CT Interview April 11, 2007
Posted by mg1107 in Uncategorized.trackback
Today we were supposed to interview our Cooperating teachers about ELLs. However, when we asked our teacher if he had any, his reply was more like a *big eyed* uhhh + shrug + “If I do, I don’t know who they are, because they blend in.” He laughed and then, straightening up, commented that he thinks he does have one (and then he named one).
As far as having a problem though, he said he hasn’t. The only language barrier issue he has had has been with the parents, since so many do not speak English. He said it wasn’t that bad though. He would just have the student translate to the parents for him.
Other than that, his strategies for the language barrier problem would be to put the ELL student next to someone in class that was bilingual and could be his/her “buddy”. I admired his light approach to it. I also liked how he concluded, “As teachers, you are going to be problem solvers…constantly. So it’s not that big of a deal once you get used to it.”
What a wonderful teacher. I like his approach when it comes to ELL students. While I was observing my ELL student in a Science class, I noticed that she sits with another Spanish-speaking student. I believe this student helps her with class work and lab. It doesn’t matter if the seating arrangement is the teacher’s idea or the student’s. What matters is that he/she is getting help.
Good points by your CT and your colleague DW. I do, however, think we can all benefit by increased awareness of the needs and strategies for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. I think, MsT, that you’ll find many younger students who might consider joining band but who don’t because of potential cultural and/or linguistic differences. How do we reach out initially to all students and welcome them? Then, once we have them in band, how do we support them so that they succeed.
Do you know how many ELLs join band in middle school? Do you know how many persist? It’s like students with special needs but special talents and like students who struggle with reading, they hide out and as a result, they often don’t benefit fully from a enrichment curriculum.
Aww. I’m gonna miss that class.