Letters: Learning English in L.A. Unified

Re “An English-plan outcry,” Oct. 20

Both sides are right in the debate in the Los Angeles Unified School District over grouping students with similar language ability together. Decades of research tell us that we acquire language when we understand what we hear and read. Our goal is thus to provide both comprehensible instruction and peer interaction.

A solution is to provide English as a second language classes for beginners, while including these students in classes that are highly comprehensible (art and music, for example). Subjects that are harder to make comprehensible for beginners are taught in the first language.

Students are moved to classes that require higher levels of English as their English improves, first participating in classes that require less abstract language (science and math) and later in those that demand more abstract language.

This plan makes classes much easier to teach and promotes the development of academic language, not just social English.

Stephen Krashen

Los Angeles

The writer is a professor emeritus of education at USC.

When I entered kindergarten, I spoke no English. Japanese was spoken at home. There was no segregation of students by their inability to speak English in my elementary school.

I learned English from my teachers, fellow students and friends. Television was a remarkable teacher. By the time my siblings and I were in middle school, English was the spoken language in our home.

When someone plans to travel or live in a foreign country, they often choose full immersion. People have been known to supplement their effort by spending a great deal of time watching films in the language they wished to master.

It follows, then, that by in effect segregating students, district officials are defeating their own efforts to teach students English.

Jean Hirashima

Long Beach

Since learning concepts and skills in reading, writing and mathematics require understanding the sound system and vocabulary of the language used, I doubt anyone would enroll in a physics class taught in a language he or she did not understand.

Grouping children with similar language proficiency enables the teacher and child to focus on effective concept and skill development. Second-language proficiency in the child will continue to grow through participation and demonstration in art, music, physical education and other classes.

English proficiency is essential to the immigrant child. Student achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and science is critical to America’s progress.

Louise Schuck Pappas

Shell Beach, Calif.

Here we go again — let’s segregate our students. Why not segregate those students that have speech problems too?

As a kindergarten teacher for 24 years, I know that English learners do learn from their peers. In addition, the students learn about diversity, acquiring another language and sensitivity.

Every day teachers are suppose to provide English language development for these students — that’s the key. Most teachers today have some sort of certification for teaching the different English language levels.

Mixing students during PE, art and music just doesn’t work and wastes valuable instructional minutes. Segregating the students only causes more problems in the classrooms, on the playgrounds and in our communities.

Pauline Klein

Long Beach

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