An Island of English: Teaching ESL in Chinatown

by Danling Fu

Newly arrived Chinese immigrant students face the hardest imaginable situation in the most often, this is the only place where they can listen to and practice English, having little if any opportunity to do so at home. The burden is then on the teacher to further these students' English education and at the same time create a classroom environment that appreciates and respects their culture and language. Danling Fu has experienced these difficulties firsthand as a teacher, as a student, and as a parent. In An Island of English , she brings together her extensive research in New York's Chinatown, where she worked as a literacy consultant at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Middle School, her personal story as an immigrant, and the stories of her son as an immigrant student. She extends her findings to other immigrant populations and applies her keen research talents to devise practical recommendations for educators and policymakers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2003

Reviews

[Josh Fish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about the practicalities of teaching ESL.

[Hannah Marie. Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book covers the personal experiences of a teacher observing classrooms in Chinatown. The author delves into the education and cultural practices in the school. Near the end she presents examples of work, comparing students who use only English and those who are encouraged to use as much English as possible. These documents might be my favorite part! There is such a difference in quality! I would like to remember this book when I again start helping students practice literacy.

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for guiding how to teach English to students who come from the same native language background.