We asked our Educators Rising students to share their observations on how their schools support students whose home language is not English, and what they thought their schools could do better.
ESL program
Brooke Hess
My school has a pretty good English as a second language program. There are also many opportunities to get involved helping English learners get accustomed to the culture at our school. The 2023 valedictorian at my school actually was an English learner, and she did exceptionally well.
Brooke Hess
12th grade | Sheboygan North High School
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Too much isolation
A lot of the time, these kids are by themselves and just translate everything through a computer. We should have classes that help them learn English and mandatory classes for people who speak English to learn Spanish or whatever other language they choose.
Hailey DeAnn Calderon
12th grade | Lafayette County High School
Stamps, Arkansas
Embracing multiple cultures
Milan Aranda
At my high school, I never heard anyone talk about how they felt supported. I think schools should embrace everyone’s culture and talk about a new culture every month. They could also have them say the Pledge of Allegiance in their language.
Milan Aranda
Freshman | Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, Missouri
Classes and signs
Keiren Minter
My high school has a program where students who don’t speak English can slowly learn the language until they get an understanding of it. My 4th-grade teacher labeled items in her classroom in English and in Spanish. This helped students who didn’t speak English understand some of the elements in the classroom.
Keiren Minter
Freshman | University of Central Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas
Accommodations available
Our school supports students whose first language isn’t English by allowing them accommodations associated with schoolwork and tests. Our school could definitely do more, though, and could have more translations on signs and offer more help on notes and such.
Lio Pinson
10th grade | Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Lexington, Kentucky
Translators and helpers
My school sends home letters and such in the language that students speak at home. And we have many people in our school who can help students better understand the content that is taught and provide assistance to those who don’t speak English.
Julie Oum
10th grade | Greater Lowell Technical High School
Lowell, Massachusetts
This article appears in the October 2023 issue of Kappan, Vol. 105, No. 2, p. 70.
