S/EAL learners in the Classroom: Supplementary Resources

Seeing School Through ‘EAL’ Learner Eyes

(based on information in the Newcomer Program: Pearson Longman)

ESL learners come from many cultures and from widely varied school systems – if they have had the chance to go to school at all. Awareness on your part of some potential areas of difference will help reduce difficulties in your classroom, not only for you but also for the rest of the class. Here are some examples of potential areas of difference, some written from the perspective of the EAL students:

Pedagogical approaches

  • Informality and seeming lack of authority on part of teacher may lead students to think that the teacher is of inferior quality.
  • Individualized learning, group projects and cooperative learning are unknown and seen as “bizarre” practices where, literally, students are being asked to “give their knowledge away”.
  • Student opinion is sought here but not in home countries: “You ask me what I think but I don’t know what I think until you tell me!”

School attire

  • Strict dress code is the norm in most places in the world.
  • Teachers dress quite formally. Women are always in dresses or skirts and blouses, never a pantsuit.
  • Girls wearing pants to school is not allowed in many places.
  • Jewelry and makeup are not allowed.
  • Wearing outside shoes inside instead of special school slippers is new.

Physical contact and sense of personal space

  • Too close or too far may be seen as rude/cold
  • Students may seem pushy or cold due to preferred personal space bubble
  • Hugs and pats on head or arm are not welcomed by some and physical contact is virtually demanded by others

Gender roles

  • Roles are rigidly defined and students are often separated by gender.
  • Girls are to be quiet and not take teacher’s time away from the boys.
  • Male teachers are considered superior to female teachers.

Schedules, routines, rituals

  • A daily school-wide assembly – a pep talk or speech by the principal - is considered the norm.
  • Students stay put and teachers move from room to room.
  • Teachers dress so casually and they even sit on desks sometimes. That is disrespectful of their station.
  • Teachers have their private spaces and are inaccessible during those times. Do they not eat lunch with us because they do not like us?
  • There are no official breaks between classes. When can I go to the bathroom? (I was never allowed to go during class at home.)
  • Teachers and students hand things out with one hand or give me things with the left hand. How rude!

Independence and individualism

  • Students raise their hands to get more attention from the teacher. Why does the teacher not make sure everyone gets equal time to speak?
  • Students argue with each other and the teacher rather than try to get group harmony and show respect for each person.
  • Students are independent and expect others to be the same. They are not very sensitive to how others feel.

Crime and Violence in schools

  • Some students steal things!
  • Some students carry weapons to school. [It is dangerous to go to school here!]
  • Some students use drugs and act crazy. [Why are they allowed to stay in school?]

Teacher respect

  • Students call the teacher by her name and she does not like it when I respectfully call her “Teacher”.
  • Some students talk and act silly during class. Some do not obey the teacher; she gets mad and punishes everyone. It’s scary!

Hygiene and food

  • Students smell funny!
  • They say I smell funny!
  • People eat with their hands and lick their fingers! They even eat walking down the street!
  • The school cafeteria serves taboo foods!
  • Sometimes the teacher licks her thumb to separate papers before giving them out!!
  • People blow their noses in public and even at meals!

SCHOOLING IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

The complexity of the home culture(s) of the learners will manifest itself in many ways in the classroom. Part of that cultural identity is tied to the type of schooling experienced, to date, by the students themselves or by their parents. Even young learners of English who were born here will be influenced by their parents’ expectations of how things should be done at school and in terms of how to do school on some/many of the following parameters.

Consider then, how each aspect could/would impact on the learners in your classroom.

Class size – number and composition of students per class

Classroom – rows/benches, group/individual, personalized/sterile

Homework –given when, why, how much, etc.

Instructional approach – rote, lecture, discovery, trial and error

Instructional purpose – independent learner, rely on teacher, memorization, learn how to learn, focussed [e.g. qualification for . . .]

Learning as a cooperative or competitive enterprise

Movement – who ‘platoons’, teachers or students

Question asking/answering – parrot or thinker, acceptable or rude

Reading purposes – gather facts, enjoy worlds of fiction

Role of the teacher - guide on side or sage on stage; friendly/formal

Schedules - age at which school starts, hours, days, etc.

School – building size, population, gymnasium, computer lab.

Subjects studied/valued – sciences, humanities, arts, physical education, personal planning

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Culture and communication. UBC 2011-2012

Culture Shock

4 phases

Honeymoon /
/

Hostility

Humour

/
/

HOME

TEACHING EAL LEARNERS – SOME DO’s AND DON’T’s

Definitely DO /

Usually DON’T

Use English as the language of instruction
Speak slightly more slowly and enunciate – try for less compound and/or complex sentences to start off
Use the home language as appropriate and with care
Use concrete objects, actions, visuals, etc. to convey meaning
Model desired responses
Repeat and paraphrase cheerfully and patiently and continue to link visual and verbal cues as long as is needed
Give praise for effort
Check student comprehension in many small ways – frequently
Encourage the use of bilingual dictionaries
Teach reading, writing, listening, speaking intertwined / Talk more when it is clear that there is no understanding- using more words to explain words only helps to overwhelm, not enlighten
“dumb down” the content – the problem is usually not capacity but lack of English
Resort to the home language at the slightest sign of puzzlement – keep some challenge
Start with reading/decoding when oral proficiency and vocabulary are still weak
Expect students to respond as quickly as their peers – thinking & translating takes time
Get frustrated because you cannot understand through a heavy accent – monitor and adjust as you use clarification questions
Underestimate the need for praise of effort
Assume comprehension
Be reluctant to use the bilingual dictionary yourself to explain a difficult concept – or a more able student who can translate
Teach any language skill in isolation
TIPS FOR INCLUDING ALL LEARNERS IN EVERY LESSON

Assume nothing

Be consistent – hand out an outline of core expectations

Celebrate diversity – reflect authentic and appreciative inclusion of cultures and peoples of the world

Construct new meaning by building on background knowledge

Cooperative learning groups support learning for all and teach a critical real-life skill

Cue students to listen with extra care by using name first when questioning or discussing

Effort deserves acknowledgement in one form or another

Get to know them and who they are – help them beadditional learning resources for all

Give extra time to formulate responses orally

Home language has a place – to explain a key word, to celebrate differences, etc.

Keep instructions clear; a written list as well as oral information is invaluable

Language Experience Approach works !! (all ages) [do, talk, write, read]

Model, model, model – yourself, and show student samples of work

Patience and a safe, accepting environment help everyone

Provide overview or reading list to support new topic of study (having time to pre-read is invaluable –helps the parents as well)

Reader Response / personal journals are a great way to start communication and assess levels of comprehension

When assessing student work, be clear if you are assessing content or grammar – or both, and grade according to what the task was meant to assess

Support verbally (yes, that is good), non-verbally (nod, smile, etc.) and co-verbally – tone of voice conveys much meaning and emotion

Use talk to elaborate visual and print cues, not to replace them

Use visual tools ALL the time – they work for ALL learners

FURTHER READING

Culture and Communication

Flaitz. Jeffra. Understanding Your Refugee and Immigrant Students: An Educational, Cultural and Linguistic Guide. Ann Arbor, Michigan:

University of Michigan Press, 2006.

Helmer, Sylvia & Catherine Eddy. Look at Me When I Talk to You: ESL Learners in Non-ESL Classrooms. Pippin Press, 2003.

Hofstede, Geert. Cultural Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations. 2nd Edition. Sage Publications. 2001

Waxler-Morrison, N., J.M. Anderson & E. Richardson, Chambers, N.A. Cross-Cultural Caring: A Handbook for Health Professionals in Western Canada . 2nd Edition. Vancouver, B.C.: UBC Press, 2006.

Tips on Communicating

43 Cross-Cultural Quotes for the Classroom

How Diving Can Help Students See Other Perspectives

Using Friday Fotos to Discuss Culture and Global Issues

What do Moonwalking and Culture have in Common?

LINKS: [country, culture and education information]

BBC News Country Profiles:Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions.They also include audio and video clips from BBC archives.

Centre for Intercultural Learning [Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada]: Of particular worth on this site are the 'historical timelines' that provide a quick overview of the issues of relevance

CIA World Factbook: This site provides a great deal of information as above but also provides maps, flags and country comparisons.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: These country profiles offer a snapshot of key elements including, education, food, communication, spirituality, work, family life, history, etc. [caution: these documents have not been updated since 2002]

Cultural Dimensions: This website allows you to compare cultures/countries on five dimensions of potential difference – Power/Distance in relationships; Individualism; Masculinity/Femininity; Uncertainty Avoidance; Long-term Orientation. Research has been done around the world to look for similarities and differences.

Online Guide to Educational Systems Around the World is hosted byNAFSA: Association of International Educators. The focus here is on secondary and post-secondary credentials to qualify for international study. Of interest to us are the ‘marks’ equivalents – that is, what percentage range is equivalent to an A or B or C+? It is another reminder that this seeming ‘standard’ is not the same across countries.

World Values Survey:Values and Cultural Changes mapped out over 30 years of survey ‘waves’. There is much to explore aside from the actual surveys

Main site:

Values surveys:

Working with EAL learners in the Classroom

Haynes, Judie & Debbie Zacarian. Teaching English Language Learners Across the Content Areas. ASCD 2010.

Levine, Linda New & Mary Lou McCloskey. Teaching Learners of English in Mainstream Classrooms K-8; One Class, Many Paths. Pearson 2009.

Reiss, Jodi. Teaching Content to English Language Learners: Strategies for Secondary School Success. Pearson Longman 2005.

LINKS:

This bilingual website has its American biases but also includes some excellent articles, podcasts and lessons. See in particular:

Content Instruction for ELLs

Reading and Writing Instruction for ELLs

ELL Assessment and Placement

Wide range of succinct articles, information and lesson ideas.

In particular, see:

How long does it take to learn English

Challenges for ELLs in Content Area Learning

Organizing and Assessing in the Content Area Class

Bloom’s Taxonomy and English Language Learners

Activities for Newcomers

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Culture and communication. UBC 2011-2012