Learning a brand-new language is never an easy process. From what I’ve studied, learned, and observed throughout this semester from this course and in my student teaching experience, I understand that the culture shock of ELL students is likely to be the heaviest challenge they face when they enter a public school in the United States. It is during this period that effective instruction is most essential for the ELL’s learning. Teachers must discover different methods to modify his/her lesson to help ELL students succeed in their academic learning. Effective instruction is not only delivering the content, however. It also involves the teacher developing a relationship with each individual student and understanding their backgrounds. A teacher’s role is not just to effectively instruct, but to also demonstrate positivity and give constant encouragement of letting the students know they will succeed.
One of the topics we learned in this course that I felt stood out was linguistic accommodations. Linguistic accommodations that can be provided to ELLs during instruction revolve heavily around communication. The teacher must communicate authentically with students using situations that they are able to grasp the information and actually understand it while using scaffolding methods that aim towards excelling in the grade-level English and academic content. Teachers use the materials, techniques, and tools that distinguish the instruction to meet the needs of the ELL students. As times progress, the ELLs’ needs for particular accommodation will eventually decrease. These linguistic accommodations will assist ELL students in comprehending the language during instruction, and therefore, the learning process will speed up for both English and subject matter (Accommodation).
This class has had a significant part in impacting my professional practice as well. ELL students constantly face and find a balance of the unique learning challenge of developing skills necessary to perform well in the classroom. Our goal as educators is to help them master the content while simultaneously acquiring the academic English language. This is difficult for many of the younger students as well because they still have not yet fully mastered their own native language. Due to these factors in their learning process, teachers must create classrooms that support the use of learning a language, which also leads to motivation for students. “Motivation is usually understood to refer to the desire to initiate L2 learning and the effort employed to sustain it, and in lay terms we all understand it to be a matter of quantity, as in the everyday observation that some learners are highly motivated and others have little or no motivation,” (Ortega, 2011, p. 168). Ortega emphasized how important motivation is for second language learners in the sense that motivation is what will drive the students to develop the desire to learn a new language. Learning how to build opportunities for students to acquire language and content is part of professional development. Teachers will also learn how to create these opportunities through scaffolding, well-structured lesson plans, and purposeful tasks. Taking this course has helped me prepare for my future classroom in the fact that it prepares me appropriately serve all ELL students.
I felt the Vblog was a great learning experience. It allowed me the opportunity to communicate with my classmates more and practice learning different second languages. I am an ELL student, myself, and I still struggle with English grammar today. However, taking part in the Vblog has immensely helped me to improve both my writing and speaking skills because I was able to learn from my fellow classmates through their reflections and comments. “Bilingual speakers can switch and alternate between their two (or more) languages, depending on a range of communication needs and desires (Ortega, 2013, p.4). I had to constantly think in Chinese, but type/write in English, so I was going back and forth between two languages. It is a very effective way of building strength in learning a second language.
Taking this course was challenging for me. However, I consider it a great challenge because it pushed me to want to succeed, which is something I strive to help my students do. This SLA class taught me the essential steps in learning a second language and the different strategies I can take in creating a classroom setting that allows for ample engagement where the students are given the opportunity to feel comfortable in participating and communicating with one another. I believe that the ideals that this course has provided for us have helped me become a better educator. I can finish this semester knowing I feel more confident in my skill set when delivering English lessons to my future ELL students.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Lori Zhao
ReplyDeleteI agree that learning a new language is a huge challenge for students who were trying to learn the L2 as they attend public school. We, as teachers, have to find ways to modify content so that all students can be successful no matter their culture or language. This is where linguistic accommodations occur. Teachers have to consider the content, developmental stage of their students, and use engaging lessons to help deliver content while helping by also modifying the content so all can learn. It is also important that students have time to practice the L2. By making time for the students to practice, learners are able to use the L2 in the instructional setting. According to Ortega, “… instructed learners progress at a faster rate, they are likely to build a more elaborate language repertoires and they become more accurate than the uninstructed learners,” (Ortega, 2001, p.139). Since the learning environment may be the only place the L2 is practiced, it just makes sense to allow for time to practice the L2 to help students to learn and become fluent.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2001. Print.
Hi Stacey,
DeleteI absolutely agree with you when you mentioned that teachers need to consider the different styles of learning that students might endure, and we have to find ways to modify our lessons to help them succeed in their academic development. Ortega states, “Simply put, some individuals report experiencing intense feelings of apprehension, tension, and even fear, when they think of foreign languages,” (2013, pg. 200). As an ELL, myself, I understand how difficult and challenging learning a new language can be. Therefore, I am able to relate with the students. The environment teacher’s set up for the students plays a major role in how well they will grasp the concepts of the lessons they are learning.
Hello Lori, your reflection was inciteful and you discussed some great points. I like the point you made about the culture shock that ELL students experience when they come to the United States and enter the public-school system. As you said this is a key moment for that student. During this time, it is important to create an environment that feels safe for that student to learn and practice using a second language without fear. Ortega states, “Simply put, some individuals report experiencing intense feelings of apprehension, tension, and even fear, when they think of foreign languages,” (2013, pg. 200). As a teacher it will be our job to help our students not feel this fear around learning a second language, and instead make them feel encouraged and motivated.
ReplyDeleteHi Christine,
DeleteI’m glad you agree that the culture shock the ELL students experience is a major factor in their learning. As an ELL, myself, I can heavily relate with what the children are going through. I understand how difficult and challenging learning a new language can be, and sometimes, they have a hard time developing the desire to alternate between the two languages. Ortega states, “Bilingual speakers can switch and alternate between their two (or more) languages, depending on a range of communication needs and desires (Ortega, 2013, p.4). As educators, we have to do our best to set up a classroom environment that will allow them to feel comfortable to engage in their learning.
Hello Lori, thank you for sharing your experience of culture shock with me. Ortega states, “Conversely, he predicted that the more acculturated a learner can become (that is, the closer to the target society and its members, socially and psychologically), the more successful his or her eventual learning outcomes will be,” (2013, pg. 59). I think that although sometimes ELL students might feel culture shock initially, once they spend some time becoming used to their new settings and language then the culture shock wears off and they will have the opportunity to become successful in their target language. As you said, as teachers it will be important to create a classroom that is welcoming and inviting for our students to help them get over that culture shock and become accultured to their new settings in order to be successful.
DeleteReply to Christine under Lori
ReplyDeleteI agree, that we use teachers, must provide a safe, supportive, and encouraging learning environment for our L2 learners. The environment is important because as Ortega says in chapter 4, “The environment affords learners input or linguistic data produced by other competent users of the L2, “(Ortega, 2011, p. 59). The text further mentions that L2 learners learn from peers and written text around them. So, as teachers we must provide time for speaking the language in a non-threatening learning environment.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Hello Stacey,
DeleteAn encouraging and helpful learning environment is important for second or additional language learners; especially when motivation is lacking or changing. According to Gass and Selinker, "specific episodes in people’s lives had the consequence of restructuring their motivation” (Gass & Selinker, 2008, p. 429). Because of this, it is important for ESL teachers to create an environment that enforces positive attitudes and encouragment so it can push students to develop orientations and become motivated.
Fei: I am glad to see the amazing progress you have made in your writing skills and how skillful you have become to integrate theory with your ideas. Your English is amazing and I want to congratulate you on the hard work and investment in this class. I am sure that this class has been a challenge but you have risen to it. Your experience and theoretical knowledge made your entry simply delightful. Congratulations on an outstanding entry and keep up the amazing work.
ReplyDeleteHi Dr. Avellaneda,
DeleteThank you for your recognition on my progress. I am very happy you have kept up with how I have been doing in your course. It was definitely a challenge, but I took the positive aspects from the challenge. I was motivated to try my best to work hard and perform well this semester. I remind myself that I need to be a good role model for my students and to do so, I must demonstrate what it means to never give up.
Hello Lori, I agree with your statement that it is the up to us as educators to create opportunities for students to acquire language as well as content. It is also a responsibility of educators to support positive relationships and interactions for their students as they continue their venture into learning a new language. As a whole the instructor should keep in mind what Gardner called integrative motivation. Out of the three conditions to integrative motivation I view the quantity of motivation and attitude towards the situation of learning, as large contributors to a student’s motivation. Ortega states that the three conditions of integrative motivation are “the antecedent of imperativeness itself is high, motivation quantity (the combined amount of effort, enjoyment, and investment) is also high, and attitudes towards the learning situation (teachers, curriculum) are positive” (Ortega, 2013, p 171).
ReplyDeleteOrtega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Hi C.M.,
DeleteI’m glad you agree with my opinion that it is up to the educators to create a variety of opportunities for the students to succeed in learning a new language as well as the content. As an ELL, myself, I can heavily relate with what the children are going through. I understand how difficult and challenging learning a new language can be, and sometimes, they have a hard time developing the desire to alternate between the two languages. Ortega states, “Bilingual speakers can switch and alternate between their two (or more) languages, depending on a range of communication needs and desires (Ortega, 2013, p.4). It’s basically our duty to do everything in our power to set up a positive classroom environment that will allow them to feel comfortable to engage in their learning.
After reading your reflection, the first thing I want to tell you is that you are amazing. Your reflection is very insightful and reminded me of the importance of linguistic accommodations. Two of the most routinely used linguistic accommodations for testing purposes are tests administered in the home language and tests linguistically simplified. As you mentioned, Lori, we learn so much from courses like these. I am not yet in student teaching, however, in the classrooms I have observed, I have not witnessed any linguistic accommodations being implemented. Unfortunately, I have noticed that more often than not that ELL students are a neglected population in the classroom. I administered a lesson on the Pythagorean Theorem with language written in both English and Spanish, but I soon found out that the tenants of written home language supports, outlined by Wright (2015), were pertinent. “Home language tests are appropriate only for ELLs who (1) are literate in their home language, and (2) have received home language content instruction in the subjects being tested (e.g., students enrolled in bilingual education programs or newcomers with schooling from their home country)” (p. 129). At first, I was unsure of the genesis of the disconnect, but after speaking with the students, I discovered that most of them have mastery of oral Spanish but not the formal written language.
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Audrey,
DeleteThank you so much for your compliment! That really means a lot to me, and it motivates me to keep reaching my potential. As an ELL, myself, I understand how difficult and challenging learning a new language can be. Ortega states, “Simply put, some individuals report experiencing intense feelings of apprehension, tension, and even fear, when they think of foreign languages,” (2013, pg. 200). Therefore, I am able to heavily relate with what the students are experiencing in the classroom. The environment teachers set up for the students plays a major role in how well they will grasp the concepts of the lessons they are learning. I am glad you’ve had the chance to see what it is like to administer a lesson in English and Spanish. That must have a been a very helpful experience to have. Take what you learn and take it into your future teaching – you will need it! I can tell you have a lot of heart, and I wish you the best when you enter student teaching. You’re going to do so great!