What's your take on English Language Leaners (ELL)?

English Language Leaners (ELL) was also known as English as a Second Language.

From working as the ELL aid and what I've heard in my personal life, I've received mixed reviews about ELL. Some students don't like the program because they feel they are seen as incompetent with their peers, and that leads them to exit from the program. Students who have excited are often not very independent in their academics. One student has often complained that he has been "kept" in the program all because of a test, ACCESS. One student I worked with was very independent, but was restricted from other courses due to her ACCESS level. Sure, her ACCESS score shows her writing and thinking on demand, but it didn't show her determination, motivation, and ability to absorb new information. At her junior conference, I told her to take an AP course her senior year.

When it comes to education, language can be a factor, but if one is willing to put in the heart and patience to learn, why stop them? Sometimes, I feel like classes should be organized by that. I've seen great amazing students excel, but they're not pushed by anyone else, so they stay on the mainstream track.

Two students were also dissatisfied about the tests, that it should be inclusive. Just because one's native language is English, doesn't make them proficient, which is the issue for Hmong people that I see now. Some native English speakers might not even test out, and this could be a great way to integrate learning, and remove any stereotypes that all minorities only have problems with ELL

Based on the article, the testing process is redundant. A lot of students hate tests to begin with, and students who are ELL has to take additional ones; who'd want that label? The mother's defense that she didn't want her daughter to miss out on learning opportunities was the same reason one my sister dislike ELL. My sister felt that she missed other and higher opportunities due to her ELL identification.

As an ELL assistant, I've seen the common English grammars and mistakes, and part of me believe the need for it. However, the structure needs work. It really depends on how each school instructs their ELL course. For some, it's just a studyhall. For others, it's structured lessons. The development of any student who are ELL doesn't rely ONLY on the ELL teacher, it relies on all the teachers they interact with. Too many times, it's only the ELL teacher that does their part to help the student grow. The problem is not the ELL program or teacher, it is anyone in the school that does not interact with the student on their end. If a science teacher simply encouraged their student, maybe the student might speak up more in class, lead to confidence, which would lead them to so many other opportunities :D