Assignment:
1. How would you characterize the type(s) of instruction offered to English learners in your school or schools you know: traditional ESL, contentbased ESL, sheltered content, bilingual content, traditional content? Provide evidence of your characterization in terms of curricula and instruction. Are the ELs successful when they enter regular, mainstream content classes? Explain.
2. Many sheltered teachers, whether they had special training in a subject area or in second language acquisition, fail to take advantage of the language learning opportunities for students in sheltered content classes. Why do you think this is so? Offer two concrete suggestions for these teachers to enhance their students' language development.
3. Would sheltered classes look different if they were part of a bilingual program rather than an ESL program? Explain your response.
4. What do you think are some necessary conditions for offering sheltered classes to English learners in your school, or one with which you are
familiar?
Readings:
Sheltered Instruction
By Jana Echevarria, MaryEllen Vogt, and Deborah J. Short