http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...alneedsgrowing
Bilingual needs growing
Mon Feb 28, 8:21 AM ET Local - Daily Herald
By Gala M. Pierce Daily Herald Staff Writer
While fifth-graders at Alice Gustafson School in Batavia worked hard on their famous people-throughout-history projects, not all felt adequately prepared to give the presentations last week.
That's because Spanish-speaking students didn't get enough time to go over their projects with the bilingual teacher, who splits her time among three west-side elementary schools.
Educator Lisa Piaskowy sees Gustafson students only three afternoons a week. She says the challenge of serving students has increased because the number of students whose primary language is other than English increased from 24 to 34 since last May.
"The numbers keep growing, and they are going to continue," she said.
While serving three schools last spring made sense, Piaskowy said, an increase in staff might better serve the non-English-speaking population.
"After all, that's what we are here for," Piaskowy said.
Jan Wright, the curriculum director with Batavia schools, agrees.
She has seen enrollment in the bilingual and English as a Second Language programs spike by 40 percent since the beginning of the school year.
Enrollment has risen from 99 to 136 since the fall, and district move-ins indicate at least 10 more students will need the service next year, Wright said.
"We have gotten to the point now where the number of staff we're dealing with isn't going to be adequate, and we're going to need to increase that staff," Wright said.
Right now, one part-time and four full-time educators teach English Language Learners as well as English as a Second Language.
While English Language Learners provides Spanish literacy in Spanish and English, English as a Second Language uses all-English instructional techniques to make English more accessible.
Wright estimated that an additional full-timer and part-timer should sufficiently serve the students.
The district's cost could be $75,000. When the district gets word about next year's state aid, she may make a recommendation to the board.
In July 2000, Batavia principals directed Wright to evaluate the needs of the bilingual students. At that time, two teachers and an aide served 70 students in grades K-12.
The second-most prominent language among students is Spanish.
During the 2001-02 year, an outside consultant was hired to recommend the best way to serve those children.
"One of the major things we learned from our study is that second language learners learn best when they have a good foundation in their native language," Wright said. "They can then transfer those skills in learning English."
The district began targeting students in grades K-2, providing instruction in Spanish as well as English.
Since Hoover-Wood continues to house the most Spanish-speaking students, 33 right now, the school offers a bilingual kindergarten that draws students from throughout the district. Students attend a regular kindergarten class in English for the other half of the day.
In first and second grades, students participate in a pull-out program where they learn Spanish literacy for half the day.
"We do value being able to speak, read and write in both languages," Wright said. "That's something that's going to be a wonderful life skill for them as well as being able to interact with their families."
For children beyond second grade, the district guides them to transition into English by their middle school years.
"Our goal is to get them to the point where they learn English well enough where they are able to function in the classroom without our support," Wright said.
Students requiring support in the middle and high school levels are usually transferred from other districts, she said.
Those whose primary language is other than Spanish, as well as third-graders and older students, receive English as a Second Language because the district isn't equipped to teach literacy in multiple languages.
I'm feeling warm and fuzzy inside right now
