The question I attempt to answer through this Creative Synthesis Project is: How can teachers help ELLs thrive in a classroom of literacy and technology?
The rationale for this project stems from my experiences in the classroom and interactions with English Language Learners (ELLs). I am an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher who works with diverse learners. General Education classroom teachers often ask: What are the best practices for ELLs? What are supports necessary for ELLs to succeed in school? How can I develop the language abilities of ELLs? I had similar wonderings too. During my coursework in the New Literacies and Global Learning (NLGL) graduate program at North Carolina State University, I considered readings and assignments with my EL students in mind. I thought about how activities and strategies could be adapted to meet their diverse needs.
Throughout the two year NLGL program, as well as my years of teaching, I made small discoveries which contribute to the findings presented in this project. Knowing our students is key to working with any student, but is crucial with ELLs! A teacher who knows his/her students will better be able to select appropriate strategies, materials, and tools to meet the student’s needs, interests, and abilities. Teachers can support the varying backgrounds of EL learners by using a multimodal teaching style (visual, auditory, video, etc… components). Next, vocabulary is an area where most ELLs encounter struggle, thus teachers must take extra care to support students through previews of words, graphic organizers, visuals, and so forth. Additionally, teachers should engage the students through the use of technology; this works best when digital tools and resources are embedded throughout the lesson.
Abstract
ELLs AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
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Prior knowledge about a topic or word enhances, and eases, students' reading experience because they have something to which they can attach new knowledge. However, teachers face a challenge when it comes to prior knowledge--especially with ELLs who have different schema than native English speakers-- as Fisher and Fry (2009) state: "the knowledge students bring to reading, and what we do (or do not do) with it, is 'the missing piece of the comprehension puzzle'." (as quoted in Fisher, Frey & Hattie, 2016, p. 42). Thus, teachers must be creative in the ways we engage our students in literacy, prior to even reading the text!
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Many strategies presented in this Creative Synthesis project are useful for activating students' prior knowledge.
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Additionally, click here to read about particular strategies for activating prior knowledge.
