Teacher Interview

Interviewee is a High School English teacher within a Magnet Program on campus. She teaches
AP Literature and 9th grade English/ Humanity courses.

Q1. How do you support students who identify as: (1) emergent bilingual students (English
Language Learners) (2) students with disabilities affecting their ability to acquire language and
literacy (3) students who speak English varieties; and (4) students who identify as all of the
above 1 – 3 descriptions?

A1. “ I have to differentiate my instruction in various ways because I work with a Magnet
Program where any student who deserves to go to college can gain entrance. As for ELL students
I check for understanding, use various forms of graphic organizers to help put with
comprehension. I have students with special needs and I look at each case individually and
follow the accommodations needed as well as add various changes to add in comprehension”

Q2. What do you know about CELDT and ELPAC? How do these state assessments inform your
classroom practice?

A2. “We have a yearly professional development where we gain knowledge on what the CELDT
was about and what the new test the ELPAC is about. We also get our students previous scores
to gain an idea what areas they need to improve on. Various assignments of practice are also
given in preparation.”

Q3. How do you get to know your students?

A3. “ One way I get to know my students is through giving them a letter about myself and then
asking them to do the same at the beginning of the year. I also have students practice their
writing skills through the use of writing weekly journals. Reading them always gives me insight
into their lives as well as language arts needs.”

Q.4 Do you have any difficulties connecting language into your classroom?

A4. “ I currently have a student in my Humanities that is a new comer and in ESL1 classes.
Communication is hard because my Spanish skills are very limited. I allow her to ‘code switch’
from her limited English to Spanish in verbal and written form. Looking at various modalities to
aid in her learning process.”

Q5. What ways do your multilingual abilities influence the language of your classroom?
A5. “ I have very limited Spanish skills but I use them when introducing vocabulary words that
may be similar between Spanish and English.”
Q6. How has your experience been in making lesson plan accommodations for emergent
bilingual students to minimize the learning gap?

A6. “It takes a lot of planning when differentiating instruction for ELLs. I think its important to
bridge the gap as much as possible so they have the same educational opportunities in the
classroom. It might involve more scaffolding and more adaption of lessons so students can be on
track as other students.”

Q7. Do you translate for ELL students?

A7. “ If possible I translate or I have students get into buddy system where they can as a buddy
for clarification in the original [home]language .”

Q8. How do you bridge the barrier between parent and teacher?

A8. “ We have interpreters here on campus to aid us when there is a language barrier.”