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Defining and Supporting English Learners in Community Colleges: Perspectives From Instructors, Administrators, and Student Support Professionals

Mon, April 12, 9:30 to 11:00am EDT (9:30 to 11:00am EDT), SIG Sessions, SIG-Second Language Research Paper and Symposium Sessions

Abstract

Despite the importance of community colleges for English Learners’ (ELs’) postsecondary education, little agreement exists regarding how to identify ELs or what policies and practices might strengthen their chances to earn college certificates and degrees. Examining ELs in one community college district, this paper reports on early findings from an ongoing, three-year mixed methods study that is identifying and characterizing ELs in community colleges, measuring their academic outcomes, and exploring institutional policies and practices related to ELs’ enrollment and advancement in “pre-collegiate” and college-level courses.

The analysis is contextualized by investigating underlying assumptions about ELs’ language development and academic potential. Perspectives on who should be considered an English Learner, ELs’ strengths and challenges, and colleges’ policies and practices to support this population are all tied to views of language and literacy and their development (Bloch, 2003; Cook, 2010; Kibler & Valdés, 2016; Moyer, 2008; van Lier, 2004). If language development is treated as participation in meaningful social practices, policies and practices will likely provide opportunities for students to apprentice into the language and literacy of disciplinary and professional discourse communities (Bunch, 2019; Kibler, Bunch, & Enris, 2011; Valdés, Kibler, & Walqui, 2014; Lea & Street, 2006).

We report on findings from interviews with 16 instructors, administrators, and student support professionals at two Hispanic Serving Institutions, chosen for their different approach to serving ELs. College A features an adult education ESL program but no credit-bearing ESL courses. College B has no adult education program, and offers “English Language Learning” courses for students matriculated in degree, certificate, and transfer programs. Interview questions explored participants’ perspectives on defining and serving ELs, enrollment and placement procedures, and ELs’ challenges and successes. We analyzed the data by culling deductive and inductive themes.

We report on three findings: (1) Participants’ descriptions of ELs and assumptions underlying those descriptions varied. In spite of prompting interviewees to consider all students who might be considered English Learners, numerous participants referred exclusively to students in ESL courses. Some participants identified broad categories (e.g. students with strong literacy foundations in their home language, and those without), while others provided more nuanced descriptions (e.g. “late arriving immigrant students”; “Generation 1.5 students”; and those who “present as native English speakers” but have reading and writing challenges). (2) While some participants highlighted opportunities for ELs in light of acceleration reforms, others were concerned about challenges these reforms would present for ELs, given the time needed to acquire English language proficiency. (3) Finally, participants described specific efforts to facilitate ELs’ enrollment in college credit-bearing programs and supports to help them succeed: a course mimicking mainstream English courses with additional support for ELs, advisors who specifically support ELs, and sheltered ESL courses taught by disciplinary instructors (e.g. art history) with expertise in TESOL.

Findings highlight the need to better define ELs, broaden support efforts for ELs beyond ESL courses, and consider the role of conceptions of language in facilitating students’ academic and professional pathways.

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