English Language Learner Interview Being born and raised in America, I never had to struggle to learn or speak the English language like my co-worker Sabina Dominguez. She was born in Mexico and came to America with her family when she was eight years old. They didn’t have special classes for ELL students thirty-five years ago, so she had to learn with help from her teachers and her friends. Sabina entered the third grade class in Yuma, Colorado. She didn’t have any friends yet and she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to communicate. There were no ELL classes for her to take at the time and her teacher didn’t know much Spanish. That didn’t stop her teacher from helping her however. (S. Dominquez, January 30, 2018), “This teacher
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She felt this was because of the language barrier and they just didn’t know how to communicate with her. Sabina quickly made friends in school but kept close to her English/Spanish speaking friend for the most part. When I asked how I, as a teacher, could support ELL students in my classroom, Sabina told me to use pictures and try to learn some basic language of the student. She believes that if children are in here in America, they should be taught English. (S. Dominquez, January 30, 2018), said, “I would like to see teachers using some Spanish in their teaching, it’s great for children to learn a little of another language”. It was enlightening to get another one’s perspective on learning a language. I will take the strategies that were helpful to Sabina and carry them into my own classroom. I will continue to use photos to help ELL students gain language and understanding. If possible, I will be sure that ELL students have peers around them for added support. I will fight for inclusion for ELL students so that they may learn alongside their peers. Lastly, I will be sure to give ELL students time to learn and support them in every way possible. This includes learning some basic words from the any ELL student that I may have. I will strive to support every child that enters my classroom and give them optimum opportunities to
She felt this was because of the language barrier and they just didn’t know how to communicate with her. Sabina quickly made friends in school but kept close to her English/Spanish speaking friend for the most part. When I asked how I, as a teacher, could support ELL students in my classroom, Sabina told me to use pictures and try to learn some basic language of the student. She believes that if children are in here in America, they should be taught English. (S. Dominquez, January 30, 2018), said, “I would like to see teachers using some Spanish in their teaching, it’s great for children to learn a little of another language”. It was enlightening to get another one’s perspective on learning a language. I will take the strategies that were helpful to Sabina and carry them into my own classroom. I will continue to use photos to help ELL students gain language and understanding. If possible, I will be sure that ELL students have peers around them for added support. I will fight for inclusion for ELL students so that they may learn alongside their peers. Lastly, I will be sure to give ELL students time to learn and support them in every way possible. This includes learning some basic words from the any ELL student that I may have. I will strive to support every child that enters my classroom and give them optimum opportunities to