| As thousands of English language learners enter American schools, both students and teachers are confronted with challenge of effective ways to teach this large number of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students. Yet, many schools are unprepared for teaching this population.; The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the process of second-language learning through the case study of four Chinese-speaking ESL students in a rural Pennsylvania school. The investigator explored how these students acquired English when immersed in mainstream classes and what were the factors that contributed to or prohibited their language acquisition. The investigator used purposeful selection to identify the four Chinese students who making the transition from Chinese-speaking environments to an English-only school environment. Studying the experiences of these children who were adjusting to a new language and culture with little English proficiency can help teachers to teach effectively with today's diverse school population and contribute to the ESL literature.; The researcher used three data strategies to collect data via interviews, observations, and documents. Data analysis triangulated the three types of data by within- and cross-case examination. Six general patterns emerged about the learning experiences of the four Chinese-speaking ESL students in the U.S. school. The six patterns are: (1) the four ESL students all stated that they liked American schools; (2) the students in the Pilot English classes liked the ESL class, the student in the High English class liked the English class; (3) the students all stated that they had no chance to communicate with other students; (4) all teachers interviewed disagreed that the ESL students should be put in the Pilot English classes; (5) differences between the Pilot/High English classes were significant; and (6) the students had different family backgrounds and former school experiences, which might affect their current learning experiences.; The researcher suggests that teachers optimize this process by providing supportive school environments, understanding the L2 acquisition process, designing lessons constructively, incorporating family support, and encouraging students to be active learners. Teachers must weave their expertise and must actively discover their ESL students including their cultures to be effective in all school and classroom contexts. |
