How Prevalent ESL is in Schools Today and the Difficulties Associated with It

Have you ever traveled to a foreign country where they speak a different language than those you are familiar with? Just trying to order a simple meal can be an adventure. We tend to nod our heads and point at pictures to get our ideas across for most of us. If we were forced to live there for an extended period, there is no doubt most of us would languish in futility.

Often overlooked in education today is the prevalence of students categorized and fall into the group of English Language Learners (ELL). These students struggle with the English language and may also be classified, depending upon the school district, as being placed in the ESL (English as a Second Language) group. 

Both of these sections in school are essentially the same thing. These students and their parents are much more comfortable speaking another language besides English and usually try their best to accustom themselves to the English language. But it can be tough!

The Numbers
The number of ELL students in the United States seems to be rising every year. Currently, about 10 percent of all students in America are classified as ELL students, which means they are often placed in a special program at school that allows them to continue to learn the English language on top of their other classes. 

The Difficulties that Can Occur
When a student grapples with learning the language, it makes all of the other subjects that much more difficult. Have you ever tried to read a book that was in another language you were only half-familiar with? Not only does it affect fluency, but often the comprehension can’t be there. 

As a certified Reading Specialist that has researched this topic at length, it is well known that if a reader does not understand even 10 percent of the words they encounter in a text, it makes the comprehension of the material extremely tough. 

Reading, writing, history, and even math are frustrating when you can’t understand the language to the extent needed. You may be wondering how math can be challenging when it involves mostly numbers? There are an awful lot of story problems on most assignments. Plus, if students can’t read the directions, sometimes the math problems don’t always lend themselves to obvious solutions. 

Possible Options When Working with ESL Students
There are a few ways where communication can improve with students struggling with the language. Pictures are often helpful when discussing students that are having problems with vocabulary. Also, there are plenty of language apps out there that can translate words rather quickly for both the student and the teacher. Technology can be a game-changer in education!

Besides, hiring a tutor on the side that can work one-on-one with the student will speed up learning the English language. Often in large class sizes, ESL students will get overlooked and pushed to the side. But with individual or even small group tutoring, such as the kind offered by iAchieve, these students can quickly get accustomed to the confusing English language. 

RELATED BLOG POSTS

Use ESL Welcome Books to Make Your Classroom More Inclusive

5 Reasons It’s Important to Learn Spanish

Tips to Teaching English to Non-English Speaking Children