A group of UFT members who worked together to review the recent state changes to English language learner instruction presented their preliminary recommendations on March 30 to key state and city officials including new Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa.

“We’re here because this is all about the kids and how to make these regulations better,” said Miriam Quiles, an English as a new language (ENL) teacher at PS 160 in Borough Park.

The 30 teachers in the UFT’s English language learner working group have volunteered their time since October to study the changes to Commissioner’s Regulation Part 154 — the state law that governs the standards for educational services provided to English language learners.

“We understand that these regulations have the potential to reflect what the needs are, but children were not getting the services they needed and something needed to be done,” said UFT Vice President for Education Evelyn DeJesus, who created the working group, at the gathering at UFT headquarters on March 30.

A major area of concern for the working group was the regulation requiring more English language learners to be educated in integrated, as opposed to stand-alone, classroom settings.

Members of the group felt strongly that all English language learners should still receive stand-alone English as a new language classes. In particular, they noted that the needs of English language learners with little or no English could not be met in integrated ELA classes.

Working-group members also noted that some principals are unwilling or unable to put two teachers in a classroom and that there are not currently enough licensed ENL teachers in many schools for the integrated model to be practical.

The group also recommended that common planning time be mandated for co-teachers and that schools offer professional development on common planning.

“Integrated teaching is a beautiful model and could be done beautifully,” said Mildred Rios, an early childhood ENL teacher at PS 19 on Staten Island. “But common planning time is essential, and there is no mandated common planning time.”

Another source of frustration for the working group was the regulation limiting the maximum allowable grade span for grouping instruction to two grades.

“This provision is effectively doubling the number of stand-alone classes required, which is impractical,” said Jerry Stephens, an ENL teacher at Richmond Hill HS in Queens. “This is the most common compliance issue in schools.”

The working group recommended rescinding that grade-span restriction. In all, it called for 10 specific changes to the Part 154 regulation.

Chancellor Rosa praised the group for its efforts, noting that services for English language learners were sorely neglected under Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg.

“We’re looking at regulations that have sat for many years in a vacuum,” Rosa said. “How do we now take ownership of our profession and bring it to the next level?”