ESL Programs – A Large Variety to Choose from
English as a Second Language (ESL) has been instrumental in developing the English skills of individuals whose native language is another. ESL has a set of programs in which each one is different in its own way and is engaged in the task of imparting English knowledge. The number of programs has increased over the years as the needs of students have been on a rising trend.
The diversity of programs can be attributed to three major reasons, namely:
- The student population that is to be served
- Individual characteristics of the students
- Resources available at a particular place
The classification of programs chiefly depends on where the focus of the program lies and based on this criterion, there are two classifications:
- Stand-Alone ESL
- ESL Plus
The Stand-Alone ESL program is very much similar to Foreign Language classes, as the focal point is on Linguistics aspects. These programs are conducted for a special class of people who taken away from the normal classroom surrounding, and classes are exclusively conducted for them with extra care and attention. It covers only a lesser portion of the instruction material and hence the classes may be there for 2 to 3 days a week. Here are the few examples:
Pull Out: This is a situation adopted in elementary environment where the students are taken away from their normal classes to be provided with separate classes by a single teacher or by a teacher who is entrusted with a single building.
Class Period: This instruction is followed in middle or secondary school setting, where the students learn the ESL instruction along their normal course of classes in the normal class hours and are provided with credits for this course based on their level of proficiency achieved.
Resource Center: The Resource Center is the enhanced version of the pull out program in the sense that, the students from various classes or schools are taken away from their regular classes. To provide a better learning experience, the resources are all centralized at a single location.
As for ESL Plus, it is just an extension of the Stand-Alone ESL and hence covers a larger portion of the instruction. It is inclusive of all the aspects of Stand-Alone ESL but its focus extends beyond the Linguistic aspects to the medium of instruction of the content area which may be in English or the native language. Following are the few examples of ESL Plus:
Bilingual Education Programs: These programs on the basis of success levels are further classified as ‘Early Transition’ and ‘Late Transition’ and these programs are used at the elementary or the secondary level.
Structured Immersion Program: These programs at its various levels concentrate on enhancing English skills as a language and in the phase of content area instruction.
Sheltered English Or Content-Based Program: These programs are those which are provided simultaneously with other academic subjects.
High Intensity Language Training (Hilt): This program is characterized by intensive ESL training and it also shares various aspects of the sheltered program.
Thus, ESL programs have been very effective in imparting English skills with their wide range of exclusive programs.
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