Chapter 11: Collaborative Meaning Making of Student Data to Guide Instruction for English Learners

Have you visited schools in which the English language (EL) teachers support a variety of grade levels and subject areas back-to-back throughout the day without a moment to meet or plan with their mainstream co-teachers? A typical school day for one of these teachers might resemble the following: The EL teacher comes to a class just as the lesson is beginning. The lesson is delivered by the general education (GE) teacher while the EL teacher sits on the side of the room or crouches by one EL student whispering helpful words to them while trying not to disturb the rest of the class. If feeling bold, the EL teacher may interject, “Can I show the students a picture of that?” or “So what you’re saying is . . .” while the GE teacher waits to jump back in to continue the lesson. At student work time, the EL teacher walks around the room assisting students. One or two of the EL students who need help most receive support. The lesson closes, and the EL teacher waves goodbye to the GE teacher and the students and scoots off to another classroomjust in time to catch the beginning of another lesson. To say that the English learners in such classrooms are receiving the support services they need and are entitled to would be a stretch-many ELs getting only a few moments of the EL teacher’s support and instruction or none at all. With this framework for EL instruction, the EL teacher’s status is diminished to that of a teacher’s aide rather than a language expert. In essence, co-teaching without co-planning doesn’t work well.