English Immersion Yields Mixed Results

Students struggle, parents hopeful

Little Ral Lugo cut out letters of the alphabet from a sheet of paper, sounding out the consonants and vowels.

A year ago, Ral, 7, was beginning first grade and knew almost no English. He was part of the first class of students who enrolled under a new Arizona law that says some non-English speaking students cannot speak their native language in the classroom.

Like a lot of students who begin bilingual education, Raul has found the new method to be a struggle with mixed results.

Today, Ral speaks his adopted language and pronounces words with a slight Spanish accent. But his progress is not what administrators had hoped, and Ral is repeating first grade.

As the school year started last week, Maria Smalling, a first- grade teacher at Craycroft Elementary School, 5455 E. Littletown Road, worked with Ral for several minutes before she moved along to other students in her classroom.

Smalling looked out at 25 faces. Four of the 10 Spanish speakers in her class do not speak any English.

Smalling is a bilingual education teacher, but she does not teach bilingual education anymore. That’s because voters dismantled many of Arizona’s traditional bilingual programs when they approved an initiative in 2000 that changed the way children are taught English. It went into effect last school year.

Children who speak little or no English are placed in an English immersion program, though some can qualify for waivers to remain in more traditional bilingual classes.

At Craycroft, in the Sunnyside Unified School District, about 25 parents asked for waivers this year, but the children range from kindergarten to fifth grade. At least 20 students are needed per grade level to create a bilingual classroom, Principal Hans Schot said. That means children in all 23 classrooms at the South Side Craycroft Elementary are taught in English. “(Parents) figure this is a better way for their children to learn English, even though they support their children being bilingual. Usually, their child’s first language is Spanish,” Schot said.

Ral Rubalcaba, a construction foreman, did not ask for a waiver for his son Ral. Rubalcaba said he just wants his son to learn English and achieve in school. He wishes that for all of his children – Andres, 6, Stephanie, 5, and Suzette, 8 months.

“I just think (Ral’s) problem is that he does not pay attention very well. I had him tested because I thought he had an attention (deficit) problem. But he was fine,” said Rubalcaba, 33.

Rubalcaba said his son was retained because he was already academically behind when school ended last year. “He was below in all categories – reading, writing, vocabulary, everything. His first language is Spanish. All my kids speak Spanish first. Then they will learn English,” said Rubalcaba who feels comfortable conversing in both languages. His wife, Carmen, 25, can speak English and does so at her restaurant job. But she feels more comfortable speaking Spanish, Rubalcaba said.

“I think Ral does not take school seriously. He doesn’t see school as a place where he goes to learn. I think he just likes to goof around. I even tried to bribe him last year. I would tell him, ‘Ral, if you do your homework, I’ll take you to McDonald’s,’ ” recalled his father, laughing.

“I know he can learn. His brother is doing well. Andres did great last year. I think Ral may be immature. My mom said I was the same way,” Rubalcaba said.

Back in the classroom, Ral listened, did his work and answered correctly when his teacher called on him.

“It takes time for a student to learn English and be proficient. I was frustrated last year. I think bilingual education can help them,” Smalling said, explaining that children can learn concepts easier in their native tongue. “I did see progress in my students by the end of the year, and I did not have to retain any. But children all learn differently.”

“Children need a lot of support at home. I want to think positive,” she said. “I don’t think (Ral) would have been retained if he would have been in a bilingual class,” Smalling said.

Meanwhile, the brown-haired boy with black eyes diligently did his work sitting at his desk. “Rrrrr,” said Ral, sounding out the letter R. “Rocket,” he said. Ral smiled and told a story.

“With Legos you could do rocket ships. We were playing rockets and we pretended there were aliens.” Ral laughed. “Danny died. He the bad guy.”

Moments passed and then Ral said: “I think I have to do the bathroom. I’m going to get the pass.” The boy got up from his chair and went over to pick up the pass, then walked down the hall to the lavatory.

Smalling speaks Spanish only to clarify lessons for Spanish- speaking students so she doesn’t lose them, she said. Bilingual students in Smalling’s class also help Spanish-speakers who imitate them, or ask them questions about exercises.

An estimated 32 percent of the 562 pupils attending Craycroft are learning English – including new arrivals to the United States and those who are nearly proficient in speaking, reading and writing English. Of Craycroft’s 23 teachers, four teach bilingual education or have an English As A Second Language endorsement. School records estimate 72 percent of the students are Hispanic; 22 percent are white; 2 percent American Indian; 3 percent black; and 1 percent Asian.

Sunnyside has 20 schools and 14,500 students district wide. About 5,754 are not proficient in English, said Jean Favela, director of language acquisition and development department for the district. Favela said 2,930 are in English immersion, 1,200 in bilingual education classes, and 1,624 are mainstreamed into the regular classroom.

Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at 573-4195 or at [email protected].



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