Democratic Classrooms and the Second Language Learner
description
Transcript of Democratic Classrooms and the Second Language Learner
DEMOCRATIC CLASSROOMS AND THE SECOND
LANGUAGE LEARNERA discussion
Overview Your experiences and fears Why it matters Challenges we face Language and identity Empowerment Suggestions for ESL instruction within a
democratic framework
Your Experiences? How would you describe your own
experiences in classrooms when we consider English language learners? Look at it from either the perspective of a
student or of a teacher
Your fears? What are you most concerned with when
it comes to ESL students in your own classrooms?
What issues do you foresee occurring with ESL students as you strive to create a democratic classroom?
Why Does It Matter? (The Numbers)
17.9% speak a language other than English at home
4 million students identified as LEP by 2000 One in every eleven students in school Half of all teachers provide services to LEP
students What do these numbers suggest to you?
Grubbs, 2003
Why Does It Matter? (The Law) 14th Amendment
Equal protection Are you truly providing equal access when the
student cannot speak the language? Lau v. Nichols (1974), Plyler v. Doe (1982)
Students must have access to academic instruction in the language they are most comfortable in and get help in learning English
NCLB (2001) LEP students are not excused from testing
What do you think? Should we be required to provide
students with instruction in their native tongue, whenever possible?
What problems does the law seem to pose for educators?
Let’s talk now about challenges we face!
Preparation Preparation
Only 30% of teachers, on average, get PD related to ESL
ESL programs generally provide services lasting one to three years, on average
How prepared do you honestly feel for LEP students in your own classroom?
How might you change preparation at our own level?
Language Language
Should we require teachers to have a minimum familiarity with a particular foreign language?
How can we as teachers overcome the language issues?
Cultural Norms The mainstream American culture may
differ from that of the student and his/her family Issues of respect, interaction, discipline,
curriculum In what way or ways do you plan on
addressing the issue of different cultural expectations in your classroom?
Time The migratory nature of many LEP
students makes it difficult to ensure effective English language instruction Time matters!
Two years for LEP student to converse fluently Five to seven years for LEP student to gain
academic English fluency
Language and Identity What does the term identity mean to
you? Norton (1997):
How people understand their relationship to the world
How the relationship is constructed across time and space
How people understand their possibilities for the future
The Shifting Nature and Investment
Identity often shifts in accordance with changing social and economic relations (West, 1992)
Nature of identity reflects investment in target language Construction of that relationship over time LEP learner shaped by and shapes social
identity and language
Power Relationships Investment in language acquisition often
reflects power relationships Coercive
Dominant group exercises power that is detrimental to others
Marginalization and belittling of the LEP student Collaborative
Power is shared and mutually generated Empowering
Dealing with Identity ELP students as individuals
Social needs and aspirations of these students are often tied to linguistic needs
Language is almost inherently a transmitter of culture and shaper of identity Language expertise, language inheritance,
language affiliation Think about your own experiences in the
classroom as a teacher and/or student. How is this true?
Language and Identity Current Issue
“If these teachers want to be accepted in my school, they must totally get rid of their accent because the students will have trouble understanding them.” (Norton, 1997, p. 423)
The Debate in Arizona: The Story: No Accents Please
Do you agree with these commentators?
Language as Empowerment
What do you see as your own role in teaching LEP students?
How do we define the term ‘empowerment’?
What determines empowerment?
Cummins (1986): Incorporation of minority students’ language
and culture into school program Encouragement of minority community
participation Pedagogy encourages buy-in and intrinsic
motivation (investment!) Advocacy rather than problem pointer-aters
ESL and Your Democratic Classroom: Suggestions
The following slides are taken from a presentation developed by Dr. Lee Chen. The full presentation is available at:
http://daphne.palomar.edu/lchen/
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
1. Let students jump start the classA question for the teacherOne-minute motivatorLanguage-related class openerBrain tease
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
2. Let students teach/explain back3-step coaching
You say; you doYou say; they doThey say; they do
Cartoon recreationNotice grammar in the newspaper, etc.
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
3. Let students come up with authentic teaching materials
Topics for discussionsStudent work as textCommunity Teaching Method
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
4. Let students help each other Paragraph peer reviewAudience feedback on team presentationsDiscussion boardStudent mentors
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
5. Let students manage themselves Daily class management jobsClassroom rules“Round robin” reading
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
6. Let students vote Student of the weekDay or location of testsReading selections
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
7. Let students participate in and represent their teams
Team projectsDaily team jobsRadio frequency clickersCross-word puzzle solvingGrammar review workout
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
8. Let students show offStudent paper showcaseComputer station swaps“Did you know…?”
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
9. Let students speak their mindOne-minute feedback on the day’s classOpinion polls on course-related issueswww.getfast.caAnonymous discussion boardExercises for thinking independently, critically, or creatively
Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis
10. Let students share their insights and experiences with the world
Weblog“Voices of ESL”
Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Paolo Freire:The teacher is no longer the only one who teaches. The students, while being taught, also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which all grow.
Democratic Ways in a Classroom
share control in class build a community spirit are pedagogically sound create a dynamic environment value and validate student voices develop greater student-centrality bring out humans’ cooperative nature
Democratic Ways in a Classroom
teach the students to have a say and take a stake in their immediate classes—and, hopefully, in their outside community as well—with the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy
Democratic Ways in a Classroom
produce self-managed, independent learners
serve the students well and create raving fans
enhance a more collaborative approach to language teaching
change the teacher mentality of having to dictate everything in class
engage and empower the students as active partners in the instructional process
Finally… Be realistic! Connect language acquisition to course
content as closely as possible! Collaboration and hands on activities! Develop connections and familiarity with
the students’ culture! And ROCK ON! WOOHOO!
Your Articles Can be lesson plans appropriate for ESL students within a
democratic classroom context and/or relating to civic instruction Model a part of the lesson Summarize Strengths and weaknesses
Can address current issues or problems with current approaches to ESL education (in the style of the three we read) Summarize Find a way to present it and connect to the classroom/our class
Can be a historical piece Summarize What surprised you about the issues the piece raised
Have things changed, remained the same? Tone of the piece/arguments?