TEACHING ESL

CSL Reflection

There are inherent limitations when working with an English Language Learner; factors such as age, ethnicity, prior knowledge, and language experience all confound any notion that there are universal techniques for language development. It is especially difficult under the confines of a ten-week period to gage success. Specifically, with my CSL student, I had the constraint of age and her limited background in a primary language, which proved to be insurmountable obstacles given the circumstances. I don’t doubt that had I had the time to serve as a full time assistant or a teacher in that classroom, improvement would have been easier to achieve and quantify. The fortunate situation for my CSL student was that she was in a classroom where about half of the students were ELL’s. Additionally, when compared with middle school and high school, the language and comprehension gap in the primary grades is nominal, which makes transitioning a second language learner in a mainstream classroom much easier. Above all else, the CSL experience gave me a glimpse of the challenges facing a teacher in a heterogeneous classroom. These days, schools have moved toward an immersion program of second language learners creating public schools classrooms that are culturally and linguistically mixed. As such, CCTC has mandated that prospective teachers be trained in working with second language students.

Working with second language learners seems to be a game of trial and error, much like teaching should be in general. Lessons should be tweaked, adapted, or expanded depending on the situation, and it seems that successful teachers are aware and effectively utilize multiple modalities when teaching. I think this approach of tapping into the multiple intelligences of students should be an important guide for curriculum development, instruction, and assessment. Adaptation and reinforcement is especially critical when working with ELL’s. With my student, her limited experience and vocabulary forced me to move away from my comfort zone of direct instruction to more hands on activities. For example, I worked with my student on recognizing the differences between circles, rectangles, and triangles. Instead of focusing on the unique characteristics of these shapes verbally, I chose to use paper cut outs and examples in the room to help her create a mental image of what these shapes were. With her English background, she scored as a beginner in the CELDT, I realized that giving her direct instruction, which I would have normally employed to reinforce and extend the distinctions, would have only confused her. Basically, the key advice that I have learned from my experience and feel is invaluable is to be cogent and flexible. Essentially, with the early ELL, concreteness in instruction and practice are the keys.

A potential challenge, which I was fortunate not to have to overcome with my CSL student, is reluctance. Without a doubt, in her classroom, my CSL student is the most outgoing and motivated second language learner, which made it easier for me to make a personal connection to her. She looked forward to working individually with me and she clung to me often in large group settings on our way to gym or the playground. I think this connection undoubtedly contributed to the success we had together. However, I noticed that aside form her, the other ELL’s were often passive and shy, especially in the context of the whole group. This isolation poses a serious challenge for instruction because it disconnects the students from the classroom experience which no doubt can have a deleterious impact on language acquisition. It makes the students passive recipients of knowledge instead of active explorers. The latter approach acts as a catalyst for mental stimulation and it helps the students take more ownership of what they are learning and the language itself.

I think that the most beneficial information from the class, as it related to a teaching approach, was the ELD and CELDT standards. Before taking the class, I was aware that the rise in ELL’s would have an incredible impact on school diversity, but I did not know how the standards would respond to this change. Though the standards omit effective strategies or lack guidance toward realizing state expectations, there is no substitute for individualized instruction and creativity. Each student is like a blank slate and it is the teacher’s job to find out the learning style of that student and devise appropriate instructional strategies to fit his/her needs. What I did find useful about these standards was that they stressed progress, and focused on student accomplishments rather than deficiencies, to help to promote a positive learning environment.

Although I looked forward to going to Linda Vista to work with my CSL student, I definitely left frustrated sometimes if a lesson failed to produce the intended results. For example, I had devised a “realistic lesson” that would help the student understand rhyme. Included in my portfolio is the result of this lesson and while the student was able to complete the task in writing, I was unable to extend it and she still could not define what rhyme was at the end of the lesson. However, she did learn new vocabulary and demonstrated an understanding of phonemic awareness and concepts of print, which are important achievements. Additionally, included in the portfolio is her progress in learning the alphabet. I have enclosed a transcript of my first day working with her where she couldn’t even name the letters, let alone produce them. Now, three months later, as the picture of her holding up the letters in order suggests, she has learned how to write all the letters and can even produce her name. (Well, except for Z). While, I know that I am not primary responsible for this achievement, I feel that I have contributed to her academic development in some capacity.

Twenty hours is a minimal time commitment for trying to understand the limitations and complexities of working with a second language learner, but it taught me a valuable lesson. Sometimes, I can’t be Superman no matter how hard I try. However, what I can do as an instructional assistant in the classroom is to help keep the teacher informed about the student’s progress and needs. My work helped focus the teacher for future instruction, but it is ultimately her responsibility to be creative and flexible and help support the student’s development. I have done the legwork, the background research, which will give the teacher another perspective for designing future instruction.