If I were to create a class, it would explore the topic of English Language Learners (ELL) and their transition into the United States school system with an emphasis on the lack of participation in after school activities. Throughout my volunteer work, I have noticed within my community that often times ELL students only partake in activities during school hours. Whether the inability to obtain transportation or apathy on the part of the caregiver, students miss out on crucial social and academic experiences. Financial issues, language barriers, or insecurity are other reasons possible gaps in participation between ELL and non-ELL students exist. The opportunities for these students to get involved, such as sports, music, and academic clubs
After viewing the panel discussion about how our local school districts have implemented English Language Learning in their school, I am very intrigued. From what I gathered the field of ELL is a growing industry in education, especially in Colorado Springs. We have ELL’s students coming from all over the world. Here in Colorado Springs alone, school districts have to accommodate for over fifty different languages spoken by ELL’s. I can only imagine the challenge that comes with such a diverse group of non- English speakers in our community schools.
During the first day of ESL academy, I realized the inadequacy of my knowledge concerning the needs of ELL students and how woefully lacking my instruction had been for former students whose first language was not English. Partici...
There are several key ideas that are crucial to understanding the best way to teach young, ELL students. The first idea is the importance of recognizing ELL’s feelings of isolation and alienation. When a teacher recognizes this, they are more capable of helping the student feel a part of the class. The student will struggle to participate if they do not feel like they belong with the other students. There is not only a language barrier, but also sociocultural differences that prohibit them from feeling accepted. Tiffany emphasizes the importance of acknowledging this problem and being aware during classroom activities. She suggests that you get a deep understanding of their cultural background, not just a “touristy” one.
“In recent years the Hispanic population in America has achieved status as the largest minority group in the United States surpassing African-Americans (Baker, p.438).” This sudden increase in the Hispanic-American population is monumental when looking at the past few hundred years when African-Americans held the spot as the largest minority group in the United States. Across the United States this sudden and unprecedented influx of primarily native Spanish speakers has become more visible in some areas than others. Due to the rapid growth and migration of this group it can be seen that many migrant children have not had the time or the opportunity to learn English well enough to achieve success at their particular grade level in the public school system. Many of these bright and eager to learn migrant students fall by the wayside upon entering the public school system. Due to the rapid increase in populations of migrant students in various parts in the United States it has become necessary for localized school systems to adopt and implement programs, utilizing assistive technology, to incorporate English language proficiency programs to help teach migrant students so that they might have a chance at achieving success and continuing to higher education taught exclusively in English.
The years prior to when an individual reaches the opportunity to attend college, is one of much importance. Especially when it comes to Literacy, this alone spreads into all subject areas. Literacy should be considered one of the most important aspects of a student’s career, if not the most important. Research by Bob Wise (2009) suggests that the main problem in today’s districts is that a good amount of administrations believe that literacy comes after school reform on the list of important topics. The belief is that the problem is not associated to all adolescents; therefore it should be the responsibility of the English teachers. The problem there is that students start to fall behind in all subjects and many end up having to repeat grade levels. Teachers in all subject areas should put a strong emphasis on literacy, and when the student starts to struggle, there responsibility should be to refer them to extra help or provide assistance themselves, its never beneficial for the student if the educators belie...
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). English as a Second Language (ESL). Limited English Proficiency (LEP). English Language Learners (ELL). All of these are programs for students who did not learn English as their first language. Every day, students face many different challenges while going to school. Some struggle to grasp the concepts of math. Some struggle to manage their time wisely. Many struggle to get up in the morning. Many also struggle to fit in. But many of these struggles would be a little easier for those who have learned English as their first language. Those who did not, juggle learning English while trying to learn new concepts that are taught in English. It starts to sound like a catch 22, which is part of the
This school districts have cut back on their funding for drama clubs and family and consumer science programs and either reduced the number of afterschool sports offered or put a hefty price tag on participation. The end result is that an increasing number of low-income students find themselves left on the sidelines. High minority and low-income students’ population in this school system have become increasingly disengaged and disconnected, their participation rates are
As I look back on my English 101 experience, I have come to the conclusion that I have learned many new things that have improved my abilities as a writer. I have learned some new techniques that have improved my ways of approaching an essay. I learned all about the rhetorical appeals and how to apply them in my writing and how to look for them in a essay written by a author. I have also learned how to argue both sides of a argument, and how to look for reliable sources and to properly quote and site the author of the essay. I feel as if I have become a better writer and my improved writing skills are shown within each essay.
The education system faces a great challenge in serving immigrant youth when it comes to incorporating them in the classroom. The language acquisition is easier for younger children and increases with the time spent in the United States but these newly arriving immigrant teens have a very limited time not only to learn English, but to study the required material for standardize testing, and catch up to their native English speaking peers before graduation. Thus, performing under this enormous amount of pressure can leave students feeling overwhelm and with a higher chance of subsequently drop out.
The population of the United States increased with school age children speaking English as their second language. Strong community leaders and school districts are needed to ensure English language learners attend effective programs that teach them English and push them to graduate successfully (Buysse, Castro, and Peisner-Feinberg, 2010). School districts across America use their own approach to accommodate the learning of English language learners by having a single or combination of programs (Li and Edwards, 2010). Dual language programs allow children to collaborate in developmental levels such as cognitive with tasks in English and Spanish (Pascopella, 2011). English language learners and English proficient students learn from each other.
The purpose of this assignment is to explain the impact of English language learners in the classroom. As a foreign student, English language learner in the United States faces multiple challenges for achieving academic success. To successfully complete a task, they need to master both English as a language and how it is used in core content classes especially when they are an adult. When trying to assist in instructing English language learners, they usually have many concepts and language abilities that they need to master, as do the teachers that are trying to teach them. With the incorporation of the concepts and approaches to identify and assess the issues and concerns that we have learned in our classroom instruction, such as lesson preparation,
As writers, many students write to the expectations of their professors and not to their fullest potential. Throughout English 101 I had been writing only to please my professor or to fill the basic requirement to pass English. I always felt that my writing ability was never enough for my professors throughout the previous years. They always wanted clear and concise essays, which for some reason was unreachable by me. However, starting college and taking English 101 helped me with my weaknesses and changed my technique of writing essays. My experience in English 101 taught me to write to my fullest potential and to write what I felt; rather then writing what was required.
Embassy Summer Academy assists students with building the abilities students need in order to succeed in life through intensive English classes combined with sports, the arts, and social interaction. Embassy Summer Academy endeavor to strengthen students’ self-reliance in a civilized and culturally diverse environment by providing students with carefully selected instructors and coaches. The Intensive English program analyzes students’ language knowledge and schedules programs tailored to their level of understanding. The program enhances students’ understanding of English grammar and tutors to speak and write more precisely. Moreover, the Intensive English program improves students’ vocabulary and aware students with study techniques in order to help students increase, remember, store, and retrieve new vocabulary. In addition, the program enhances each student’s ability to understand spoken English and to be understood speaking English. Students also learn about the pronunciation problems of speakers of their mother tongue, and practice speaking more accurately and more
No other country has as many official languages as South Africa, it has 11 and they are: Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu, Swati, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele and Venda. “According to census data from 2011, Zulu is the most widely spoken language in the country with 11.6 million speakers. This is followed by Xhosa with 8.15 million speakers, and Afrikaans with 6.85 million speakers. English is some distance away with 4.9 million speakers”.
Language is a force that binds the world together, allowing for the spread of information and communication to surpass all boundaries. According to Susannah MacKaye, the head of a language rights-group with a masters degree in linguistics from Stanford University, language creates a common bond and establishes a common ethnicity (137). Language exists as a unifying source for diverse cultures and composing the American heritage. “Vanishing Voices” by Russ Rymer describes the loss of languages, a direct consequence of the domination by English, the official language of numerous states. The official language has significance in determining an everyday part of life and an impact on the preservation of an entire people’s culture, as it is used