Case Studies of ESL in Community College and the Experiences of English Learners

• In Event: 31.080 - English Language Learners in Community Colleges: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

This presentation will focus on the ESL context and experiences of English learners (ELs) in the community college. Demographic trends suggest that the pipeline of future postsecondary ELs enrollees is growing. In 1990, one in 20 students in K12 schools nationwide was considered an EL; by 2015, that ratio increased to one in ten (Mavrogordato & White, 2017). Total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow by 13 percent from 2015 to 2026, driven in part by 26 and 12 percent increases in enrollment by Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander students, respectively (NCES, 2018-2019). Community colleges have been responsive to these demographic trends with an increasing percentage of colleges offering ESL courses from 40 percent in 1991 to 55 percent in 1999 (Schuyler, 1999). However, the limited amount of research available on ELs, in particular ESL course enrollees, suggests they accumulate fewer college credits than their non-ESL peers and many do not advance beyond the ESL courses (Hodara, 2015; Razfar & Simon, 2011). Such findings reflect the need to better understand how to support ELs throughout their academic trajectories in community college. Presenters will describe insights that emerged on assessment and placement, instructional delivery, and student identity negotiation from an extensive review of the existent literature on ELs in community college. Case studies of two community colleges in the process of reforming their ESL programs will also be described to offer important insights on how various institutional factors impact the experiences and outcomes of ELs attending community colleges.

The findings presented draw from interviews conducted with researchers studying ELs, and a synthesis of the literature focused on ESL in community colleges. The case-study data from visits to two California community colleges includes observations of ESL, developmental, and college-level English courses; instructor interviews; student focus groups; syllabi and curricular document reviews; and a survey of students enrolled in advanced ESL courses. Interviews and focus groups were transcribed, coded, and iteratively analyzed using a priori and in vivo codes related to students’ backgrounds and goals, program requirements, language and literacy demands, pedagogical supports, and assessment and placement practices. The survey was conducted using Qualtrics and cleaned and analyzed using STATA.

We find that certain aspects of assessment and placement practices may undermine EL student progression, namely how students are initially identified to take the ESL placement exam, the use of a single instrument, and messaging around the process. Additionally, findings suggest lengthy, multi-course sequences focused on discrete skills and taught with the use of “remedial pedagogy” practices can further impede students from progressing steadily and from learning skills that are applicable to their non-ESL coursework. Moreover, facets of school climate along with the isolation of ELs from students whose first language is English have negative implications for ELs’ social and academic integration and their views of themselves as learners. These findings can inform policies and practices that serve to better support students who enroll in community college ESL courses by identifying institutional factors that hinder or enhance opportunities for EL students.

Author

• Julia Raufman, Community College Research Center