Entry 3
It was interesting to learn about the experiences and ideas Ms. Rodriguez shared during our interview. It must be beneficial that the English language learners in Ms. Rodriguez's class have a teacher who can speak in their native language and translate content for them. Ortega (2015, p. 61) states that learning happens through comprehension, and that the more one comprehends, the more one learns. The classroom environment along with the mixture of English language levels in Ms. Rodriguez's class is also very supportive of her ELL students. Ortega (2015, p. 66) Mentions a meta-analysis that found that the gains for groups who used the targeted L2 forms during task-based interaction were substantial. Practicing explaining mathematical concepts to peers in English is a great way for ELLs to improve grammar and communication skills in English. Practice helps proceduralization of new knowledge by allowing the establishment and strengthening of corresponding links in long-term memory (Ortega, 2015, p.85). In Ms. Rodriguez's classroom, ELLs are regular participants in the lesson through socialization with peers. Ms. Rodriguez's students are given opportunities to participate and show what they know with the help of supportive peers and teachers. Second language socialization studies have revealed that learning outcomes can be greatly improved when L2 learners are not construed as definitional novices and instead their invisible expertise is made visible during socializing events (Ortega, 2015, p. 238). Practice, socialization, a supportive environment and supportive instructors all tie together when considering how to accommodate and motivate ELLs to succeed academically and in acquiring the English language. It is especially interesting to see how Ms. Rodriguez mentions a mixture of methods used in her classroom that align to those mentioned by researchers in the field of second language acquisition. The age group Ms. Rodriguez teaches is also considered a critical period for second language acquisition (Ortega, 2015). It important that ELLs are supported during these critical years in hopes of them attaining native speaker levels in English.
Hello Angel! I enjoyed your interview with Mrs. Rodriguez. I like that you and I (that I've noticed so far) decided to seg-way from early childhood ELL's and interview both middle and high school teachers, who also serve ESL and ELL's. While Mrs. Rodriguez's students are almost at or past their critical-period, it is important to remember that there are always going to be exceptional learners who defy the "critical-period theory" (Ortega, 2013, p. 24). By supporting all students who are undergoing the acquisition of a second language - whether it be by visual's, encoding/decoding practice, sentence stem's displayed around the classroom, and etc - we can help them "perform within in the range of native-speaker controls" (Ortega, 2013, p. 24).
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DeleteHi Jessica,
DeleteI am particularly interested in teaching the middle grades which lead me to investigate more about teaching ELLs from a middle school teacher. I agree with your comment on supporting all learners beyond the critical period. It would be interesting to hear about a high school teacher's experiences teaching ELLs. As one of our peers pointed out, there is a change in the types of techniques that motivate students as they grow in age. Ortega (2013, p 189) concludes that "motivation is indeed central in explaining L2 learning, but it cannot be reduced to a few variables, nor can it be exhausted with just a few questionnaires and group data." While teachers play a key role in creating a supportive classroom environment along with adapted instructional strategies, students must also have a desire to learn the language to be successful.
Hello, Angel! I really liked listening to your video and I though you asked some really good questions. I also seem to find interest in how students are motivated to learn another language, so that tends to be where I focus most of my attention. I enjoyed hearing that students are often motivated by reassurance and encouragement. I also heard her say that students are often learning another language without even realizing that they are. I found this similar to what Ortega talks about when she says that students learning a lot when they feel their behavior is self-initiated and find enjoyment in the learning (Ortega, 2013, p.176). I feel like the encouragement given in Mrs. Rodriguez's classroom helps the students understand their accomplishments, which then bring enjoyment to the learning process.
ReplyDeleteHi Remy,
DeleteI agree, Ms. Rodriquez does show that she makes an effort to ensure her students are successful and are provided feedback to grow from. A theory mentioned by Gardner mentions that "micro-context of the classroom environment (e.g. teacher, curriculum, instructional quality) can play in boosting or depleting motivation to learn an additional language" (Ortega, 2013, p. 175). Although the teacher is responsible for creating a supportive instructional environment, students share responsibility or taking interest in learning the L2. Student attitudes towards the L2 also play a role in their success in developing fluency.
Hi Angel,
ReplyDeleteYou can tell that Ms. Rodriguez is extremely passionate about all of her students. She definitely cares that her ELL students do not get overlooked and are able to stay on the same level as those students that have English as their first language. I thought it was interesting that you asked about the importance of the students practicing their skills in a naturalistic environment. Ortega (2013) mentions early on about how many L2 learners grow in their language by a mixture of both instruction and naturalistic learning (p. 6). This would be through not only the classroom experience but also at home, through TV, radio and peers which is what Ms. Rodriguez agreed with being important.
Hi Emily,
DeleteI totally agree, as Ortega mentioned practice is extremely important to achieving proficiency in a new language (2013). Ortega (2013, p. 89) states that L2 words learned in naturalistic contexts allow for the encoding of richer information in episodic memory than L2 words learned in classrooms." Since "languages are almost always learned with and for others," there is a great benefit ELLs can take from practicing the new language in a naturalistic environment (Ortega, 2013). Practice paired with a supportive classroom environment, ELLs are set up for success in achieving fluency in English.
Hi Angel. I like how Ms. Rodriguez mentioned that the students motivstion in the classroom is them feeling like they are where everyone else is. In the lower grades, i think more material things and rewards are what motivate the students but with her 7th grade class, it is just themselves. Gass & Selinker says “Success can breed confidence, which results in greater success (p. 431, 2008). If the students are feeling successful then they will reach success.
ReplyDeleteAsia, I agree with your statement about the type of motivation that drives both younger and older students, but I also believe there is an overlap between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for SLA students of all ages. While older students success with acquiring an L2 may stem from intrinsic motivation and the desire to fit in with their peers, I also believe that these same students get some satisfaction from extrinsic factors, such as recognition from their teachers and other individuals. Thus relating back to Gass & Selinkers comment on how "Success can breed confidence, which results in greater success" (p. 431, 2008.)
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DeleteHi Asia,
DeleteI agree, after seeing various interviews of different grade level teachers, it seems that middle grade students are not as motivated by extrinsic motivation as younger students may be. Ortega (2013, p. 176) mentions that intrinsic motivation is "considered optimal because it has been experimentally shown to be consistently associated to higher levels of achievement." Students who develop an internal drive to succeed in the new language, will progress and develop fluency much easier than a student who is not interested in learning the language. For teachers, this means that we must focus on creating a welcoming and supportive environment where ELLs will be motivated to succeed.