Factors+in+the+ESL+Classroom

Factors of Language Development for ELL

At Flintville Elementary, there are nine Hispanic students who receive special instruction in the English language. Presently, I have three kindergarteners, one first grader, one second grader, two third graders, one sixth grader, and one eight grader. All of my ELL (English Language Learners) speak Spanish as their native language. As teachers, we realize that learning a new language may be difficult and confusing for children. Can you imagine going to another country and taking a college class in a language is not familiar? The ELL face a huge language barrier that must be overcome in order for the student to become fluent in English and reading. One effective method for teaching an ELL is to determine his learning style. Researchers in second language acquisition (SLA) refer to learning styles as the overall approach by which a student learns. Once the teacher has identified a learning style, the teacher can plan classroom activities to help meet the needs of the students. The learning styles are as follow:


 * Sensory-Constitutive-** Sensory learner **s** enjoy facts, data, and details. They prefer memorization and following the rules. These learners do well with flashcards, drill and practice, and structured activities. Constitutive learners enjoy concepts over details. Exceptions to the rules do not bother them, and they learn best through discussion, group tasks, and inquiry.


 * Visual-Verbal –** Visual learners enjoy colorful pictures, flow charts, diagrams, and illustrations. They remember what they see. Verbal learners prefer auditory information, and understand language best when it is presented orally.


 * Active-Reflective-** Active learners are hands on learners who prefer to participate in learning. Group tasks and discussions, role-play, and manipulative work well with Active learners. Reflective learners enjoy reflection, thinking, and writing about a subject. They learn well by reflective journalism and short dialogs.


 * Sequential-Global-** Sequential learners need information presented in small chunks. They are able to learn grammar easily if presented in a concise, sequential order. Global learners are able to see the “whole”picture, and enjoy tasks that require inference of meaning and language.


 * Inductive-Deductive-** An inductive learner observes first and seeks rules and theories later. This learner interprets information from specific to general. A Deductive learner studies rules and then learns a theory. They learn the rules of the English language and then apply these rules.

Another factor in the classroom is language and cultural shock. Language shock refers to the obstacles that an ELL experiences when trying to learn a second language. This shock often occurs when an ELL is pressured to learn a new language in order to communicate. If the language shock is severe, the student may become hindered in language development.

Cultural shock may also frustrate the ELL. This shock could cause the ELL to become frustrated. If severe, the student may withdraw and not succeed in learning English.

A teacher can help eliminate language and culture shock by providing a non-threatening environment in which the ELL can learn at his own pace. Also, it is helpful to provide a “buddy”to help the ELL student adjust to the new learning environment. Coordinate many small group activities so the ELL will be less intimated and make friends. If possible, place children who speak the same native language in the same group so ELL that are more fluent can translate for the new language learners.

Several resources that may help ELL adjust to the new learning environment are as follows: []

[]

Jena Tabor Flintville Elementary 37 Flintville School Rd Flintville, TN 37334 931-937-8751 jtabor@lcdoe.org

MTSU Honor Statement: This assignment/assessment was solely written by me. In no way have I plagiarized (represented the work of another as my own) or otherwise violated the copyright laws and academic conventions of fair use. I know that violations of this policy may result in my being dismissed from Middle Tennessee State University and/or appropriate legal action being taken against me. Signed Jena Tabor Date June 1, 2010