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The Organization of Instruction in Migrant Education: Assistance for Children and Youth at Risk
Author(s) -
JOHNSON DONNA M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
tesol quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.737
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1545-7249
pISSN - 0039-8322
DOI - 10.2307/3586497
Subject(s) - psychology , sociology , pedagogy , developmental psychology , economic growth , political science , mathematics education , economics
The Migrant Education Program is a major provider of instructional services to students whose schooling has been interrupted and who need to learn English as a second language. As part of a statewide evaluation of the program, a study focusing on the organization of instruction and interactions among participants was conducted in 11 school districts in California. A range of qualitative and quantitative data‐collection and analysis methods was used. It was found that migrant supplementary instruction, focusing mainly on basic skills, was provided almost entirely by teacher aides. Migrant aides worked in the regular classroom in 68% of the instructional sessions observed and in a pullout setting in 32% of the sessions. Examination of the instructional context of migrant instruction revealed that when students were pulled out of the regular classroom for instruction, the regular teacher showed a very low level of awareness of the migrant students' activities or progress in the migrant program. Collaborative planning and strong administrative support for such planning were found to be critical features of high‐quality supplemental programs.