DEMOCRATIC CLASSROOMS AND THE SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNER A

DEMOCRATIC CLASSROOMS AND THE SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNER A 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) � 14 th 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 � 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 � 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 class A question for the teacher One-minute motivator Language-related class opener Brain tease

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 2. Let students teach/explain back 3 -step coaching You say; you do You say; they do They say; they do Cartoon recreation Notice 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 discussions Student work as text Community Teaching Method

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 4. Let students help each other Paragraph peer review Audience feedback on team presentations Discussion board Student mentors

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 5. Let students manage themselves Daily class management jobs Classroom rules “Round robin” reading

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 6. Let students vote Student of the week Day or location of tests Reading selections

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 7. Let students participate in and represent their teams Team projects Daily team jobs Radio frequency clickers Cross-word puzzle solving Grammar review workout

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 8. Let students show off Student paper showcase Computer station swaps “Did you know…? ”

Ten ways to impart democratic principles on a daily basis 9. Let students speak their mind One-minute feedback on the day’s class Opinion polls on course-related issues www. getfast. ca Anonymous discussion board Exercises 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 � � Can address current issues or problems with current approaches to ESL education (in the style of the three we read) � � � Model a part of the lesson Summarize Strengths and weaknesses 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?