Introduction
Hi my name is Nancy Escobar! Click here to watch my introductory video.
Wright states that English Language Learners (ELL) refers to students who are in the process of attaining proficiency in English as their second language (2015). Now, as I've mentioned in the video my learning process with a new language consisted of simple everyday experiences such as my verbal communication with my siblings, televised entertainment, and having to communicate with my teachers and classmates, listen, read, and write in English in preschool. Wright also mentions English as a second language (ESL) teachers who works with ELL students during a few hours a week to help students meet their language and academic needs (2015). As far as I can remember I was never part of an ESL pullout group, but I do remember some of my friends being ESL students for a while and then they were no longer part of it. This explains how determining English proficiency consisted of testing and teacher observations to conclude when students have attained enough proficiency, and therefore no longer be part of the program. On the other hand, Wright mentions statistics in reference to school drop outs, thus being only 71% of Latino students graduating compared to 83% of white students (2015). This can be an effect due to some students not being provided with the necessary measures to meet their language and academic needs, and therefore some choose to drop out instead. Perhaps if students were not pulled out from class to work on their language proficiency and instead where part of inclusive classrooms, then students could have a better chance of improving their English proficiency through group/peer class activities. As well, instead of getting help during school hours they could instead receive help through after school programs as I've suggested.
References:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing
Wright states that English Language Learners (ELL) refers to students who are in the process of attaining proficiency in English as their second language (2015). Now, as I've mentioned in the video my learning process with a new language consisted of simple everyday experiences such as my verbal communication with my siblings, televised entertainment, and having to communicate with my teachers and classmates, listen, read, and write in English in preschool. Wright also mentions English as a second language (ESL) teachers who works with ELL students during a few hours a week to help students meet their language and academic needs (2015). As far as I can remember I was never part of an ESL pullout group, but I do remember some of my friends being ESL students for a while and then they were no longer part of it. This explains how determining English proficiency consisted of testing and teacher observations to conclude when students have attained enough proficiency, and therefore no longer be part of the program. On the other hand, Wright mentions statistics in reference to school drop outs, thus being only 71% of Latino students graduating compared to 83% of white students (2015). This can be an effect due to some students not being provided with the necessary measures to meet their language and academic needs, and therefore some choose to drop out instead. Perhaps if students were not pulled out from class to work on their language proficiency and instead where part of inclusive classrooms, then students could have a better chance of improving their English proficiency through group/peer class activities. As well, instead of getting help during school hours they could instead receive help through after school programs as I've suggested.
References:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing
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ReplyDeleteHello Nancy!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your introduction video. I, like you, only new Spanish and then as placed in English classes. From your video, I can see that our paths may have started the same but somehow, we reached different ends. Your interactions with your family and friends being almost equal in both English and Spanish has helped you maintain both languages. This according to Wright, is acculturation, which means that you were able to learn a new language and culture without losing you own (p. 20). My family did the opposite. They thought that it would be better is I only spoke in English at home. So, this meant that I was not being helped in maintaining my first language. Wright says that when a student’s dominant language is replaced with a new language it is called Subtractive bilingualism (p.21). This is what happened to me when I learned English. I spoke and practiced everywhere so my dominant language was replaced with English.
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
Hello Eddy, thanks for your comment. It's such a sad thing to hear that you weren't able to keep practicing Spanish. It seems as though society has the sole thought of only keeping one language as the dominant, thus being English. Wright states that there's negative consequences to follow when English replaces one's home language (2015, p.22). With this being said, the fact that even parents, like in your case, make the decision to only enforce English as the child's language comes at a great disadvantage to children as they grow older in such a diverse world.
DeleteReferences:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: Caslon Publishing
It was great to hear that you are a native speaker of Spanish and were also able to maintain your abilities to speak it today. When my mom came to the United States many years ago, the approach seemed to revolve around assimilation, which did not allow any language other than English to be spoken at school. Wright (2015) affirms this idea when he concludes that many schools view the home languages of English language learners as problems, rather than strengths (Wright, 2015, p. 2). I believe that encouraging students to continue developing their native language will nurture their culture and be useful in their futures. Bilingual programs, like the one you were in, are extremely helpful in building a child’s proficiency and literacy in both their native and second language (p. 3).
ReplyDeleteReference:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon Pub.
Hi Brandon, thanks for your comment! Interesting you mention what happened to your mother back in the day. As a matter of fact, Wright mentions the term "subtractive bilingualism" meaning that a new language has completely taken over as the dominant language (2015, p.21). Therefore subtractive bilingualism is an example of what students from your mother’s generation faced. I am glad that is not quite the case anymore within our school systems since there is bilingual classes available.
DeleteReferences:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon Pub.
Both of my parents are from El Salvador! I really liked that you were able to live with your Grandma in Mexico. I feel like that is a really cool learning experience. I definitely relate with you that you aren't perfect in either language. I feel like sometimes I get confused with words now even as a 23 year old. Sometimes I can't think of a word in Spanish and vice versa. I also relate with you, to an extent, with wanting to provide help to students who do not have parents who speak English at home because I know how difficult it can be. I was fortunate enough to have my sister to help me along, but when my sister had after school activities and I was doing my homework at home my parents were not able to help me so I definitely feel for you in that regard. I really enjoyed your video, and it was awesome learning about your background! I also believe that since you know both Spanish and English you are an example of simultaneous bilingualism (Wright, 2015). I believe you are an example of simultaneous bilingualism because you are able to speak Spanish and English at the same time. I also agree with you that learning another language should be taught in a way that makes it relatable to the person so that the person will absorb the material more (Wright, 2015).
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer, thanks for your comment! I am glad that someone else felt the same way I did when it comes to doing homework in which our parents couldn't help. Wright states that when learning about English language learners, teachers should consider their background information which can always be found on the student's academic record (2015, p.23). This way teachers would have a sense of which students possibly need additional help in the mornings before school or after school. This is all part of teachers getting to know their English language learners in order to meet their language needs.
DeleteReferences:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon Pub.
Nancy,
DeleteYes, I definitely know what you felt growing up. I don't know how your school was growing up, but I grew up in a small town of people who mostly spoke English. This school did not make an effort to get parents who spoke any other language besides English to help out in schools. Because of that experience, I understand how important it is to include parents no matter what language they speak.
Hi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy watching your video and reading your reflection. I think it is great to know more than one language. I had the same experience just like you when I came to the USA and lived with my aunt’s family during high school to learn English. I had learned and practiced English a lot during school and even at home with my aunt and her two sons, who are born in the US. However, I always speak Vietnamese with my parents on the phone once a week, and with other family members as they prefer speaking Vietnamese with me. According to Wright, you and I have learned English under additive bilingualism, which means we learn English as a new language without losing our native language (p.21). I believe teachers should encourage students to learn as many new languages as they can and even their native language because being bilingual or multilingual will be useful and have a lot of benefit for their future in many ways.
Reference:
Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition.
I tend to speak Spanish with my family, whereas I speak English everywhere else. Luckily, we did not lose our native language. Otherwise, there are many people we would not be able to communicate with. According to Wright, picking up a new language while still being able to use our native language is called additive bilingualism. On the other hand, there are some who lose their native language and gain proficiency in a new language. This is called subtractive bilingualism (Wright, 2015, p.25).
DeleteHi Trinh, thanks for your comment! Interesting that you mention that teachers should embrace bilingualism as something beneficial in student's near future instead of influencing English as the dominant language. Wright mentions several multicultural levels such as "contributions, additive, transformative, and social action" as forms of cultural and linguistic diversity (2015, p.21). This way teachers can interest students in the different languages that exist and therefore students can seek to learn one or more in their future studies.
DeleteReferences:
Wright, W. E. (2015). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon Pub.