References
National Council of Teachers of English, . (2008). ELL Research Brief. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/PolicyResearch/ELLResearchBrief.pdf
New Jersey actively supports effective school/community/home partnerships in the school system. “Teachers can help ELLs see their native languages and family cultures as resources that contribute to education rather than something to be overcome or cast aside. For example, research shows how students’ extracurricular composing develops ELLs’ abilities in text comprehension, collaboration with peers, and construction of a writerly identity. Teachers can use these techniques to reduce the distance between home and school, while helping ELLs to become more invested in school learning” (National Council of Teachers of English, 2008). Involving students within these extra-curricular activities allows the student to develop his or her comprehension skills, allowing for real-world language use with peers. It is my belief, along with the National Council of Teachers of English (2008), that real world application of language is the best way for a person to learn the language. The reason being is because many ELL students, go home and speak their L1, unable to practice their English with another person. By participating in extra-curricular activities, they take an interest in school and communicate with their peers, getting more practice in English.
References National Council of Teachers of English, . (2008). ELL Research Brief. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/PolicyResearch/ELLResearchBrief.pdf
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Different cultures have different social aspects. For example, in Asian cultures, such as China, it is considered disrespectful to look an adult in the eyes when they are speaking to you, whereas in American culture, this is otherwise. I am currently in a multicultural class setting, and even with the preschool age, I notice these habits in the classroom. While younger children can adapt to a multicultural setting more easily than older children, the connection to culture is strong, even with their meals. I find that the parents often serve them traditional culture meals. The socio-cultural aspect of their first language is dependent upon how their culture communicates with one another. Another example would be with Hispanic culture. Hispanics primarily communicate, and have close ties with family. There are many large social gatherings for meals and they are very talkative with their family. This could be a reason that you find many Hispanic students as active voices in the classroom. Their primary language is usually enhanced due to their active social skills. What may occur, is that a Hispanic student may struggle with learning English due to the practice of Spanish initially.
One way I lower these filters is by discussing the differences amongst the students. We celebrate every cultural inside my classroom by learning each child’s holiday and tradition, learning about the different trends that occur inside their home. By learning and celebrating with the children, they feel comfortable where they are and the children and teachers around them understand their culture a little more. |
Lindsey PietrocolaSince 2010, I've been incorporating technology (in some form or another) into a classroom as a teacher. Archives
April 2019
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