Group Interactions to Teach ESL Students, Research Paper Example

Using Individual Experiences and Group Interactions to Teach ESL Students

In the United States, there are over 5 million English as a second language (ESL) students within the education system that are dependent on the framework of academic delivery and appropriate linguistically capabilities of the teacher. (Goldberg, 2008) There is a critical need to provide an adequate academic curriculum for ESL learners in the K-12 level. There is a two-fold requirement for not only ESL learners to acquire the English proficiency but also master the complex requirements of high school graduation simultaneously. However, progress has been limited in the ability for teachers to provide instructional motivation to be influential in the development of ESL teaching. Being a teacher that will often manage a classroom of 24 students is challenging, in addition to modifying the curriculum, they must accommodate for 3 to 4 students who do not speak English as their first language. ESL students in most often cases, are not able to receive the same type of attention or needed academic progress that is needed to advance.

Most teachers have limited resources and techniques in teaching ESL and English Language Learners (ELL) students. It boils down to pronunciation correcting, and rushing through lessons without providing a clear understanding. In studying the problem, there needs to be a permanent solution where teachers are trained in learning methods and practices which gives times for students to absorb lesson plans, and be able to advance in their academic proficiency. In coming up with better methods and mechanisms for teaching ESL students, students will be able to learn better through a comprehensive relationship between incorporating individual experiences, and group  language and learning teaching at an earlier grade level. Applying learning theories and language teaching methods that are guided by research, will help in providing recommendations for effective ESL learning at the elementary or primary level.

Individual Constructivism 

In early development children are active and motivated thinkers. Piaget supports this theory, in which children are by nature curious about the world around them, and seek out information to make sense of it. (Ormrod, 2013) When ESL students come to America, they are motivated and active in their behavior to comprehend the language around them by consistently trying to listen, read, write, and speak the English language. Piaget goes further in her analysis in suggesting that in order for students to learn, they must interact with their social and physical environment. According to Ormrod (2013), “children construct rather than absorb knowledge.” (Ormrod, 2013) This means that students pull from their experiences in their environment in order to understand how the world works. This is hindered in most classrooms, as ESL students are usually relegated to the back and miss out on academic and social opportunities to engage with their environment. People learn through three main ways, auditory, visually, and kinesthetically. Teaching strategies must be aimed at including all these ways in order for students to learn, and provide the methods in which ESL students are able to learn the English language and gauge a proficiency in the academic curriculum. Within learning methods for teaching ESL and any student, the four basic skills that must be implied in teaching language is listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Piaget’s individual constructivism theory implies that learning is able to occur when learners are active in their process of knowledge, and meaning construction, as opposed to receiving instructions passively. The competency of the teacher is imperative in the application of using creativity and resourcefulness as methods in reaching ESL students. The constructivist view of teaching language incorporates the factors of social, political, school related, and cultural influences that affect achievement.  Individual constructivism relates to ESL learners by framing teaching methods around the concepts of motivation, schemas, and integrated experiences. The constructivist view sees learning as a process, not solely an individual process, but learning occurs best when students are placed in an active environment. This includes strategies to actively engage students in discussions, relating their experiences to problem solving, and critical thinking.  Piaget expressed this same view, “active experimentation with the physical world is critical for cognitive growth.” (Ormrod, 2013)Teachers are competent in providing guidance, and facilitating students to be productive in their education. By having the students speak in front of the class, or in small groups helps the students learning process. Passive processing alone cannot help students learn, but active participation and meaningful learning in everyday teaching herald by the teacher’s pedagogic and cultural competency, helps the learning process.

Another approach that is enforced in this theory is applying knowledge to real life situations. This includes learning methods that emphasized, through the learning method of using language as a formality including, asking questions, interrupting, turn taking, and conversational.  In  early childhood, Piaget’s theory works best with interacting ESL students with the physical environment, including getting students to explain objects, what they are thinking, and learning how to interpret maps. (Ormrod, 2013) By having students write out narratives dealing with their own personal experiences, they will have the capability to use proper grammar, and begin their thinking process to connect the correct usage of English language concepts. Reading aloud and independently gives students the opportunity to see and read the English language as it should be understood. The individual constructivist theories imply that educators seek to comprehend the experiences and perspectives of the students, through engagement of the funds of knowledge by applying applicable and relevant situations within the lesson plans. This includes providing source materials in their primary language, as well as English. Involve families, peer interaction, and teachers or bilingual paraprofessionals that can aid in early English learners.

When teaching ESL students, as discussed in the introduction, there is not enough time spent on teaching students why their grammar mistakes are wrong.  The theory of individual constructivism divides learning through accommodation and assimilation. Correcting ESL students when reading, is ineffective in helping the student progress the learning. (Ormond, 2013)  Students are not aware of why they have made the mistake, and are not given an opportunity to understand the error. The teacher may only correct the grammatical error of go to goes, and move on, however, the student still will not understand the difference and continue to make the mistake in future readings. The teacher would need to explain that through grammar concepts, the past and present tense of the word go is only applicable in precise events. In providing a clear explanation of why the word go changes to goes, the student has a better comprehension, and a better assimilation of using the correct grammar. More importantly, the student is able to apply their knowledge in future language accommodations.

Cognitive Theory

There are several theories that are used in the philosophical and conceptual application of learning that includes sociocultural, behaviorist, and cognitive. This paper has so far utilized Piaget’s theory of individual constructivism to help in the learning methods of ESL students.) However, the social learning theory is what or should be also applied when constructing learning methods for ESL students. Learning is complex and dependent on the psychological phenomena influence from cultural and social factors. This theory incorporates builds on the constructivist approach that learning occurs in interactions with the environment, as well as understanding of cultural experiences.

The acquisition of learning the English language is innately ingrained in children to want to advance their knowledge to use and create language. By learning to distinguish the different speech, sounds, and organize linguistic events from their response in the environments. ESL students will have the ability to structure grammar and determine the accuracy of language production. The social learning theory implies that people learn by observing others, and will eventually mimic their behaviors. Teachers can use their cultural differences to influence how interaction is developed when communicating with their peers. (Ormrod, 2013) ESL students will learn through trial and error through the assistance of their teachers and their peers in order to construct their learning process to reflect the proficiency of their peers. According to Ormrod, students will learn through modeling, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. Teachers have to motivate and encourage students by setting productive goals, and teach students to make choices that will enrich their learning process. This can be achieve by looking to social and cultural experiences to engage students. When students are able to find strategies in individually learning how to control their own behavior they are able to direct their own learning. (Ormrod, 2013)

Understanding Cultural and Social Experiences to Teach ESL Students

Empirical research conducted by DeCapua and Marshall (2009) applied a new instructional model for ELL and ESL students that have interrupted and limited formal education. The purpose of this study, was to implement the Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigm (MALP) that combines four elements of student learning by introducing them to new learning methods. Conceptualized by DeCapua and Marshall (2009), the method was to address the growing concern of ESL students that have limited or interrupted formal education that places them behind in literacy and academics as compared to their American counterparts. Antolini applied the method to her Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) class that consisted of students from 15 to 21 years old that had completed primary education in other countries. The first element of the learning model was to accept the conditions SLIFE needs. According the study, by accepting that cultural factors are pertinent in the success of assimilation, to make students more comfortable in reading their own narratives in front of the class, and interacting with their peers and the student. Students will be more likely to engage in the classroom.  Students must feel interconnectedness, and lessons that are relevant to them, which include cultural lessons about where they are from, and activities they participate in at home. MALP requires teachers to focus on constructing curriculum that includes a link to the student’s world, and draws upon their own funds of knowledge. When curriculum is based on interpersonal elements, it helps in building relations that encourage collaboration. The second element was combining familiar and new processes where the teacher execute lessons where familiar elements and new ones are combined. MALP reinforces the theory of allowing students to learn in groups, but also individually by being accountable of their learning process by using oral and written methods. The third element of the study was to focus on new academic tasks. Teachers were to create higher or complex thinking activities that taught skills without introducing new content. By combing the new tasks, it helps with providing a supportive environment, while making the transition of learning easier.

Over a five month period, Antolini applied the MALP method in her Social Studies class, the results show that the students became more familiar and comfortable with the academic tasks. Students were able to analyze and create charts and graph, while also using critical thinking skills to solve real world problems. The students gained self-confidence in working individually and within groups, which help to strengthen their interpersonal and academic skills. This study supports the theory in which by teaching students through individual constructivism, by first addressing the social-cultural factors they are able to process the learning to help in their developmental process. Participating with the students in getting them to read out loud and in groups helps the students work on the language independently, instilling in them  confidence to process mistakes in order apply to future activities. The limitation of this study is that it uses a small sample, and a small duration in observing. Antolini applied the method to her class of older students. MALP provides an instructional framework, and it is up to the teacher to modify their teaching approaches, interconnectedness, and ensuring that the students are able to draw links that are relevant to them.

Research on Family and Community Involvement in Teaching ESL Students

When teaching ESL students in primary education, importance must be placed on family involvement that places difference on cultural and social experiences in a student’s learning process. Pelletier and Brent (2002), focused on early intervention programs in primary education to help shape student development with the influences of community and family. Cultural and social experiences influence early development and educational transition. This study was conducted in in Canadian preschool with both ESL and English speaking 4 year olds. Over a two year longitudinal study of implementing 14 parenting and Readiness pilot centers in primary education. According to Pelletier and Brent, lack of school readiness in young children where an indicator of academic failure. (Pelletier, Brent, 2002) When students are more prepared in preschool it helps with positive transition to primary schools. This is even more critical for ESL students whose cultural impact can greatly increase their development and readiness for positive academic performance. Parental and community involvements affect the behavioral and cognitive components that provide support for children. In implementing learning methods, teachers need to be aware that immigration is a stressful transition to families and particular the student. Immigration consistently contributes to the cultural diversity within communities and schools. A strong support network helps make the transition easier. According to research, the teacher is seen as the key facilitator in involving the parents in early education. Teachers have the competency to provide strategies in which engage both the student and their parents.

The study focused on EFL and ESL parent participation in relation to student’s school readiness. They look at four factors that relate to parent efficacy, involvement, parenting style, and teacher strategies. The study used 313 families, where half spoke English as a second language. The study showed that parent involvement was positive to the student’s transition into primary education.  Parents held the key to positive academic performance, and teachers greatly influence in providing a strategy to help students use cultural experiences as well to engage students.  The limitation to this study was that it only tested in preschool children, and more research should be conducted on the different parent styles that related to culture and ethnicity. More importance should be placed on how teachers incorporate this involvement into their lesson plans.

ESL Teacher Interview

Interviewing a young Pre-K ESL teacher, I was able to gather a critical perspective in teaching ESL students. The teacher was new to the school teaching the class of ten for three months. However, she felt that teaching was her life, as her bilingual ability helps her communicate, share experiences, and help build ELL workshops. While not all students are ESL, she has one that speaks Spanish. When the student has difficulty she would translate information, so they are on the same level as the other students. The teacher understands that she must give extra attention to the ESL student in order to explain in both languages, so they can develop an accurate understanding. She gets involved with the ESL student’s families and other students, by talking to them in the mornings and during pick up. She sends a note with students everyday on classroom activities and their behavior, as well for the ESL student, speaks to them in Spanish and translating information.  Her typical day consisted circle time, and small group activities that require collaboration with other students. Exploration classroom teaches students to develop scientific thinking and enrichment play in different areas. The ESL student often has difficulty interacting with other students in the classroom; however, she invites him to work with other students helping to translate information. She works independently with each student, and gives the ESL student extra work to learn vocabulary in both languages, to make them more comfortable in the classroom. As a new school, she believes that the school should provide a support system in both languages, provide lessons that incorporate the cultural experiences, and involve the families in their education with resources in helping their development. The school wants to provide resources for parents in helping to get involved in their learning process.  She believed that the school should incorporate relevant cultural and social experiences to provide a more inclusive classroom. While also allowing the student to work individually to process the language. She feels that education should include unbiased curriculum, partnership with families, and inclusive classrooms. This helps with individual and group interactions that are positive for ESL learning development.

Conclusion

Using both the individual constructivism and social learning theory incorporated into the learning methods, helps in using cultural and social experiences to construct relevant information for the ESL students. Primary education is important in helping develop a successful academic trajectory, as well as provide a basis that includes teacher, family, and peer interaction in helping with transitions to graduation. ESL students have a hard time adjusting, and having non-biased, involved, and customizable education helps learning easier.

References

DeCapua, A., & Marshall, H. W. (2009). Students with limited or interrupted formal education in U.S. Classrooms. Urban Review. Doi: 10.1007/s11256-009-0128-z.

DeCapua, A., Marshall, H.W., Antolini, Carol. (2010). Engaging English Language Learners with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education. Educator’s Voice. Vol 111. Retrieved from https://www.nysut.org/~/media/Files/NYSUT/Resources/2010/May/Educators%20Voice%203%20Adolescents/educatorsvoice3_adolescents_08_ell2.pdf

Goldberg, C. (2008). Teaching English language learners: What the research does and does not say. American Educator,32(2), 8-23, 42-44.

Pelletier, Janette, Brent, Juliane M. (2002). Parent participation in children’ school readiness: The effects of parental self-efficacy, cultural diversity and teacher strategies. International Journal of Early Childhood. Retrieved from https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/32197/1/pelletierbrent.revised.rtf

Ormrod, J.E. (2013). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Pearson Education.