Week 4 - Case Study

 

 

Dual Language Program at High Point Elementary School

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Purpose:

The purpose of this illustrative study will be to examine the effectiveness of dual language education at High Point Elementary School.

By focusing on the institution and specifically, the program’s performance, the theoretical perspective used will be organizational theory. Ideally, this data could be generalized to apply to or be compared with similar situations.

 

Even though this study will use a qualitative approach, there should be some quantitative data to analyze in the form of student test scores which in theory represent the students’ learning.

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Background:

Part of Pinellas County Public Schools, High Point Elementary School opened in 1958. Over 600 students now attend the school in kindergarten through the fifth grade. As evidenced from their Dual Language program, High Point has a “diverse and multicultural population.”

 

High Point is identified as a Title I school. “Title I” is a designation established by the US Department of Education to distribute more federal funding to schools with a high percentage of low-income families. To have a school identified as Title I at least 40% of the students come from low-income families. About 79% of the students at High Point Elementary qualify for the free/reduced lunch program.

Since a number of terms were used in the previous paragraph, some explanation is required.

 

The US Department of Health and Human Services establishes and updates poverty guidelines every year. This information uses total household income and the number of people in that household. Separate guidelines exist for Alaska and Hawaii.

 

2008 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia as taken from the Federal Register <http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/08fedreg.htm>:

 

Persons in family Poverty guideline

1.................................................. $10,400

2................................................. 14,000

3.................................................. 17,600

4.................................................. 21,200

5.................................................. 24,800

6................................................... 28,400

7....................................................32,000

8....................................................35,600

For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,600 for each additional person.

 

These poverty levels are used to determine what “low-income” means. Low-income means 150% of the poverty level income. So, for a family of two, that translates into $21,000 per year. For the full table and more information, go to the following site:

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html.

 

Free and reduced lunch is also based on these poverty levels. If a family’s income does not exceed 130% of the poverty level, students qualify for a free lunch. If a family’s income does not exceed 185% of the poverty level, students qualify for a “reduced” lunch. For the full table and more information, go to the following site:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/notices/iegs/IEGs08-09.pdf.

 

Now that who has been established, what they are trying to do needs to be addressed.

 

High Point Elementary School has implemented a dual language program. When people hear “dual language,” they think “bilingual” or “ESOL” education. These programs differ in fundamental ways.

 

Bilingual education involves teaching children content in their native language. While they learn English, they are still taught content so they don’t fall behind. The goal is to move these students as quickly as possible to the regular (English-only) classrooms. While once embraced and viewed as the way of the future, this trend seems to have fallen out of favor in educator circles.

 

ESOL refers to teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, but many other acronyms exist (TESOL, TEFL, ESL, etc.). Almost every community will have some form of ESOL education. Whether it’s the free adult language classes at the community center or large departments within high school, every community is trying to address this need to learn the reading, writing and speaking of English.

 

The goal of ESOL education according to the Pinellas County website is “ensuring that every student becomes proficient in English communication skills.” The program is designed for “limited English proficient students.” It’s understood that these students are coming from an environment where their native language is not English. While they are encouraged to share their culture, the focus is teaching English language skills and American culture. While these programs speak of respect and life in a global society, assimilation as quick as possible seems to be the main focus.

 

Dual language programs as the name implies use two languages to teach content. The day is split between English and Spanish, for example. Different languages are used, but English / Spanish make up the majority of the programs in the US. These programs usually start in first grade and continue for five or six years. The goal is biliteracy and bilingualism.

 

The concept is unique in that every class will have native speakers of both languages in the same classroom. English-speaking American students will share their class with Spanish-speaking American students, for example. Typically for the first few years, 90% of the instruction is in Spanish. By the time students get to the 3rd or 4th grade, the instruction is balanced at 50% Spanish and 50% English. This will continue until the 5th or 6th grade when students will most likely go off to an all English-speaking middle school.

 

I hope to examine much of the data specific to the school I am observing. A number of schools have their data posted on line. They compare the test scores of students who received English-only instruction to that of students who were enrolled in a dual language program. Based on the evidence presented, the students enrolled in the dual language program scored much higher than their peers. I will sift through this data.

 

In layman’s terms, teaching children two languages allows them to be more fluid with language. By the time they start studying a second language, even if it’s English for the English-speaking student, their comprehension and understanding is more complete. It goes back to the idea that the older you are, the more difficult it is to learn a foreign language. This is largely because you are more tied to your way of doing and saying things. Even if you learn what the word for “teacher” is in Spanish, your default or initial programming will always revert back to “teacher.” Dual language instruction almost removes that default setting or at least minimizes the impact of that initial programming.

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Data Collection:

I have an appointment to attend High Point Elementary School this Thursday, Sept. 25.

 

Between 8:30 and 9am, I will interview Yadira Vega, High Point Elementary’s 1st grade Dual Language teacher. At 9, her classes begin. I will observe her class and her teaching and will see all of this in action.

 

In addition to observing the class, I will interview a few students. She told me that during one of the activities, I will be able to sit in the back with a few students and speak with them.

 

When I am on campus, I will hopefully get a chance to talk to the director of the program, Sylvia Amaya. If I am unable to interview her that day, I will try to set an appointment for another time. I have already been in contact with her in establishing the observation of Ms. Vega’s classes.

 

The questions I will ask depend on whom I am interviewing. The questions for the teacher will focus on teaching. How they teach reading and writing, and if it’s really any different from how you would teach it normally (meaning the only real difference is the audience). The questions for the first grade students will be simpler. Things like what language do you speak at home and what’s the hardest thing about learning the other language. The questions for the director will be about the politics behind the program. How did they convince the county that this program would be successful and other procedural questions about tracking the success of the program.

 

After the observation, I may create more questions. For now, the questions I plan on asking can be found in the appendices.

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Evaluation:

I appreciate you reading this incomplete case study. If the purpose or focus of this case study sounds appealing to you, check back on Friday. I will spend Thursday at High Point Elementary and write it up that night. By Friday I should have a completed case study posted.

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Reflection:

This section will also be updated after I spend the day at High Point Elementary and have more information that I can evaluate and reflect upon. I’ve already learned much about the school and the program, so I see value in reflecting at this point.

 

Before the site visit:

You know, ever since I started laughing at myself, I’ve doubled my comedic material.

 

Maybe it’s because I was looking at all these government statistics on poverty. Maybe it’s because I was reading through these very formal education questionnaires. But when I started writing questions for students, they were hilarious. I had a list of 10 before I knew it. Involved, probing questions like “How often do you read each week? And for what purpose?” While these questions may very well be what I’m striving to answer, these kids are in first grade! Needless to say, I rewrote the questions with this in mind. You’ll see the more age-appropriate questions in Appendix 2.

 

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed when you start doing research into poverty. For every one of those cold statistics that post income levels, there’s a person, a family and a story. For most of us, the only time we made $10,000 a year was in college. Even in high school I was doing pretty well for myself mowing a few lawns in the neighborhood. I don’t remember if I made $10,000, but I was able to buy a car, keep it gassed up and buy music. And when you’re talking about a 1979 Thunderbird with a hood that went on for blocks, keeping it gassed up was no small feat.

 

After writing up my ethnography and being reminded of all the problems that poverty causes on the educational side of things, it’s difficult. The person I interviewed said these students were “just surviving.” The reality is that on $10,000 a year, you can’t do much more than that.

 

I don’t know if I will get a chance to interview parents, but they are another part of the equation and part of the community that should be considered. While I understand the desire for Spanish-speaking American families to want to enroll their children in this program, I’m not so sure about the motivations for the English-speaking American families. Cross-cultural competence sounds great, but when coupled with poverty I’m not sure that’s convincing enough.

 

While the whole concept of dual language education is fascinating, when combined with the other factors that have hindered education for so long (like poverty), I wonder if the results are truly representative. And I will be very skeptical of the test scores that prove that one group of students is better than another.

 

After the site visit:

Tune in on Friday. Same bat time. Same bat channel.

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Appendix 1:

Questions for the interview with Yadira Vega, High Point Elementary’s 1st grade Dual Language teacher.

1. Being a full immersion program, all of the students (English speaking and Spanish speaking) learn in Spanish for the first few years. So 90% of their classroom instruction is in Spanish? And for how many years?

2. Have you always been a believer in dual language programs? What convinced you that this program is a better path for students than the more traditional paths?

3. What have been the biggest challenges with teaching in a dual language classroom? I would imagine there would be a high level of frustration among the students particularly the English speaking students with Spanish and the Spanish speaking students with English.

4. How is reading taught? How is writing taught? Is the instruction really any different or is it just in Spanish?

 

Appendix 2:

Questions for the interview with students in the class.

1. What’s your name?

2. What language do you speak at home?

3. Can your parents speak English? / Spanish?

4. Do you speak any English / Spanish outside of school? Where?

5. Do you read any English / Spanish outside of school? Where?

6. What do you like most about learning English / Spanish?

7. What don’t you like about learning English / Spanish?

 

Appendix 3:

Questions for the interview with Sylvia Amaya, the director of the program. Actually, her title is “Immersion Program Coordinator.”

1. How did this program get started within a Pinellas County School? Meaning, there must have been a number of conversations and discussions about it. Who had to be convinced and what evidence was used to support the program?

2. Have you always been a believer in dual language education? What convinced you that dual language programs work?

3. Describe your program so far. How long has the program been in effect? What have been the major obstacles? What successes have you seen so far?

4. What are the short term and long term goals of the program? How will you monitor progress / success?

5. Are other dual language programs planned for the county? Is it based on the success of your program or is it need driven?

 

Rich I see your concern for this issue of the effect of of dual language, poverty and its effect at this Title 1 Elementary school. I see your need for correct english and formating there is nothing wrong with that, it looks very academic which I am sure that is what you were going for. The overall case study is nice, neat, and sounds interesting. I hope as your project grows that the information will become more profoud and enlightening. Nice case study.