Part 1: Referral Process for LEP Students in Texas Compared to General Process:
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has set standards for identifying and implementing services to students who are limited in English proficiency(LEP) and need ESL or bilingual services. The procedure begins upon the enrolment of a child by parents or guardians in a Texas public school and completes the Home Language Survey. The survey aims to identify the learners who could be taken to exceptional language support (Agency, 2023). An additional assessment is followed if any language other than English is spoken. Following this, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) evaluates to discover the language proficiency level of LEP pupils and make appropriate recommendations (Agency, 2023). The LPAC, consisting of educationalists and administrators, is an inseparable part of determining and meeting language proficiency requirements.
To determine their level of English talent, LEP college students in Texas take checks with the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS). The Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) uses the assessment effects and guidelines to decide which bilingual schooling programs offer individualized language aid offerings or ESL packages that are first-class for the scholars (TEA, n.d.). Each pupil’s unique needs are taken into consideration while making those placements. Additionally, to assure non-stop development, the development of LEP students is evaluated each year using a mix of academic overall performance opinions and language competence checks. To ensure that scholars acquire the proper guide as they strengthen their language-gaining knowledge, the LPAC meets again through these yearly evaluations to assess students’ development and make any required modifications to their services.
The significant differences between the types of programs of language support and the committee composition represented in the materials studied, as well as those that occur at the state or district levels, are the kinds of language support programs provided, the makeup of the review committee, and the particular evaluations that are conducted. A committee is normally constituted for a review, language support is provided, and English competence is in order as part of the standard procedure (TEA, n.d.). However, things vary very much regarding specifics. For example, some states may use different ways of assessing the level of English proficiency than the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS), and the class and roles of the review committee could be changed. The methodologies and assets utilized in exclusive language help programs, which include bilingual education or ESL, can vary based on the instructional setting. Even though these variations are constantly identical, the primary goal of figuring out and assisting LEP students is to ensure they get the help they want to thrive academically and linguistically.
Part 2: Meeting the Needs of English Learners from a Specific Linguistic Background:
To meet the necessities of English language students from different etymological foundations, actual training educators in Texas should provide a comprehensive homeroom climate. Since a sizable part of Texas’ populace is Hispanic, there are several techniques for instructing and drawing in kids who communicate in Spanish. Concerning the necessity of communication among English language students, I would:
I will focus on different techniques that will serve as the basis for the instructional strategies to address the requirements of Spanish-language speaking English as a Second language (ESL) students. First of all, bilingual teaching resources should be provided in the form of written instructions and visual aids to be able to improve accessibility and understanding (Hollie, 2018). Both language obstacles can be overcome, and comprehension can be improved with the help of these resources. I will include cooperative learning activities within the curriculum among the strategies I will use to help learners interact with their peers. This exchange provides English language learners with adequate opportunities for active participation in the learning experience (Freeman, 2000). Furthermore, it attests to the development of language skills through relevant communication and collaboration. I will give demonstrations and model body language and gestures to convey my ideas more clearly.
I also prioritize creating a warm, encouraging environment wherein youngsters feel favored and valued for their cultural and linguistic identities. This includes organizing an environment where variety is valued and every student feels valued and welcomed for who they may be. Second, I vigorously promote peer relationships and teamwork to promote scholarly understanding and cross-cultural interchange. I intend to facilitate learning possibilities for scholars by encouraging relationships among classmates with numerous studies. This will help them to expand empathy and respect for one another’s viewpoints (Hollie, 2018). Furthermore, I would incorporate multicultural viewpoints into bodily education training by showcasing a variety of sports and pastimes from different cultures, particularly those that might be popular in Hispanic populations.
I would include various helpful strategies for my teaching techniques in actual schooling that are explicitly intended to take special care of the requests of English language students. To begin with, to assist English language students with understanding proactive tasks and techniques, it is necessary to utilize recordings, representations, and showings (Freeman, 2000). Moreover, I will do exercises with exact objectives and assignments so understudies might focus on contacting them while at the same time taking part and further developing their language capacities. Finally, consolidate jargon-building exercises, serenades, or rhymes associated with proactive tasks to join language acquisition with actual development.
In conclusion, additional materials, such as Sharroky Hollie’s “Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning,” which offers helpful classroom methods for assisting exceptional scholar groups, could be explored to enhance my comprehension and use of these techniques. Furthermore, I would pursue professional development possibilities that center around bilingual schooling and culturally touchy teaching to continuously enhance my method for enjoying the necessities of my English language learners within the lecture room.
References
Agency, T. E. (2023, August 4). Adopted Revisions to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 89, Subchapter BB. Tea.texas.gov. https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/correspondence/taa-letters/adopted-revisions-to-19-texas-administrative-code-tac-chapter-89-subchapter-bb
Freeman D and Freeman Y. (2000). Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners. The National Council of Teachers of English.12(1). https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~smr2/MeetingELLneeds.pdf
Hollie, S. (2018). Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning; Classroom Practices for Student Success (2nd ed.). Huntington Beach Shell Education
TEA. (n.d.). The Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) Decisions Educator Guide. Retrieved October 31, 2023, from https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/testing/2021-2022-lpac-decisions-educator-guide.pdf