On the Inside: Spanish Immersion in GIF Form

When I walked into the church, I looked around at the stained glass and unfamiliar surroundings. My Catholic church does not look as traditional as this church, but this is a beautiful place! It's full of life and, once Mass began, it was quite full of people. Truth be told, every pew was full...except for ours. I guess they could tell we were new.

[caption id="attachment_125" align="aligncenter" width="286"] Pretty little trees, happy little clouds.[/caption]

I have a lot of experience in classrooms learning Spanish, but there are many, many words I do NOT know. This was made clear as soon as I opened the Order of the Mass.

My husband and I brought our Magnificat, so we had the readings with us. I tried to read along in English as I listened to them in Spanish, to try to reinforce my understanding. When the homily came around, the priest spoke quickly at first, but I soon realized he was repeating a lot. He started to make his point and spoke very slowly, word-by-word. As he did this, I started to understand his whole "point" of the homily.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] *woman[/caption]

Then he sped up.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] meow?[/caption]

ELL Technology Resources

Teaching Resource

This is a blog from an ESL teacher that offers several activities that he has tested in the classroom. Most of his suggestions are for authentic ESL activities that can be adapted for many ages, developmental levels, and language proficiency levels.

Authentic:

This is a podcast that a Spanish woman and her English boyfriend made several years ago to help people who are learning to speak the Spanish language. They introduce the lesson in English, speaking slowly, and sharing with the listener some vocabulary words they will need to know. After that, they launch into a Spanish conversation, using the vocab words they just introduced. This could work in reverse for Spanish-speaking students learning English.

This website connects students of all languages to strike up a pen pal relationship with a student from any other country. I thought this could be a way for students who are learning English to pair up with students who are native English speakers to communicate with someone in the ELL student’s L1. It might also be good to pick a pen pal who speaks an entirely different language for these students to converse with.

Dia-Logging

In reflection on David Schwarzer's "Student and Teacher Strategies for Communicating through Dialogue Journals in Hebrew: A Teacher Research Project."

It was interesting to read in the introduction that the objective of this paper was not to prove effectiveness of dialogue journals on acquisition of a foreign language. Instead, the research article looked into the ways in which students and teachers were using dialogue journals to supplement other language learning activities. The practice seemed to help produce a relationship between the student and the teacher, which Schwarzer mentioned. One example of him making the students more comfortable with the written Hebrew language was to use "block letters" until the students became comfortable enough to choose to use script writing in the journals. He let them lead, but also somehow managed to challenge them enough that they expected this higher level of themselves. The students used codeswitching and translation as a way to communicate and to help themselves understand.

La Misa Española

My husband and I immersed ourselves in the Hispanic culture of Richmond this weekend as we went to Spanish Mass. Originally we planned to go to Vietnamese Mass in another city, which would have been a severe language difference, but it didn't work out.

[caption id="attachment_110" align="alignright" width="198"] Me when I realized I wasn't drowning in language! [Image courtesy of FreeDigitalImages.net][/caption]My academic background includes about six years of Spanish language classes and a little experience practicing my Spanish language acquisition among friends in the United States. This was an entirely different level of immersion as there were no breaks, no opportunities for others to recast for me, and no English translations or scaffolding.

Despite the high percentage of vocabulary words I was unfamiliar with during the Mass, to my pure delight I understood the majority of what was going on. Yay! All of those years of school and studying paid off today!

First of all, I am a devout Catholic and am very familiar with the procedures of the Mass, which is the same wherever one goes and in every language (big perk, aside from the many others). Also, I brought the readings (which are prescribed ahead of time and universal for today around the world in the Catholic Church) with me so I could consult them. This helped me become familiar enough with the language and my surroundings to lower my affective filter.

Additionally, I sang along with the help of the worship songbook without worrying about mispronouncing the words because I was with my husband (someone who doesn't, of course, judge me for mispronunciations...or lack of singing talent).

The church was packed and the people who sat around us were quite welcoming during a part of the Mass in which everyone turns to their neighbor to offer the peace of Christ. I love this brother/sisterhood!

As a qualitatively minded person, my first reaction was to reflect first on the cultural aspects of attending Mass in a language with which I have only novice familiarity. However, in reflecting on my knowledge of SLA and the most effective way to acquire a second language, I cannot wait to go back!

Attending Mass, striking up more conversations with those around me, and comparing the Spanish and English translations as I use them during an event with which I have so much familiarity would be a Krashen-approved language acquisition activity. My husband and I have spoken about making this a regular challenge for the sake of our own language acquisition and community involvement.

Languages and Children: Chapter 10

This chapter is written for people like me! I am a qualitatively minded person, always trying to draw connections between the little nuggets of knowledge I know and encounter. Throughout the time in this class, I have brainstormed some content areas that would be best used for certain activities for effective SLA instruction. I want to make sure to create a respectful culture in my classroom that acknowledges the cultures of all students (and teachers) in the room, while providing an effective forum for teaching language and this chapter shows the need for that. Mathematics and science, of course, are listed among those content areas that most need language-related instruction. It was interesting to dive into the Connections Standards that stated that there are some aspects that students can only fully understand through the foreign language and its cultures.

Languages and Children: Chapter 5

Here in the first page, one of my questions that I asked in class during the KWL is answered determinedly. In the past, introducing the written word to second language learners was seen as a bad practice and a way to confuse the young mind. Now, methods scholars suggest that we should introduce the written word as soon as possible. Like teaching literacy to anyone, there are a few necessities: fostering help with missing schemas, introducing reading and writing as tools for communication (not just filling out a worksheet), building a word wall, teaching the basics of directionality and the physical processes of reading a book, surrounding the students with meaningful written words, and peer teaching (or shared reading). This chapter provides a few great starter activities for the early language learning child.

Making it Happen: Chapter 13

The first thing that was rolling through my mind as I read this chapter on "Ways to Promote Literacy Development" was the motivation factor for ELL students. As Richard-Amato describes, there are a myriad of factors involved with the literary progress of each child and the motivation for ELL students can be affected by many. Beginning the process with the students' prior knowledge is imperative, as she describes, because you get them on the right foot. From my limited classroom experience, I can agree with Richard-Amato about the benefits of starting with reading aloud literature to help students make the connection between phonemes, letters, words, writing, and reading. It seems like a fluid and obvious connection to us, but it is not so for an inexperienced child. This chapter offers many strategies for teachers that I will soon revisit.

Languages and Children: Chapter 4

The entire field of education heralds the positive impact that collaborative/cooperative learning can have on the success of many students. As this chapter discusses, peer interaction learning can help students make an emotional connection to the content, can help students discover the objective on their own, and it can help them develop social and language skills. This is especially important for students learning English because they have a lot of meaningful input experience and are prompted to producing meaning-making output (two essential parts of the SLA equation). One of my favorite activity examples was the "Finding differences: one picture" activity because it was a simple way to have students practice comparing two things. This is a skill they will need for the rest of their academic careers, on a deeper level.

Making it Happen: Chapter 9

I victoriously punched the air when I started reading this chapter. This chapter is rich with ideas for interactive strategies and their foundation in studying "the natural approach." The natural approach plots the progression of students through three stages: comprehension, early speech production, and speech emergence. The comprehension stage is also known as the silent stage, when students absorb what they are acquiring of the language through listening. Next they begin to make meaning through output (or attempt to do so). And finally, they become more proficient with their speech, supplemented by more input. The chapter provides several activities to support students at all stages.

Languages and Children: Chapter 6

Effective lesson planning has been one of the most challenging and empowering teacher knowledge I have acquired this year. As I read this chapter, C&D kept confirming what I've learned in these last few months: good instruction planning advice is found with the ESL and Exceptional Learning professionals. ESL and Exceptional Learning teachers and researchers have spent the last several decades learning so much about the brain and how it works best (this chapter, obviously, focuses on the advantages of planning units/weeks/days around a central theme or big picture) using the most up-to-date technology and research practices. While other factions of the education world have done a great job of completing their research and have come to the same conclusions (no more lines of desks in a classroom, no more memorizing arbitrary lists of words, etc), the ESL and Exceptional Learning research gives the best practice advice available.

Those Who Can...Teach

The Dean of the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, Bob Pianta, recently did an interview with the radio show/podcast "With Good Reason." He says he can identify whether or not a teacher is a good teacher quickly, regardless of content.

Carry on, I'm just over here taking notes...

Listen to it here!

Tech-Out with ELLs

A look at: "The Effects of Multimedia-Enhanced Instruction on the Vocabulary of English-Language Learners and Non-English-Language Learners in Pre-Kindergarten Through Second Grade," by Rebecca Silverman and Sara Hines.

When I initially began reading this article, a red flag flew up. I know the research shows that people cannot learn language from a video, even if that video is interacting with them (like through a video chatting service), so I did not understand why this article would review that research area. Upon further reading, I saw that Silverman and Hines clarified that they were seeking to augment good vocabulary instruction with multimedia, rather than trying to teach language (and the social queues that come with it) through video alone. It appears as if some forms of multimedia vocabulary supplementation can be helpful for today's ELLs, which can be somewhat convenient for some teachers. Watching a Sesame Street segment could be a temporary station in a classroom full of students learning through many means.

To Group Vocab Words or Not...

A look at: "Effects on vocabulary acquisition of presenting new words in semantic sets versus semantically unrelated sets" By Ismail Hakkı Erten and Mustafa Tekin

The conclusion of this article surprised me, but only because it differed with what I remember about the first few years of L2 instruction. The writers conclude that new words should not be presented in semantic sets because it confuses the learner. Rather, they should be presented in unrelated sets of words, so the learner's limited short term memory can concentrate on the new words as individuals instead of trying to remember the differences between them. Again, this was a surprising conclusion, only because I can remember so many vocab lists that contained similar words. I suppose the teacher thought it would be best to show us these similar words together so as not to be confused, but I see now that it was counterproductive.

Languages and Children: Chapter 9

This chapter shows how much cultural emphasis can be a vehicle for implicitly learning a language, as well as the greatest motivation to learn it. I love the idea of starting with a culturally integrative lesson to help teach vocabulary and language. As Curtain and Dahlberg allude, it can help bridge a gap that ELLs might fear crossing: knowing more about the country in which they now live. The Classroom Exchanges idea jumped out as particularly interesting as I suspect it would get the adrenaline pumping in the veins of these young learners: a great recipe for learning success. I also love the ideas that integrate technology and uniting students with other students around the globe.

Languages and Children: Chapter 3

This chapter gives an overview of three kinds of communication: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. I love that it gives concrete examples and suggestions for teachers to use in their classroom, beginning with stepping stone activities. As we have discussed in class, it is most important that we help students build a bank of meaningful and useful vocabulary in order for them to partake in these three kinds of communication. My brain wants me to organize these three in my mind as if they were three steps in a process, though Curtain and Dahlberg emphasize the holistic nature of communication. Again, I will visit this chapter again to sample some of the activities they provide.

ACCESS-ible Testing?

Upon looking at and reflecting on the WIDA ACCESS test, I'm not satisfied with how we choose to assess our students, but I cannot offer a better alternative at the moment. I've witnessed the MAPS testing in the Charlottesville City Schools for a group of WIDA level 2.5 and below students. What I noticed with that testing and with the ACCESS test is that students are given zero scaffolding aid when taking the test. Just like with the reading fluency tests for non-ELLs, the proctors are required to push the students until they reach their frustration level. I suggest that the nature of these tests and the sharp jolt in difference between their daily experience with assessments and how this test assesses them will be the source of more frustration. Therefore, how accurate could the results be? Again, I can only whine about this without presenting an alternative solution to what I know is a necessity.

Making it Happen: Chapter 5

Discovering the purposeful difference between implicit and explicit teaching was revolutionary in my learning as a preservice teacher last fall. I knew I learned better (and that the learning "stuck") through implicit teaching over explicit teaching, but most of my memories of elementary school learning was in an explicit teaching setting. This chapter reviews the different methods for teaching and shares that current research does not draw a distinct conclusion between implicit and explicit instruction for L2 learners. Overall, it's important for the teacher to reflect on how the student learns best; they can be product oriented or process-oriented. I will revisit this chapter many times for the strategies for listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Making it Happen: Chapter 8

The concept of integrating physical involvement in the language learning process is one that will take me some time to add to my own bag of tricks. For whatever reason, I'm stuck in this idea that the only way to get through all of the content I need to teach is through direct instruction (even though I know how inaffective nonstop direct instruction can be). It's exciting to me to have this chapter's resources at hand. My favorite ones that Richard-Amato shared are the activities, though I know the simple commands are great first steps for ELLs. I'm grateful Richard-Amato also shared information about the limitations of TPR and expansions on the concept through storytelling and the audio-motor unit. This is where the rubber meets the road.

Input to Output: Chapter 5

"Does the first language cause interference?" The biggest question in my mind at this time and the first one VanPatten answers in his FAQ chapter. As is the case with most academic answers, he explains that "yes and no," the first language can be a crutch, but that we all go through the same process to learn our second language, no matter what. The big question, though, is also hard to completely answer through research as it is "slippery" to test how much of the L1 transfers to aid in learning the L2.

We spoke about the second question, "What about the use of the first language in the classroom?" in class. It's a balance and, of course, social implications must be examined.

This is one concept behind language acquisition that is most fascinating to me: "It is possible, then, that the differences we see between L1 and L2 acquisition are also attributable to external factors and not to internal processes." How much of our perspective (cultural and linguistic) plays a role in our ability to become proficient in an L2?

I've often operated under the assumption that non-romance languages would be harder for me to learn, considering English has some romance language influence. It was humbling to realize and accept that, "Every language has some things that kids get right away and other things that even school-aged kids mess up, but as a whole no language can be considered easier or harder."

Obviously, I have not been succinct, but these were my favorite parts of the chapter.

Input to Output: Epilogue

[caption id="attachment_67" align="alignright" width="240"] Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

I'm so happy to read that, as a member of a confused generation of students taught through inconsistent philosophies about the need for phonics over meaning-based over reading-intensive, there seems to be more consensus for the next generation. This text agrees with the other research-based texts I've read that scream from the rooftops that we must be teaching meaning-based lessons, not just decoding. We must also strike a balance between our methods.

This book also makes me want to start a program for story book reading at local fast food restaurants (because they are hubs) in highly ELL-populated areas, so that these students and their parents get as much interaction as possible in the desired L2 of English. These in-class model examples are useful!

Input to Output: Chapter 4

[caption id="attachment_59" align="alignright" width="240"] Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

It's helpful to note that "output," like "input," only refers to communicative, meaning-bearing output in the field of SLA. Output processing refers to "access" and "production strategies." Good grief, the brain does some amazing things. Somehow it stores the idea of an object, the word (or lemma) for the object, the grammar surrounding all that involves the object that the user wishes to communicate, and then it tells the motor cortex what and how to communicate it.

The brain "fills in the gaps" whenever necessary (especially when learning an L2), or, uses a "communication strategy" if they cannot access the proper steps in the hierarchy. The trickiest and most profound (yet simple) part of all of this is that I'm learning about language through language and then communicating (producing output) through language. My declarative knowledge about English led me to develop procedural knowledge enough to read and communicate somewhat intelligently. Phew.

Making it Happen: Chapter 3

It's so interesting to read about the cognitive differences (and similarities) involved in learning a first language and learning a second language. There are obvious reasons why the situations will differ between learning L1 and L2, such as time, developmental maturity, and experiences.

[caption id="attachment_57" align="alignright" width="240"] Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]The most poignant part of this chapter helped to quench a thirst for an answer I asked my dad when I was 10: how can we learn a second language unless our brains just have their own language? In other words, I thought the only way we could know one language was because our "brain language" learned how to translate from "brain language" to "L1" and then again for "L2."

This chapter (obviously) strays from that rudimentary, 10-year-old-thought-process, because, as it shows, learning a language is so different from learning other concepts  or content. It was good to read, once again, of Vygotsky's and Piaget's eternal impact on the field of education in this chapter.

Input to Output: Chapter 3

This chapter was quite full, a good bridge from the two chapters preceding. This one went much deeper into the network and connection-making that our brains have mastered as speakers of language. There are so many rules about syntax within the English language native speakers don't know that they know. I can recall a teacher instructing us about a certain grammatical rule saying, "You'll just know it's wrong when you hear it." Obviously, that's not going to fly in a room with non-native speakers.

This chapter also goes into the differences and implications of accommodation and restructuring with regard to the development in the linguistic system. Accommodation and restructuring through instruction bring about change.

Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on the path of learning more about learning! Language has always been a fascinating concept to grasp. I've taken a few classes in undergrad that cater to this passion, but now I'm finally learning more about the methods involved in learning a language and why our brains react to this process the way that they do!

This blog is starting out as an assignment for EDIS 5480 at the University of Virginia -- an ELL methods overview course. However, as my time spent working with ELL students this year has been so rewarding, I suspect I will have many real world stories and contributions I can make once I begin my career as a teacher.

Here we go!

Input to Output: Chapter 2

Once again, I came into reading this chapter with a mindset that the chapter's focus on "input" would be somewhat simple, knowing that this is a general overview of SLA. I'm humbled again as this is not an easy concept to grasp upon diving deeper. During my reading, I asked one of the questions in upper right hand corner out loud to myself: "How do learners get linguistic data from the input?" Ask a child this question and they might come up with the same initial answer I thought: they just do. VanPatten points out how different it is to learn a language than it is to learn anything else because when one learns how to count or about the batting average of their favorite baseball player, they do so through language. Learning how to make connections between what are really arbitrary symbols, sounds, words, and data is just a tiny bit of what makes learning a language so challenging and different than learning other content.

From Input to Output: Chapter 1

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="234"] Image from FreeDigitalImages.net[/caption]

This chapter helped answer a lot of the general questions I had about SLA and bring new questions to the surface. I trust VanPatten will answer these new ones in the future. I did not realize that SLA was such a young field, though I should have known, as the academic world has only recently made efforts to avoid xenocentrism and to reflect on culture from many perspectives. Of course, as VanPatten admitted, the five "givens" really are simple on the surface and are ones we could have identified in class. However, it was interesting to read VanPatten's reflection on the details behind these "givens." We, as those who could have so wisely discovered these five on our own, only accept them as "givens" because learning our first language was so natural. We recognize these "givens" because of the work that we have already done to learn our initial language (and perhaps a second).