Why Mei Still Cannot Read and What Can Be Done

Abstract

Reading difficulty is often the result of a host of interacting factors, including cognitive, linguistic, psychological, social, emotional, physical, and educational, but educational factors are at the heart of many instances of low achievement in English learning. This study explores the educational factors that failed Mei, a 14‐year‐old sixth grader from China, in her attainment of proficiency in English in a U.S. public school. Four sources of data were collected: researcher's field notes, interview transcripts, textbooks used in class, and informal reading inventory test results. Analysis of the data revealed the following: (a) all of Mei's teachers expressed positive attitudes toward ESL students but said that they were not well prepared to teach ESL students; (b) Mei's teachers needed not only effective instructional methods but also age‐appropriate materials for Mei; (c) Mei was left out by both the state and local assessment and accountability systems; and (d) there was a lack of communication and collaboration among Mei's classroom teachers, her ESL teacher, and her parents. The article concludes with discussions on how schools can prevent ESL students like Mei from failing to learn.