Yuma project answers chicken-or-egg question of learning English

[Francis Hult]

The Arizona Republic

 

Yuma project answers chicken-or-egg question of learning English

 

Students whose first language is not English usually lag behind their classmates in achievement even though they have the same potential. Improving English-language skills for students who are not native speakers continues to be one of the top challenges in Arizona's educational system. But the age-old debate remains: do we teach students in their first language where they can stay on level in course content, or do we concentrate on teaching them the language first, knowing that they will fall behind in content? 

Yuma Elementary School District's ELL Academy is a unique solution to this challenge using potentially underutilized summer time. More than 500 students have been selected to participate this summer in the third year of the academy. 

"Last year, two-thirds of the 203 students who finished the program showed measurable growth after six weeks of intense curriculum instruction," said Tom Hurt, associate superintendent of school improvement.

 

Full story:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0525edpeck0525.html

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