Blog # 2 ESL Reading, Writing, and Learning Methods

      In YOED 6020, we have covered the principles of second language acquisition as well as instructional designs for English language learners.  I learned many different strategies for specially designing academic instruction to individual learners needs, use content-based instruction, and how to apply scaffolding techniques in a variety of ways during a lesson to help support the learner. The process of oral language development has also been an interesting topic.  As an ESL teacher, I always have struggled with an appropriate way to assess students’ oral language.  I will probably use the (OLD) Oral Language Development Rubric to help me assess oral language in the future. More recently, I have been introduced to various ways to promote literacy in ESL students.  For ESL students learning to read, I like the use of literacy centers.  Different centers can represent different familiar things in a child’s life such as the grocery store, parks, and the kitchen and can be filed with literature all about the content area Boyle, Peregoy, 2008, p.177). I feel that this would be a great way to incorporate functional literacy in the classroom. In helping to build Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP), I would use content related books that are rich in related vocabulary and have the students present the words in various creative ways, such as use of graphic organizers, word walls, illustrations, and role playing.  My favorite strategy is the holistic approach.  I want to make the content as accessible to all my students as possible and through use of holistic teaching methods, I feel I can reach them all.

Reference:

Boyle, O. F., Peregoy, S. F. (2008). Reading, writing and learning

     in esl. (5 ed.). Boston, MA:  Pearson.

It's Not Whole Language

So I did a little research since my last post and learned that "whole language" approach is considerable similar to content-based instruction. I tried comparing content-based methods with a traditional language approach but that led me to several explanations of what traditional methods were.  I discovered that some of the old die-hard traditional teaching methods included the grammar translation approach, the audio-lingual method, and the direct approach as well as use of phonemic drills and rote memorization.  I did not ever find out exactly what one would define the approach that uses all these strategies if it isn't called the traditional approach to teaching a second or foreign language.  For all intents and purposes, I still would like to argue that content-based or thematic instruction is more effective to teach English language learners that the traditional methods as evidenced by the ELSA/TCAP standardized test. It only makes sense to me that we should be teaching meaningful material that is aligned with the state standards. Just a thought.

Content Based Instruction vs. a Whole Language Approach

     Reading about different methods for teaching English as a Second Language made me think about the topic that I am conflicted with every day in my job.  Which method is more effective for teaching English as a second language within a United States school system? Content Based Instruction (CBI) or the Whole Language Approach? 
     I was lucky to have the opportunity to use thematic units or content based instruction at several schools that I have taught in until now.  Presently I am forced to use Language! The Comprehensive Literacy Curriculum, for upper grades in Bedford County Schools.  I must admit that it does make my life a lot easier to plan lessons as all the standards and strategies are built into the curriculum.  The program, published by Sopris West, is extremely grammar intensive and repetitive but the content being used as the basis for teaching is meaningless and disconnected.  It is, however, what I would call a truly multicultural curriculum, as it addresses customs from many different countries through the selection of literature.  What don't I like about the course?  I feel that the same strategies that are being used in this program should be combined with more meaningful content related to core standards that are actually being taught in each individual grade level.  The biggest problem with this program is that it often doesn't address the standards that are supposed to be taught in a Language Arts class and my class is the replacement for grade level language arts for ESL students.  So when a student goes to take the ELSA (English Linguistically Simplified Assessment) form of TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program), and there are questions about certain literary elements or specific grammar concepts that should have been taught that year, they didn't learn them because they were not covered in the Language! program.  It might be argued that the whole language approach is more effective for teaching a foreign language, in which the student is not completely immersed within the culture on a daily basis.  I might also recommend the whole language approach for teaching English as a foreign language in another country.

     On the other hand, "CBI supports ELs' achievement of the TESOL standards (1) by integrating language and content learning, (2) by addressing the language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing; (3) by providing support for various English language proficiency levels" (Peregoy, Boyle, 2008, p.79).  In my experience of having used both methods for teaching a second language, I feel that Content Based Instruction (CBI) is the most effective way to teach students learning English as a second language within the United States public school setting. It makes the content that is being taught more meaningful automatically because the content is alligned with other classes they are currently or will be taking.  The students are reinforced through the ability to study regular grade level subjects in a comfortable environment where they can take the time and receive the extra support to learn the difficult vocabulary or concepts associated with the content.  Then when the student is in the regular grade level class with other students, they demonstrate more confidence and mastery in the content area due to the supplementary content based instruction in their ESL classes.  Key linguistical, cultural, and grammatical issues are incorporated within the lesson through isolated practice activities based on the unit content.
     I am making the best of using the program that I must use for now by adding more interesting and varied activities.  I am also trying to find a way to make the content more interesting and meaningful to the students through side projects, but ultimately, the course is supposed to be taught with "fidelity," I'm told, so I can't really add too much.  Trust me though, I'm going to try and sway our ESL dept. to move toward CBI by doing some research.  Who knows?  Maybe we will switch, after all. 
Pensively,
Erin Cathey

Reference:    

Peregoy, S.F. & Boyle, O. (2008). Reading, writing and learning in ESL.  (5^th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Getting more tech saavy

I must say that although I wasn't fond of the idea of getting to know technology so much, I'm actually happy that I'm learning valuable skills for working with computers and other technologies.  I'm not going to lie.  It's tough and somewhat frustrating at times but I might just grow to like the ole Wikispace thing after all. This blogging stuff is easy enough.

Blog #1

    Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated by other languages.  I guess that's how I knew at an early age that I would study foreign languages.  I especially loved Spanish because the culture is so fun and spicy.  I didn't plan on becoming a teacher and some might say, I fought the idea.  I didn't get a teaching certification with my Spanish degree in 2000 when I graduated from Appalachian State University.   I did get a certification to teach ESL as a minor but didn't realize that I would be unable to land a certified position with only that endorsement at the time.  But immediately, I began working in schools.  I served a short internship that lead to a part-time contracted pay ESL position in Boone, NC.  The next year,in 2001, I moved back home to Asheville, NC and immediately landed a full time job teaching middle and high school ESL in Buncombe County with 0 credentials and no real classroom experience.  I was lost.  I had no support and no respect.  I was put in a cafeteria and given 1 book and 5 students, whom hardly spoke a word of English.  I spoke some Spanish.  In 3 months, my 5 students had turned to 14 and I was getting increasingly tired of being thrown out of the cafeteria every time there was a rewards ceremony or morning activity.  The administration would say, "We don't care where you take them, you just can't stay here."  One day, I snapped. I stormed in to the office of that stoic, statuesque, old fixture of a principal who had been there since before the school had been built and told her, "I refuse to teach another day in that cafeteria.  My kids deserve a classroom and I want it today before the day is over."  She didn't say a word, but I was given a classroom out in a trailer before the day was over.  The kids began learning much better after that. I made a few friends with some counselors who really helped me out and did quite a bit of translating for social workers that year.  My Spanish got exponentially better but I knew I hadn't succeeded academically with the students the way I should have.  I decided not to continue teaching the following year and took the next 7 years off from teaching.  I thought I never wanted to teach again.  I spent many years waiting tables and bartending and later moved up in the ranks of restaurant management, banquet captaining, and event coordinating until I was virtually sick of it.  I had done it all.  I thought in the summer of 2008 that I might throw around a few resumes for teaching ESL since I now had two years experience doing it.  I received a few bites from the same county that I had taught at in Boone before but this time they wanted a teacher's certification or a praxis score. Neither of which, did I have.  Then there was Avery County; beautiful Avery county nestled at the base of Grandfather Mountain and I was living on the backside of Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in the middle of a Christmas tree farm.  They hired me on a lateral entry basis to teach middle and high school ESL and I loved every second of it.  I had support from the word go and an amazing ESL coordinator, Lee Hardin.  I took the ESL praxis that year.  My husband took a job in the summer after my first year teaching there so we had to move here to Tennessee and I was heartbroken.  I loved my mountain paradise, huge garden, private country road, and big snowy winters.  I begged not to leave there but it will always remain the most amazing experience that made me want to teach ESL for-ever. It took me over a year to land another teaching job in Tennessee without licensure but after serving a six week interim in April of 2010 teaching ESL at Smyrna High School, I was hired by Bedford County in August.  I am excited to return to the same school for the first time ever to teach and know now that I didn't choose teaching, it chose me.  I'm finally in the process of getting my teaching licensure.  At least I won't have to student teach now.