Pivotal moments, silencing, and persistence: A case of four students in transition from an English as a Second Language program in an elementary school

Students that have been in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in schools in the United States are systematically and chronically underserved. To date, little is written about "exiting" ESL. This qualitative study of the experiences of four students in transition from ESL in an elementary school in North Carolina found that they experienced an increase in conditions of isolation from bilingual peers, and that the students approached their isolation with self-silencing. This self-silencing, an approach that the students developed through early pivotal experiences at school, had tragic consequences for them. At the same time, the students lifted their silencing at school under conditions in which they were able to escape their isolation, and they were persistent in their intention to escape that isolation. These findings suggest that attention to silencing as well as adjustments to isolation can potentially lead to positive change for students in transition from ESL.