ESL Students Lack of Success in the Mainstream Classroom

English as a Second Language

ESL students or English as a second language learners are at a disadvantage in the classroom. Unlike their native English speaking peers they do not fully understand all the complications and details of the English language. It can be said that the English language is somewhat irregular and inconsistent. Like any other language it has rules regarding syntax, grammar and sentence structure but it does not always follow these rules. This inconsistency in the English language makes it very difficult for ESL students to succeed in the classroom because it stunts their growth as students. Instead of focusing on the material that is being taught they are battling to simply master the language. ESL students are not able to narrow the gap between themselves and native English speakers due to the lack of teachers and instructors that specialize in this type of pedagogical trade. The population of ESL students has skyrocketed in many areas as immigrants and their families seek new opportunities in the workforce. Many times the children of these immigrants will arrive in a school district that is totally unprepared to meet the requirements that are necessary in order to successfully teach ESL learners. Special programs are not in place, learning accommodations are not there for them, but most important of all; there are not enough teachers skilled enough to tackle the tough challenge of teaching ESL students. In places like the state of Ohio the demand for ESL teachers has grown immensely due to the unprecedented arrival of ESL students. According to Sebastian Simon of the Columbus Dispatch "Ten Years ago Columbus had fewer than 900 students now it has approximately 3,618." This type of growth is very difficult for the school district to deal with because it affects both the ESL students and the teachers. ESL students are not able to progress in a manner that allows them to achieve all the educational goals that are set forth by the state through the design of their respective curriculums. This also becomes a problem for the teacher who can become frustrated or discouraged by lack of advancement their students show despite the intense and valid effort they present while trying to teach these students. The lack of success of ESL students can also have a financial or administrative affect on schools. With incentive-based state educational testing at high school becoming the norm, schools have a lot on the line if their test scores are not up to par. When schools do not produce high test scores they can be taken over by the state in an administrative manner in order to ensure that students are receiving proper education. School districts have begun to recognize need for teachers that specialize in, and can work with ESL students. School districts and Administrator are no longer able to ignore the immense growth of the ESL population. They are now taking steps to accommodate this educational challenge. According to Simon "while Columbus has cut back teaching positions in math and Science due to an overall student decline, the school's demand for teachers of English as a Second Language has grown about 10% per year" (1). School districts have been actively recruiting teachers to fill the void in this field.