English-language learner: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:15, 4 July 2011

Revision as of 13:23, 4 July 2011

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=== Assessment ===

The second critical issue is focused on fair and balanced assessment within the ESL classroom. Some teachers may come across being bias without even recognizing it. “All too often, though, these students are either asked to participate in tests that make unfair assumptions about their English language proficiency in order to assess their content knowledge or conversely, are totally excluded from any testing until their English language proficiency has reached a certain level,”. <ref name="Anstrom1997">{{cite book | title=Academic achievement for secondary language minority students: standards, measures, and promising practices | author=Anstrom, Kris | year=1997 | url=http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED417596 | accessdate=June 29, 2011 | oclc=40893643 | page=34}}</ref> TESOL standard 4a states that’s teachers need to “demonstrate understanding of various assessment issues as they affect ELLs, such as accountability, bias, special education testing, language proficiency, and accommodations in formal testing situations”.<ref name="TESOL2009p57">{{cite web | url=http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/bin.asp?CID=219&DID=13040&DOC=FILE.PDF | title=TESOL/NCATE Standards for the Recognition of Initial TESOL Programs in P-12 ESL Teacher Education | publisher=Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages | date=2009 | accessdate=July 04, 2011}} p.57.</ref> When the teachers are capable of understanding the various assessment issues they will be able to execute reasonable, consistent, and balanced assessments. “When visual tactile, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal skills are equally recognized avenues of learning and intellect, CLD students have increased access to the curriculum and opportunities to demonstrate authentically internalized knowledge,”.<ref name="Herrera2007p208">{{Cite book | last = Herrera | first = Socorro | last2 = Murry | first2 = Kevin | last3 = Cabral | first3 | Robin | title = Assessment Accommodations for Classroom Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students | publisher = Pearson/Allyn and Bacon | ___location = Boston | year = 2007 | isbn = 9780205492718 | page = 208 }}</ref> By having a variety of assessments students will be able to perform to the best of their knowledge. Therefore, it is vital to have alternative methods of assessing ESL students.

=== Culture ===

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=== Teacher attitude ===

The fourth critical issue is the attitudes of the teachers which plays a major role in the ESL classroom. Some teachers may have a negative, unwelcoming attitude. Research shows that teachers negative attitudes may stem from “chronic lack of time to address ELLs’ unique classroom needs",<ref name="Youngs2001">{{cite journal | title=Predictors of Mainstream Teachers' Attitudes toward ESL Students | author=Youngs, Cheryl S. & Youngs, George A. Jr. | journal=TESOL Quarterly | year=2001 | month=Spring | volume=35 | issue=1 | pages=97-120 | jstor=3587861}}</ref> "intensification of teachers workloads when ELLs are enrolled in mainstream classes" (,<ref>Gitlin, Buenda, Crosland & Doumbia, 2003),.</ref>{{broken citation|date=July 2011}} and "feels of profession inadequacy to work with ELLS” (.<ref>Verplaetse, 1998).</ref>{{broken citation|date=July 2011}}<ref name="Reeves2006p136">{{cite journal | url=http://people.uncw.edu/caropresoe/EDN523/Secondary_MSAttitudes_QE%2BCS.pdf | accessdate = July 4, 2011 | title=Secondary Teacher Attitudes toward including English-Language Learners in Mainstream Classrooms | author=Reeves, Jenelle R. | journal=Journal of Educational Research | year=2006 | volume=99 | pages=131-142 | issn=ISSN-0022-0671}} p136.</ref> Also, the lack of training will have a huge impact on their teaching practices and professional development. The teachers will then be stressed and nervous to go about a lesson. Their anxiety will roll over into the classroom and have a negative impact on the ESL students’ performances. “Teachers’ language-acquisition misconceptions may color their attitudes towards ELLs and ELL inclusion, leading educators to misdiagnose learning difficulties or misattribute student failure to lack of intelligence or effort”.<ref name="Reeves2006p139">{{cite journal | url=http://people.uncw.edu/caropresoe/EDN523/Secondary_MSAttitudes_QE%2BCS.pdf | accessdate = July 4, 2011 | title=Secondary Teacher Attitudes toward including English-Language Learners in Mainstream Classrooms | author=Reeves, Jenelle R. | journal=Journal of Educational Research | year=2006 | volume=99 | pages=131-142 | issn=ISSN-0022-0671}} p139.</ref> By providing a good learning environment, it will have a positive effect on the students overall success in terms of linguistic, social, cognitive, and academic developments.

Systematic Integration of Culture, Literature and other Disciplines

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In order to have an environment that is beneficial for the teacher and the student culture, literature, and other disciplines should be integrated systematically into the instruction. “Postponing content-area instruction until CLD students gain academic language skills widens the achievement gap between the learners and their native-English speaking peers”.<ref name="Herrera2007p173">{{Cite book | last = Herrera | first = Socorro | last2 = Murry | first2 = Kevin | last3 = Cabral | first3 | Robin | title = Assessment Accommodations for Classroom Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students | publisher = Pearson/Allyn and Bacon | ___location = Boston | year = 2007 | isbn = 9780205492718 | page = 173 }}</ref> Relating to culture, teachers need to integrate it into the lesson, in order for the students to feel a sense of appreciation and a feeling of self worth. One teacher noticed that her student, Enrique does not like to embrace the fact that he is Spanish or even speak it. She took the initiative to call the parents to address the issue that he believes English is the only way. She decided to incorporate the Spanish word, facile into her lesson which means easy but can be used for both languages. She ended up making a Double Value word wall which will not only be beneficial for Enrique but also for all the learners in the classroom.<ref name="Herrera2007p87">{{Cite book | last = Herrera | first = Socorro | last2 = Murry | first2 = Kevin | last3 = Cabral | first3 | Robin | title = Assessment Accommodations for Classroom Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students | publisher = Pearson/Allyn and Bacon | ___location = Boston | year = 2007 | isbn = 9780205492718 | page = 87 }}</ref> The teacher was able to integrate the Spanish culture into her lesson which enriched all the learners and helped address the issue that it is okay to speak in the students’ native language.

By integrating literature into the instruction students will benefit substantially. “Reading texts that match learner interests and English proficiency provide learners with comprehensible language input--a chance to learn new vocabulary in context and to see the syntax of the language”.<ref name="Rabideau1993">{{cite web | last = Rabideau | first = Dan | date = March 1993 | title = Integrating Reading and Writing into Adult ESL Instruction | work = ERIC Identifier: ED358749 | publisher = ERIC Digests | url = http://www.ericdigests.org/1993/instruction.htm | accessdate = June 30, 2011}}</ref> Students will be motivated and will make learning more enjoyable. Lastly, by integrating other disciplines into the lesson it will make the content more significant to the learners and will create higher order thinking skills across the areas. By integrating language into other contents, it focuses not only on learning a second language, but using that language as a medium to learn mathematics, science, social studies, or other academic subjects” (.<ref>Reilly, 1988, p. 2).</ref>{{broken citation|date=July 2011}} When language and content areas are integrated ESL students become aware “that English is not just an object of academic interest nor merely a key to passing an examination; instead, English becomes a real means of interaction and sharing among people”.<ref name="Oxford2001p5">{{Cite web | last = Oxford | first = Rebecca | date = September 2001 | title = Integrated Skills in the ESL/EFL Classroom | url = http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0105oxford.html | accessdate = June 30, 2011 | publisher = Center for Applied Linguistics | work = ERIC Digest. 6(1)1-7 | page = 5}}</ref> Therefore, students will be able to communicate across the curriculum, acquire higher level skills, and be successful in their daily lives.

== References ==