Session9RRD

Tina Walker
LIST 5325 � Dr. Hirtle
October 27, 2005

Session 9 RR&D

Article 1 � Language Arts. Urbana: Jan. 2000. Vol. 77. Iss: 3. Focus on research: Using what we know about language and literacy development for ESL students in the mainstream classroom

What do I want to remember from this chapter that may be helpful to my present or future teaching or to the TExES exam?

Although the number of homes with nonnative English speakers have risen, research indicates that mainstream classroom teachers receive very little information, education, or support for working with ESL students.

� effective instruction should direct and support the practice and use of English language throughout the school day.

Reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking develop in an integrated manner. This is one thing that I try to keep in mind. It�s so easy to try and separate these into solitary components. However, it�s much easier for our students to relate one to the other when they are taught along with one another.

Language proficiency refers to listening, speaking, reading, and writing and children vary in the rate and manner in which they develop proficiency in each of these areas.

What constitutes meaningful language use is influenced by an individual's prior experience, culture, motivation, and goals.

Modeling and scaffolding are critical to successful language learning.

In addition to the challenges involved in learning a new language, ESL students are also faced with the challenge of learning a new culture. Often times this means that the ELLs are not being taught to appreciate their native cultures but to assimilate to American culture. This is a lot to take on when you are having to learn new customs and languages. Add to that the pressure of trying to function in a classroom in a language where the rules make little sense. ESL teachers should take this into account in the classroom and try to provide support to these students as necessary to make this transition smoother. I think more training is needed in this area. It�s one thing to tell a teacher what to do, but something totally different to show how to do it, especially for new teachers.

For ELLs, as well as native English speakers, English-language learning should take place in conjunction with the learning of academic content.

In addition to integrating literacy development with academic development, English-language learning is enhanced when students are encouraged to use the skills and strategies they have in their first language.

�it is important to capitalize on the learner's first-language knowledge in the development of English-language knowledge. Much of the knowledge students have about the processes of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in their native languages can and will transfer to English, making the task of learning English that much easier.

English-language learning is a lifelong process for all of us, even those of us for whom English is the native language. I found this statement interesting because I�d never looked at it this way. We are all English language learners.

Strategies to support Nonnative English Learners:
� Use language in meaningful ways.
o This involves a focus on the message encoded in print rather than a focus on the code in and of itself. It also involves engagement of the learner in a desire to convey or understand a particular message.
o Writing and peer discussion groups are instructional strategies to use in using language in meaningful ways. )
o Discussion groups provide children with real opportunities to share stories or books they have read and to use language in meaningful and purposeful ways.
o When using writing as part of integrated instruction, it is important to give second-language learners adequate time to compose with a focus on the content of the piece rather than on writing conventions such as spelling and grammar.

� Scaffolding instruction.
o Scaffolds are thoughtful ways of assisting students in experiencing successful task completion.
o Scaffolds used to support successful learning need to be designed with a specific situation or literacy event in mind.
o Using the social elements of learning, in the form of activities designed for small groups or pairs, proves to be advantageous and is a natural part of the scaffolding process.
o Three areas where scaffolds can be used are: background knowledge, vocabulary development, and communication.

How do these readings connect to my prior experience in education?

I�m aware that my ELL students need many opportunities to use and hear oral language in the classroom to enhance their language development. I try to provide these opportunities as much as possible. I also incorporate writing frequently as well. I try to remain of the processes that ELLs have to go through when writing and conversing. Wait time is very important for the fact that they have to translate from one language to another to get an understanding of what�s being said to them and then produce their responses. I think I�m sensitive to their needs in this area. I try to encourage all of my students to think about their responses before they answer questions. This is an important skill to develop in the area of metacognition. I model and scaffold for my students to help them in acquiring new information. After reading this article, I felt good in knowing that I�m actually doing something right.

What questions or comments can I bring forth to help me and my colleagues, extend, expand, explain, question, or clarify issues surrounding this reading?

In my classroom, I sometimes find it difficult to ensure that I�m meeting the needs of my students. When I�ve tried all of the strategies that I know and they still aren�t grasping the concept that I�m teaching, I don�t know where else to turn. I feel like I know what I�m supposed to do and why, but I�m lacking in the how. This article provided some good information, but it still was lacking in providing me with ways to implement the information. This is the area that I always feel is lacking in my staff development.

How can I extend the virtual classroom conversation on this reading by responding to my colleagues� posts?

I can extend the virtual classroom conversation by providing any further research that I obtain on this topic. I can continue to comment and respond to my colleagues� posting and answer any questions they may have regarding this topic.