Rachel  Gottlieb  EDIS  5470  Spring  2011  

 MEET  THE  STUDENT:  BIMALA  

(pure  -­‐  Hindi)  

Who  is  Bimala?  

•   7  years  old  

•   1st    grade  student  

•   2  years  in  the  U.S.  

•   from  India,  speaks  Hindi  at  home  

•   good  friends  with  other  ESL  students  

Personal  Information:  

Who  is  Bimala?  

•   WIDA  level  2  (beginning)  •   has  many  characteristics  of  Stage  III  on  Language  Acquisition  Chart  

• not  literate  in  Hindi  (L1)  

•   attended  same  school  for  kindergarten  

•   second  year  with  same  ESL  teacher  

Educational  Information:  

Who  is  Bimala?  

•   small  farming  town,  western  Bengal  •   father  –  finished  HS,  some  English    •   mother  –  7th  grade  education,  very  LEP  •   paternal  uncle  –15  years  in  C-­‐ville,  translator/home  &  school  contact  •   live  in  2  BR  apt  close  to  school,  no  car  •   family  active  in  school  activities  

Family  Background:  

Who  is  Bimala?  

•   Dora  the  Explorer  

•   pink  

•   horses  and  ponies  

•   Disney  princesses  

•   dogs  

Personal  Interests:  

Information  about  India  

•   Population:  2nd  largest,  15%  of  world’s  population  (more  than  1  billion)  •   Capital:  New  Delhi  •   Languages:  Hindi  (official),  English  •   Geography:  3  geographic  regions  (Himalayan,  Gangetic  Plain,  plateau)  •   Culture:  Bollywood,  dance,  art,  music  

Country  and  Culture(  Sources:  State  Dept.,  CIA  World  Factbook,  Wikipedia)    

Information  about  India  

•   compulsory  education  K-­‐10  •   literacy  level:  61%        (U.S.  99%)  

•   controlled  by  Union  government,  states  •   fundamental  right  protected  in  Constitution  •   rote  learning,  memorization  •   teacher  absences  

Education(  Sources:  State  Dept.,  CIA  World  Factbook,  Wikipedia)    

Information  about  India  

•   Hello/goodbye:  Namaste  

•   Hello/goodbye  (colloquial):  rām  rām    

•   Please:  krpayā/kripaya    

•   Thank  you:  dhanyawaad/dhanyavaad    

Hindi  words  

How  does  Bimala  learn?  

•   perfectionist  

•   wants  to  be  independent    

•   likes  one-­‐on-­‐one  attention,  but  not  help  

•   usually  quiet  and  reserved  

•   sensitive  –  feelings  hurt  easily  

Characteristics  Observed:  

How  does  Bimala  learn?  •   Looks  up  at  teacher  when  comes  across  an  unfamiliar  word  •   doesn’t  try  to  decode  or  sound  out    •   Doesn’t  recognize  sight  words  •   Doesn’t  track  words  with  finger  •   Doesn’t  follow  along  when  peers  are  reading  aloud,  turn  page  at  same  time    

Reading  Behaviors  Observed  

How  does  Bimala  learn?  

•   explicit  vocabulary  instruction  •   sight  words,  new  vocabulary    

•   pre-­‐reading  activities  •   text  previews,  picture  walks    

•   rhyming  instruction  •   manipulatives,  oral  practice  

Suggestions  to  Improve  Learning