Teacher Discussion Forums

I'm currently reading an article for my graduate class that is called "Before the Federal Bilingual Education Act." I am new to the ESL/Bilingual Education world and what I'm finding most difficult to comprehend/believe is that way back when students (especially in California) were being put into special education classes that would normally be for those with learning difficulties that nowadays we would not associate with being an ELL. The article goes on to say, "the child who might have developed normally becomes an academic retardate." It is rather disheartening to think that over time ELL students (and their academic futures!) have been let down by school systems diagnosing them as mentally retarded. What I would like to know is, does this still happen today? Have ELLs been wrongfully diagnosed anywhere recently? And if they have, are they able to have it revoked?

I don't think they were thought of as mentally retarded but certainly there was a stigma and with all the other things they encountered in schools with the majority of white Anglo Saxon children, (this is Canada) they had and have a high drop out rate. There was and is a great deal of pressure to be earning money as soon as possible. There was and is often not the encouragement to continue past grade 8 which was the normal level of many of the parent's education. There was and is an anti-education backlash from parents who were well-educated in some countries but they still couldn't get a job. There was and is a lack of social acceptability, still, and this is 2011.

It is amazing that some students held on or hold on and complete their high school education and even go for further education. I think part of that is what they see in the media, some input from great teachers or counsellors and some just the love of learning despite everything. We need to get those models back to the schools to inspire the others and of course, fix the other problems so the students don't get so discouraged.

But there is always that real estate agent or mechanic or plumber who is pulling in a big salary (not to mention someone with illegal activities) who will also be a model in the community and pull the students in their direction. It was probably ever thus.