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Is ESL an Intervention or a Service?

12/8/2019

6 Comments

 
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This question has been asked a time or two (hundred...thousand…). Seriously though. In districts around our nation some ESL teachers are considered part of the intervention team while others are not. Why is this important? 

Merriam Webster’s definition of intervention: 
a : the act of interfering with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning)
educational intervention

To clarify, ​...
....people (even the little ones) who are learning English do not have a condition. We are not interfering with a process to prevent harm or improve functioning. On the other hand we are providing students a service to add English to their language repertoire. 

The word intervene implies coming between and halting. This deficit based stance communicates to stakeholders that there is something wrong that needs to be “fixed”.  In essence, as ESL teachers, we are not intervening between a student’s primary language and English. Our goal is to use the student’s current literacy from their primary language as a leverage to build English proficiency. We are adding. 

Ask yourself:
  • Do I want students, families, and staff to think of English learners as students who need fixing? 
  • Should ELs be viewed from an assets based lens? Or from a deficit perspective? 
  • How do I want the program I provide to be perceived? Glass half full or half empty? 

If you are finding yourself or your team in a place where ESL is “labeled” as part of an intervention group, you might consider ways to flip the script. One thing you can do is simply to initiate the conversation with campus and/or administrators. Start by asking to meet. Discuss your team’s vision and goals. (For more on Branding Your Team: Creating a Positive Reputation, Click Here) Then move into your request. Keep in mind that they way you open the discuss is often as important as what you say. Think about how you will frame the talk. 

“I’m wondering…”
“What if…”
“Have we considered…”
“Perhaps we could try…”

As advocates for the students we teach, it’s critical to showcase them from an assets-based lens. Sometimes that means having difficult conversations. But always it means doing what’s best for students. 

​
6 Comments
Landon Seigler link
12/20/2019 07:10:48 pm

Wonderfully written and inspiring article, Valentina. The part that stuck with me the most is where you talk about '..needing fixing'. I think this is very perceptive and extremely important for educators to get right: There is nothing to fix because there is nothing 'broken'. I am reminded here of Zaretta Hammond's beautiful book about culturally responsive teaching, and how she warns against defining students (and their families) by their weaknesses. This marginalizes them and sets them up for failure.

Your article is important and its ideas are a step to better equity in education. Thank you for sharing.

Landon (Jordan)

Reply
Teresa Morris
12/10/2020 08:57:17 am

Can I use some of your information from your newsletters to share with my district in our newsletter and give you credit as a source?

Reply
VALENTINA GONZALEZ
12/10/2020 02:33:16 pm

Hi Teresa,
Yes, you are welcome to link this to your newsletter. Many people do. Feel free to go to the Resources tab and download any of the graphics as well.

VALENTINA GONZALEZ
12/10/2020 02:32:02 pm

Hi there! I agree and that is one of my top 10 favorite books!

Reply
Mia Evans link
11/15/2021 05:36:31 pm

Thanks for helping me understand that ESL teachers would not intervene with a student's primary language and English, basically. I just got curious about this kind of learning because a cousin of mind is looking for group ESL lessons this year. It appears that she might be having a hard time mastering the language after moving into this place, since she grew up where her dad lives.

Reply
Ann Murray
4/24/2022 11:57:25 am

"On the other hand we are providing students a service to add English to their language repertoire. "
I love this take on teaching the language of instruction to our multilingual learners! I'm going to add it to MY repertoire of explaining what we do as EL teachers.
With proper citations, of course!

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