English Language Development (ELD) is one of the classes offered through M-A’s English Language Learners (ELL) program. ELD is a double-period English class that counts as an elective and aims to help non-native speakers develop English proficiency while adjusting to the school environment.
Lisa Otsuka, one of M-A’s two ELD teachers, teaches ELD during first and second period. Her class focuses on building writing, speaking, and listening skills through journals, essays, and interactive activities like cooking. Otsuka emphasizes a playful and friendly environment in order to improve language skills and foster a small community.
Otsuka began teaching ELD after earning her bilingual teaching credential in 1991. She taught for 10 years at Ravenswood High School in East Palo Alto before moving to M-A.
“Ms. Otsuka is very creative, and we play games especially on Wednesdays,” an anonymous student said.
Over the years, Otsuka has taught many from various language backgrounds. “I’ve had Mandarin, Tongan, Samoan, Spanish, [and] Russian last year. So it varies, but this year I have all Spanish,” she said. Even though ELD students speak a great range of languages, the class is taught almost entirely in English to encourage English proficiency. “When it’s Spanish it’s a little easier, because I speak Spanish, but most of the work we’re doing is in English, and we’re trying to encourage vocabulary in English,” Otsuka explained.
Otsuka’s favorite part of teaching the class is the community it creates. “I love teaching the class. The class is very much like a family. It’s like a community, because this is the one class where everyone kind of is together and knows each other, and everyone is going through the same experience,” she said. “There’s definitely a nice feel to the class that people kind of care for each other.”
Her students feel the same way. “I like the people because they are good people, and I love this class,” an anonymous student said.
“My favorite part of the program is that I can learn more and I can practice my English to study for my career,” an anonymous student said.
“I would say [the program is] good because we can learn a lot of [the] language and we can learn to gain the ability to communicate with people,” another anonymous student said.
M-A’s second ELD teacher, JP Nelson, explained that the program fulfills California requirements for supporting newly arrived students. “The law of the state of California is that students need to be instructed in English when they arrive. So, the English learners program provides students instruction in English,” he said.
Nelson started teaching ELD because he speaks both English and Spanish fluently. “I know how to teach languages to people who don’t know how to speak them yet. Because I can speak Spanish, it’s easy to communicate with the students in their native language,” Nelson said.
Nelson’s classes include various interactive activities to build students’ English skills, including scripted conversations, debates, and presentations.
Nelson believes that while the school does a relatively good job at assisting English learners, the broader student body could do more. “[M-A does] a pretty good job of supporting students who don’t have English as their first language. I think that there are a lot of opportunities where the student body can support them, but the school does a pretty good job,” he said.
Nelson urged students interested in helping to get involved with the ELD program, particularly through his lunchtime Intercambio program.
