ESL and Cultural Competency

1
ESL and Cultural Competency

• Presented by Tim McKay and Jon Covel
• ESL Department
• Pittsburgh Public Schools

2
Lets take a small quiz!

• Most students in our schools who speak another
  language were born in another country. True or
  False?
• Answer False. Research data states that the
  majority of English Language Learners were born
  in the United States.
• Pork is prohibited for students who practice
  Islam. True or False?
• Answer True. Observant Muslims abstain from
  pork.
• Only a few of ESL families in the district are
  classified as refugees. True or False?
• Answer False. A significant portion of our
  families have been resettled here as refugees by
  various agencies.
• Some parents will nod their head in agreement
  even if they dont understand you. True or False?
• Answer True. Certain Asian cultures highly value
  group unity and cohesion, even if they dont
  literally understand.

3
Lets Continue!

• Time in universally viewed in all cultures.
• Answer False. Some cultures perceive time very
  differently. For example, Latin cultures may
  interpret time more fluidly, while American
  culture sees time as money and prizes
  promptness.
• On average, ESL students gain full English
  fluency in 1.5 years.
• Answer False. Research suggests that
  conversational English takes 2-3 years, and
  academic English can take up to ten years to
  achieve.
• If a child doesnt speak English right away, it
  suggests a greater problem.
• Answer False. A child may exhibit a silent
  period which may last for months. They may be
  nervous, shy, or continuing to adjust to American
  culture.

4
Four Focuses Of Discussion Today

• Burmese Students
• Muslim Students
• Somali Bantu Students
• Spanish Speaking Students

5
Burmese Speaking Students in PPS

• The families have spent up to twenty years living
  in refugee camps in Thailand. They had to wait
  for basic necessities, such as food and medicine,
  in often unsanitary conditions.
• The families were not allowed to leave the camps
  and work was sporadic.
• The families fled a military dictatorship and
  ethnic intimidation in Burma.
• The families speak Burmese, Karen, and various
  regional dialects.
• .

• Currently, the families live in the Greentree and
  Troy Hill neighborhoods
• Education was quite limited in the camps, and
  English was not widely spoken.
• Their first year in the district is 2007-2008.
  They have been placed here by various
  governmental and social agencies.

6
Cultural Info Muslim Students in PPS

• PPS has Muslim students from a variety of
  countries U.S.A., Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq,
  Uzbekistan, Turkey, etc.
• Practicing Muslims have a strict diet, and they
  abstain from pork and alcohol.
• Devout Muslims pray five times toward Mecca in
  Saudi Arabia.
• Muslim children may fast during daylight hours in
  the holy month of Ramadan.
• Modesty is an important virtue in Islam Girls
  may wear a hajib, or head covering.
• Two major branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia.

• How could this affect your interactions with a
  student and or family?
• Can you think of any specific examples?

7
Cultural Info Somali Bantu Students

• 12,000 have been resettled, or will soon to be
  settled, to the U.S.
• Arranged marriages with dowries are still common.
• Bantus are usually referred to by their first
  names.
• Formalized education was rare in the refugee
  camps.
• The majority of Somali Bantu practice Islam.
• Languages spoken include Swahili, Kaziguwa, and
  other tribal dialects
• 60 of all Somali Bantu refugees are under the
  age of 17 (National Somali Bantu Project).

• Diet includes traditional African foods, but also
  an American influence is creeping into their
  cuisine here.
• The community is making noteworthy strides here
  in Pittsburgh.
• Many of the families dont read Swahilli, or
  their languages are primarily spoken.
• The families primarily reside in Lawrenceville
  and Manchester.
• How could these factors affect your interactions
  with a student and or family?

8
Spanish Speakers in PPS

• The second largest language spoken in the
  district in 2007-2008.
• PPS has students from Mexico and across Latin
  America.
• Families have a wide range of backgrounds and
  experiences. Spanish speakers are not a
  monolithic group.
• Many families may have a hyphenated last name
  (Rodriguez-Hernandez). For our purposes,
  consistency is essential.
• Haptics (touching) and Proximics (personal space)
  may be different from country to country, but may
  be generally uncomfortable for Americans.
• Understanding of time and important paperwork is
  more relaxed.

• Parental literacy may vary from family to family
  and country to country.
• Parents understanding of their role in the
  childs education can be very different.
• Understanding of special education/needs may be
  quite different, especially for families from
  rural areas.
• Questions? Comments?

9
Questions About ESL?

• Tim McKay Jon Covel
• ESL Curriculum Supervisor ESL Curriculum Coach
• tmckay1_at_pghboe.net jcovel1_at_pghboe.net
• 412-622-3736 412-622-3736
• Room 217 BOE