セントクリストファー（SCIPS）では、国語の時間、英語のヘルプが必要な子供を数人別室に集めて、基礎を教えるESLというクラスがある。アラタは入学以来、2学期間そこに通った。その上家庭教師をつけたら速く追いつくと言う担任の提案で、2月からジューン先生が補習をしている。お蔭様で、１学期間終了時点で既に、教室に貼られた子供達のエッセーを比べても、最低ラインは脱出していると感じた。子供の上達は速い。
ところが学年末レポートには、２年生になってもESLを続けるようにというコメント。さすがの私も「えーーーー、それはないでしょう。」思わず、ESLの先生、そして、低学年責任者にも説明を求めに行ってしまった。
アラタは相変わらず「話さない」からESLが必用だということ。未だに、アラタが英語を理解してるのかどうかがわからないらしい。
ここまで来ると、先生が子供を全然みていないって事にならないのかなあ。また、学校にとってESLはビジネスだから、一定人数確保したいのかもしれない。ESL代として別途500リンギ徴収される。（それを請求書が来るまで知らされなかった。）必要性を感じないのに、家庭教師もESLも出費があると困る。
2年生になって担任も代わるので、その時にもう一度話しあうことになった。私達は、いい加減に、ESLで過ごすより、通常のクラスにいた方がアラタの英語の為だと思う。
さて、先週から通っている日本人学校。ここでもレベル分けしたESLクラスがある。初ESLを終えて帰って来たアラタ、「一番下のクラスだった」と言う。「えーーーーーーーーー？」
本人曰く、簡単な質問されても黙っているから最下位クラス。うーん、英語でエッセー書いてるし、本も読むのに、どういうことでしょう。
よっぽど日本人学校の子供達は英語ができるのか。しゃべらないと、できないと思われてしまうってことか。それとも、実は、本当に英語が全然わかってない？
日本人学校ですらこうなんだから、SCIPSで英語できないと思われても仕方がない。母として、今後のアラタの人生がちょっと心配。ある程度自己主張しないと人生損する。
Arata has been going to ESL class at SCIPS since he joined there in January. Ms Simirt suggested us to hire a tutor to speed up his progress. Thanks for all the efforts, Arata seemed to have been out of the bottom line by the end of the April. We could see that comparing his essay to those of other children. Children are really first-learners.
To our surprise, in his school reports, Arata's teacher commented that he still needed ESL help for the next term. I was quite surprised to see and went to have a talk with his ESL teacher and the head of the infant.
According to them, they feel Arata still needs the ESL help as he doesn't talk much and it's neceasary for year 2 what teachers are saying to understand the studies.
For me, it's just a case that teachers at SCIPS don't pay attentions to children well. Arata DOES understand English, he is just quiet. Or I also suspect that the school needs to have the certain number of children for ESLs as it's part of their extra income. We are charged an extra 500RM, which we hadn't been told till we saw the bill.
Anyway, we've agreed that we would talk about it again in September with Arata's new class teacher. Jason and I believe Arata will get more benefits from staying in the class rather than being taken out and sitting in ESL class.
As I wrote, Arata's been to the Japanese School since last Thursday. At Japanese School, they also have ESL classes, twice a week. They divide the children in 3 small groups based on their level of English. When Arata came home after the first ESL lesson, he announced me that he was in the lowest level class. Again I was so shocked!
Arata said that he didn't answer to the simple questions when his ESL teachers tried to assess his level. Arata writes essays in English and can read books well. I was so puzzled. The children at Japanese School are all excellent in English? Or if you don't speak, you are just labelled you are not good? Or Arata's English is really bad??
If he is treated like that even at Japanese school, it's understandable that they think Arata doesn't understand English at SCIPS. I'm a bit worried about his future if he keeps behaving like this... He needs to learn to express himself in front of other people a little bit more, he would lose lots of chances in his life, otherwise.
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