One of Guilderland's priorities is to move students beyond New York State's standards, preparing them not just for the tests they will take in school but also for the real "tests" of life. Here is an example of how the district is accomplishing this priority:

Learning beyond the words

ESL program explores both the language and culture of communities

Have you ever thought about what it might be like to live in a foreign country? Suddenly everything around you is different from what you’ve known—the language, the people, the culture are all new to you. How might you feel?

For more than 75 students within the Guilderland Central School District, this hypothetical situation is a daily reality. For these children, the district’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program provides a vital link between them and the traditionally English-speaking community surrounding them.

“Our goal is to help children integrate into the school community and to be successful both academically and socially as quickly as possible,” said Westmere Elementary School ESL teacher Jennifer Politano. “We want the children to be able to effectively communicate and share with everyone all that they have to offer.”

Learning the language

ESL students at Guilderland come from homes speaking many different native languages: Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Indian (various dialects), and Japanese, to name just a few. Their proficiency at speaking and writing the English language is as varied as the cultures from which they come, and as such, the ESL program adapts to meet each child’s individual needs.

“There is almost a sense of urgency for students regarding participation in the ESL program,” said Foreign Language and ESL Supervisor Al Martino. “Students want to learn and need to learn English to function within both the school and local community.”

ESL teachers sometimes work with children during a classroom teacher's regular lesson, sitting beside the students and helping them by explaining what is being said in simpler English. They support the English language learner by working through lessons at a different pace, explaining the context of the subject matter and by answering questions about words and meaning.

“We work with classroom teachers to provide them with strategies for modifying lessons to meet the needs of English language learners,” said Politano. To ensure the success of these students, she added, “everyone must be an ESL teacher in some way.”

In addition to providing support in the regular classroom, the ESL program also offers students separate ESL classes—focusing on developing listening, speaking, reading and writing, and comprehension skills in small groups. In these “pull-out” classes, teachers are able to more specifically address the varying academic, social, and emotional needs of their ESL students.

The smaller classes also provide students with a unique opportunity to build community among their ESL peers. The students in the program often bond with one another through their shared experience of learning a new language.

Children learn from each other, encourage one another, and become friends cross-culturally—often despite distinct language barriers.

“The ESL program is a safety net for students going through the process of learning English,” said Martino. “Throughout the years, students, parents, and teachers really do become like family.”

Learning the culture

In addition to providing students with the language skills necessary to learn and succeed in the classroom, Guilderland’s ESL program empowers children from other cultures to become acclimated with the society around them.

ESL teachers address American history and culture in their explanation of student questions from all corners of the curriculum—math, science, art, etc. From answering questions about why we celebrate Memorial Day to explaining why certain English words should not be said in the classroom, both cultural and civic lessons are uniquely intertwined into each child’s school day.

For example, ESL teachers often connect grammar and reading lessons to current news events to help students have a more meaningful experience with traditional language study. During the recent November elections, students explored not only how the voting process works, but also why Americans vote and how they earned that right.

“The program helps students to become informed citizens,” said Martino, “which ultimately serves the greater good of our entire community.”

ESL students also share their heritage and unique cultural perspectives with the school community, fostering a greater recognition and appreciation for diversity among all students.

“Working with students from other cultures provides everyone with such an opportunity for growth,” said Politano. “We learn so much from each other.”
 

--December 2006