ESL+Learner+with+Attendance+Problems

==Miguel is an ESL who does not understand why he needs to learn about science. A common comment in class is “Why do I have to learn this? How will it help me support my family?” Recently he has been absent more and more, and when in class, Miguel is often disruptive. To reduce the disruptive behavior Miguel was moved to the front of the class and his behavior improved. However, now he is dozing off during instruction time.== ==Miguel is one of six children in his family and often works with his family on the nearby farms. While he was successful as an elementary student, as he has matured, his responsibilities as a family member have grown, leaving little time for school work. What free-time Miguel has, he spends hanging out with friends at the local arcade. Miguel’s parents have limited English that prevents them from offering assistance with academics at home. Miguel was only one of many students falling through the cracks and if Ms. Johnson was not able to engage Miguel now, he was likely to be a school drop-out statistic.==

Adapted from Loper, T. (n.d.) Utah Students at Risk, Online Staff Development Academy, General Curricula, ESL, ESL Case Studies, Case Study 7 (Virgil). Retrieved June 21, 2008 from http://departments.weber.edu/teachall/eslCases/eslcss.html