This week’s reading on ELL students has helped shine more light on the imperfect business that we, as teachers, have chosen to pursue. We’ve learned that bilingual students have higher cognitive abilities, and we still put off foreign languages until the early teenage years. I will say that I liked (what’s not to like, really?) the Two-Way Bilingual Education model where ELL’s and native English speakers are put together to further each individual’s ability in the other’s native language (as well as other benefits). If this is the most effective practice for improving the education for ALL students, why isn’t it a system being utilized (or if it is, WHERE?!)? There needs to be a jump somewhere, otherwise students we have now will be fighting the same battle years from now.
It was mentioned how important it is to refer to students (or anybody) by their actual names, not their names as they would be in English. When I worked at a movie theatre, it used to get on my nerves (to no extent!) when new employees would tell me to call them by the English version of their names. If someone was shouting for Juan, or Gianni, I wouldn’t look twice. My name is Jon. In Spanish, it’s Jon. In Italian, it’s Jon. As far as I’m concerned, your name is your name, regardless of the language being spoken.
Moving on, the case studies present advice for teachers, and I found that both present the idea of acknowledgement and allowance of the student’s background. Manuel Gomes wanted teachers to know their students before they attempted to influence them. (Bode, p. 243) While we see the students a lot, we only see them maybe eight out of the twenty four hours of a day. We have to acknowledge that there is a life unraveling outside of school. If we hope to get through to them, we need to go that extra mile to understand them. Twice a week (it could be much more) in our classroom, we ask the students about their plans for the weekend, their grievances for the day, how yesterday was. In a classroom with students who may not be coming from the best homes, it is a comfort to know that someone wants to know how their day went, or what their interests are, or who they’re hanging out with. I will admit, that it’s not a lot, but for a great amount of students (I can safely assume for ELL’s as well), it’s one more conversation than what they would have had.
Alicia Montejo suggests that ELL’s have time to speak their native language. (Bode, p. 249) This could be an opportunity for ELL’s to maintain a sense of self, while offering the opportunity of English speakers to enhance their knowledge of another language. I don’t see a room of only Spanish-speakers speaking Spanish, but a crowd of mixed speakers (Spanish and English and other?) where the focus can shift. As we’ve learned, this two-way bilingual education doesn’t just support linguistic achievements, but “academic achievement, and positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors” (Bode, p. 235) as well.
I believe that an after-school program would be a great way for students to practice and put to use their bilingual skills. Imagine: A drama club has actors reciting Shakespeare in Korean. A football team calls plays in German. An art club member asks someone to pass the red paint in Urdu. A dance is thrown in a style similar to what one would find in Greece or Italy. It would be a stress-free (well, grade-free) environment that would promote bilingualism, and give the students a platform to try out their new tongues. From there, they may try it at home, or maybe not. All the same, when it comes to culture and language, school must serve as a sanctuary, not a graveyard.
It was mentioned how important it is to refer to students (or anybody) by their actual names, not their names as they would be in English. When I worked at a movie theatre, it used to get on my nerves (to no extent!) when new employees would tell me to call them by the English version of their names. If someone was shouting for Juan, or Gianni, I wouldn’t look twice. My name is Jon. In Spanish, it’s Jon. In Italian, it’s Jon. As far as I’m concerned, your name is your name, regardless of the language being spoken.
Moving on, the case studies present advice for teachers, and I found that both present the idea of acknowledgement and allowance of the student’s background. Manuel Gomes wanted teachers to know their students before they attempted to influence them. (Bode, p. 243) While we see the students a lot, we only see them maybe eight out of the twenty four hours of a day. We have to acknowledge that there is a life unraveling outside of school. If we hope to get through to them, we need to go that extra mile to understand them. Twice a week (it could be much more) in our classroom, we ask the students about their plans for the weekend, their grievances for the day, how yesterday was. In a classroom with students who may not be coming from the best homes, it is a comfort to know that someone wants to know how their day went, or what their interests are, or who they’re hanging out with. I will admit, that it’s not a lot, but for a great amount of students (I can safely assume for ELL’s as well), it’s one more conversation than what they would have had.
Alicia Montejo suggests that ELL’s have time to speak their native language. (Bode, p. 249) This could be an opportunity for ELL’s to maintain a sense of self, while offering the opportunity of English speakers to enhance their knowledge of another language. I don’t see a room of only Spanish-speakers speaking Spanish, but a crowd of mixed speakers (Spanish and English and other?) where the focus can shift. As we’ve learned, this two-way bilingual education doesn’t just support linguistic achievements, but “academic achievement, and positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors” (Bode, p. 235) as well.
I believe that an after-school program would be a great way for students to practice and put to use their bilingual skills. Imagine: A drama club has actors reciting Shakespeare in Korean. A football team calls plays in German. An art club member asks someone to pass the red paint in Urdu. A dance is thrown in a style similar to what one would find in Greece or Italy. It would be a stress-free (well, grade-free) environment that would promote bilingualism, and give the students a platform to try out their new tongues. From there, they may try it at home, or maybe not. All the same, when it comes to culture and language, school must serve as a sanctuary, not a graveyard.
You brought up lots of good points. I think the reason for people not educating ELLs in a manner that makes sense is because politics has been brought into the classroom and the war on whether or not there should be a national language. People are too busy thinking with ideological lenses rather than thinking about what is actually best for the students. I also agree with the importance of using the students' real names, especially as a teacher. However, I would say that the only exception may be extremely complex foreign names which may need to be simplified in some way for younger students, even if not done so in an "Americanizing" sort of way. I like the main theme of your post, which is that immigrant students should be seen as a pro in the classroom, as native students can educate them while the immigrants help educate the native students on their culture in a symbiotic relationship whereby everyone benefits. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your point that the unique talents and perspectives of each student should be highlighted in the classroom. I think that your proposal about after school clubs and activities is brilliant; this would be a great way for students to maintain their culture OR for other students to learn more about different cultures. It would also be a great way to celebrate diversity and give students a safe forum to get to know each other outside of an academic environment. You've shown me a very thoughtful perspective!
ReplyDeleteAfter school activities that integrate different ethnicities and languages is a really cool idea, but how do we incorporate that sort of learning at the elementary level? Aside from certain after school programs that have to be structured a certain way because of Government and funding guidelines, Elementary schools don't really do after school clubs... at least not where I'm teaching (that I've noticed). It doesn't really begin until the middle school level. I do think that's an interesting and possibly very effective way to teach language skills, however.
ReplyDeleteHi Jon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. What is it about languages.
Wasn't it interesting, too, the outcomes of the Suvey Study regarding "what strategies work?" Graphic organizers as trumping the actual language and cultural intersection as "successful."
Hmmmm.
I liked, too, your point about politics. It is, of course, the point of almost all of the texts we've had thus far—i.e., sociopolitics as a "ground." There was one footnote. I cannot remember which article. The footnote basically states that "teaching is a political act."
Interesting indeed . . .