Introduction
Many long-term ELLs in schools face difficulties in academic achievements which lead to poor grades and even dropping out of school. They get minimal attention from school which led to their poor academic results. The population of the Long-Term English Learners is increasingly growing but there is minimal research done about their challenges in the education. This has made it difficult to identify students who do not use English as their first language. In the US, research shows that; in every four students, there is one Long-Term English Learner (Olsen, Armas, & Lavadenz, 2016). Several types of research have been done to identify the students and address the issue of their academic challenges.
Long-Term English Language Learners
Research shows that there are similarities among the long-term English Language learner’s. Most people perceive the long-term ELLs as immigrants but many of the ELLs who enroll in the public schools are US citizens by birth (Kim & García, 2014). Most of the ELLs use Spanish to communicate which is their native language and they make the bigger percentage in the public schools. The ELLs also sound like the native English speakers but they are characterized by poor Performance in reading and writing and this has resulted in illiteracy levels. Their overall academic results are low which put them at risk of dropping out. The ELLs are mostly in their grade 6 to grade 12 and the age of diverse groups of students. These groups include the students who are born in the US but English is their second language and students who move to the US states from other countries.
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According to Kim et al. (2014), there is a need to recognize the risk factors long-term ELLs face in the special education programs. A research was done to identify the academic challenges the ELLs have during their educational experiences and English language experiences. A number of students at a secondary school participated in the research. From the research interviewees and various documents were used to generate Data whereby students' language proficiency valuation records and the municipal valuation data were used to analyze the data using a grounded theory approach (Kim et al., 2014). The outcome of the research was that participants had experienced inadequate opportunity to learn as they underwent the educational process system.
Development of English Language Proficiency
A measure the growth in academic language of the long-term ELLs was analyzed from the data so as to determine their English Proficiency (Kim et al., 2014). The students that enrolled in the school earlier showed higher scores than those who enrolled late, but their levels remained limited even after many years in school.
The Academic Performance
The academic performances of the students were assessed and their academic progress evaluated over time. Participants who enrolled in the school early and whose native language was Spanish passed at the end of their third grade (Kim et al., 2014). This shows that there is the benefit of the use of the first language in the academic skills.
Most of the student participants from the late enrolment group stated that they were at ease in using English for communication and learning. Students whose native language was Spanish were translating Spanish into English in their academic functions (Kim et al., 2014). The students expressed themselves in English and sounded like the native English speakers. Several areas where the students needed to improve their academics were terminology and writing skills. Language programs and services were beneficial as stated by the students (Kim et al., 2014). The bilingual showed a significant importance to the student in learning English. The teachers would facilitate this by explaining vocabulary when the students did not understand them in English.
Research findings
Skills in first language mastery help in the determination of the academic achievements in institutions for LT-ELLs (Kim & García, 2014). Research has also shown that students who are taught to read in their first language help in increasing the levels learning English quickly. Maintaining the first languages in school also help students in performing better than their peers who are the native English speakers. The reason for this is that what is learned in the native language is transmitted to English.
Most of the long-term English language learners are limited in maintaining their native languages and this is because of the inconsistency programs in schools (Flores, Kleyn & Menken, 2015). For instance, a study by Menken and Tatyana show that Akousa, a 12th-grade student from Ghana was never taught skills in reading and writing using her first language which is Twi, but she has been taught in English. A large number of the English language learners use Spanish and this makes it difficult for the institutions to have languages, such as Twi, in their learning programs (Flores et al., 2015). This institution can be addressed by the development of first language learning skills programs such as; after-school enhancement programs.
Many students do not receive adequate language support even after being placed in mainstream classrooms. The inadequate support is caused by the unpreparedness of the teacher not ready to teach the English language learners (Calderon & Slakk, 2018). The mainstream teachers are not trained to teach the LT-ELLs and this makes them feel not ready to teach. Transnational schooling distrusts the learning of English by the ELLs. For instance, José Miguel, a 10th grader who missed his two years of elementary school altogether because of the international and transnational movements (Flores et al., 2015). When he went back to the US from Mexico, the curriculum for the 4th graders had changed and it needed high skill in literacy. It was perceived that his peers had high skills in literacy than he did.
Most of the public schools in the United States use English to give instruction to the LT-ELLs, with the perception that it is the easiest way to learn English quickly (Olsen et al., 2016). Schools have created more time for English so as to develop academic language for better learning of English. Many of the English language programs do not address the student’s needs.
School Strategies and Programs
Bilingualism should be promoted in schools so that the long-term ELLs have the chances to have and maintain their first language and to support their achievement in learning of English. Educators should employ strategies that identify the long-term ELLs and address the academic and language development gap of the student. Institutions programs for long-term English language learners should be effective to teach the students the English language in classes (Olsen et al., 2016). Research shows that English learners are not given enough time to be fluent in English. It is common for the long-term ELLs to fail in their academics because the mastery of content in English is difficult. This has seen many long-term English learners feel discouraged which in turn may lead to the student dropping out.
First language development; this Program helps students develop their first language which in turn develops English literacy and academic success. The benefit of bilingualism is achieved when the students are able to read in their first language and it results in higher levels of reading achievement in English. Long-term ELLs struggle with Reading and writing which lead to academic learning and success, they also require developing these skills to acquire information in academic which is facilitated by a support. Effective educators engage students with stimulating real-life issues applicable to their lives with key sources and literature. Long-term ELLs students should be given readings that promote and build their skills in English. Paying attention to quality texts exposes Long-term ELL students to powerful language creation.
Teacher Preparedness
Reached shows that there is a shortage of the English language teachers and the available teachers are not prepared to teach the long-term ELLs (Calderon & Slakk, 2018). Long-Term ELLs are often placed in mainstream classes whereby the mainstream teachers do not have skills to address their challenges. Placing long-term English language learner into the mainstream classes has resulted in poor outcomes for the students. This creates a gap between the native English students and the ELLs. The only way to address the situation is through providing the long-term English learners with language in development programs.
Conclusion
Most of the long-term ELLs have inadequate vocabulary reading and writing skills in English, which has made them struggle in their academic years. This makes them have a feeling that they are not successful. Programs and strategies should be created to eliminate this problem. Language policies should be essential in the U.S. schools so to reduce the practice of bilingual education and improve the learning of English as a second language. Research by Schools needs to be done so as to determine the number of English learner in order to work efficiently on providing better service to these students. For example, schools need to be accurate on the number of student from other countries who have enrolled in their schools and also those who have been there for some time. Schools must take time to understand their students by questioning them their past educational experiences and the period they have spent attending school in the US.
Many schools do not provide sufficient support for ELLs students in early stages whereby a difference can be made. As stated in most research, mainstreamed classes do not help the long-term ELLs students to learn English. This system makes students believe that it is their fault that they are unsuccessful. The research should mainly focus on what way the school education structure that leads to failure and depressed to Long-Term ELLs.
References
Calderon, M. E., & Slakk, S. (2018). Teaching Reading to English Learners, Grades 6-12: A Framework for Improving Achievement in the Content Areas . Corwin Press.
Flores, N., Kleyn, T., & Menken, K. (2015). Looking holistically in a climate of partiality: Identities of students labeled long-term English language learners. Journal of Language, Identity & Education , 14 (2), 113-132.
Kim, W. G., & García, S. B. (2014). Long-term English language learners’ perceptions of their language and academic learning experiences. Remedial and Special Education , 35 (5), 300-312.
Olsen, L., Armas, E., & Lavadenz, M. (2016). A Review of Year 2 LCAPs: A Weak Response to English Learners. Californians Together and The Center for Equity for English Learners and Loyola Marymount University .
