ELL Survey 1

Running Head: ELL Survey

Teacher Student Survey Regarding ELLs

Sonja Rode

Cardinal Stritch University

July 20, 2009

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The Cudahy School District, like so many other districts in America, is

experiencing an increase in it’s English Language Learner population. To gain insight

on teacers’ and students’ perspectives regarding ELLs, two surveys were conducted.

The first survey addressed teacher knowledge of and attitudes toward ELL students.

The second survey focused on ELL students; perceptions of school. The following

information is a summarization of the results and the implications for which these results

call.

The high school has fifty-eight teachers on staff, twelve of whom voluntarily

partook in the survey regarding teaching ELL students. Teacher’s were asked to rate

their concordance with particular statements according to a scale of one to nine. A

rating of nine meant that they highly agreed with the statement, while a one meant that

they disagreed with the statement. The survey revealed that most teachers surveyed

felt strongly or very strongly about accepting and respecting ELL students’ cultures and

languages. It was very fortunate that these teachers for the most part, have such

positive attitudes toward ELL students, as these would be very difficult to try to change.

However, teachers seemed to feel less strongly about their own knowledge and

competencies in teaching ELL students. For the most part teachers did not feel that

they understood acronyms associated with ELL programs such as ACCESS and WIDA.

Teachers were also not familiar with the different language proficiency levels with which
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students came to them. Only about 50% if the teachers surveyed seemed to modify

tests for ELL students and have strategies that supported teaching ELL students.

Presently there are forty students at Cudahy High School that are considered

ELL. Of those forty students there are only six students who are receiving additional

support through a resource class that is considered to be an English as a Second

Language (ESL) Classroom. Since the teacher is not certified as an ESL teacher, she is

more of a resource and support teacher. The six students in this class participated in

the student survey as did two other ELL students who are not enrolled in the ESL class.

Students were to rate their responses similarly as the teachers did, but on a scale of

one to five.

Most surveyed students enjoyed living in America and had American friends.

Most students felt safe at school and felt that they were treated as equals in school.

Many did not feel that they were asked to share their culture with the teachers and

peers. This could be attributed to the fact that there are many immigrants from similar

cultures as these students and so the community already welcomes and accepts their

cultures into the community. These students also stated that they felt that they had

been good students in their native country, and are still good students here in the United

States. Most students claimed that they understood slang and few students felt that

they could not complete their assignments in English.

Due to the influx of the ELL population, demands are much higher on teachers

and their ability to teach students who are not native. This means that teachers need to

be more aware of their students’ backgrounds. It has been my own experience in the
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capacity of a teacher mentor and as a department chair woman, that how well a teacher

is informed, affects their confidence in their teaching strategies as well as how they feel

about their students. This in turn affects how their students feel about their school and

classes and about themselves. The surveys conducted at Cudahy High School reveal

that teachers welcome and accept students and students seem to sense this attitude

and feel comfortable in their environment. The next step is to ensure that these

teachers are prepared with different strategies to best teach these ELL students.

According to Rueda and Earnest (2001), in order to effectively teach ELLs,

teachers must build on what students already know. To do this teachers should

explicitly illustrate how English is similar or different from their native language.

Teachers should also model behaviors students may already be employing in their

native languages such as “rereading, reading ahead, visualizing, using context, and

confirming or refuting predictions”; as well as “concepts about print, phonological

awareness” (Rueda & Earnest, 2001, p. 4).

Rueda and Earnest (2001), also claim that teachers must be familiar with certain

techniques when working with students who have just come to the United States of

America. This includes that a routine has been established so that students know what

to expect and can make sense of the situation. It also helps to have the routine posted

in the classroom along with a picture that depicts what is expected. It is helpful to label

classroom objects. Teachers should used language that has been simplified and used

consistently so that students understand what to do. Lessons should include realia,

song and drama. Teachers should allow students to work in small groups so that they
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feel comfortable and become more willing to use their second language openly Parents

should be contacted and teachers should have an understanding of which literacy

practices are being utilized at home. Teachers should also have assessments in place

that are sensitive to students’ cultural background and English language levels.