NYCE,
Do you think non-English speaking newcomers to the USA would benefit from, say, one year of intensive English language instruction?
A few years ago I was teaching summer school and was pulled to grade ELA Regents exams in a school with a large population of ELLs. It was so sad to grade the papers. I remember grading one paper and the young woman had written no essays, but had added this note:
"I sorry. I new to country. I no speak English."
I had to give her a couple of points for that, didn't I?
Math Guy,
Not only do I think that's a great idea, but I'd love to be part of a program like that. In fact we're mandated to teach English to those who don't know it, but this Regents class is now what we give them instead. They need it, so I teach it, but it's a poor substitute.
Voice,
That's a message the likes of which I've seen many times. They're lucky when they get someone like you reading it.
I make my students give me personal statements before I write recommendations. The English, from kids who got in the 80's on the regents, in atrocious. It floors me that these kids can pass.
English, math, no matter what, Richard Mills has destroyed education in NYS. Thank goodness he is gone as of June
I feel so torn about this issue. I actually enjoy preparing kids for the ELA Regents. However, obviously, from what old timers tell me, essays that used to be 2's or 3's, are now 4's and 5's.
Mr. Oliver, I graded your comment a 4. It would have been higher if you included some literary elements.
Those examples are how we'd all deal with a standardized test like the ELA (designed for native speakers)after a few years of learning a language in situ.
Commenting by HaloScan
