ESL/Bilingual Guide for Mainstream Teachers - Reading Response

I really liked the reading because I'm very interested in working with students whom have another language, not English, as their first language. The article breaks down the process of how long it takes to learn a language and what comes with each step. Obviously every child learns differently and at different rates, but this baseline is a good one to have.

The article divides the process up into five stages. The first is Preproduction. In this stage, the student is a newcomer to the language and speaks very few words (around 0-500), if any at all. They listen and speak through non-verbal cues in order to gain understanding. The second stage is Early Production. Here, the student has gained some understanding of the English language and is becoming immersed in the U.S. culture. He/she can participate in some hands-on activities, but English comprehension is very low. The third stage, Low Intermediate, comes between 1-3 years of being in the U.S. school system. By this time, the student has begun to use basic phrases and sentences. He/she can initiate and engage in coversations even though his/her vocabulary is still in early development. The fourth stage, High Intermediate Fluency, is where the student begins to move away from relying on context to gain meaning from conversations and lessons. He/she shoes good comprehension skills and is bridging the gap to academic langauge. The fifth stage, Advanced Fluency, is the academic stage. The student has now been in the U.S. school system for 5-7 years and has developed an expansive vocabulary. He/she can now function on the academic level of his/her peers. These stages gave me a good peek into what I can expect to encounter with my students in the years. Once I have successfully gauged the level on which my students are, I can use this as a resource to better assist my students and integrate them into the U.S. culture.

The second part of the article provides tips for working with K-12 English Language Learners (ELLs). Among the page long list of helpful hints, I found a few that stuck with me.

- Learn how to pronounce the student's name.

I find this to be so important because a student's name is, to an extent, their identity. Students shouldn't have to give up a part of them because a teacher can't take the time to learn the pronunciations. Most people will learn to pronounce the name of the odd character on a TV show, so why can't teachers learn their students' names?

- Simplify your language, not the content.

I feel that many teachers, including myself as a current pre-service, have done this. We have adjusted the curriculum to the students, but have given them a great disservice by "dumbing" down the content.

- Make use of all senses.

Senses are primary in the learning of young students. Elementary aged students are curious at heart and want to touch, smell, taste, and see everything they can get their hands on!

- Make use of visual clues and graphic organizers.

I've always wanted to make my classroom a very visual experience for my students. Using sight cues is a good way to engage students and keep them informed.

The third and final part of the particle gives suggestions to support newcomer ESL students. I found this section the most applicable to my future classroom pertaining to the new ESL students. It talks about addressing your mainstream students about the challenges your ESL student will face in the classroom and where to go once the student arrives in the classroom. Establish a routine for them, create a nurturing environment for them, and make sure to engage them. Students, whether they understand the language or not, like to be included in the classroom activities. Switching to a new school is hard, but switching languages too can be brutal on an elementary aged student.

I have found this article immensely helpful for my future classroom and my career. It is my passion to teach students and make sure that they all leave with knowledge in their minds. I don't want any student to get left behind, so anything I can use to help or use as a resource is something that I want to have in my repertoire.

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