Reflecting on Second Language Acquisition
As a monolingual speaker of English, I came into this class
knowing almost nothing about how people learn another language. I can honestly say, however, that I have
gained a much deeper understanding of the second (or additional) language
learning process. This newly acquired
knowledge will definitely impact the way that I interact with and instruct ELLs
in my classroom. For example, ELL students
who are new to this country will undoubtedly need an adjustment (silent) period
before they feel comfortable speaking in class.
Their L2 learning will greatly depend on their willingness to
communicate (Ortega, 2009), which will in part by influenced by what kind of
classroom climate they are in – friendly and welcoming vs. judgmental and
condescending. In addition, L2 learners
need room to explore and negotiate for meaning in their new language. They will need additional response time during
classroom discussions as they consider how to translate from their native
language into English. L2 learners will also
be greatly influenced by their first language.
Therefore, as an ELA teacher, I should expect cross-linguistic
influences in both their reading, writing, and speaking. Also, Ortega (2009) indicates that learning
disabilities in a student’s native language will carry over into their new
language; therefore, I need to be aware of what types of difficulties might be
attributed to learning disabilities and know where these students can get the
help that they need to be successful.
I understand that ELL students who are new to my class (and
to the U.S.) may need to find their own type of motivation (intrinsic or
extrinsic). I can help motivate students
by finding opportunities for them to share their cultural background with their
classmates as well as provide ways in which they can begin to identify with
their school culture and surrounding community.
I also understand that successful L2 acquisition can only occur when
ELLs are given plentiful opportunities to practice their new language. I can facilitate their L2 learning by
providing additional resources to help them with that.
Regarding blog entries, I found the second and third blog
entries to be the most helpful. Through
listening to others’ experiences in learning (or teaching) a new language, I
was able to make connections between the textbook and other readings and videos
that have been assigned throughout the semester. Most notably, the different strategies used
by bilingual teachers helped me to understand that there is no
“one-size-fits-all” when it comes to teaching ELLs. Every learner brings to the table his/her
personality, character traits, learning capabilities and strategies, and levels
of confidence. The trick is to get to
know the students, and help them build on their strengths. Watching the second blog entry videos helped
me gain insight into what motivates many people to learn another language. Many of the students in this class chose to
interview a family member or friend who were motivated to learn English because
they were new to the U.S. and needed to communicate in order to succeed in
school, make friends, or simply interact with native speakers in their
community at the grocery store, in restaurants or other public arenas. By listening to/watching my classmates’ blogs
I learned that many of them are L2 learners themselves. This was a very neat revelation for me, and
provided a unique insight into the path they had taken to get to this point in
their college careers.
With regard to suggestions for changes to the blog
assignments: For Blog Entry 3, I would
be very specific about which chapters (e.g., chapters 6, 7, 8) to focus on for
creating questions. When viewing Blog Entry
3 videos, I noticed that quite a few students were basing their questions on material
that had already been referenced in Blog Entry 2. In addition, I would change the comment and
response requirements as follows: 3 academic
comments (150-word minimum) and 3 academic responses (150-word minimum) and
have them all require reference to the course reading or videos. My reasoning for doing this is because I
believe if students are required to look for academic references, they are more
likely to make more meaningful connections to the material that is being
covered.
