• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts

The Educators Room logo

  • Start Here
    • Impact Statements: Teacher Expertise
    • Newsletter
  • Browse Topics
    • Content Strategies
      • Literacy
      • Mathematics
      • Social Studies
      • Educational Technology
      • ELL & ESOL
      • Fine Arts
      • Special Education
      • Popular Topics
        • Teacher Self-Care
        • Instructional Coach Files
        • Common Core
        • The Traveling Teacher
        • The Unemployed Teacher
        • The New Teacher Chronicles
        • Book Review
        • Grade Levels
          • Elementary (K-5)
          • Middle (6-8)
          • Adult
          • New Teacher Bootcamp
          • Hot Button Topics
            • Menu Item
              • Principals' Corner
              • Charter Schools
              • Confessions of a Teacher
              • Interviews
              • The State of Education
              • Stellar Educator of the Week
            • Menu
              • How to Fix Education
              • Featured
              • Ask a Teacher
              • Teacher Branding
              • Current Events
  • Podcasts
  • Courses
    • Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout- An 8 Week Course
    • Becoming An Educational Consultant
    • Teacher Branding 101:Teachers are The Experts
    • The Learning Academy
    • Books
    • Shirts
  • Education in Atlanta
  • Teacher Self-Care
  • The Coach's Academy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts
×

December 26, 2013 Instruction & Curriculum

Push In Versus Pull Out Strategies for English Language Learners (ELL)

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Claire McMahon

"Knowledge indeed is a desirable, a lovely possession." Thomas Jefferson
  • Why I Say “Yes” to Santa - December 9, 2014
  • Should I Stay or Should I Go? - July 16, 2014
  • Demo Lesson Tips - May 28, 2014
  • Changes that Need to be Made in ESL - March 6, 2014
  • Olympic Lessons - February 13, 2014
  • Myths About Snow Days - February 6, 2014
  • He Said What?! Funny things our kids say... - January 30, 2014
  • The Dawn of a New Era in New York City Schools - January 22, 2014
  • Push In Versus Pull Out Strategies for English Language Learners (ELL) - December 26, 2013
  • Project Based Learning: Giving Up Control - October 29, 2013

Push in vs. pull outEnglish language learners can be found in almost every public school across America. There are many different programs and models for these students to learn and acquire their new language of instruction. If there is a freestanding ESL (English as a second language) program at the school, then the English teacher has implemented either push-in, pull-out, or even a combination of the two. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. In my years of teaching, I've used both models and have seen first hand the effects each can have on the students.

Push-in is when the English teacher comes into the general education classroom and aids the English language learners (ELLs). There are some general education teachers that absolutely welcome another teacher into the room and see it as a positive experience. Other teachers don’t view push in as such a positive instructional strategy. Instead, they see it as intrusive and would prefer the classroom to themselves. How the classroom teacher feels can change the entire tone of the push-in period. If the ESL teacher is viewed as a valuable resource that is there to help the children, it can be a very productive period. If the ESL teacher is viewed as a paraprofessional that is secondary to the classroom teacher, then friction between the two teachers can occur and the students are the ones that are being hurt. There needs to be a mutual respect between the teacher for push-in to be the model of choice.

There is also very little time to co-plan when using the push-in model. Often it works out that the ESL teacher is walking in blind. It’s impossible for a service provider such as an ESL teacher to have the same common prep as every grade level. This lack of available planning time can make push-in less effective than it could be.

Personally, I don’t see push-in as the best option available for newcomer and beginner students that have recently arrived in the country. The ESL teacher is able to focus on basic language skills in the pull-out setting that is not an option during in-class instruction. Advanced students can benefit greatly from push-in as the ESL teacher can provide differentiated instruction during class time.          

Pull-out requires that students miss class time. ESL teachers using this model often hear about it from the classroom teacher. There can be complaints about the students missing anything from a literacy period or a test. The classroom teacher needs to remember that the ESL teacher can only be so flexible. When there are so many students with varying needs it can be hard to switch a student into another group at a moment’s notice. The groups are done according to language level and it does not make sense to switch a newcomer into an advanced level group, or vice versa, in order to accommodate the classroom teacher in that moment. There are also mandated minutes for the ELLs that vary according to the state. In New York the minutes vary by language level; beginner and intermediate students receive 360 minutes a week and advanced students receive 180 minutes. Getting those minutes into one week can be daunting. This is also a lot of class time to miss.

The pull-out method allows the students to receive more individualized attention in small groups. The ESL teacher arranges the groups according to language level so that he or she may provide the appropriate amount of rigor in each lesson. The newcomer students may work on everyday vocabulary and phonics, while the more advanced students work on grade level appropriate strategies and skills. Though the students miss class time, the ESL teacher is able to provide more intense, individualized attention with a language focus. There is also no need for co-planning. The ESL teacher provides support that aligns to the state curriculum, but does not work directly with the classroom teacher. Even then communication between the two teachers is key for student success.

No matter what the model used at your school, if you are the classroom teacher please be mindful of what the ESL teacher is trying to accomplish with the ELL students and be willing to work with them for the benefit of the students. Now what has been your experience with the pull out and push in method with ELL students?

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailESL Students and State Testing World Language: 5 Ways to get your Students Talking Teachers Observing Teachers - A Closer Look Close and Critical Reading: So What?
« Teacher Branding 101: Teacher Brainwashing Has to Stop
The Exhaustion of the American Teacher »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Caroline Heywood says

    June 16, 2016 at 5:07 am

    I would only add, that, theoretically anyway, any method has the ability to work as long as adults are on the same page. Children are quite sensitive, as you imply, so if they pick up on the fact that adults are not working together, they react to that and the good intention may well be lost, to some extent. I think it's very easy for us to get lost in our 'ideal' way of doing things. Kids on the whole need to know that we like being with them, regardless of the finer points of educational theory.

    Reply
  2. Marie Cromwell says

    June 26, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    We need to embrace the idea that push-in/pull-out does not have comply with a geographic notion: as long as we are "pushing in" to the same curriculum the classroom is engaged in, we can engage in excellent instruction and learning in a small group setting outside of the classroom. As a paraprofessional, I find that principals think we need someone looking over our shoulders at all times--we simply cannot be trusted without someone watching our every move. It is demeaning and ridiculous.

    Reply
  3. Maria Lee says

    November 13, 2022 at 10:39 am

    My experience as ESL teacher is what you have described in the post: lack of time for planning, no vision from the school district, etc. it just felt like chaos every day.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

The Educator's Room was launched in 2012 to amplify the voice of educators. To date, we have over 45+ writers from around the world and boast over twelve million page views. Through articles, events, and social media we will advocate for honest dialogue with teachers about how to improve public education. This mission is especially important when reporting on education in our community; therefore, we commit our readers to integrity, accuracy, and independence in education reporting. To join our mailing list, click here.

What we do

At The Educator's Room, we focus on amplifying and honoring the voice of educators as experts in education. To date, we have over 40 staff writers/teachers from around the world.

Popular Posts

  • My Union Showed Up for Me, and I'll Never Forget It
  • Your Students Deserve a Diverse Classroom Library. Here's How to Set It Up.
  • You Don't Have to Watch the Tyre Nichols Video, But Be Ready to Talk About It
  • "Let's Make This Happen": Following Student Interests to Interest-Based Mentorships

Featured On

Buy Our Books/Courses

How to Leave Your Job in Education

Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout

Using Your Teacher Expertise to Become an Educational Consultant

Check out our books on teaching and learning!

The Learning Academy

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

 

Copyright © 2021 The Educator's Room.