A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Instructional Methods Used With English Language Learners

Abstract

This research study explored the pull-out and push-in methods of English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction at one elementary school in southeastern Wisconsin, comparing two groups of students over a two-year period. The first group was of 16 students who received only pull-out instruction, the second group was of 17 students who received solely the push-in method of ESL instruction. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that both methods of ESL instruction will be equally effective with English Language Learners (ELLs). The investigator analyzed data from the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS) test, which is an English language proficiency test. This test is given to students annually. The ACCESS test was examined to determine which method of instruction was more effective. A series of two-sample t-tests was used to determine if significant differences existed between the 16 pull-out and 17 push-in students. Also a series of paired t-tests were done to see if students had growth within one method of instruction and if one was more effective than the other. With the exception of the kindergarten pull-out students on the composite and reading score, there were no statistically significant differences (p < .1 0). These results indicate that the majority of students in the pull-out and push-in program had no significant difference in growth, except for kindergarten pull-out students. When it came to comparing which group had more growth, the results showed that there was a significant increase in growth within both groups of students. However, no one group had more growth than the other.