A website from Teaching English Language Learners is http://www.celt.sunysb.edu/ell/problems.php called “Commonly Encountered Challenges”.
I also find this website to be helpful and beneficial for teachers. The website shows many different comments made by classroom teachers about the behaviors of their ELL students. Click next to the comment to read the explanation some of the possible reasons for the behaviors of the ELL students. As you can see from the comments on this website many teachers are unaware of other students’ cultural customs. From reading Chapter 1 it declared the importance for teachers to obtain as much knowledge of different cultural expectations because this will help teachers gain understanding of each ELL student’s behavior. I definitely recommend this website!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I discovered a lot of important information while exploring this website. Just like the activity we did in class it explained some examples of differences between our culture in America and other cultures. I really found this site useful because it gave suggestions and help to teachers of ELL students. For example it said that teachers can put labels on everything in their classroom to help ELL students learn. They can also praise the students for what they are able to do which will help them succeed in other areas. It is also important to provide relevant examples for all students. I really liked that this site contained stories that were given by former ELL students. I feel that it is beneficial to read information about ELL and it definitely teaches you, but I feel it is a greater reward to actually listen to or read real examples. Also contained in this site is a list provided by an ELL teacher of different computer activities that she uses which I thought was useful as well. This website is informative and should be visited.
I also found this website useful, especially for future teachers that may not be aware of the extent of students' differences within a classroom. This website encourages teachers to put themselves in an ELL's shoes to understand exactly how they feel in a classroom. As I was viewing this website, I also thought about the importance of knowing your students' backgrounds. A teacher should feel comfortable around his/her students, and students should feel comfortable and understood by teachers. I found it interesting how something as common as working with the opposite sex in America, could be found offensive to certain cultures, such as a Middle Eastern boy working with a girl.
This website is a resource that teachers should refer to at the beginning of each school year and every time a new ELL is placed in their classroom. I especially liked the emphasis placed on maintaining a student's native language. I feel that everyone should remain connected to their cultural roots, instead of completely replacing them with American customs.
I found this website interesting as well as very informative. It had many of the frequently asked questions pertaining to ELL students and had valid and true answers. When teaching and working with a child who may have difficulty speaking English, it is extremely important to not get mad or upset. This I feel will not only hurt the child, but also weaken the want to learn. A teacher should take classes such as this we are taking now to build the understanding of ELL students. Teachers across the country need to know how to help children who have difficulty speaking English.
Stony Brook set up a great website to show teachers how important it is to understand a variety of cultures. It is really an eye-opener. One statement that really stood out for me was “He refuses to work with girls.” When I first read it, I thought that maybe the boy was in the stage when they don’t like girls. However, when I read the caption, it shocked me and made me think outside of American customs. “Imagine the culture shock an ELL student experiences coming to a country where boys and girls are treated as equals, and where a male is supposed to listen to a female authority figure and to work with girls and boys in cooperative learning tasks!” Honestly, I wouldn’t know how to react to a situation like that.
Post a Comment