical presentation of ideas as well as mastery in all areas of language, a Herculean task given the possibilities for error.” Indeed, the task is daunting partly due to the many skills that are involved. Other influencing factors may be; The student’s stage of orientation to Australia. The student’s level of competence in his or her first language literacy. The presence of learning exceptionalities. The student’s previous exposure to the English Language. The student’s previous educational experiences. The language or languages spoken in the student’s home. The effects of possible personal trauma caused by natural disaster, political and war. Family disruptions or other difficult circumstances. Barriers to effective adaptation of the ESL program Unskilled and Insufficient workforce that caters for the needs for the of the youth with disabilities It is important to increase the number of competent secondary special education teachers who offer support and care through the transition process to adult life to students with disabilities. Without qualified instructors the whole the profile process would be futile. However, some higher learning institutions give pre-service classes showing great emphasis on secondary education. However, a lot of tutors join the field without the specific skills needed for a smooth transition. Miller, Lombard, and Hazelkorn (2000) report that few special education teachers have received training on methods, materials, and strategies for developing meaningful IEPs that include goals and objectives on transition or specifically address the student’s transition needs through the curriculum and instruction. Further, many special education teachers underutilize community work-experience programs and fail to coordinate referrals to adult service providers. Lack of adequate emphasis of the effects of dissimilar diploma choices for students with language disabilities A particular score of class credits gotten in certain areas should guarantee a student to a particular field and successfully passing a competency test should be the only way out. This would in turn force students to enrol in ESP programs to ensure they garner a place in the job market. Passing high school should not be an option, it should be compulsory for all. (Guy, et al., 1999; Johnson & Thurlow, 2003; Thurlow, Ysseldyke, & Anderson, 1995. ) Most states have opted to require that students pass state and/or local exit exams to receive a standard high school diploma (Johnson & Thurlow, 2003). This practice has been increasing since the mid-1990s (Guy, et al., 1999; Thurlow, et al., 1995). States may also require any combination of these. Diversity in graduation requirements is complicated further by an increasingly diverse set of possible diploma options. In addition to the standard high school diploma, options now include special education diplomas, certificates of completion, occupational diplomas, and others. Many regions have gone through many reforms trying to make the ratio of students with disabilities be as low as possible and also provide measures that ensure they meet the requirements. Some of the strategies put in place include weekend or summer tutoring programs, grade-level retention, instruction during the school day and after school, and specialized tutoring. While these may be viewed as appropriate interventions and strategies, there is little research evidence to suggest that this is the case. Persuasive evidence indicates, for example, that repeating a grade does not improve the overall achievement of students with disabilities (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 1992; Holmes, 1989). Very little participation from parents in either life planning, education planning or even decision making The participation of parents and leadership in the planning of the transition process plays a very crucial part in ensuring the process would be a success. (DeStefano, Heck, Hasazi, & Furney, 1999; Furney, Hasazi, & DeStefano, 1997; Hasazi, et al., 1999; Kohler, 1993; Taymans, Corbey, & Dodge, 1995) It is also a common problem that the adult refrain from the ESL program and this has led to their continued downfall. The involvement of the parents as well of the family should go beyond the individual student level. The involvement and participation is very important as it makes it easier to for professionals to know there needs and also in developing systems that may serve them (Gloss, Reiss, & Hackett, 2000). Research has shown that involvement of those parties in the transition process heighten the effectuation of a transition (Hasazi, 2000). The process of research can also allow the involvement of family members (Turnbull, Friesen, & Ramirez, 1998). Considering the family members helps ensure that the products given to the youth with disabilities are of high standards (Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, 2000). Ineffective collaborations and miscommunication For a successful transition plan the different sub-systems among the different community agencies, schools, human services and rehabilitation services should be linked together. Although there are some factors that hinder effective communication among these players, including (a) Lack of a shared mission between the community agencies, schools, human service providers and rehabilitation service providers. The different parties should work together to achieve their goals. Unity is strength. (b) Lack of a proper means of communication between community agencies and the school, and the coordinated assessment and planning processes, to offer integrated transition planning. (c) Lack of a specific definition of the roles of the students and family members in the transition process that ensures the respect of the students’ growing need for independence (d) Lack of reliable information regarding post-school services that are required by the students and also a halt of the much needed support after school. (e) Lack of good practices that may put into good use the support given by both the government and community agencies. (f) Lack of adequate funding for such programs. Recommendations to the Challenges faced by ESP Self-determination skills should be intensified in high school. Improve the student development process and encourage the use of self-advocacy. Provide equal opportunities to all students. Make the education curriculum in such a way that it incorporates self-determination & career development skills. Use the available resources usable by the highest number of students without necessarily making additional changes. Conduct research to identify any new preventive measures to curb dropout cases. Also these efforts should be directed in finding out whether there are any emotional huddles or challenges affecting the students. Help in preparing the students in wanting to indulge themselves in post-secondary education. Build partnerships with organizations that offer products tailored for such students. This helps in providing a wider variety of opportunities to them. Promote involvement and participation of all family members past the individual student level and also providing opportunities to the family members and other parties too. Solving the issues of the tutors and professionals offering their services to the students so as to ensure they provide high quality services. Conclusion I believe that learning a second language can be a challenge, especially at an older age, however it is not impossible. Not many adult second-language learners get to reach the same competence levels as native speakers of that language. Children are more likely to attain native-like fluency than adults when learning a second language, however the chances of someone speaking a second language as native speaker is very rare. Australia has had it fair share of non native due to immigration and the common errors they make while speaking can distort communication. It is therefore the reason the ESL program was developed to help non native Australians improve their spoken and Written English. Although faced with a few challenges the ESL program has had success over the years. The literature gives positive evidence of the success of the program as well as challenges faced by the program and their solutions. One of the most recommended solutions is to immerse students into the program emphasizing the importance of passing English. This is to propel them to work towards increasing their opportunities in the job markets. Adult learners who attend ESL classes accrue numerous benefits like job enhancement, survival and social interaction. References Allington , R., & McGill-Franzen, A. (1992). Does high stakes testing improve school effectiveness? Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 20(2), 179-190. Bailey, N., Madden, C., & Krashen, S. (1974). Is there a “natural sequence” in adult second language learning. Language learning, 24 (1), 235-243. Benz, M. R., Johnson, D. K., Mikkelsen, K. S., & Lindstrom, L. E. (1995). Improving collaboration between schools and vocational rehabilitation: Stakeholder identified barriers and strategies. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 18(2), 133-144. Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of Language, Learning and preaching (4th Edition.) New York: Addison Wesley Longman Inc. Collins, J. (1988). Migrant hands in a distant land: Australia’s post-war immigration. DeStefano, L., Heck, D, Hasazi, S. & Furney, K. (1999) Enhancing the implementation of the transition requirements of IDEA; A report on the policy forum on transition. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 22(1), 65-100. Dulay, H., & Burt, M. (1973). “Should we teach children syntax?” Language learning, 23 (2), 245-258. Dulay, H., & Burt, M. (1974). “ A new perspective on the creative construction process in child second language acquisition”. Language learning, 24 (2), 253-278 Federal Interagency Coordinating Council. (2000). Principles of family involvement. Retrieved from http://www.fed-icc.org/Family-Involvement-Principles-101100.pdf Fotos, S. (2001). “Cognitive Approaches to Grammar Instruction.” In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, Third Edition. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Gloss, T., Reiss, J., & Hackett, P. (2000). Draft 10-Year HRTW/Transition plan. Washington, DC: United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Guy, B., Shin, H., Lee, S.-Y., & Thurlow, M. L. (1999). State graduation requirements for students with and without disabilities (Technical Report 24). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota: National Center on Educational Outcomes. Hasazi, S. B. (2000). Factors that promote or inhibit implementation of transition policy at the state and local level. Retrieved from http://www.ideapolicy.org/tue_oct_3/Factors.PDF Johnson, D. R., & Thurlow, M. L. (2003). A national study on graduation requirements and diploma options (Technical Report 36). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration, National Center on Secondary Education and Transition and National Center on Educational Outcomes. Larsen-Freeman, D. (1976). “An explanation of the morpheme acquisition order of second language learners.” Language learning: A journal of applied linguistics, 26 (1), 125-134. Martin, S. (1998). The AMEP: A 50-year contribution to the development of a multicultural nation. Prospect, 13(3), 11–23. N Alanis, I. (2004). Effective instruction: Integrating language and literacy. ERIC No. ED481649, http://www.eric.ed.gov (Accessed March 17, 2008). Rosansky, E. (1976). Methods and morphemes in L2 acquisition research, Language Learning, 26, 409-424. Sydney: Pluto Press.Commonwealth of Australia. (2007). Settler arrivals 2006–2007. Retrieved December 7,2007, from http://www.immi.gov.au Turnbull, A. P., Friesen, B. J., Ramirez, C. (1998). Participatory action research as a model for conducting family research.  Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 23(3), 178-188. Read More