Technology
The one thing that always seems to surprise me in my practicum is that fact that although the students seem to be limited in their use of the English language, they are very confident in using technology. A major part of almost the students learning I observe is a program called APEX. This is an online "class" that they can take that quizzes them regarding certain topics. One of the girls in my first period was working on this so I observed her for a few minutes--Basically, the student reads text about a certain thing and then at the end of the reading takes a quiz on what she/he has just read. Seems simple right? The problem I have noticed with some of the students however, is the level of comprehension in what they are reading. When I looked at her test scores they were in the 50 percentile and a little higher even though she seemed to be whizzing through her assignments. Other students are very proficient when using the computer especially when it comes to using Microsoft Office & etc. My teacher has also taken to getting certain articles off of the internet in relation to subjects they are learning such as The Iditarod, and creating a sort of "fill-in-the-blank" worksheet where the student has to find the article online, and figure out what goes where. While there is still a large space that could be filled with technology in terms of classroom resources, the fact taht students can still use a computer/internet and find things on their own without instruction is fascinating to me.
Language Variation
From being in an ESL classroom, this obviously allows me to see a large range of different cultural backgrounds and the languages that follow. From what I have observed, there are three major types of ethnicity in my two periods: Mexican, Dominican, and Hmong. The two mexican students and the 5 or 6 Dominican students are still able to communicate with each other because they both speak Spanish although a different variation for each background, and I have also noticed that the Korean & Hmong students can do the same although my knowledge about their language variation is very limited (one Hmong student can even speak Thai). My teacher is Philipino but based on previous comments, she seems to be able to understand some Spanish and Hmong but has a better grasp on who exactly can communicate with who and applying this to her teaching. When a student needs help, she tries to find another student with a similiar background that can help and pairs them together; this is partly because some students still have trouble translating what they would like to ask/say into English. She finds that even though her students should be asking questions in English, if it is something relatively complex instead of wasting that student's time making them "spell it out" she would rather they get the information they need from someone who can translate; sometimes she even has a student translate to me and I will help them instead. But more than often than not, she will make a student figure out how to say what they want to say in English instead of that student taking the easy road and just having a peer translate for them, especially if it is a question directed at her & even more so if it is one of the rowdy Dominican boys!
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I can see the relationship you pose between the Dominicans, Hmong’s or Mexican’s being able to communicate to help out one another for what the directions are asking for or what they need to do next. This relates to chapter 5 in Second Language Learners as pair work for non native speakers can be essential for leaning English. This is so they can be on safe ground. I can’t say that I have any ESL students in my class being that the class is small and autistic, however, I see the student who I have spoken about all semester still checking with someone to read his answers aloud. His answers are right on, but he lacks phonetic presentation.
ReplyDeleteI would also have to agree with you that it is quite interesting how just anyone can jump on a computer with the technology and go, in any language. I even have a hotmail and facebook account set up in Italian to further understand the language. After a while using technology in another language on the computer is very easy to move around on. I also think it is interesting how students when assigned something, can make such a broad variety of presentations all relating to the same concept. Why do you think that students are so driven with technology compared to that of older individuals? I know it’s a broad question, but I’m sure it will make you think .
Yes you are right, it will make me think! I believe students of this generation are so driven with technology because there is more of it around. Back in the day, technology (especially computers, cellphones etc.) were a new concept and as the age old cliche' goes--people are afraid of new. Unless it was part of their workforce and alot of the times it wasn't, people generally did not need to know how to use technology to their advantage. Now days, children are teaching their parents how to use computers and texting and all sorts of other things. I think its just more of what we are used to seeing rather than what is essentially "innovative".
ReplyDeleteKudos on having a facebook in Italian, I also want to learn it *some day!*
I think that it is very important to have a grasp of the languages of the students. I think that technology can help, but you really need to have an understanding of how the process of communication works. I really like that your ESL teacher has spent the time learning bits and parts of the languages of her students. Although I have an understanding and can read several languages - I think that if your going to be an ESL teaching - knowing multiple languages and knowing how the students can communicate in English and in thier own L1 language is a good thing to be able to do ..
ReplyDeleteI wonder why that student is having such trouble on the computer compared to non-computer assignments? I know that I can have trouble if I'm trying to read a lot of material on the computer all at once, because it is harder to page back and forth - maybe she's having trouble tracking? I agree, though, that the ability to teach oneself about virtually every subject online is a great boon for students - relating back to David's question about why it's so much easier for younger people, I think that young people have grown up with it, become so familiar with it that they expect to be able to manipulate it and to think in such a way that they can wrap their minds around it. What surprises me at work (I help with the rhetorical sides of English projects, using computers) is the amount of people - some younger than me, and I'm average college age - who don't even know how to save a file that they're working on. They cringe away from the computer, and I wonder what has made it so mysterious for them - how they "missed the boat" on being willing to play with technology?
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