Students
become LTELs after many years of schooling in the United States. Olsen (2010)
revealed that many students, in their formative, elementary schooling, received
little to no ELD instruction, were provided with curriculum and course
materials not adapted for use with ELLs, enrolled in weak language development
program models, and or were given only given access to a narrowed version of
the core curriculum. She further explained that a lack of continuity in
programs, social segregation of linguistically homogenous groups, and
transitional schooling, “spending some time
in schools in one country, and some
time in the United States, with movement back and forth over the course of
their education,” results in the language gaps that plague students who
eventually become LTELs (Olsen, 2010, pp.13-20). Olsen describes LTELs as
students who generally struggle academically, have distinct language issues
(high functioning social language in both their home language and English, but
weak academic language knowledge and skills), and have limited background
knowledge and schema. An interesting dichotomy that Olsen points out is that
many LTELs want to go to college but are unaware that they are not on track to
meeting their goal, while on the other hand, some LTELs have become so
discouraged that they disengage, fall behind, and some eventually drop out.
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Students who become LTELs can often
be difficult to identify, without knowledge of their educational background.
They can often speak in a seemingly fluent manner, but they lack the academic
English conventions, vocabulary, grammar, discourse formats and language
functions to be proficient. Students with these language gaps have found coping
strategies of non-participation, silence, and passivity in order to be
undetected and unexposed. Many LTELs become discouraged, which can lead them to
stop asking for help. Students in this category are often misplaced in
interventions and support classes intended for struggling native English
speakers (Olsen, 2012).
Walqui, Koelsch, Hamburger, et al.
(2010) discuss the need for focusing attention on the plight of middle school
ELLs, due to the early adolescent years being a critical period of transition,
socially, physically, and personally. Walqui, et al. (2010) explain that
students at this stage are discovering their role in varying social groups, as
well as their own families. Students are discovering and defining their
personal identities and how they would like to be perceived by others. How
students perform academically and socially have a significant impact on their
continued motivation, interest in school and intellectual confidence. These
findings are significant when coupled with the characteristics of LTELs and the
social-emotional issues they face.
In all three studies, it is evident
that the problems facing LTELs are much greater than the current solutions
available to them at this time. While not all of the problems are relevant to
each LTEL, many of the issues discussed are present when assessing the barriers
to success facing any group of LTELs. In order to understand how to best serve
our diverse LTEL populations, it is important to understand which obstacles
they are facing, so that we may more fully address and meet their needs.
