English as a second language programs (ESL) vary from one school district to another but all have the goal of furnishing the student with the necessary skills in English to function successfully in the academic setting (MeKeon, 1987). A number of variables combine to determine the type of ESL program used in a particular school district, including the student population of the district, the characteristics of the individual students, and the resources available in the district for ESL programs.
In terms of demographics, some districts will have a large number of Limited English-Proficient (LEP) students representing a fairly stable population from a single language or cultural group (McKeon, 1987). Other districts will have students from a number of different language groups, and others may experience a sudden influx of students from one particular cultural group, e.g. Hispanics, Vietnamese etc. Still others will have few LEP students from many different groups and spread over many grade levels. The characteristics of these students, such as the number of students in each language group per grade will determine the types of ESL programs the district offers.
The characteristics of individual students will also vary greatly, with some students entering US schools with a strong academic background in their native language, whereas others may not be as strong academically, even in their native language (McKeon, 1987). This makes designing an ESL program even more complicated. The resources available in each district will also influence the types of programs it can afford to offer. Some will have trained ESL teachers on site, whereas others may have to draw them from the community, or find volunteers to work with a few students.
In 2001, California implemented the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) which measures proficiency in English and students who do not speak English at home must pass this exa...