CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM MODELS FOR TEACHING

ENGLISH

1. English Immersion
Characteristics:
 Focused on developing English proficiency
 English is the language of instruction
 Small class sizes allow for more interaction and targeting of instruction
 Students are in an all-EL classroom where they receive English and content instruction
 Often used by schools to serve a student population with many different languages
 ELs are in socially isolated classrooms without much interaction with other students
 Content instruction runs the risk of being not as academically rigorous as ones delivered to non-
ELs by content specialists (Honigsfeld & Dove, 2010).
Pros:
English Immersion is most appropriate for elementary school children who are completely new to
English. The focus is on learning language rather than content, and the small group environment really is
conducive to doing so. This model is often used to provide intensive content instruction to ELs by trained
ELTs who provide extensive scaffolding and differentiation based on language needs.

Cons:
English Immersion is the least effective practice of all the program models or ELs in secondary school:
 It’s the most socially isolating and
 Involves the least amount of co-teaching.

2. English as a Second Language (ESL) aka the Pull-Out, Push-In (POPI) Model
Characteristics:
 Focus on developing English proficiency
 English is the language of instruction
 ELs are pulled out of content classes for a period of time to receive language instruction
 Pull-out causes students to miss out on content instruction
 Small class sizes allow for more interaction and targeting of instruction
 Language specialists push into the content class to provide assistance to ELs
 Often used by schools to serve a student population with many different languages

Pros:
This program model works well in elementary school where learning is process-focused. Also, if your
school has the funding to hire ELTs, it produces a favorable teacher-student ratio. During pull-out
sessions, ELs receive more attention because of the small-group setting. While the pull-out sessions can
be used to deliver fundamental English lessons, the push-in service allows the ELs to stay in class and
learn from content teachers, which is less socially isolating than English Immersion.
Cons:
It isn’t effective for ELs in secondary school where learning becomes more content-driven. The ELs miss
out on learning both content and language in context. This model also isn’t collaborative because the ELT
doesn’t plan with the content teacher to integrate content standards. Though there are possibilities for co-
teaching, the ELTs are often treated as teaching aides. Most importantly, the push-in service often
prioritizes learning content itself over using content to develop language skills.

3. Sheltered Immersion (Content-based English Instruction)

Characteristics:
 Focus on integrating language and content instruction
 Goals are to develop mastery of academic language and facilitate engagement with grade-level
content
 ELs learn alongside their English-proficient peers
 English is the language of instruction but use of home languages is encouraged and allowed
 Content and language specialists co-plan and co-teach to deliver content and develop academic
language
Pros:
This is a preferable model for secondary schools because it doesn’t outsource content instruction to ELTs.
Instead, the ELTs co-plan to share strategies that scaffold instruction and facilitate interaction with the
tasks. ELTs can also attend classes to co-teach and model language-friendly practices.

Teachers who practice Sheltered Immersion believe that everyone is a teacher of language and that all
content teachers have to explicitly teach how language is used in their specific discipline.

Most importantly, this model proposes that learning language and content can go hand-in-hand. Content
topics provide the context not just to learn language – but to use it.

Cons:
Many schools, especially in secondary schools, find it difficult to adopt a Sheltered Immersion model
because content teachers want to delegate language instruction to the ELTs. They don’t subscribe to the
belief that they can use content to develop ELLs’ language skills. Furthermore, some schools might not
have enough funding to pay for continuous training that is recommended for the Sheltered Instruction
model.

4. Transitional Bilingualism
Characteristics:
 Focus on English language proficiency
 Goal is to prepare students for English-only classes
 English and home language are used during instruction
 Home language instruction gradually phased out when ELs develop English proficiency
 Teachers must be proficient in both languages
 Often used by schools with a large group of students speaking the same language.
Pros:
This model is effective with ELs from primary to secondary school because home languages are seen as
instructional tools not barriers to learning. Students also understand content instruction more because
teachers often teach in the ELLs’ home language if there is enough overlap among students. Lastly,
students feel less stressed by school because they’re allowed to use their home language in a new setting.

Cons:
Unfortunately, while there’s greater engagement with content standards, the priority is still on using the
home language to develop English skills. This model explicitly values English over other languages, but
at least it’s a more culturally inclusive practice than other program models. Students who learn in the
United States do need to learn English to be successful and participatory members of society, but English
proficiency can still exist alongside home-language mastery.

Transitional bilingualism is also more difficult to implement unless you’re in an area with a large
population that speaks the same non-English language.

5. Dual-Language Program
Characteristics:
 Focus on developing biliterate, bilingual students
 Asset-model of language acquisition while retaining and extending proficiency in home language
 All students learn in one language during one part of the day or particular classes and then switch
later in the day
 Often used by schools with a large group students speaking the same language.

Pros:
This program model is the most socially inclusive because there’s no need to isolate ELs from other
students, and it directly values a second language besides English. The goal is not just to use the home
language, but to strengthen ELs’ ability to use it academically. The home language is seen as a tool to
develop critical thinking and communication skills.

Cons:
Dual Language programs work best when there are enough faculty members who are bilingual in English
and the target language. Unfortunately, this pool of teachers is quite small. It does not work for a school
that serves students who speak a variety of languages