HELP! They Don't Speak English
As a teacher of fifth grade students, I want to reach every child, every chance, every day, in every way. To do this, my dream is to open the windows to the world by providing hands-on/listening activities that is comparable to other districts in the area.
The classroom environment has changed throughout the last several years. I face the challenge of a large population of students who do not speak English. The growing rate of the LEP (Limited English Proficient) students in our district is phenomenal. In the last four school years, the LEP student enrollment has increased 48%. On our team, we have 53 students, 21 of those are LEP. This is 40 % of our student population. Becoming proficient in a new language is very difficult. It can be frustrating and sometimes painful. These students need as much language support as possible. They need a variety of language experiences. LEP students need to hear language, write language, speak language, and read language. My dream is to provide them with the best possible resources. I would like to do so by piloting a Listening Lab. My vision is to set up a Listening Lab; on our team. This would consist of 8 CD/tape players and a library of low level, high interest books on CD/tape which I believe is a great way to teach and enhance skills in reading, listening comprehension, and pronunciation.
The Listening Lab would:
- Increase language proficiency-As a trained TOP (Texas Observation Protocol) raters, my goal is to not only have my students speaking and writing in English, but reading proficiently in English.
- Provide individualized instruction- LEP student's progress in language acquisition of the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English is measured in Texas by the Texas English Language Proficient Assessment System (TELPAS). Therefore, students' progress measured by TELPAS is very important. Using the Listening Lab would provide a self-paced program for each, individual student on his/her reading level.
- Provide accelerated instruction-Students in our ESL program have a three-year maximum exemption from the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) test. Can you imagine going to school in Mexico and after three years in the country, be required to take a state-mandated test, on grade level and be expected to pass it? This is the challenge I am facing in my classroom. I believe the Listening Lab; would help us to accelerate instruction and increase my student's reading levels. I believe this would show a significant increase in our TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) scores.
- Provide Mobility Portable CD/tape players would allow the Listening Labto be mobile. This would enable each classroom/team to use the "Listening Lab" as needed, whether it is in Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, or Science. The "Listening Lab" would be greatly beneficial to all students on our team, including those students who are not categorized as LEP.
Will you help me reach my dream of reaching every child, every chance, every day, every way?
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. P. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.