To begin, I thought this was a good article with profound positive results. However, it left me feeling slightly disheartened. Unlike the preservice teacher students in Arizona, I do not feel adequately prepared to teach ELL students. In many of the courses I have had, we have discussed the ideaology behind ELL and Bilingual programs, the characteristics of ELL students, and the importance of recognizing and respecting other cultures. I do not disagree that this all important information, but I feel unprepared in how to assess and provide activities for ELL students. I have heard textbook fulls of multiculturalism, but I still do not feel ready to actually teach ELL students.
On pg. 1 of the article, the authors stated, "For this paper, we contend that changing beliefs is the first step in improving the instructional environment and educational achievement for this undeserved population." I think this is a great statement. Teachers and non-teachers a like need to understand what it is like to be an ELL student. However, I feel that we have been working in this "first step" for far too long. Academic reform needs to actually happen. And, as a preservice teacher, I would like greater instruction in how to assess and help ELL students acquire English.
Now here is another question: are there effective methods to teach ELL students content and English? Fail proof, tried and true lessons, assessments, and activities? Is it then even possible for teacher education programs to fully prepare teachers for ELL students, or is this something we need to learn by doing?
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3 comments:
I think your post really hit me because I often feel the same way about many things in teaching, not just how to teach ELL students. While I think the education we have gotten here at Neag has been good, I am often left looking for more practical strategies of being a succesful teacher. There is a great deal of emphasis on theory, but not enough on theory put to practice in many of my classes. I really felt as though I learned more in student teaching, even with a mentor who was less than helpful, than I did in all my semesters in Neag combined.
I totally agree with your post and to add to that in elementary school atleast I find it even more challenging because ELL students are often pulled out of content time for extra help in reading/writing or math. This is so frustrating because I feel like science can be a universal learning experience regardless of culture or language. True, proper materials, preparation, and expertise by teachers is needed, however I think that science, out of all the subjects has the most span across language. Like you, I would love to know if there is any programs or research showing what specifically is working and how we can get access to them. However, I feel like at this point there is more talking about the problem then about the solutions an steps to getting there.
From the original entry:
"Is it then even possible for teacher education programs to fully prepare teachers for ELL students, or is this something we need to learn by doing?"
I think not. I don't think that any program can prepare teachers to anticipate and handle situations that come up in the classroom. Many of the issues teachers face are too one of a kind to be addressed in teacher prep programs. There is no playbook to follow for every situation. I think that the best we can get is strategy we can use to start braking down the problems we face. This applies to ELL troubles as well as others.
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