Teaching English Language Learners

The three factors that have the strongest effect on my students' second language acquisition process are:

1. Language attitudes - I have a sense of pride in my ability to speak and use the English language. I feel confident that I can effectively communicate with my peers and students. Zap me into a remote village in China and my insecurities grow as I am unable to effectively communicate my needs for food, clothing and shelter. It would seem that time would slow down until I met someone who spoke English. And then if they challenged my use of vocabulary or dialect a challenging situation might take a turn for the worst. In other words, my native language and dialect are very personal to me and I would not want them challenged - especially when I was feeling vulnerable. As ELL teachers, we need to avoid being critical to the speaker about dialect. Language dialects are regional and taken very personal by many people. The use of standard dialects and formal registers keep the level of instruction more objective. I believe this would reduce the negative response from peers and provide the best learning situation for the ELL student.

2. Home support - This is a challenging contextual factor for a few important reasons. The ELL teacher may not speak the student's native language and cannot communicate well with the student. Efforts to contact a parent have failed or are sporadic. Days and weeks can pass when contact with a parent about classroom issues is not made, so the student remains in a holding pattern of hit and miss attempts to learn. Once communication is established, the teacher can be reassured that the teacher's efforts are being supported at home. The child is taught the value of their native language as well as English as stated in the article. This may be happening, but if the parents and teachers cannot find a way to communicate this important support, the efforts may have seemed one-sided. This year we have had two instances when using a translator expedited the solution to some problems a student was having. The parents supported the school's efforts, but we did not know it until communication was made through translation. That was a wonderful day.

3. Learning styles - When working with an ELL student, we must do our best to determine the individual's learning style. I would check previous academic records and review teacher comments about the student's learning style. If the records did not provide enough information, I would use an online tool to help with the analysis. Once we determine whether the student is an auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner, lessons and activities can be planned to differentiate instruction.

Acquiring a new language is a rewarding experience. Respecting the experiences and challenges facing our ELL students will give them the confidence and courage to realize success in school.