Ten words that describe this weeks reading of chapter 2 and 3 include; confusing, hypothesis, interaction, access, experiment, implementation, iterative, traditional, unfinished, and situational.
The classroom for an ELL student can be confusing because the student might be functioning in a class where he does not possess the background knowledge for the language, nor the key to unlocking it. Additionally, because this field is so vastly undiscovered one can be jumbled in the jargon.
Hypothesis fits with this week’s reading because, we explore research design, which was hypothesized around in it construction; but, also ELL students utilize tools of their L2 (Language 2) and try to hypothesize or make approximations in the language meanings.
Experiment; chapter two discussed the experimentation of a program, One-to-One English, in order to increase students’ exposure to English. Experiment connects to the ELL students needing to “try out” language and speaking to see what is acceptable and “correct” in this new language of English.
The need for the program, One-to-One English, came out of a lack of access of English to ELL students. With increased access comes an increase practice, which leads to increased mastery. Implementation connects because the goal was to increase exposure to the English language through speech, literature, and games.
Iterative or the idea of repeating to reach a goal, I believe fits agreeably because oral language is always changing with new slang, idioms, and context. Therefore, ELL students are continuously learning to develop automaticity; just as the One-to-One English program went through revisions to meet the needs of the students involved.
Traditional because the method classroom teachers’ implement for ELL students cannot be “traditional” even though volunteers in the program were conducting session in this manner. I used unfinished; since the study revile more in coming chapters and understanding ELL learning and teaching will continue to evolve.
Finally, situational because teaching is constantly changing—what works this week may not tomorrow. Conversation and language is as well because we have a purpose, an audience, and a mode of communicating; come may be more formal.
Now where do we start?
Essence Extractor
A lot of teacher start with hypothesizing whether or not a new or preexisting program works. You picked a great selection of ten woulds, which quite closely explain the cycle teachers often go through while teaching and reflecting. Its interesting yet intimidating to think of all of the experiments ever conducted in classrooms and to think "where do we start" in selecting an experiment that will fit the needs of our students out of the many experiments that worked for some and not for others
ReplyDeleteI don't think that all of the volunteers were in the traditional roles, I liked in the reading, how some of them were very animated and wanted to get out of the classroom and walk around the playground. However, I did read the sections that conveyed the traditional methods of tutoring, and I would hate to be the ELL that just sat in a room and repeated what the volunteers said. While I applaud the volunteer for taking time out of their day to sit for an hour with a kid that barely knows English, I do not think their method was an appropriate method. I would imagine the child putting up a filter and not caring to retain any information, which defeats the purpose of the program. It is a shame.
ReplyDeleteMy three favorite words that you chose are: situational, experiment, and unfinished. If I was teaching that contained ELLs these are the 3 things I would keep in mind. Each child has a different set of background knowledge, so how I would teach would be situational for each student. I would constantly be experimenting with new ways to reach my students. I would then analyze how this approach worked and redesign my lessons to reflect what worked and did not work. This process would continue throughout the entire you... therefore it would be an "unfinished" process (at least until the student was no longer in my class).
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