Hello and
welcome back to my Vblog! For this vblog, I interviewed one of my teacher
friends Ms. Nancy. I enjoyed doing this interview because it gave me a further
look inside as a teacher for ELL students. I enjoyed listening to how she made
certain strategies work in her classroom and how she said that in the beginning
it takes time for the students to learn, but with reinforcement they work. She
also discusses how she does homework with students which for me, follows my method
on how I would accept the students work.
When
talking to Ms. Nancy’s, she also conversed about accommodations that she has
for students. One of them was to pair them up with a proficient student. I have
heard this a lot with our last vblog from other students on how teachers would
pair up their students to help them with their class work. As Wright (2015)
says, “learners need opportunities to interact with other speakers” (pg.53). It
seems like the emphasis cannot be stressed enough when it comes to pairing ELL
students with another peer. In our book, Wright (2015) also tells how pairing
students up is a good deal when it comes to the students learning both
languages and academic content (p. 170). I think this is true. When the
students are paired up, they are not just learning how to speak English, but
they are also learning the school content.
When Ms.
Nancy was discussing her strategies for around the classroom, I liked how she
also talked about constant reinforcement with them. Students need that constant
repetition in the classroom to help them to remember what something is or maybe
the proper spelling. When the “teacher models the correct usage through a
positive and reinforcing response” this has an overall impact on the students
not just helping them learn a new language, but also lets them see that the
teacher cares (Wright, 2015, p. 158).
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for
Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice.
Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition
ReplyDeleteHey Caroline! I really enjoyed your ELL teacher interview! I thought that a lot of what Ms.Nancy said was very interesting, including the part where she was telling you that although she did send homework home, she did not grade it based on how well they did on it, but instead gives completion grades for it. When students are at school and they need some help or clarification on their work, they are able to ask the teacher or peers. However if the child does not have anyone at home that is able to help them understand what is being asked on their homework, then more likely than not, they will not succeed on their homework. So I am glad that Ms.Nancy is aware of the circumstances at home. According to Wright (2015) “Thus, the more the teacher knows about a students’ experiences, the more he or she can assume about the expertise that student is likely to have.” (Pg.17)
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015.Print. Second Edition
Hi Joanna, thanks for responding to my video. I also liked Ms. Nancy’s grading style as to when she said that she does not take up homework for a grade. I think that that is much better for the students and the so there is so much learning that can be done in the classroom. I feel that when it comes to teaching it is as Wright (2015) says what works well “a wide variety of techniques, such as total physical response (TPR), ample visuals and realia, small group work, and any other activities involving meaningful communication that can facilitate the provision of comprehensible input" (2015, p. 61). I think that this is what should be taken into account more by the teachers rather than if they were able to complete their homework when a teacher may not know what the home life of the student is like.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015.Print. Second Edition
Hi Caroline, I really enjoyed watching your video and learning about your teacher friend teaches her ESL students. I liked that Ms. Nancy would pair a proficient student with her ELL student, that ties into what Wright (2015) states “learners need opportunities to interact with other speakers” (pg.53), Ms. Nancy reinforces that research. Students learn better when they have natural interactions with other students and I feel like the ELL’s will learn quicker. I was really surprised when she stated that she considers that all students are ELL’s, I would love to hear more about that!
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015.Print. Second Edition
Hi Laura, thanks for watching my video and commenting on my vblog. I too think it was interesting that she prefers to consider all students ELL’s. I feel that when you do not know how the students talk at home or how the parents talk to the children it is best to assume that all the students are ELL’s. It is like Wright (2015) “Many students, however, in their homes and communities speak regional or nonstandard varieties of English that differ in phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and vocabulary” (p. 38). With students not speaking proper English at home, it is best to teach all students as a whole instead of assuming they have learned.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hi Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your reflection and watching your interview! I like the different strategies that you mentioned in your reflection. I feel that all of those strategies are very beneficial to an English Language Learner. Another strategy that I feel would be a good strategy is reading. Once the ELL is able to read words this will help them to learn new vocabulary. Wright states, “reading is one of the primary means by which ELLs acquire new vocabulary words” (Wright, 2015, p.192). With reading comes the creation and knowledge of new vocabulary words which will help them to learn the new target language even more quickly.
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Calson, 2015. Print. Second Edition
Hi Mackenzie, thank you for commenting on my vblog. I do agree that a good strategy to learn would be reading. It is as you stated what Wright (2015) details that “reading is one of the primary means by which ELLs acquire new vocabulary words” (p.192). Whether the students first learn from bilingual books then gradually work their way up to full English books they are getting a form of reading and comprehension in which is helpful for their learning. It can be hard at times to have bilingual student want to read or read aloud. So if there is a gradual change and an early exposure to books for children the better. With this they can see sentence structure and follow the word recognition with the picture.
DeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
I really enjoyed your interview! At the very beginning Ms. Nancy mentioned that all kids should be considered ELL, and I agree with her. Although they don’t specify on other languages the main focus if Spanish as the major language for the ELL students. Wright mentions that it is important for teachers to understand the students background and how their culture influences their learning (Wright, Pg. 17) I believe this is a major initiative from the teacher’s part. Sometimes teachers are not well aware of how to help out kids that don’t speak English. They also have to manage their time even better and make time apart for their ELL students. It is a bit more of work but that what teachers are for. To go the extra mile for each student.
ReplyDeleteWright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.