With the number of English learners constantly rising and permeating not only large urban areas but also spreading into suburbs and rural towns, there is a serious need for all involved in the education of those English learners to understand the role of an ESL/ELL teacher in their district.
This blog post was inspired by observations of both the mainstream teacher and ESL teacher perspectives.
- Meeting with mainstream teachers sometimes doesn’t go as planned because of the very lack of understanding of what we, the ESL/ELL teachers do. No, in a district with fewer numbers of students we do not see 100 children a day. But we might see 25 at different grade and language proficiency levels dispersed throughout 5 or 6 schools. Which is not an easy feat to achieve, either.
- Sometimes because of the lack of knowledge on their colleagues part itinerant/district-wide ESL teachers (as well as those with a small team) feel defeated by the vast demands and little support. One of the teachers I recently spoke to even said: “I have one English learner in the mainstream classroom while the science/social studies/LA/math teachers have 30 native speakers. I feel guilty asking them to accommodate”.
These general assumptions reminded me yet again that there is still lack of information about the ESL/ELL world. While the acronym ESL/ELL is no longer a mystery, what we do, unfortunately, is still often unclear.
Therefore, it is my goal in this blog post to explain the roles of an ESL/ELL teacher and hopefully shed some light on this too frequently “mysterious” job that we do.
Note: while this blog post is likely applicable to ESL teachers around the world, it is mostly geared towards those in the U.S. (which is where my expertise lies).
Note 2: to be fair, ESL/ELL teachers, too, have assumptions and do not always step into their colleagues’ shoes. I hope that this article will be a bridge for continued discussion.
ESL Teacher Role #1: The Cultural Bridge
ESL teachers work with students from all over the world, who come from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. They also bring varied schooling and life experiences with them. While a mainstream classroom mainly consists of students of the same age, an ESL teacher may work with a few grade levels at a time. In the groups of students, there are likely those who speak different primary languages, too. Even more, the levels of language proficiency may vary greatly, which means that an ESL teacher might have an absolute beginner English learner and a more advanced one in the same class/group.
That said, because of such exposure to different languages and cultures, an ESL teacher becomes a go-to person for both the families and mainstream teachers. The knowledge we possess about the school system and expectations is incredibly valuable for the families of English learners. We anticipate that there is a need for this kind of information and we act on it by arranging for translators, informing the administration, front office and the classroom teachers. Our knowledge of the students’ languages, cultural backgrounds and schooling is incredibly valuable to the administration and the classroom teachers. It helps them adjust their instruction and look for alternative ways to convey important information.
ESL/ELL teachers are well aware that language and culture are inseparable. Therefore, we also know that preserving and supporting the students’ first language (L1) will help them in learning English. Yes, it sounds crazy. But it is true! Because of that, on any given day we are humbled by what we learn from and about our students.
ESL Teacher Role #2: Teacher of English Learners
Whether you are an ESL teacher who works in one school with a lot of English learners or the only ESL teacher in the district servicing a handful of students across the district, your primary role is to identify who does, in fact, qualify and need ESL services, and then teach those students English.
While it sounds simple enough for some reason this part seems to cause quite a confusion.
Let’s clarify a bit.
How are the students identified?
Whenever a new family moves in, they are asked to fill out a home language survey. If a language other than English is listed on the home language survey, the ESL teacher then screens the student. Depending on the scores of the screening test, they may ask for parental permission to provide ESL/ELL services. They may also deem that the student does not need any further services.
These are the basic steps that are taken in order to identify who qualifies for ESL services.
ESL teaching
Teaching English to non-native speakers requires the ESL teacher to be knowledgeable in second language teaching techniques, methods and language acquisition theories and processes. This means that ESL teachers are certified and degreed professionals in their field. They are the ones that have the ability and the knowledge to determine the best way to approach language teaching through content. They are also the ones that are well-versed in language proficiency levels of English learners and how those can be utilized in scaffolding instruction.
This makes them an invaluable part of the educational team at your school – even if there are only a handful of ESL students.
ESL Teacher Role #3: Collaboration Guru
While the word “collaboration” is the buzzword of today and may carry with it a meaning of something complicated, it really does not have to be. I have outlined a few of the methods that you can employ right away in an article titled ESL and Mainstream Collaboration: a Practical How-to.
Collaboration between ESL and mainstream teachers is key when teaching English learners.
Here are a couple of reasons why:
- Collaboration takes the veil of mystery off the field of English language teaching to non-native speakers;
- It opens up a conversation about possible ways to help English learners access content
- Professional conversations provide an opportunity for ESL teachers to share their insights not only about the students’ language proficiency but also about their cultures
- It helps both the teachers and the students as in the end, every teacher’s goal is to ensure that the student has learned what they are taught.
Collaboration between ESL teachers and their mainstream colleagues can take many shapes and forms. For example:
- a beginning-of-the-year letter from the ESL teacher to their colleagues with some information about what ESL is, what the ESL teacher does, a list of ESL students in the building and how the teacher can be of help;
- A quick conversation in the hallway asking and answering questions
- A sit-down with a colleague to go over a lesson plan
- A shared document where both the mainstream teacher and the ESL teacher can plan and make notes
- Sharing an infographic about teaching English language learners (take a look at these ones), etc.
The most important point of collaboration is to remember that it is about how to help students and also about being open to your own learning.
ESL Teacher’s Role #4: Professional Development Master
Leading professional development is also one of the roles of an ESL teacher. We have valuable expertise that our colleagues may not know about yet. Therefore,organizing professional development sessions for both teachers and the administration is a great way to build the cultural bridge and to collaborate.
I know a lot of teachers are weary of professional development because it does not always meet their needs. As such, takes up their valuable time. But it is really worthwhile when it comes to educating your colleagues about teaching English learners in their classroom.
To clarify, a professional development session does not have to be long and winded. It also does not have to be a boring lecture. The best PD is one that addresses the teachers’ immediate concerns and provides actionable tips that they can implement right away in their classroom.
Below are a couple of ideas of what your mainstream colleagues might benefit from. And if you have any more ideas of what you plan or have already implemented, please feel free to share in the comments!
- What is ESL program in your school and what you do
- How to write language and content objectives
- What is comprehensible input and how to implement it in the classroom
- Three most helpful and valuable scaffolding types for English language learners
- A perspective of an ESL student. This one is particularly effective because. It flips the situation around and allows the teachers to see where their English learners are in terms of their needs and culture.
- Communicating with families of ESL students
Organizing professional development sessions is one of the key roles of an ESL teacher. Depending on your teaching situation, you likely have to answer a lot of different questions from many mainstream teachers and administration alike. Why not make it into a presentation that everyone will benefit from?
What does working with ELL students and collaboration look like for you? Let us know in the comments!
Share this article with your fellow teachers and administrators. It is my sincere hope that it will help answer some questions and/or spark healthy discussions.
To learn more about how you can help mainstream teachers help ELL students and for ready-made resources and personalized support in all you do, check out The ESL Teaching Roadmap!
And if you’re currently looking for an online or offline ESL teacher job, consider searching for such job opportunities on Jooble! Click this link to learn more.
