English Learners in STEM Subjects Transforming Classrooms, Schools, and Lives (2018) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Factors Shaping English Learners' Access to STEM Education in U.S. Schools
2 Factors Shaping English Learners' Access to STEM Education in U.S. Schools
Pages 27-54
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63–64) Of greatest importance, in relation to placement for STEM learning, is their prior knowledge about STEM subjects, but children are not typically assessed for their content knowledge when entering U.S.
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schools in the secondary years without knowledge of English. They may also have experienced interrupted schooling or significant trauma that prevented them from developing literacy in their primary language or formal knowledge in STEM subjects.
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. Similar figures for the past decade are reported by other sources (see Durán, 2008; National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs, 2011; for information on available EL data resources, see Sugarman, 2018)
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. Often referred to as "long-term ELs" or "LTELs," many of these students have been receiving English language development/English as a second language (ELD/ESL)
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These students may have experienced interrupted or limited formal education and often exhibit low levels of English language proficiency and academic achievement compared with their peers (NASEM, 2017)
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. Although the process of language learning is similar for all students, ELs experience different overall trajectories in their learning of language and STEM content related to their ages and levels of English proficiency, prior knowledge, and community context (Solano-Flores, 2008)
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. With respect to community context, children who live in more linguistically homogeneous communities are well positioned to draw on their first-language proficiency as an asset in STEM learning, making bilingual education and/or strategic use of the first language in the classroom an important part of their learning contexts.
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Moreover, the variety of program models and variability in the quality of instruction under all program models complicates the process of drawing inferences from the literature on effective practices. Program models can first be distinguished by their use of students' primary language in instruction.
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a language instruction to class in school day or may develop language proficiency. receive pull-out ESL instruction.
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aAlternative Names: English Language Development (ELD) , English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL)
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. Even when bilingual programs are offered, the provision of primary language support for STEM learning is uneven, as some programs are designed such that students engage in language arts instruction in their primary language, but mathematics and science instruction is offered only in English (Boals, 2001)
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Research demonstrates that primary language instruction during the elementary grades facilitates greater academic achievement in language arts and mathematics for ELs than English-medium instructional programs (Steele et al., 2017; Valentino and Reardon, 2015)
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The advantages of bilingual and primary language instruction identified above are not automatically obtained, nor are bilingual programs the norm in the United States. Whereas quality bilingual instructional programs could be more widespread than they are, the diversity of languages spoken by U.S.
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found that the vast majority of ELs demonstrated English language proficiency within 4–7 years. However, her analyses also indicated that if a student missed the late elementary reclassification window, the likelihood of ever reclassifying dropped significantly.
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have termed the achievement gap "The Gap That Can't Go Away," because as ELs gain proficiency in English, they are also increasingly likely to demonstrate proficiency in content area achievement, but are now counted among the non-EL category for accountability purposes, creating an achievement gap that must persist. The best indicators of this achievement gap are provided by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
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Consistent with these trends, data from a longitudinal study with ELs grouped according to different levels of English proficiency at the time they entered kindergarten show that, at Grade 8, reading, mathematics, and science scale scores decline as the level of English proficiency declines (Mulligan, Halle, and Kinukawa, 2012)
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In addition, the support received by ELs may emphasize English skills over academic content (see Chapter 4 for more information)
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. ENGLISH LEARNER PLACEMENT IN STEM COURSEWORK As articulated in the previous section, achievement gaps between ELs and never-ELs increase from elementary school to secondary school (Kena et al., 2016)
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. And, at the tail of the distribution, fewer than 5 percent of ELs complete advanced mathematics coursework, after calculus, compared to 18 percent of other bilinguals and 10 percent of native English speakers.
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examined ELs' English proficiency against their course placement and found that whereas course-taking demonstrated a strong positive association with high school credit completion, overall GPA, and mathematics test scores, students' level of English proficiency was associated only with reading and language arts test scores. Even in courses designed specifically to meet ELs' needs, research shows that they often cover less content, and do so at a slower pace compared to general education classes (Ek, 2009; Estrada and Wang, 2013; Harklau, 1994)
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Added to this heterogeneity in the population, there are a variety of program models used in the United States -- ESL or bilingual approaches -- that differ in their emphasis on language development and STEM content learning. These approaches have implications for ELs' acquisition of English proficiency, their reclassification to English-proficient, and can further impact their access to STEM courses and rigorous content.
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. Ensuring academic success: The real issue in educating English language learners.
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From page 49... ...
. Educating English Language Learners: Grantmaking Strategies for Closing America's Other Achievement Gap.
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. The long-term impact of subtractive schooling in the educational experiences of secondary English language learners.
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Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educa tional Programs.
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The need for probabilistic views of language in the testing of English language learners. Educational Researcher, 37(4)
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. Effectiveness of four instructional programs de signed to serve English learners: Variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency.
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