English language learners: Effective Teaching Strategies to Enhance Learning
Albatul Albulayhi
University of the Incarnate Word English language learners: Effective Teaching strategies to Enhance Learning
"The hardest part of living in a different country is the language barrier. Because you know you have to learn the language in order to survive." – (Betina Johnson, n.d)
Schools across the United States are becoming diverse. A number of students whose mother tongues are not English are increasing in the classrooms. American society consists of different cultures, ethnicity, and religions. English Language Learners (ELLs), as known in our educational system, are one of the fastest growing groups of populations in US schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “ [t]he percentage of public school students in the United States who were English language learners was higher in school year 2012–13 (9.2 percent, or an estimated 4.4 million students) than in 2002–03 (8.7 percent, or an estimated 4.1 million students) and in 2011–12 (9.1 percent, or an estimated 4.4 million students)”( English language learners, 2015). ELLs are born in the US, but do not speak English, and others came from foreign countries who have little English (Weisman & Hansen, 2007). ELLs struggle and have twice the difficulties in the classrooms because they have to learn knowledge and skills a long with learning English. Many different strategies are provided to help teachers meet the needs of ELLs in the classrooms and to help instructing inclusive classroom. The goal of writing this paper is to provide an overview of key strategies to teach ELLs, and look what the researchers have collected through their studies. The researchers aim to help ELL teachers building encouraging environments in their classroom. Knowing Your Students: Educators who teach diverse classrooms face challenges in terms of understanding students’ backgrounds (Weisman,2005). Similar to this study, Hekfrish & Bosh , (2011) highlight that when teachers get knowledge about diverse cultures and appreciate cultural values, they will be able to bring learners of different cultures together. One of the benefits that teachers get from knowing the differences between their students culture is that they will instruct their lessons very successfully for ELLs. Additionally, ELL teachers should be aware of the important role of literacy of their diverse students. Moreover, good ELL teachers know their students educational experiences to find better teaching strategies, and support them. Furthermore, Berg, Petron, and Greyberck (2012) recommend for ELL teachers to develop an in-depth understanding of the learning background of the students, so when they get this knowledge about their students, they will be able to instruct an significant curriculum for their ELL learners. However, other studies argue that ELL educators do not need special strategies to teach their students, so they can use the strategies with ELLs and native sparkers, too (Tissington & LaCour 2007). Furthermore, many researches agree that ELL teaching strategies are not only help ELLs, but they help native …show more content…
Pictures, posters, technology, charts, and devices help ELL teachers facilitate the learning for their students (Nguyen, Watanabe, 2013). Moreover, research results from interviewing teachers who work with ELL demonstrate how the usage of gestures and visual cues is an effective strategy in teaching ELLs, and these teachers have used this strategy for many years; it works very well ( Fcella, Rampino &Shea, 2005). Similar to this study which is about using visual support the ELLs, Nguyen and Watanabe, (2013) present the benefits of using visual representations, which are encouraging comprehension and prevent …show more content…
When ELL teachers link background knowledge and culture in the learning process, they will meet the need for those students and provide a conducive environment for them. Understanding the subject and learning the language at the same time are difficult skills, so by using these strategies, the teachers will help ELLs to adapt this skill successfully. Moreover, using visual supports in ELL classrooms will connect the language and the visual aid, and make the learning process easier. Also, storybooks are beneficial for ELLs, so by reading them, students will develop their vocabulary. Clearly, ELL teachers should seek appropriate strategies that can help their student to acquire the language, and support them in their academic
Albatul Albulayhi
University of the Incarnate Word English language learners: Effective Teaching strategies to Enhance Learning
"The hardest part of living in a different country is the language barrier. Because you know you have to learn the language in order to survive." – (Betina Johnson, n.d)
Schools across the United States are becoming diverse. A number of students whose mother tongues are not English are increasing in the classrooms. American society consists of different cultures, ethnicity, and religions. English Language Learners (ELLs), as known in our educational system, are one of the fastest growing groups of populations in US schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “ [t]he percentage of public school students in the United States who were English language learners was higher in school year 2012–13 (9.2 percent, or an estimated 4.4 million students) than in 2002–03 (8.7 percent, or an estimated 4.1 million students) and in 2011–12 (9.1 percent, or an estimated 4.4 million students)”( English language learners, 2015). ELLs are born in the US, but do not speak English, and others came from foreign countries who have little English (Weisman & Hansen, 2007). ELLs struggle and have twice the difficulties in the classrooms because they have to learn knowledge and skills a long with learning English. Many different strategies are provided to help teachers meet the needs of ELLs in the classrooms and to help instructing inclusive classroom. The goal of writing this paper is to provide an overview of key strategies to teach ELLs, and look what the researchers have collected through their studies. The researchers aim to help ELL teachers building encouraging environments in their classroom. Knowing Your Students: Educators who teach diverse classrooms face challenges in terms of understanding students’ backgrounds (Weisman,2005). Similar to this study, Hekfrish & Bosh , (2011) highlight that when teachers get knowledge about diverse cultures and appreciate cultural values, they will be able to bring learners of different cultures together. One of the benefits that teachers get from knowing the differences between their students culture is that they will instruct their lessons very successfully for ELLs. Additionally, ELL teachers should be aware of the important role of literacy of their diverse students. Moreover, good ELL teachers know their students educational experiences to find better teaching strategies, and support them. Furthermore, Berg, Petron, and Greyberck (2012) recommend for ELL teachers to develop an in-depth understanding of the learning background of the students, so when they get this knowledge about their students, they will be able to instruct an significant curriculum for their ELL learners. However, other studies argue that ELL educators do not need special strategies to teach their students, so they can use the strategies with ELLs and native sparkers, too (Tissington & LaCour 2007). Furthermore, many researches agree that ELL teaching strategies are not only help ELLs, but they help native …show more content…
Pictures, posters, technology, charts, and devices help ELL teachers facilitate the learning for their students (Nguyen, Watanabe, 2013). Moreover, research results from interviewing teachers who work with ELL demonstrate how the usage of gestures and visual cues is an effective strategy in teaching ELLs, and these teachers have used this strategy for many years; it works very well ( Fcella, Rampino &Shea, 2005). Similar to this study which is about using visual support the ELLs, Nguyen and Watanabe, (2013) present the benefits of using visual representations, which are encouraging comprehension and prevent …show more content…
When ELL teachers link background knowledge and culture in the learning process, they will meet the need for those students and provide a conducive environment for them. Understanding the subject and learning the language at the same time are difficult skills, so by using these strategies, the teachers will help ELLs to adapt this skill successfully. Moreover, using visual supports in ELL classrooms will connect the language and the visual aid, and make the learning process easier. Also, storybooks are beneficial for ELLs, so by reading them, students will develop their vocabulary. Clearly, ELL teachers should seek appropriate strategies that can help their student to acquire the language, and support them in their academic