Professional Development Group Reflection: English Language Learners

8/8/2019 Professional Development Group Reflection: English Language Learners

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Ken KrupaELD 308

PDG ReflectionBy reading English Language Learners, written by David and Yvonne Freeman,

beginning teachers are made thoroughly aware of the effects that American school have

one English language learners which can either decrease the rate of their language

acquisition or integrate the instruction of it across multiple areas.

The fact is that many English language learners are struggling with acquiring a

second language and it is up to the teachers involved to become more aware of how

students can become more integrated within the classroom. As stated in the text and as

we have discussed in class, students having ownership over their own lives and learning

is important. As such, it is imperative that students learning English as a second

language be made important in the classroom. Some might neglect the English language

learners somewhat due to their inefficient English word use in some cases, thinking that

they will simply pick it up as they drift along throughout school. That is no way to help

the English language learners.

Through studying this text it is clear that an interdisciplinary approach to

immersing English language learners is more helpful than simply hoping for the best.

As the text describes, integrating English language instruction across the other content

areas as well. Through immersing them into other subjects such as mathematics,

sciences, and social studies, English language learners are more likely to absorb the

basics of American English within the prescribed two or three year span of time by which

they should have a general understanding of the mechanics of this language.

Another facet of English language learners I found interesting, as stated earlier,

ownership of their learning environment is important to helping them feel part of the



classroom. This can be done through observing the diversity within a group of students

and opting to celebrate that diversity. There are several ways in which teachers can

integrate cultural studies into the curriculum so as to show the English language learners

that they are not to feel ostracized by being new to the language. They are as important

to the classroom as anyone else.

Another point I found interesting is that English language learners learn

conversational English rather quickly and often replace their native accent with a more

normal sounding version of English. The critical factor in their English language

development is sometimes their former schooling. There are different types of English

learners, according to the text, are; students with adequate formal schooling, students

with limited and interrupted schooling, and long term English learners. Students with

adequate formal schooling are able to assimilate English vocabulary into their spoken,

conversational language. These students have strong educational backgrounds in their

first language and therefore have a strong base for academic English. Students with

limited or interrupted schooling are often affected by socio economic status, starting

school too late, and possess and overwhelming difference between their native country

and urban America in terms of language usage. Long term English users are born in the

United States, rarely or never visiting their parents¶ native country and often have trouble

relating to family from their native country. I found these points interesting because

while trying to integrate native cultures of students from differing ethnicities, when

studying the native country of an ethnic student who isn¶t native to the same country as

their parents of other relatives, may prove difficult due to that student¶s lack of

relatedness to their relatives from that native country and the country itself.



I also found it interesting that English language learners often get lost in the

curriculum when measures aren¶t taken to keep them on track with the other students.

As we have discussed in class, according the Matthew Effect, the rich get richer and the

poor get poorer. While this is originally intended for all students in reading workshops,

this also affects the development of English language learners if they are not given the

proper scaffolding while trying to assimilate English vocabulary into their writing and

reading. It is imperative that teachers use an interdisciplinary approach to help these,

and really all, students revisit ideas across multiple content areas so as to solidify the

importance of language comprehension.

Documents

Professional Development Group Reflection: English Language Learners