I am currently teaching at Swainston Middle School in North Las Vegas. Our student population is very diverse, including English Language Learners (ELLs). During this time as a teacher, I have served students with different language needs. It has been my goal to engage ELL students in my lessons as every other student. It is my opinion that as teachers we are all language teachers. For this reason, ELLs should be provided with the support they need to develop their second language. ELLs present different challenges than native English speakers. ELLs are themselves quite diverse in their native language, literacy knowledge, and English development. For example, some ELL students can read and write fluently in their native language while others will enter the classroom with no prior literacy instruction. …show more content…
To accomplish this task, I have learned we should incorporate into our daily routine student- centered activities. This goes along with the Language Development Approach adopted by CCSD which is founded on the six principles of effective instruction. I believe every lesson plan should include activities that promote collaboration. When students collaborate they can become active in the learning process. Additionally, students when collaborating could practice their academic language. In an effort to teach literacy in my content area, I have promoted students interaction and discourse as learning strategies. I have experienced that learning is more effective for ELLs when they are given the opportunity to practice their academic language in the classroom. My goals as an instructor, has been to become a facilitator in the learning process and to implement teaching approaches that promote success in all content areas. I have concluded that students should learn the language, not about the
Because all students should have the right to an equal education, ELL’s should have equal access to the same resources that other students have. The whole school should be on board with welcoming, supporting, and making the ELL student’s transition easier (Rance-Roney, 34). Teachers can also make a global community classroom, by doing so, it will create a culture rich environment inviting ELL’s and educating their peers on other cultures. Teachers can also adopt a dual curriculum for the ELL students that support their second language development but also teaches them the required standards (Rance-Roney,
The struggles ELL students face within the education system may have been a bit different than blatant racism, but the core idea of poor quality assurance is rampant. Florida's own consent decree was created to help ensure the identification and processes for students in need of help with the language to better prepare ELL students for their schooling career. The struggles of course still remain as the students will need to overcome barriers of language in an environment where the teacher may or may not be ESOL endorsed. This of course is the major problem students will face in Florida, to teach in the state a teacher must have an ESOL endorsement within two years of getting their first student of another language (FDOE, 2017, p. 24). While teachers of English or language arts have to have training within their degree, teachers of science, math, social studies, and other secondary classes do not, and are only required to seek the training you once a student classified as an ELL is placed into their class.
“The FL Consent Decree provides a structure for compliance with all the jurisprudence ensuring the rights of ELL students in Florida and equality in educational opportunities as afforded to all native-English-speaking students” (20). Non-native English speakers allow a sense of diversity in the classrooms. Diversity drives innovations, and creativity and builds on communities. The reality of community and diversity in a school environment entails that one must keep an open-mind and be willing to cooperate with others- specifically those having difficulty communicating with other students and educators because of the language barrier- and also to expand their insights on a broader scale from others indifferent to themselves rather than what they are used to encountering every day, in order to become more worldly. I completely agree with the programs that LEP students are entitled to in addition to ESOL, as they are provided to ensure equality in educational opportunities.
In this article, a serious observation was conducted to see if there is indeed an association and similarities between ELL students and LD students. The findings presented that in as much as determination of ELLs with LD is quite complicated and not as easy as the system would have wanted it to be, the sustainability of the available programs to service the demands of these populations is in need of a push to address the increasing number of ELL students that are identified to be having LD needs. Chu, S.Y., & Flores, S. (2011). Assessment of English language learners with disabilities Department of Early Childhood Education and the Department of Special Education.
The following discussion details my individual thoughts and perspectives regarding language learning, mainstreaming ELL students, and counting ELL students in standardized testing. Based on my personal experience of attempting to learn a second language, in addition to information shared with me by teachers at SVSD, I think learning a language is difficult. I took Spanish for five years during my secondary studies and minored in Spanish at Gannon University.
Though there is a low percentage of ELLs in this district, there is a strong importance placed on the district’s ELL program. The district views their ELL program as a way to enhance the general education classroom experience for their students. The district has a positive view of their ELLs, stating on their website, “We value the native language, culture, and background knowledge of each of our students” (Sycamore Community School District #427, 2017). The district does not seem to have a specific definition for what defines an ELL in their district. When we asked the ESL director how the district defines English language learners, he just told us that an ELL in the district is any student who qualifies for services.
I observed the ELL class on Friday October 11th, 2015. The observation was done at Strawberry Point School in the Mill Valley District for 30 minutes with three English Learners from Kindergarten, which one child is Danish and two children are Koreans. I spoke with Monica who is the person responsible for the ELL program at this school. • What placement options are available to ELLs in the district?
Hello. Your post talks about the importance of communication between the ELL (English Language Learner) student and their teacher, and how communicating with pre-production and early production student can be challenging. I agree with you, finding appropriate leaning material is essential to helping ELL aquire English as well as stay interested in learning class content. I believe the most challenging aspect of an ELL teacher is helping students become proficient in English, while teaching the student grade level content.
It is a hard journey for both the students, families, and the teachers. But, their journey is not taken alone since there are about 5 million English language learners in the United State. ELL, or English
When I first started teaching, it was exciting. I loved education and working with young people. I was very idealistic and as corny as it may sound, I thought in my own way I was changing the world. Through the years, my initial excitement turned to stress and anxiety.
Indicator 1: Instruction training on techniques Despite a variety of trainings, in-service sessions, and other communication, evaluations of teachers performance by academic and campus leadership the current state indicates that only approximately 40% of teachers (Table 1) involved in direct instruction of ESL students are actively and consistently applying techniques related to differential instruction, hands on learning, adapting text and interactive learning in their lessons. Ideally, in the desired state at least 85% of teachers should be using these techniques regularly. The techniques that are mentioned are SIOP training, how to write content/language objectives, how to modify instruction to ESL level, involve more students in discussion that can increase student performances.
I chose to read Chapter 14 “English Language Learners in the Secondary Classroom” from Adolescent Literacy, Field Tested: Effective Solutions for Every Classroom. I chose to discuss ELLs in the Secondary Classroom because it seems that these students struggle the most in my school district. Additionally, it seems that this student demographic has the least amount of instructional support in my school district. Parris, Fisher, and Headley (2009) note that “among the best practices in teaching ELLs that the National Council of Teachers of English identified (2006), there is one overarching approach – teaching language through content” (p. 170). Parris, Fisher, and Headley add “there are three key practices that contribute to accelerating language
Be reasonable is always a key to improvement, once you understand that this is your first year and things aren't going to be perfect it will put you in the mind set and cause less stress upon on you as a teacher. We are not perfect and we don't live in perfect world and there is always room for improvement. Reflect is a great way to sit and think about how you can become a better teacher a better you and different ways you can try and help the kids understand and know the many ways to learn. We are in the classroom for students and that's why teachers are important as you never want to be the teacher who doesn't know what she is doing. Organize Your life is a very important key .
The influx of immigrants into the United States has resulted in the growing increase of ESL students into the classroom. Odds are good that most teachers will encounter one or more ESL students during their teaching career. These students vary in English language acquisition and cultural assimilation. It is imperative for teachers to understand their role and be equipped with tools for their ESL students of all levels to survive in a regular classroom.
For me teaching is a family affair. My mother, mother in-law, multiple aunts and uncles, are all teachers. This is the exact reason why I did not originally pursue teaching as my career. I wanted to “break the mold” and do something different than what was expected. After obtaining my degree, working in the business field for nearly 5 years and starting a family , I have changed my tune quite a bit.