Entry 4
This class has greatly helped me in being able to understand
the process of second language acquisition. I was able to clearly see the different
areas where students may struggle at times, and where it can help to take an
extra minute to aide your students in the process of language acquisition. Not all
students learn the same way, and this class has helped me to see that that also
applies to language acquisition capabilities. If you are not able to cater to
individual student needs, it is more likely that they will struggle. You have
to be able to understand that all students learn in different ways and that is
a huge part of the process.
This class currently has and will in the future impact my
professional practices because I am much more aware of the different components
of what comes into play in what it takes to learn a second language. When using
specific academic language, such as words like persuade, synthesize, evaluate,
classify, and analyze (Wright, 2015, p.42), I will be able to find ways to make
these more understandable to English language learners. These are more difficult
words for students to be able to process, and that is an important first step
in being able to help them with their language development. Being able to make
these more regularly used words, rather than simplifying them, will aide in the
student’s language acquisition. Another thing that I noticed that was touched on
in the book and that I found super informative was the role of the teacher in
the classroom (Wright, 2015, p.29). It is important to not only take the role
of the educator, but also the role of the facilitator.
The content in this course was thoroughly investigated and
allowed me to see all of the different aspects of being able to teach an English
language learner. Allowing the students to work and grow on their own is
important, and you have to be able to allow them to take on that role. That way,
the students will be able to take control of their own learning and have a
sense of control in the classroom.
This class has impacted my teaching philosophy because I have
seen how important it is to be able to allow the students have a role in their
own education. I have always believed that it is important to allow your
students to play a prominent role in their education, but this class opened my
eyes to the fact that as students, they truly have to be able to understand why
they are doing what they are doing and how they are doing it. The process is
the most important part of how the student is learning, and if they are unable
to understand the process then they most likely will not retain the
information. This hugely comes into play with language acquisition because if
they do not understand the ways that English, or any second language, is
different than their first language, and the different ways that make it
special. This class has also opened my eyes to the fact that all students learn
differently and at their own pace. It is not your place to force the information
at them, but instead to allow them to explore the material and allow them to
understand it in the way that best suits them.
Hey Noor!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog and we have similar views on multiple topics! One thing that caught my attention from your blog was that teachers should allow students time to understand and comprehend the new language. This goes hand in hand with the fact that each child learns in different ways at different times. This reminds me of when Wright (2015) discussed that teachers must “adapt the methods and approaches use to the realities of classroom” (p.64). Forcing content or pushing students to comprehend a second language will not only disrupt the child’s learning but will also not create a safe and comfortable learning environment. I am glad that you believe that the best way to teach ELLs is to allow them to explore the content and learn it in a way that will benefit them the most.
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Kani! I think it is great that we have similar viewpoints on topics that we reflected on from throughout this course. I agree that it goes with the idea that different kids learn in different ways, and that is a huge part of student learning. I also agree with you that English language learners learn time to actually learn the material and not have it all pushed on them at once. I cannot wait to see the different ways we are able to implement these ideas in our future classrooms!
DeleteHello Noor! I enjoyed reading your last entry and agreed with you on many things. This class also showed me areas where ELL students may struggle the most, and what I can do to help them succeed. I also agree that students all learn in different ways and we as educators need to cater to that. Wright says it’s important for teachers to understand the students cultural background and how their culture influences their learning (Wright, 2015, p. 17). Without that knowledge, then we wouldn’t be doing what is best for the student and their education could suffer because of it. We need to learn more about the students in order to create better lessons and give them a better education.
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Zoe! I like that you agreed with me on various points that I made throughout my reflection. I also think that it is great that this course has allowed you to see the different ways that students learn and the ways that we as educators can cater to that and help them grow. Being able to know and understand students background and culture can positively influence the way that you interact and teach them.
DeleteNoor you brought up a great point about complex language. Sometimes complex language can make learning an L2 seem even more difficult. However content-area language, especially in my subject area of math, can be broached the in the way that you explained by simplifying complex verbiage with simply put descriptions. According to Wright (2015), preview-review is a form of primary language support that can utilize a student’s zone of proximal development to make difficult vocabulary more commonplace in the classroom, removing some linguistic barriers for ELLs. This is done by previewing and reviewing a lesson to be taught in English in the ELLs’ home language.
ReplyDeleteWright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing.
Hi Audrey! I agree that sometimes content-area language can be broached using simplified language in order to provide descriptions to the material. I also think that in an ESL or bilingual class, it would benefit the student to provide a translation of the word in order for them to have a clearer understanding of what they are doing. I am interested to know the different ways that you plan to implement strategies like this in your own future classroom.
DeleteHi Noor!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that this class has helped us see the different ways that students may struggle with especially with acquiring a second language. We are now able to understand and see why teachers differentiate their lessons to accommodate to students needs. You also mentioned how it’s important to know about the role of the teacher in the classroom. This is true because teachers often forget their abilities and how they can affect these students. When it comes to identifying these students, it’s up to the teacher on how to acknowledge them. Wright states, “ the ways educators choose to view their ELLs affect the ways they organize teaching and learning in their classes and the ways administrators structure programs in their schools and districts” (2015, pg. 2). This means that teachers have the role to make decisions that control the outcome of these students, which gives these educators a lot of power. As future educators we must realize this and use this ability to make positive outcomes for these students.
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing.
Hello Nicole,
DeleteI never realized how much power an educator has in the classroom but specifically in the lives of English language learners. I think it is so important that you stated that often times teachers forget their abilities and how they can affect their students. The way teachers view their students and their potential as English speaking students affects how those students see themselves and their language acquisition process. It is our responsibility to take the power we have as educators and use it for good and growth of each of our students. Good luck in teaching! :)
Hi Nicole! Thanks for your insights. I like how you mentioned that we now know how to differentiate instruction based on individual student needs, because it is so true. Based on the information we gained in this class, we can now better cater to our students by creating guided reading groups, etc. on different facts that come into our student’s academic abilities. I agree that it is up to the teacher to be able to identify the students and how to acknowledge the different needs that they have in order to better their student success.
DeleteHello Noor,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your experience in this course and being so transparent. The first thing that stood out to me in your reflection is when you said all children learn differently. Often times, educators neglect that fact and try to use the same standard method to teach but they miss so many students, especially their English language learners. The teacher in the classroom takes the role as the facilitator of the children’s’ learning and it is key that they are well equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to support their ELLs. Without truly knowing our English language learners, like the length of time they’ve been in the U.S., the number of siblings they have, their parents educational history and their proficiency in English- we lack the ability to empathize and begin to understand our students (Wright, 2015, p. 19). I too shared that children learn at their own pace and it is not our job as educators to rush their process, but we are to facilitate and support their unique learning. Good luck in teaching! ☺
Hi Asmara! I like that the fact that all students learn differently stood out to you. It is so important to be able to recognize that no two students are the same, and there are many different ways for their abilities to come into play in the classroom. it is also important to note the individual student backgrounds, and that is a huge part of personalizing student learning. I think it is great that you also believe that as educators, it is not always our job to just teach but also to facilitate learning in a meaningful way.
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