 In the last decade the ESL population has grown from 2.1 to 4.4 million.  In the past most ESL students were located in border states, but now many Midwestern states have experienced a huge increase as well. This includes Kentucky!  The most common language immigrants speak is Spanish, followed by Vietnamese, Hmong, Haitian Creole, and Korean.

 Language is thought to be acquired instead of learned.  A language learner will learn Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) within 2-3 years.  Many teachers mistakenly think that a student who has fairly good conversational skills, is proficient in the language.  (CALP)Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency or academic English can take 5-9 years to learn.  The “Can Do” descriptors from WIDA can help teachers design appropriate instruction at each level or language proficiency for each content area.

 It’s not just about learning a new language. Students must also adjust to a new country’s culture, a new education setting, and feel that their native culture is respected.  Failing to meet social and cultural needs can result in Culture Shock.

 Culture shock comes from a loss of familiar signs, signals, practices, and customs.  Feelings range from frustrated, hostile, lonely, anxious, or homesick.  The degree to which someone experiences it depends on how different the two cultures are, preparedness, available support networks, and how well the individual copes with change.

 1 st stage- Everything is new and exciting. This is sometimes referred to as the “honeymoon” stage.  2 nd stage- Fascination with a new culture has now turned to irritation or annoyance. Children may become frustrated, withdrawn, or even hostile. (Culture Shock)  3 rd stage- Starting to become more comfortable.  4 th stage- The individual becomes adjusted to and a part of the new culture.

THE UNITED STATES OTHER COUNTRIES  Handshaking is common  Verbal message is of more importance  Emotions are often not strongly expressed, particularly by men  Is a low contact culture  Some eye contact is expected  Silence would be considered rude, as if not listening to the speaker  Bowing is common in many Asian cultures.  Nonverbal or body language is of more importance in Korea and China  Japanese show little emotion  Latin or Mediterranean cultures show strong emotion  Arabs, Latin, and Greek cultures are high contact  Russians, Greeks, and Spanish maintain strong eye contact while Asian and Africans maintain little  Silence may be considered polite in Asian cultures

THE UNITED STATES OTHER COUNTRIES  Face is important but honesty is also of high value  Is an Individualistic culture, which means independence and individual achievement is valued highly.  Canada, Australia, and Northern Europe are similar  The concept of time  The U.S. is an M-time culture, where time is scheduled and compartmentalized.  To be late or do many things at once would be considered rude.  Ex. Germans, Swiss, and some of Northern Europe  “Saving face” is of great importance, particularly in Asia. A small lie is ok, often.  Collectivistic cultures work towards the good of the group or family.  Ex. Are China, Japan and many Latin countries  The concept of time  P-time cultures think little of scheduling and sort of go with the flow.  Waiting would be normal  Ex. Include Italy, Spain and some Arabic or Hispanic cultures.

 Many countries have different ideas about appropriate dress and roles for each gender.  In China, elders are treated with great respect. It is often a bad idea to have a child act as a translator, since speaking to the child and not the adult may seem disrespectful. This may also create difficulties if the child does not translate accurately.  Chinese children are expected to listen and not participate.  Vietnamese will often say yes, just to be polite.  Korean children are mostly visual learners, and definitely prefer individual to group work.

 Students who come from remote or war-torn countries may have had interrupted schooling.  Parents who show up late or are difficult to schedule meetings with may be from P-time cultures where schedules or being on time is not as important.  A child trying to help another student may not understand why this could be considered cheating if he/she is from a collectivistic culture. They may see this as their obligation to help out the group or a friend.  Some languages or dialects do not even have a written form!

 Bilingual education is best, but not always practical for some schools due to budget or the amount of languages in the school.  A student’s home language and new language are actually interdependent.  Providing visuals or hands on activities can help students make connections to what they have already learned in their home language.  It may also be helpful to look for cognates, which are words that look similar and have the same meaning.

 ICB, or Integrated Content-Based Method of Instruction is where language is taught with a specific purpose. New language is learned through the medium of content.  Learning is enhanced because students are able to use context cues and the language is internalized better without having to practice.  Students are able to make connections to their home language, and learn academic language related to all subjects.  Collaborative learning is stressed through teachers working together to create thematic units, which help students make connections.  Pre-teaching vocabulary and building up background knowledge, are key strategies.

 Educating ESL students should be not only a legal, but also a moral obligation! We want all children, from every culture, to be successful in life.  Interacting with and learning about new cultures can only benefit us and our students.