Vblog Entry 2
For someone who came to the United States at such a young age, Alejandra truly excelled in school and did not let the language barrier stop her. According to Wright (2010, page 13), "despite some improvement, drop out rates continue to be substantially higher for Latino students than for white students." Alejandra chose to persevere because of the fact that "although limited resources and the challenges of learning English may impede opportunities to learn, ELLs can learn and reach the highest level of academic achievement" (Wright, 2010, page 15). Alejandra knew she could excel academically just like any other student and that is exactly what she did. She did not let being bilingual or a native Spanish speaker stop her from being successful in school. While not every story is like hers, she was fortunate enough to have supportive teachers who encouraged her to keep trying and to keep saying vocabulary words until she remembered them and could pronounce them properly. Alejandra sees the benefits of being bilingual and she shared with me that she would not change a thing having to do with learning another language! Thanks for reading!
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Marissa! I enjoyed watching your interview. It is wonderful that your friend, Alejandra, had amazing teachers to guide and support her while learning English especially building confidence. I could relate to Alejandra because I am a bilingual speaker, and sometimes now I do struggle to pronounce certain words. For example, I would try sounding the word out and slowly pronouncing it then I got it, but when I try saying it again, I mispronounce the word. Alejandra experienced cooperative learning where “students collaboration in pairs or in small groups to solve a problem, complete a specific task, or complete a project” (Wright, 2015, pg. 170). I think standardized testing would probably not help an early ELL, but later on, it does help with the student’s validity which measures the student’s learning abilities (Wright, 2015, pg. 124).
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Alejandra mentioned that she did well on standardized testing but it only got easier as she got older. She and I both realize the importance of testing our students so educators can measure students' learning abilities as you mentioned. According to Wright, "assessment of ELLs is one of the most important things teachers do in the classroom and proper assessment is essential for identifying students' strengths and areas in need of improvement in their language proficiency and academic development" (2015, page 119). While ELLs have to take many tests throughout the school year it is necessary in order to make decisions about progressing to the next grade or even if they need summer school.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Alejandra talked about how one of the most challenging aspects of her journey was pronunciation of words. Wright tells us that, “Speaking is much more complicated than simply selecting the correct vocabulary words and stringing them together to make sentences” (2015, p.151). Students who are learning English as a second language want to sound just like everyone else when they speak. They want their speech to sound smooth and be audible, which is something that many ELLs struggle with. I think that because Alejandra began learning at the age of 4, this helped her to be able to work on pronunciation from a young age.
ReplyDeleteAlejandra also said that she feels that teachers need to spend more time in all subsections of grammar, not just vocabulary, which is where she felt was the highlight of her English language instruction. According to Wright, while oral language is the type of communication that is used by humans more than anything else, “we tend to spend the least amount of classroom instruction time helping ELLs develop it” (2015, p.151). This is something that all teachers need to be made aware of so that they can make instructional adjustments. We need to include more opportunities for students to practice things like pronunciation so that they feel more confident in their speech habits.
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Just from my own experiences in Spanish class, oral language was focused on the least. I agree with Wright when he states, "speaking is much more complicated than simply selecting the correct vocabulary words and stringing them together with proper syntax to make sentences. To be comprehensible, an ELL must have adequate pronunciation, a smooth rate and flow of speech, and sufficient vocabulary and grammar, as well as a working understanding of the sociocultural context of the speech event" (2015, page 151). Alejandra mentioned the large focus on vocabulary as she was learning English; this is something that was the major focus for me too in Spanish class. Oral language is so important and it needs more instruction time in the classroom.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
That actually reminds me of my high school Spanish courses. I remember when we had to write essays in Spanish at the end of each unit, I typically did really well with grammar and sentence structure. However, when we had to do monologues or verbal replies to questions, my responses were slow, drawn out, and likely difficult to comprehend. This is due to the speed of a verbal conversation verses the speed of a written essay. According to Wright, "learners must have exposure to communicative input and they must process it; the brain must organize data" (2015, p.54). This process of organizing is much more difficult when you are required to create sentences and reply to others instantaneously.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
I had the exact experience as you did! As uncomfortable as I was speaking Spanish, it would have been much better for me to have that kind of exposure so my Spanish would get better. Wright also mentions, "learners must acquire output procedures, and they need to interact with other speakers. There is no way around these fundamental aspects of acquisition; they are the basics" (2015, page 54). A lot of what children learn is from conversations with others. If more conversations are heard in the classroom speaking the second language the children are acquiring then there will be more success for ELLs like Alejandra.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Marissa! What an insightful interview with your friend, Alejandra. When asked what factors positively influenced her English language learning Alejandra credited her classmates and friendships. This aligns what Wright presents because according to the interaction hypothesis, “interaction is essential for SLA to occur.” (2015, page 53) In light of this one can see why Alejandra would give credit to her classmates and friends for her second language learning. The interaction hypothesis also states that, “learners need opportunities to interact with other speakers and reach mutual comprehension.” (Wright, 2015, page 53) Interactions allow for comprehension checks, clarification requests, and corrective feedback. When interactions occur between a language learner and a proficient speaker meaningful learning can occur.
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
I believe Alejandra credited her classmates and the conversations they would have more than anything else because of the experiences she was able to have because of the conversation her and her friends would have. According to Wright, "whether one takes a cognitive or sociocultural view of SLA, researchers and educators seem to agree on the need for students to receive comprehensible input and to engage in meaningful interactions with other speakers of the target language. Thus, teachers need to find ways to make their instruction comprehensible for ELLs, and they need to provide ample opportunities for meaningful interaction in the classroom" (2015, page 65). I plan on providing these opportunities in my future classroom because interaction is so important for ELLs.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hey Marissa, I think it is great that your friend was able to begin learning English at such a young age. I believe that starting young is the key to ensuring proper knowledge of a language. Having a support system, such as friends, definitely helps with learning a new language. It is said that "language socialization is the process where learners acquire their knowledge of a language and are able to practice what they have learned with their community" (Wright, 58) It is important to have people around you that you are able to practice your new language speaking capabilities with, that helps further your practice and ensure you are learning correctly. I think it is great that her friends would correct her when she would make mistakes, because knowing where you are wrong also helps the learning process.
ReplyDeleteI was one of those friends that would question something she would say and correct her. She has always thanked me because it is so important to her to know the English language as well as she can. It is because of the interactions she had with me as well as other friends and classmates that she is confident today with her English. According to Wright, Krashen "adds, however, that speaking can be an indirect aid to language acquisition. Speaking results in conversation, and what the other person says is an excellent source of comprehensible input" (2015, page 53). It is because of the conversations Alejandra has had over the years that she felt like a user of the second language, which was English.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Marissa I think it is great that you were one of the friends that would help with correcting her, I believe a strong foundation to learning a new language is key. For her to be able to understand where she was making mistakes and also correcting herself is vital. English is such a bare necessity in today's society that it is difficult to get by without it, I am glad that she was able to learn English through interaction and help to help with future success in life.
DeleteHey Marissa, it is awesome that your friend was able to begin school in the United States at such a young age. You mentioned that when she was first learning, she did not feel confident in speaking English. This lack of confidence could have affected how much comprehensible input was absorbed. "Even though the language acquirer understands certain input, anxiety, low self-esteem, or a sense that he or she is not a potential member of the group that speaks the language-the affective filter-will keep it out" (Wright, 2015, p. 52). Many ELL's struggle to comprehend and learn English simply from the fear of not belonging or feeling confident yet. I am glad that she quickly got over that stage and began excelling in school. It makes me so happy that she had teachers who believed in her and helped her. She also mentioned that having friendships helped her develop her English. The social practices discourse explains this. “Little d, discourse refers to language in use or connected stretches of language that make sense, like conversations, stories, reports, arguments, essays and so forth” (Wright, 2015, p.38). These social interactions you get through friendships can definitely help develop ELL’s English. By listening to others you begin to pick up on pronunciation, vocabulary words, and syntax.
ReplyDeleteAlejandra's teachers also helped her with her confidence because of how supportive they were. While she mentioned her teachers usually used flashcards in the classroom it is important for educators to have different methods and approaches when it comes to teaching ELLs. Wright highlights Richards and Rodgers (2014) "personal approach" to teaching and a set of core principles to draw on when teaching. These include, "engage all learners in the lesson. Make learners the focus of the lesson. Provide maximum opportunities for student participation. Be tolerant of learners' mistakes. Develop learners' confidence. Respond to learners' difficulties and build on them. Use a maximum amount of student-to-student activities. Promote cooperation among learners. Address learners' needs and interests" (2015, page 64). The methods educators' use should reflect these core principles, which is something I plan on doing in my future classroom.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
I agree with you that it is important for educators to have different methods and approaches in place when it comes to teaching ELL's. For teachers to support their students they need to differentiate how they communicate with them so they understand better, "In modified interaction, particularly interactions between a language learner and a proficient speaker, the speakers may make several modifications as they converse to get their meanings across" Wright, 2015, p.53). With this support and guidance from teachers, ELL's confidence will increase and result in them conversing with others more often.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
To add on to both of your opinions, teachers also can do some simple modifications as the following sentence stated, “Some of these modifications may include simplifying the language, reducing the rate of speech, and using gestures” (Wright, 2015, p.53). As experiencing as an ESL student, I felt these modifications were really helpful for me when my teachers were patient and taking their time to help me overcome my language barrier by slowing down their rate of speech, repeating things when I needed, using gesture to describe things that I did not understand. It was grateful to have kind and patient teachers to help ESL students overcome their struggles and become more confident in learning process of the new language. When I become a teacher, I will want to take my time during or even after class to assist the ESL students who need extra time and help to clarify things that they don’t understand during class. I will make sure that all of them understand the lesson and assignments, knowing what to do, and having a good academic performance.
DeleteReference:
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
I have observed teachers who do this very well and take that extra time to help ELLs complete their work or answer any questions they have. While it come sometimes be hard to take that extra time for one student it is definitely worth it. Teachers can also provide "corrective feedback, which may take the form of direct correction or indirect correction through more subtle means, such as repeating what the learn said but recasting it in the correct form" (Wright, 2015, page 53). While it may take time to for us perfect this skill as beginning teachers, I'm sure we will get the hang of it overtime for our students' benefit.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.