While doing my observation hours for SPED 410, I observed a classroom that used the Wilson program to teach students how to read. There were English Learners in the classroom and this was the first time I saw how much of a struggle some students are having to grasp the English language. After observing the class, it made me wonder how much are they struggling in their other classes because of the language barriers? These students are still smart and are full of potential but their education is diminishing since they are at a disadvantage. For example, how are students learning the material in their history class if the teacher assigned a chapter for homework and assumes all students had read and understood the book then proceeds with the lesson plan while a student is falling behind?
I believe that the standards presented by the common core are an important asset to education. “Engaging with complex texts; using evidence in writing and research; speaking and listening in order to work collaboratively and present ideas; and developing the language to do all of the above effectively.” Teacher need to assure students are achieving at the first level of engaging with complex text and build up to achieve effectiveness. These standards are extremely essential to teach EL students because learning to speak another language might be easy for some but mastering a language to a complex level takes years. EL students are struggling to learn English and without these standards they start to fall in between the cracks and lose their chance of access to a valuable education. Additionally, I agree with the article when it stated the literacy instruction falls on the responsibility to all teachers in every discipline. A EL student might be receiving help in English class but is struggling in math because they require two different types of literacy knowledge that must be taught to them. However, its also a struggle for the teacher to help their students achieve these standards but through educating the educator and through experience, teacher can learn strategies to support their students’ needs.
I know when I was reading a text in another language I was focusing too much on trying to translate the individual words in my head and not comprehending the complexity behind the text. I can only assume the level of difficulty for a EL student must overcome when trying to read a text in a particular subject and be able to learn the knowledge behind the text. Therefore, engaging with the complex text definitely should be the first standard because without this step, a student cannot build to the next level or writing and research. If a student is not comprehending the context they will start to get frustrated, shut down or even acted up. Some of these signs might be over looked by teachers as simply acting out but these are signs that a student needs help.
I agree with you and the text that it takes all the teachers to help. When a student walks into a classroom, that's one of up to like 7 classrooms they will walk into. He/she may struggle in one class and excel in another but those teachers will have different opinions on that student. However,if the teachers talk, they could see what they could do to get that student to get better in the class they are struggling in. The world isn't split into the different disciplines they are all part of everyone so they should build on each other when being taught to create more well rounded students. This would help English learners and anyone else who is struggling.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post!
ReplyDelete"These students are still smart and full of potential but their education is diminishing since they are at a disadvantage" -- this is a really great point that you make, and is actually similar to what I talked about in a comment in the blog post above. It's not like students who have difficulty in the language are learners who are destined to struggle; if the language barrier is eliminated, these students will have just as good of a chance to perform well as their peers. This is why eliminating this language barrier is so important. Literacy specific discipline strategies are important and, like you said, is something that is the responsibility of all teachers, not just language teachers. It is our job to give these students the same chance to succeed as their peers, regardless of discipline.
Thanks for sharing. As an EL student, I felt impressed by reading the article this week. The reading is about support the English Language learners in disciplinary literacy. By reading what you shared above, I found that I have a similar experience with you. When I read a text, I also tend to focus on translating each word carefully without have a deep understanding of the text. I majored in sociology in China, and I only prepared my English for a few months before I came to Chicago, so I was anxious for a moment by the complexity of the text that I have to read. Sometimes I couldn’t understand what does the author means even if I understand all the vocabularies. Thus, I totally agree with you that it is vitally important for EL students to “engage with the complex text”. Moreover, I think the teachers of each disciplinary should have their own approach to address the issue of literacy engagement for EL students. It requires the joint efforts of teachers and students and it will take a process, but it would be an important step to build up a higher level of literacy development.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you that "it's also a struggle for the teacher to help their students achieve these standards". In the classroom setting, based on the diverse cultural background, students may have a different understanding of the same point of view. I remember when I was a high school student, there was one time after Chinese class, some of my classmates were unable to understand the conclusion that the Chinese teacher made, even the teacher explained to them repeatedly. The teacher came back with the same topic in the next day's class but used other ways to explain it. Then, the students got it. As a teacher, from choosing teaching strategies to apply the teaching strategies in the instructions, students' comprehension abilities are always needed to be thought priority. Teachers should be ready to adjust their teaching methods during modeling a lecture base on how far the students can go.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your post this week! I am not an ESL student but I do speak another language, French, and I often struggle in reading French literature. I too just look to translate the words closely and often miss more complex meanings. This experience is far from the same thing since I am not in French classrooms but it can help me begin to understand their experiences. I think the important part of this is that educators need to be aware of these differences and struggles and move forward in a way that benefits all of the students.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. Since I am an ESL learner, I agree with you that it is difficult for EL students to master a language to a complex level. Besides, I think reading and comprehending a specific discipline text is challenging not just for EL students but also those whose first language is English. Therefore, teachers cannot assume that all students may finish the reading assignments before class at the same level just like what you mentioned. They should pay attention to each student's reading ability no matter which discipline they teach, especially to EL students who may have more trouble reading in English.
ReplyDeleteGreat post for this week. I agree that it can be difficult for students, and especially EL students, to achieve the standards. It's very predictable that EL students will fall behind in class given that they have a lesser understanding of the material. And you're right in pointing out that the burden of responsibility falls on the teacher in making sure that students know what to do. I like how you said that the first thing that needs to be accomplished is for the students to have an understanding of the text before they can reach any of the other standards. I feel the best way to help EL students is to get them involved in the class as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteYou make some good points how students can get discouraged on not only reading a text, but understanding the text. They may be so hung up on translating words and sentences that at that point, there really is no engaging with the text. I think something else worth mentioning is usually, when a student has a native language other than English, they come from a different culture. So, it is interesting when it comes to history because a student may not have been in the United States for very long, and does not know very much of the country. The content being learned in history class may be boring, but it can also be seen as a lot to understand because their native country may be the only country they know, and there they are, in a classroom, learning about the new country they live in, in a language they are not entirely comfortable in.
ReplyDeleteSadly, it is very common for EL students to fall behind the standards. And it is the responsibility of the teacher to make sure that EL students know what to do. Sadly, some teachers don't care, and think that those EL students just don't try hard enough.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I agree when you say, “how are students learning the material in their history class if the teacher assigned a chapter for homework and assumes all students had read and understood the book then proceeds with the lesson plan while a student is falling behind?” Making a connection with my discipline (teaching of mathematics), when I used to tutor math, I would notice it all the time that students could understand the mathematics associated with an application problem (a word problem), the procedural work, but cannot understand the conceptual meaning because of the English barrier. I think the first step is giving them the literacy knowledge to solve these problems, then focus on the actual mathematics content. I also agree that without the focus on specific literacy practices, students will lose the urge to engage in classroom discussion because they are fearful of making mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I thought that you brought up a great point when you wrote about misinterpreting student behavior. I agree with some of my classmates who wrote that some teachers see these behaviors as the student's problem and likely form opinions about that student's ability to succeed. I believe that in these cases, the misunderstanding is twofold - they misinterpret the student and they misinterpret the difficulty of the task assigned. Such teachers clearly do not understand the complexities involved in higher level learning while still developing language abilities. Oftentimes teachers assume that students who are conversationally proficient are equipped to take on complex disciplinary reading and conversation - They are not - unless the teacher explicitly decodes linguistically complex discourse and explicitly instructs students on how to interpret and produce it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I agree with what you say about students falling behind because large amounts of reading is assigned that is expected to be understood. I have experience with this very issue. As a teaching of math student, I have had a lot of trouble with history throughout my education. The readings are terribly boring and I find it incredibly hard to focus on the readings in the class and I always fell behind. I see that as a problem because if I was taught the concepts separately outside of a reading, I would have understood it easily. The issue was that I had to read the whole chapter in order to get them, so when I was assigned readings I would only look at the Bold words and write down the definitions. The need for focus on specific literacy practices in the readings would have helped me a lot more as a student in history classes. I wouldn't have alienated myself from classroom discussions about the events if I actually was able to read the readings.
ReplyDeleteSomething I think is easy to assume is that students who don't know English are not smart, this is the opposite of true! If the tables were turned, and we were assumed inept because we only spoke English, it would be discouraging and prohibitive to our own learning. It is so important that as teachers we understand that a student could be an expert in something, but lack the ability to communicate that to us. This is true of any sort of language, be in not speaking the language, or being non verbal, and everything in between!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Marissa regarding the experiences you have including the experience you had from your observation. Trying to establish a communicative lesson to try and instruct students especially within the common core standards. To point of trying to understand complex text is to try to make a connection or establish perhaps a common theme in communication that is understood and comfortable to follow.
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