Course: Methods of Structured English Immersion for Secondary Education Directions: Answer Discussion 1 &2 in 150 words, must use in-cite citation in APA style formatted. Answer Responses in 100 words. Instructor directions: Please understand at this level it is expected that you include sourcing within your discussion question responses to support your thinking. Please do not just list the source at the end of the posting, include it within the posting and support your thinking. Discussion 1: What are some of the greatest barriers preventing our schools from meeting the educational goals for ELL students today? What recommendations are offered in your readings that address these barriers? Whom do you see as potential change agents for implementing these recommendations? Response: Amanda wrote: f we look back over history, the barriers that many non-English learners have faced is inadequacy of the education system. There have been multiple court cases fighting for adequate assistance for those who do not speak English to be educated, however, based on the cases the primary fight has been for funding (Sutton, Cornelius and McDonald-Gordon, 2012). But the issues that English language learners face stretchers beyond the funding of programs they face inadequate programs, inadequate training of teachers to recognize learners needs and barriers, inadequate rules and guidelines for those programs, inadequate testing procedures, and an inadequate definition of students’ overall needs (Zehr, 2009). The two articles reflected in this post offered a glimpse at the battles that have been fought to provide the non-English learners with an adequate education, but the fact remains that there is a lack of understanding of an English language learners (ELL) needs. According to Ms. Flores, "You can say there is discrimination for the kids who don't speak English [in Nogales], because the quality of education isn't the same for them. Politics has been a hindrance in resolving the matter. The Republicans say 'no' to more money. The Democrats say 'yes.' Education is caught in the middle" (Zehr, 2009, para. 9). If we look at that brief statement, it is clear that no one has a clear picture, yet, of what ELL need to be successful learners. There are fights for inclusion and there are fights for separate classes, but there is no one clear solution for ELLs, at least not based on what these two articles have demonstrated. As the barriers become a bit clearer, you would imagine the solutions would too. Though there is not one clear solution, a few recommendations have been made to address these barriers. According to Posey (2021), utilizing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to anticipate and address those barriers upfront by designing a learning environment and lessons that are flexible to the students’ needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach can broaden the students’ chances. There is bilingual education, two-way immersion, and increasing the col ...

1. Course: Methods of Structured English Immersion for
Secondary Education
Directions: Answer Discussion 1 &2 in 150 words, must use in-
cite citation in APA style formatted. Answer Responses in 100
words.
Instructor directions: Please understand at this level it is
expected that you include sourcing within your discussion
question responses to support your thinking. Please do not just
list the source at the end of the posting, include it within the
posting and support your thinking.
Discussion 1: What are some of the greatest barriers preventing
our schools from meeting the educational goals for ELL
students today? What recommendations are offered in your
readings that address these barriers? Whom do you see as
potential change agents for implementing these
recommendations?
Response: Amanda wrote: f we look back over history, the
barriers that many non-English learners have faced is
inadequacy of the education system. There have been multiple
court cases fighting for adequate assistance for those who do
not speak English to be educated, however, based on the cases
the primary fight has been for funding (Sutton, Cornelius and
McDonald-Gordon, 2012). But the issues that English language
learners face stretchers beyond the funding of programs they
face inadequate programs, inadequate training of teachers to
recognize learners needs and barriers, inadequate rules and
guidelines for those programs, inadequate testing procedures,
and an inadequate definition of students’ overall needs (Zehr,
2009). The two articles reflected in this post offered a glimpse
at the battles that have been fought to provide the non-English

2. learners with an adequate education, but the fact remains that
there is a lack of understanding of an English language learners
(ELL) needs.
According to Ms. Flores, "You can say there is discrimination
for the kids who don't speak English [in Nogales], because the
quality of education isn't the same for them. Politics has been a
hindrance in resolving the matter. The Republicans say 'no' to
more money. The Democrats say 'yes.' Education is caught in
the middle" (Zehr, 2009, para. 9).
If we look at that brief statement, it is clear that no one has a
clear picture, yet, of what ELL need to be successful learners.
There are fights for inclusion and there are fights for separate
classes, but there is no one clear solution for ELLs, at least not
based on what these two articles have demonstrated.
As the barriers become a bit clearer, you would imagine the
solutions would too. Though there is not one clear solution, a
few recommendations have been made to address these barriers.
According to Posey (2021), utilizing Universal Design for
Learning (UDL) to anticipate and address those barriers upfront
by designing a learning environment and lessons that are
flexible to the students’ needs rather than using a one-size-fits-
all approach can broaden the students’ chances. There is
bilingual education, two-way immersion, and increasing the
collaboration between schools and the parents of the English
language learners.
These recommendations are, however, just recommendations. It
is up to educators and parents to fight for the needs of the
students. Yes, school policy makers need to focus on acquiring
real-data and feedback for programs, integration methods, and
educational processes that create an equitable classroom
environment for all the learners including ELLs. But it is our
jobs as educators to utilize all tools and skills at our disposal to
help students grow and learn including collaborating with
parents. We have to be the change in the classroom by educating
ourselves and practicing a growth mindset. Changes on a larger
scale require us to show them what data and practices work.

3. Response: Lauren wrote: According to NEA President Dennis
Van Roekel, ELL students are one of the fastest-growing
student demographics and are projected to account for one-
quarter of us school-age students. (Roekel, 2018) Legislation
has a significant impact on ELL students. Current legislation in
the “No Child Left Behind Act” necessitates all student
subgroups meet academic standards for math and reading
without having met English proficiency. Research has shown
that teachers lack practical, research-based information,
resources, and strategies needed to teach, evaluate, and nurture
ELL students, whether those students were born in this country
or elsewhere, or whether they are the first, second, or third
generation to attend an American public school. (Roekel, 2018)
I believe legislature backed by research, supported by ELL
communities and educators, will bring about the desperately
needed changes. I teach at a private international boarding
school where 75% of the student body are ELLs. Our school
begins by assessing students’ language abilities and then places
them with counselors trained to guide language development.
They also help students complete assignments and guide
educators in meeting the needs of ELL students. We have been
extraordinarily successful as a school using this method.
Roekel, D. (2018). English Language Learners Face Unique
Challenges. Retrieved from An NEA Policy Brief :
http://educationvotes.nea.org/wp-
content/uploads/2010/05/ELL.pdf
Discussion 2: Two-way dual immersion programs are gaining
popularity in many states. As a future educator, what are your
thoughts on this type of program for ELLs? What information
from the assigned readings and videos support your opinion?
Response: Amanda wrote: According to Kim, Hutchison, and
Winsler (2015), two-way immersion (TWI) involves combing

4. native English speakers who want to learn another language
with students who are wanting to learn English, the English
language learners (ELL) in the same classroom, learning the
same material in both languages. One research study showed
that the positive effects for students who were placed in a TWI
could be seen as early preschool as the students became more
proficient in English without losing out on being able to
improve their native tongue (Kim, Hutchison, & Winsler (2015).
The TWI has been demonstrated to be successful in areas where
there is a large majority of ELL’s and English speakers, but the
effectiveness hinges on multiple aspects beyond just that such
as the quality of the classroom’s social climate (Kim,
Hutchison, & Winsler, 2015). TWI is gaining support as another
route to educate ELL as many schools and district are still
scrambling to find effective ways to meet their needs as the
community of ELL has grown from 1 million in 2000 to almost
5 million in 2018 (William, 2018). The main idea behind this
type of education is to shift the view from ELL students as
being a burden of costs-staffing, remedial support, added
textbooks or virtual tools-to them being an asset for their peers
(William, 2018).
I will be honest I do not know a lot about what an English
language learner needs. But based on the readings, the videos,
and this article The Dual Immersion
Solution
| Edutopia, I feel like TWI is worthy approach. The research
that has been done shows, “that dual immersion programs can
sharpen student focus and boost working memory and reading
comprehension…[And the] demand is rising faster than the
programs are growing—nearly all of them have waiting lists ”

5. (Williams, 2018, para. 2). This says to me that this approach
can be successful, and it does not strip non-native students’
culture away from them like English-only programs. This
program embraces the students’ native tongue and culture which
is so crucial in our world as it a growing melting pot of people.
I can understand that this sort of program has limitations based
on location, funding, bilingual educators, and training. But I do
see the value in it, and I think that an approach like this is
worthy and the ideas behind it should be used to enhance other
programs. English language learners are not a burden to our
education system, and it is important that we all work to find
away to blend together their culture and our culture in a
meaningful way. And from what I have read TWI is a program
that should be utilized and learned from. We cannot help
students succeed if we do not evolve as the world around us
evolves