Columbia Public school district in Colombia, MO is seeing a large increase in English language learners in its schools. District coordinator of the ELL and social studies programs, Jenifer Albright-Borts, said that the number of ELL students has increased from 138 to 618 students since she started working there in July.

This increase is good for the diversity in the district but is tough on teachers. Many of them do not have enough space and resources for their students. Some of the schools have too many students for one teacher. Other schools do not even have an ESL program. One ESL teacher found a good way to manage her time and keep a low student-teacher ratio with the help of the school principal.

 

Pedrazas is the only ELL teacher at Field Elementary, yet the school has managed to keep a low student-teacher ratio because of a program called Interventions that was developed by the school’s principal, Carol Garman. The program allows ELL students to stay in the traditional classroom; when the rest of the students go to daily reading and writing programs, ELL students meet with their ELL teacher.

Through this program, the teacher has time to work with the ELL students without taking time away from her other students.

All over the U.S. there are more and more ELL students attending schools. Programs similar to Interventions would help these students, especially in those schools who don’t have the teachers and resources necessary for a full ESL program.

Columbia Public Schools Sees Increase In Number of English Language Learners

Columbia Missourian

November 22, 2008

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