Sunday, October 14, 2018
Entry 3
For this blog post, I interviewed Mrs. Carolina Brown. She is a bilingual teacher who grew up in the town of Seguin, Texas. Mrs. Brown learned to speak her second language of Spanish as a young child, but always felt that she was more proficient in her first language of English since it was the dominant language that was spoken at home. During our interview, I asked questions in regard to the methods she would use to help her students in the adaptation process, her views about bilingualism, and the advantages she feels students with bilingual backgrounds could attain. In the school district she used to work for, Mrs. Brown was fortunate enough to be able to pull kids from non core classes like specials and P.E, this allowed her to work with kids one on one to help them reach a high proficiently level in the English language. Ortega states that in the linguistic environment, particularly in naturalistic settings, but also in today's communicative classrooms, comes to learners in the midst of oral interaction with one or more interlocutors, rather than as exposure to monologic spoken or written discourse (Ortega, 2013, p.60). This explains that the most important influence in regards to language learning will take place in the classroom and teachers like Mrs. Brown will account for being the mediators that allow this kind of learning to take place. Ortega also states, "learners who begin acquiring the L2 before a certain age . . . tend to exhibit intuitions that are very close to those native speakers of that language" (Ortega, 2013, p.19). This defends the point of students being able to become fully proficient in a language when given the right resources, guidance, and environment in which they are able to excel in. The following interview will depict Mrs. Brown's experiences with bilingual teachings: https://youtu.be/0ls6qm8GI1M
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Hi Jennifer! I enjoyed watching your interview with Mrs. Brown. I did not know that teachers used to be able to pull students form non-core classes such as recess, library, and art to teach kids one-on-one. I could relate to Mrs. Brown’s regrets about her lack of fluency in Spanish because I am not fluent in my first language either. My first language was Vietnamese, but I slowly forgot how to speak it because I grew up learning English throughout the schooling system. Mrs. Brown mentioned that she taught children English using simplistic strategies such as reading books and connecting the pictures to the words. For example, she would point to a table, chair, or book whenever that showed up in the story. As a result, the child she taught was able to develop the English language and have more interactions with her peers. According to Ortega (2013, p. 252), through the language socialization theory, newcomers can gain not only language knowledge but also membership and legitimacy through social activity. When the child built up her fundamental vocabulary in English, she was able to interact with more children and learn English on a deeper level.
ReplyDeleteHi Angela, thank you for your comment! I was very surprised to hear that she was able to pull students during non-core classes as well. Personally, I think students learn more during this one on one time because they know the teacher will be more focused strictly on them. This individualized time will account for more in depth learning to take place. Ortega states, "Children acquiring their first language complete the feat within a biological window of four to six years of age" (Ortega, p.12). This makes me think of the benefits the one on one help will give the students.
DeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Ms. Brown worked in a school that did the pull-out system with their English language learners. I like that Ms. Brown addressed the fact that people who are bilingual have many advantages because I also agree with this. She mentioned that students who are bilingual have higher cognitive abilities. Rowland (2014, p. 198) confirms this aspect when talking about how bilinguals have attentional control. This ability is acquired because someone who is bilingual will need to switch back and forth between the two languages which utilizes the central executive mechanisms in their brain (Rowland, 2014, p. 198). Outside the research done, I would have to agree that it must require a higher level of cognitive ability to be able to successfully separate two languages mentally, while being fluent in both.
Hi Emily, thank you for your comment! I absolutely agree with your beliefs about bilinguals having many advantages because of their ability to communicate with a diverse group of people. Ortega believes that in order to “. . . see how well someone knows the second language learned is to check their oral and written records” (Ortega, 2013). I believe this statement holds truth because it will give concrete evidence to the development of language a child does or does not have.
DeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI loved watching your interview. In particular, I found it interesting when Mrs. Brown pulled out the students for recess. In my current school where I am student teaching, we pull out students to have small group activities and I have seen that this works. I know that when Mrs. Brown is pulling out her students, it is helping them. Ortega agrees when he states that practice “helps proceduralization of new knowledge by allowing the establishment and strengthening of corresponding links in long-term memory” (Ortega, 2013, p.85). If the students are constantly practicing speaking English, this will help them become more fluent and gain confidence.
Hi Chelsea, that's very nice of you to say, thank you! I think it is awesome that you get to pull kids to have small group during specials time as well, I didn't know that teachers in this day and age were still able to do that. I'm absolutely sure that this is extremely beneficial to your students. Ortega actually mentions that students who are bilingual have higher cognitive abilities. Rowland (Ortega, p. 198). Since you have one on one experience with this, do you notice any specific changes or advancements with pulling them during this time?
DeleteHi Jennifer, I like how your teacher mentions that she would take time out to work one on one with the student to help her develop her language skills and that the other students would also be willing to help her. Ortega (2009) explains how different forms of processing are taking place, especially when learning a new language, and how many things cannot automatically be retrieved because it is still very new information (p. 83). Your teacher was taught by having someone relating the words she was seeing and reading to what was in their surrounds, and she was able to provide that same kind of teaching to her own student which made the learning of a second language a smoother transition.
ReplyDeleteHi Devon, I'm glad you got to watch my video and thank you for your feedback. I also think it's great that Mrs. Brown was able to work one on one with students to help in developing their language skills. This is inspirational because teachers usually have their planning period during the time that kids are in specials and if Mrs. Brown was willing to spend that that helping other students it really demonstrates the dedication she has to helping her students succeed. Ortega states that when children begin learning their L2 language in an early age both in a naturalistic and formal instructed setting are well within the critical period for optimal second language acquisition (Ortega, pg. 6). The one on one time she is dedicating to her students will portray this easy acquisition.
DeleteHey Jennifer thank you for sharing your interview with us. I love How Mrs.Brown took the initiative with her students by pulling them out and working with their second language. I remember being pulled out of class with other ELL to practice our second language. I also lived in a small town like Seguin Texas. Teachers like Mrs.Brown, are very inspirational and students always remember them in the future. I do agree with what Ortega states about linguistic environment being particularly in naturalistic settings, but also in today's communicative classrooms, comes to learners in the midst of oral interaction.
ReplyDelete(Ortega, 2013, p.60)