Holly's two cents worth:

re: "What is troubling to me is a recent trend I am witnessing and that is
in ESL programs, many schools want bilingual teachers."

As an adult ESOL educator, and from personal experience, I offer this:  I
took 5 years of French in high school.  In my early 40s I returned to
complete an undergraduate degree (double major Education and English, with a
minor in Linguistics) and have been on a nonstop intensive professional
development trail since then.  Several years ago I realized that adult
education was for me, and ESOL the niche that keeps me happy.  After three
years of adult ESOL teaching, however, despite all the PD I'd immersed
myself in -- I knew I was not the teacher I should be, and would never be,
without a firsthand language and cultural immersion experience.  So, at age
50 I lived for a year in South Korea, learned Korean, experienced culture
shock and the headaches of learning to live in another language.  It was
wonderful!  I remain convinced that I am a (much) better instructor because
of it.  And I definitely teach students from many other first languages
besides Korean.

I felt inept on too many levels without this experience.  I am an advocate
for, whenever possible, hiring ESOL educators who have 'lived' in another
culture with another language.

I agree that bilingualism in and of itself is not a guaranteed 'better
qualified' moniker -- and especially agree that one does not need to speak a
learner's native language to meaningfully guide that learner in learning
English.   But do agree there *can be advantages!*
great discussion,
Holly

On Mon, Dec 1, 2008 at 7:09 AM, <heehee0617 at aol.com> wrote:


> I too have my MS in TESOL and took a course in the frameworks of different

> languages as well as acquiring first and second languages.  However, I think

> as all professionals do when they want to better their learning for their

> students, they research on their own.  I constantly try to find out the

> linguistic structure and the culture of any new student group I come

> across.  As teachers, we must model what we teach - that learning never

> ends.  It is impossible to be taught all the different dialectical

> structures in any language; hence, in my opinion, it is our job to research

> it on our own when encountered with a dialect or language with which we are

> unfamiliar.  What is troubling to me is a recent trend I am witnessing and

> that is in ESL programs, many schools want bilingual teachers.  I can

> understand if it were dual language programs; however, I think many people

> are under this misconception that in order to teach English as a Second

> Langu age, you have to speak the language of your students.  This is an

> unfair bias.

>

> Alison Cochrane

> Queenborough Community College

> ESL Instructor

> New York, NY

> --

> Holly (Dilatush)

> ESOL Coordinator/Facilitator/Instructor

> ABA Virtual Learning Center

> Charlottesville, VA USA

> holly at dilatush.com

> (434) 960.7177 cell phone

> (434) 295.9716 home phone

> [OK to call 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST / GMT -5 time]

>

> "Live with intention. Share inside~out smiles, inspire hope, seek awe and

> nurture in nature."  (original by Holly)

>

> Plan to attend TESOL 2009!   http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/convention2009/

>

> My presentation: Exploring Intercultural Communication and Conflict

> Resolution Through Drama; Reflecting Online:

> 3/28/2009 at 12:30 PM in room 603 at the Colorado Convention Center.

>

> http://tales-around-the-world.blogspot.com

> http://abavirtual-learningcenter.org

> http://blogblossoms.edublogs.org

> *Twitter and Skype IDs = smilin7

>

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