Interview with an ESL teacher
Click Here to watch my entry 3 video
For my third interview, I
spoke with Ms. Simms, who is an ESL teacher at Moreno elementary. When I asked
her about the program at her school, she mentioned dual language, which is a
program that teaches students in both their first and second language from
kindergarten all through elementary, however this was not the case at Moreno
elementary. Ms. Simmis mentions that because the dual language program is set
up starting from kindergarten and in some schools since pre-kindergarten, this
helps students transition smoothly from Spanish to English once they reach the
upper grade levels. With this being said, Ortega mentions age playing an
important role when learning a second language since there are studies that
show younger children can have an advantage over adult learners when it comes
to maintaining the language as they get older (2013). Therefore, as mentioned
by Ms. Simmis, it is highly crucial that schools start to ease in English as a
second language to its students at an early age.
In addition, I found it interesting
how Ms. Simmis explains that in order for a student to learn their second
language, he/she has to be fluent in their first language. On the other hand,
Ortega mentions a study done by Kenneth Hyltenstam in which it was found that
students’ ability to learn a second language had little to no effect from their
proficiency on their first language (2013). As well, Ms. Simmis mentions that
it really just depends at what level students are in order to decide if it’s
better for students to either learn the basics as in vocabulary and grammar, or
learn through meaning-making. Ortega mentions Wes’s case, in which the meaning-making
process was essential in his ability to communicate in English instead of using
things such as dictionaries or using proper grammar (2013). Therefore, I also
stand with what Ms. Simms’ opinion, since it only makes sense that depending on
how the student learns best and what level they are, then meaning-making can be
more efficient than just continuing with the basics.
References:
Ortega, L. (2013).
Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Hello Nancy! Your interview with Ms. Simms was well thought out and interesting to watch. What I found really fascinating was your question about whether students should be taught grammar and vocabulary to use as building blocks or allow natural language meaning-making processes. According to Ortega, “whether in second, foreign or heritage language teaching, the battles have been for and against traditional grammar teaching and alternative meaning-oriented proposals” (2013, p.8). I believe Ms. Simms was correct when she said that it depends on the learner. Some students are at different levels compared to others and they may understand the language better using a natural language meaning-making process rather than going over grammar, and vice versa. These individual differences, which can include language aptitude and motivation, are what influence effective instruction for the student.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Hi Maria, thanks for your comment! I was interested in asking that question since I personally always found that it was easier to learn through social interactions. Ortega mentions Piaget's study stating that one's environment can have an effect on second language learning (2013). This means that students can learn their new language through their peers, with siblings, through reading books, watching videos, etc. As a result, students can learn through more favorable experiences, but of course as Ms. Simms mentioned, it all depends on the students and their individual ability to comprehend and catch on to the language.
DeleteReferences:
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Yes Nancy! I also agree that through social interactions one can learn a second language. However, one problem to arise by learning through interactions with others and that is imitation. The learner could possible begin to speak as others do because they believe it is the ‘correct’ way of speaking. For example, according to Rowland, an “explanation for language mixing is simply that children mix languages because they hear adults mix languages” (2014, p. 180). Languages spoken around the learner have a great amount of influence upon them whether it is positive or negative.
DeleteRowland, C. (2014). Understanding child language acquisition. Routledge. (Chapter 7)
Hello Nancy! I find it very interesting how the school your teacher works at has such a unique and structured dual language program. According to Ortega, "If age effects do set in as extremely early in life as age two or four, the long-held assumption that an early start guarantees complete and successful L2 acquisition loses much of its power (2011, pg. 26). According to Ortega's statement, I think it is a great idea to start the dual language program at such a young age. While I find this very effective, the only concern I have with the dual language program getting left behind more and more each year, is the fact of a child possibly coming into the program at an older age. It is not like that child can go back to Kindergarten to start, instead they get put into a more advanced program when the child is not ready for that just yet. Just a thought, but I love how they are trying to make good use of the program!
ReplyDeleteOrtega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print.
Hi Harlie, thanks for your comment! I also agree that the dual language program is best used at an early age. In fact, Ms. Simms mentioned that many of the students at Moreno elementary are successful transitioning to English because most of them come from their neighbor early childhood center, Farias, where students are being taught in dual language. Ortega also mentions that in some cases young individuals who are exposed to instruction and social interactions in English as a second language and don't meet the expected language proficiency tend to rely on their L1 instead (2013). Therefore I believe that students should be taught in both languages in order to not loose that motivation to learn and keep practicing their second language.
DeleteReferences:
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Hey Nancy. You had an interesting interview. I understand the study don’t by Kenneth Hyltenstam and how your interviewee contradicted his findings by saying that L2 learners have to be fluent in L1 first before tackling their L2. Contrary to both of those findings Ortega (2011) also mentions, “Conversely, it was also found that certain differences may result in no attested learning difficulty whatsoever and furthermore that learning difficulties do not possess a symmetrical or bidirectional quality.” (Ortega, p.32) So while there are notions for both of your arguments Ortega also is pretty much saying that there are cases where individuals do not fall under either of these categories. This is why as educators we need to ensure that we try and accommodate as many of our students as possible to ensure they all have the opportunity to be successful in their education.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011.
Hi Jerome, thanks for your comment! I also found interesting what Ms. Simms had to say about using one's native language to learn the second language. Ortega also mentions that having previous knowledge or use of the mother tongue can either be helpful or not at as much when it comes to learning a second language (2013). This is because in some cases depending on the language, there will be differences in the syntax which can cause some confusion at times when forming sentences and finding the right things to say.
DeleteReferences:
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Hey Nancy. I agree every learner is different. Ortega (2011) states, "Not only orientation but also attitudes towards the L2 and its speakers may be quite different when characterizing motivation in ELL learning contexts." (Ortega, pg. 179) As educators we need to provide ELL students with a thoughtful and effcient lesson plan to cater to not only the class but to them as well. By attempting to learn about our ELL students and gaining some insight into what motivates them will only benefit them as well as us, as educators.
DeleteReference:
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011
It appears that a majority of our peers in this course agree on the importance of starting second-language acquisition early so as to maximize the benefits of dual language programs. Ortega's ideology on the critical period and how vital it is to ensure students are motivated early on to learn another language(s) reflect much of our own viewpoints (2011).
ReplyDeletePersonally, I value immersion teaching techniques, where a classroom is dedicated to teaching one or more subjects in another language other than the students' native language.
What types of practices would you use, Nancy? Do you think Ortega is right in his points on early motivation? Or do you think we could end up creating a stressful environment by trying to challenge our students too early in their education careers?
Hi Ila, thanks for your comment! To answer your question, I find the dual language program, or programs similar to it are beneficial to students even at an early age. As we've discussed in earlier blogs, Ortega mentions the critical period to which many suggest that there is a small window of opportunity in children's' early years for the brain to process a second language the same way it processed their first language (2013). Therefore I believe that with programs like dual language, children get the opportunity to ease in to their second language without losing their first language which will cause less stress on the student.
DeleteReferences:
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Nancy, I cannot begin to express how happy I am that you mentioned stress in relation to the idea of second-language learners. There are various studies that specifically discuss the stress and negativity many students feel when they begin schooling in a near country or situation. Ortega's critical period can be applied to this topic as well (2011). By having students develop these skills earlier, the less likely they are going to become stressed out or alienated due to their language skills.
DeleteHi Nancy! What a great interview! I thought it was interesting that Ms. Simms mentions that the dual language program at her school starts at the pre-kindergarten. When it comes to critical periods, Ortega mentions that “the hypothesis is that there is a specific period of time early in life when the brain exhibits a special propensity to attend to certain experiences in the environment (for example, language) and learn from them (Ortega, 2013, p.13),” so I can understand why Ms. Simms would mention that it is crucial for students to start this type of program as early as they can. While I understand the criticism behind the dual language program, I believe that starting at such a young age can be far more beneficial than starting at an older age.
ReplyDeleteHello Nancy!
ReplyDeleteYour interview video with Ms. Simms was absolutely informative. I remember my elementary school consisted of a dual language program all the way through the 5th grade. Now, I wonder if some elementary schools are starting to reduce dual language programs. In addition, I also want to comment on Ms. Simms response when she stated that it depends whether the child needs the approach a natural meaning process or if its best teaching the building blocks of the second language. While I was watching the video, I felt hesitant because as an educator you want your student to know the fundamental building blocks of the English language, however when it comes to the STAAR writing test, you want the student to, as well, practice reading and writing as much as possible. Gass states in the reading, “It is given that, without understanding the language, no learning can take place. Although, understanding alone does not guarantee that learning will occur, it does set the scene for learning to take place” (Selinker, p. 309)
References
Selinker, S. M. (2008). Input. In Second Language Acquisition An Introductory Course (p. 309). New York: Taylor & Francis.
Hi Gabriela, thanks for your comment! I also believe that it is crucial that students learn the fundamentals of their second language and practice natural meaning-making of the language for understanding, therefore they should experience a mixture of both. Ortega mentions the study on Wes, who in order to succeed in his business, he had to use meaning-making process to communicate (2013). With this being said, students should be taught in both ways to make meaning of the language when speaking, and listening along with learning the grammatical rules for proper use of the language for reading and writing as well.
DeleteReferences:
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.