Negative Connotations Associated With Immigration And Second Language Learners

At the beginning of this case study I did know any students that were ESOL. However, after talking to friends about my predicament, they began to give me suggestions and I was able to get two students to use for the case student. Originally, I hoped that I would have

When inferring why ESL/ELL students are at a major disadvantage in our schools, it is apparent that language and cultural barriers hinder their progress. Because so much of the current American curricula is taught based on cultural norms, knowledge, mores, and standards, our ESL/ELL students lack this prior knowledge, context,

Introduction When an educator walks into her classroom for the first time, she needs to be prepared to encounter students that come from a variety of backgrounds. The children will be in different stages of language development, and the educator must accommodate for each of these students. Magruder, Hayslip, Espinosa, and Matera (2013) state, “The US Census Bureau projects that by the 2030s, children whose home language is other than English will increase from roughly 22 percent to 40 percent of the school-age population” (p. 9). This increase in second language learners will cause the educator to accommodate for those needs. Second language learners “need teachers who welcome them and recognize their unique abilities, what they know, and what they need to learn” (Magruder, Hayslip, Espinosa, and Matera, 2013, p. 10).

To often the teachers don't realize that language is just part of a greater culture. So they miss the point that understanding the complete culture of the students they are teaching needs to be comprehended. I would say, especially when dealing with ELL students who are very new in the USA. The teachers can confuse the lack of interference is a lack of interest, when actually the Hispanic culture values education a great deal and those who teach it. They see the teacher as the specialist and therefore respect that teacher’s decision almost explicitly. They also confuse what appears their lack of time for their children's schooling as a lack of interest in the student’s education. They work very long hours and end up showing up at off hours due to their challenging work schedules. However, if they send an older brother or uncle or grandparent in their place they are saying I am engaged though it may not appear so to the Anglo teacher. The item that will get them to respond more quickly

My first observation took place in a third grade classroom of twenty-two students. All students were of Mexican descent and labeled as intermediate/advanced English language learners. The classroom environment itself was very warm and welcoming. There was a bulletin board that displayed pictures of students and their families along with autobiographies. There was another bulletin board dedicated to celebrating Mexican culture and people. The teacher was a Caucasian women in her mid twenties with three years of teaching experience.

As an aspirant journalist, I want to give a voice to those who can’t be heard; I want to write their stories and help them express their experiences. I want to advocate for immigrants. Throughout the years I have seen with my own eyes the demoralization they are forced to live in, because they are in the search of a new home, a better home. Many people have a misconception towards why immigrants come to the united states, the majority only think they are trying to invade the country, when in reality they are just trying to survive. Most of the immigrants that come to this country are escaping corruption, violence, and poverty. They are forced to be separated of their families to send them money or to save enough money to bring them later. They are forced to do the job that no other person wants to do, because the pay is so low and the hours are long. Many live with Fear. Fear of dying in the journey, fear of being deported, fear of being discriminated for not speaking the language, or just the fear of not being able to provide for your family because you have been capture into one of the “retention” places (aka jail) like Eloy. Every day we heard the negative connotation of immigrants. The media portraits them as stealers not only from the “benefits” but also of American’s jobs. But, they are just marginalized by the society who main component are immigrants.

At the Lehman Day Care center, I observed children from ages three to four years old. Students are mostly Hispanic, few are Asian, and their only two students that are Black. There are two male East African teachers and a Latino female teacher assistant. The main teacher set up assignments for the class and the second teacher helps the students to complete their assignments most of the time. The job of the teacher assistant is to help set up student’s food and help with any language barrier between Latino students and the main teacher.

The students that make up the school are mostly Latino, African American, West Indian and white. Language is the medium through which students gain access to the curriculum. (Tamara Lucas). For example, Maria was placed in a dual language classroom, since arriving from Mexico and when she entered middle school that was taken away. The teacher in her English class needs to realize it takes second language learners longer to develop fluency in academic English than in conversational English. (Tamara Lucas). Ms. O’reilly should take this inconsideration when it comes to the strategies used in the classroom. Social interaction will help Maria’s language development and a method that can be useful to promote social interaction is the use of group work. Using group work will allow Maria to not only expand her English skills but also learn from the other students. Tamara Lucas states; “Scaffolding learning for ELLs requires teachers to consider the relationship between students’ linguistic abilities and the tasks through which they are expected to learn”. Ms. O’reilly has set the goal of having all the students to be on the same level at the end of the school year, this might not be a realistic goal since each child comes from different backgrounds and learn at different speeds. Different scaffolding strategies should be use to accommodate the ELLs in her classroom. Group work, sharing about ones culture, knowing the child’s mother tongue and creating a comfortable environment where the students can raise their hand or ask questions without feeling dumb or like an

Many Hispanic families are living in poverty; the children are depended upon to provide for the family as soon as they can. Unfortunately, education becomes second on the priority list. Author Goldenberg, (2004), claims that parents of ELL students do value their children’s education. The author states that parents are heavily involved in making sure their children finish their homework; they participate in parent-teacher meetings and attend school-based parent meetings. From my experience of raising four children, I’ve experienced and have interacted with many E LL parents. I can concur with the author Goldenberg that parents of ELL students do value education. The issues that lie are not based on the fact that they value or don’t value, but more on the inability to support the children in their educational journey. Language exhibits a major barrier to ELL parent-school collaboration. Many ELL parents often feel alienation, misunderstood, or intimidated by their lack of native English skills. Since most school staff are limited by their inability to speak effectively and regularly with ELL parents, this two-way language barrier often prevents and hinders all forms of oral and written communications between school and home (Waterman & Harry, 2008). As one source concurs, author Xiang, (2015), briefly highlights “the three Rs in building a positive and effective ESL learning environment: relationships, resources, and routines” (Xiang, L., 2010,

As a teacher who is working with English Language Learners, I will be interacting with students from all sorts of backgrounds. In order to support these students as people first and students second, I need to be aware of some of the concerns they might be facing at home. I also want to learn what I can do as a teacher to help students. Jose Antonio Vargas talked about how his principal and superintendent became a part of his support system in his adult life. While it may not be possible to support all of my students for the rest of their lives like Vargas’s example, it is important to build relationships with the

Isabel Pernia Joe Bryan WRC 1103 14 September 2015 Insert Creative Title Introduction Stuff An astounding twenty-five percent of children in the United States are born of at least one foreign-born parent; eighty-eight percent of those children are second generation (Zong). Second generation immigrants typically acquire the language spoken in the receiving country (the L2 language) when old enough to leave the household for schooling. By contrast, first-generation immigrants who emigrate in adulthood often neglect to learn the L2 language, relying instead upon residential ethnic concentrations and the language-brokering of their children to get by. The lingual disparity between parent and child causes a cultural rift within the relationship, thereby stressing it.

Furthermore, sometimes educators may be challenged in recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of Latino English language learner student’s due to a lack of relationship between them. As stated by Campos et al (2011) that “collaboration with parents comes easy when they know you are genuinely interested in being a part of their community” (p. 102). For example, educators need to find ways to show their students and parents that they care about them outside of the school. Campos et al suggested two organizations and programs that are designed to promote student and family learning, specifically Latino English language learner. They are as following:

Classrooms do not readily host a bi-lingual teacher who can successful communicate with these immigrant students in their native tongue as well in English. Schools do not have many multi-cultural programs to help these immigrant students adjust. Being an undocumented student only adds to the stresses they face

| | During the 1990s the immigrant population expanded quickly and by a large amount. According to Eggen and Kauchak (2007) “experts estimate that by the year 2020 two thirds of the school population will be African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American. This means there will be great cultural

As our nation shifts towards a more culturally diverse population both educators and families have to find a common ground to ensure that English Language Learners are academically successful. All stakeholders must carefully consider the social cultural impact on an ELL education. The process of raising bilingual learners take more