Common Core Ratchets Up Language Demands
For English Learners
The
Common Core Standards requires higher levels of understanding of what is
currently taught and learned in schools. The trend is to emphasize instruction
of academic language, which is not the
language individuals use in everyday conversations (social language). This
language development encompasses a type of language that is more sophisticated
and complex. This is the type of language that students must understand and use
in order to be successful and accomplish a college degree or any other professional
career.
For
the English Language Learner (students
whose native language is not English) acquiring a new language is already a
challenge, which is not something new in public schools. The focus on academic
language becomes a more difficult task for ELL students, but also for native
speakers of English. As Leslie A. Maxwell
states “No One is a native speaker of academic language.” This type of language
is not taught or spoken at home. It is not the language used with friends or
the language of television, music and other forms of media. This is the
vocabulary found in informational texts and teachers must expose students to
this type of materials. Teachers must provide all types of opportunities for
ELL learners to use academic language during Reading
Our
challenge, as teachers, is to shift from the traditional frame of mind of how
we teach or were taught language in school. All students, weather Native
speakers or ELL must be exposed to a variety of opportunities. Those
experiences may be books, magazine, pictures, videos, internet, etc. Students
must be exposed to academic language, regardless of how much English they bring
to the classroom. Teachers must seek collaboration from peers and be open to
change and learn. We must let all kids play the same game if we want them to compete
with all other kids. We must include them and use other kids to become mentors
at the same time. Teaching is an art, but we must be willing to get our feet
wet, be willing to expose our weaknesses, and be open to learn.
Maxwell, L. A.
(2013) . Common Core Ratchets Up
Language Demands for English
Learners. Education
Week, 33 (10) 14-16.
In our school we have initiatives that we must make sure we are incorporating in our classrooms on top of our everyday teaching. This year it has been the reading and writing standards for the common core. Each quarter we have different standards that everyone in the school should be doing. I have many ESL students in my classes and this is great for them as well as the native speakers to be hearing about this language in every class and giving them an opportunity to practice it in the different subjects. It can be challenging for the students when in each class they are hearing the same vocabulary, but it is important for teachers to continue using the language but also being creative in how we approach the standard to still make it interesting for the students. The students will also be able to witness how that vocabulary can play out in different scenarios and try to make connections for class to class.
ReplyDeleteI help facilitate a Resource class that is part of our Intervention Plan at the high school which allows me to work with a variety of students-- IEP, 504, ELL, at risk; I love the opportunity to work with these students and provide them with the supports they need to grow and succeed. I think that when teaching we can get into a zone of juggling all of the things we need to get done in a class period, in a week, or in a term that we can forget to step back and look at the learning through the students' eyes in order to check for understanding and clarity and to make sure that they are getting the variety and experience they need.
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