This week I was scouring the internet for some interesting reads, to try and wrap my head around starting this blog. As I was exploring blogs of differing genres, I realized the ones I gravitated toward were the "easy reads." Something light, but still worth reading. I also very much enjoy when I read something that directly relates to my content, or something I can easily try in my classroom. That is going to be my goal for this Blog. I will try to make it interesting, so you may read it quickly, and hopefully be able to take something away from it in the end.
My research took me to a 63 page document this week in addition to the readings for class, so needless to say I have been very tired. While I didn't read the document in its entirety, Informing Educators on Effective Strategies for LTELs by Maria Soto taught me about LTELs. LTELs stands for Long Term English Learners, and in her paper, Maria explains that LTELs are often looked upon in frustration for their lack of progress. I can see this occuring in my school from time to time. I hear teachers express frustrations because a student is low, and since they aren't making progress we are going to exit them from the ESL program. I always find that odd. If a student continues to need help, shouldn't we continue to offer support? The document was the Capstone Project for Maria, and lays out best practices teachers can use with LTELs. In this paper, she talks about the following three-pronged approach to instruction:
1. Students will take Spanish language and literacy classes to help them build a firm foundation in academic Spanish.
2. Long-term English learners are taught separately from newcomers in English as a second language classes so that training can focus on literacy rather than oral language competency improvement.
3. Content-area classes that focus on both content and literacy learning, such as math, science, and social studies
Number 2 makes me think about my previous school. Our building was 7-12 and we had one awesome teacher that managed all of our ESL population. That is definitely now a best practice based on this approach. It makes sense too. You want to ensure that the students are able to make progress by getting individualized help.
Soto also discusses the fact that a positive relationship between teacher and student can make a difference between the student continuing in the school or dropping out. I reflect on this thought OFTEN. As an educator I know that teachers just do not learn from people they don't like. You could be using every strategy imaginable, but if you don't have a good relationship with the kids, it won't matter. I was just reminded of this on Monday of this week. I have had a student in my class for the past two years. She is a great student who has struggled functionally in school, and really didn't participate in class that often, but when she did, she would always blow me away with her observations and insight. I assigned a writing prompt to my students and after reading her response, my heart broke for her. She had written about her experience in school and being bullied a few years ago and how it haunts her everyday. I wrote her a little note explaining my empathy for her situation. I also explained to her that every day she is in my class she brings me joy. I wasn't expecting much of a response from her because she is often so quiet, but she thanked me and in the last few days she has raised her hand to answer almost every question. She is now engaging in my material and will surely get more out of my class.
I have written notes to students in the past as a way to connect, or just let them know I was here for them if they needed. I got away from it during the pandemic, but after this, I will definitely start writing notes to my students. Not only does it make them feel good, but it helps me as well.
Sorry if I rambled a bit, I will get a hang of this eventually. Interact with my post if you have had any similar experiences!
Sources:
Soto, Maria, "Informing Educators on Effective Strategies for LTELs" (2021). School of Education Student Capstone Projects. 720.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/720
Since I’m stuck in the technology side of things most of the time, your post introduced the concept of LTELs to me. That’s given me a newfound appreciation for the complexity of ESL as a teaching area. I completely agree that individualized help is the way to go for students and while I agree that it’s ideal to have one great teacher there to support ESL students, I wonder how long districts like mine, that have a constantly growing ESL population, can go before we have to hire more teachers.
ReplyDeleteYour story about writing a note to your student is what great teaching is all about! With a simple gesture you made a world of difference to her. Being empathetic is such a valuable skill to have in education and that is going to make great connections with students and that’s going to encourage them to be the best students (and people) that they can be. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
"Soto also discusses the fact that a positive relationship between teacher and student can make a difference between the student continuing in the school or dropping out."
ReplyDeleteI like how you comment on this in your blog. Social Emotional Learning is so important to all of our students. I think sometimes it is forgot in schools when we are inundated with standards, assessments, and expectations.