Its All About the Law Paper
It’s All About The Law
Nitiya Ojuolape
Grand Canyon University: ESL-523N
October 17, 2012
Many states fail when it comes to providing policies that support the rights of English Language Learners. According to Quality Counts 2009, only New York, Florida and Arizona mandate that teachers receive training on how to work with English Language Learners. Research shows that approximately eleven states offer incent for incentives for teachers to get bilingual credentials. Certain states offer policies that try to stop the process for teachers and support staff to assist students in keeping an attachment to their native languages. In 2009, Quality Counts asserted that, seven states—Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, placed bans or restrictions on the use of native-language instruction with English Language Learners. Citizens in these states however are voting to bring about a change. As it was quoted by Judge William Douglass, “Under these state-imposed standards there is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. We know that those who do not understand English are certain to find their classroom experiences wholly incomprehensible and in no way meaningful.”(Wright 2010). The Massachusetts English Language Education in Public Schools Initiative, which some call Quest, was approved in Massachusetts. The Objective of Question 2 was to have ESL students be immersed into learning English by requiring all their subjects in English. In addition to the fast track curriculum, students would be placed in English language classrooms. Students that could not successfully complete assignments in English and whom could not speak English would go through a year long sheltered English immersion program. If and when the student is able to complete
Nitiya Ojuolape
Grand Canyon University: ESL-523N
October 17, 2012
Many states fail when it comes to providing policies that support the rights of English Language Learners. According to Quality Counts 2009, only New York, Florida and Arizona mandate that teachers receive training on how to work with English Language Learners. Research shows that approximately eleven states offer incent for incentives for teachers to get bilingual credentials. Certain states offer policies that try to stop the process for teachers and support staff to assist students in keeping an attachment to their native languages. In 2009, Quality Counts asserted that, seven states—Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, placed bans or restrictions on the use of native-language instruction with English Language Learners. Citizens in these states however are voting to bring about a change. As it was quoted by Judge William Douglass, “Under these state-imposed standards there is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. We know that those who do not understand English are certain to find their classroom experiences wholly incomprehensible and in no way meaningful.”(Wright 2010). The Massachusetts English Language Education in Public Schools Initiative, which some call Quest, was approved in Massachusetts. The Objective of Question 2 was to have ESL students be immersed into learning English by requiring all their subjects in English. In addition to the fast track curriculum, students would be placed in English language classrooms. Students that could not successfully complete assignments in English and whom could not speak English would go through a year long sheltered English immersion program. If and when the student is able to complete
References: Colorado English Amendment 31(2002). Retrieved October 17, 2012. http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Colorado_English,_Amendment_31_%28200 Massachusetts English in Public Schools Initiative, Question 2 (2002 .Retrieved October 16, 2012 .www.ballotpedia.org/.../Massachusetts_English_in_Public_Schools_I... Wright, W.E. (2005). The political spectacle of Arizona 's Proposition 203. Educational Policy, 19,662-700.