Hi everyone and welcome to my blog! My name is Mackenzie Smith and I am a senior at the University of Houston.
According to Wright, “an English language learner (ELL) is a student who is in the process of attaining proficiency in English as a new, additional language” (Wright, 2010, p.1). I believe that ELLs typically have a hard time transitioning into learning a new language, going to school, making friends, and keeping their grades up. I feel that it is important to remind yourself of this when you have an ELL student in your classroom. It is important to make them feel safe inside of your classroom so that way you are able to let them grow to their fullest potential.
I am nervous to have ELLs in my classroom because I do not want to fail them in my teaching. “The ways educators choose to view their ELLs affects the ways they organize teaching and learning in their classes and the ways administrators structure programs in their schools and districts” (Wright, 2010, p.2). As long as I stay up to date and involved in my ELL students’ lives, I feel that is one way that I can help them to be better in their new language. As a teacher, doing research and finding out what ways your students learn in is a part of your job. I feel that this is one of the most important tasks of our jobs. Making sure that they are able to learn a new language in your classroom with your help and support is the main goal.
Even though it is a scary thought to have an ELL in my classroom, I know eventually it will happen one day and I can’t wait to accept the challenge and help that student grow to their fullest potential.
Hi Mackenzie!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand where your fear can come from in teaching ELL's. It can be a scary place to be in because we want to help them be as successful as we can, but it can be hard with having a language barrier. I think that as educators, there is a lot we can do for our ELLs. Wright (2015) mentions that we should become familiar with the students' backgrounds. We should know what their home language is, their family's country of origin, and anything else to help us connect with our students. This also goes for our students who are not ELLs. We should connect with all of our students on this personal level so that we can better understand their beliefs, how they think, and possibly help explain why students do some of the things they do. I do love the idea of having your items in your classroom labeled, in my student teaching placement, this is the second semester that we have gotten classes with a lot of ELLs so there are many accommodations that we have to make in order to help these students succeed.
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition
Hey Mackenzie, I know it can be a little nerve wrecking to begin teaching, but I am sure that you will be just fine no matter who you have in your classroom. Especially since you are currently inside of the schools, you can get a better idea of what to expect and how to effectively reach each student. Just as Wright (2015) explains, “the more the teacher knows about a student’s experiences, the more he or she can assume about the expertise that student is likely to have” (p. 17). As you learn more about your student’s culture and backgrounds, you will be more comfortable with differentiating the lessons to better suit all your student’s needs.
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Calson, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Mackenzie! I enjoyed hearing your story and it’s comforting to know that there are other student teachers that are just as nervous as I am. Despite the nervousness, I know we will be more prepared thanks to our awareness of ELLs and other students needs ahead of time. I agree and understand how ELLs will have a hard time transitioning into a whole new culture and classroom. These students will rely on comforting situations made by their teachers and require proper attention. I also believe that the best thing to do is make sure your classroom feels safe and that you will be there for them regardless of cultural differences.
ReplyDeleteHey Mackenzie!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed hearing your story, it was very similar to how I grew up. It was really interesting to hear about your dad and how he learned Spanish out of necessity for his job. It is amazing to think that he learned the language so quick, as it is not very common for adults to pick up on, and remember a second language. Having that communicative competence must have really helped him with his coworkers, because he was able to recognize and understand what they were saying and respond appropriately (Wright, 2015). It is awesome that you were able to learn some, but it is difficult for adults. I definitely think that we have similar thoughts on how to be effective teachers for ELL students. I am excited to hear more from you this semester.
Wright, Wayne. (2015). Foundations for teaching english language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon. Print. Second Edition