1. What do you Think?? REFLECT: Strategies 9-12 (14:39 - 20:30) have a common thread around respecting and honoring a student. Gonzalez cites, “They’re doing twice the job of everybody else in the class, even though the result looks like half as much.” What do you think?After reviewing the strategies suggested in the podcast there are a few that I find invaluable. Some that I innately do, and others I want to explore and experiment with more. Communication with the ESL teacher is key. I have always found this valuable. But the past two school years I have had the luxury of having the ESL teacher in my class daily to assist the students. Having that comfortable and expert person at the student’s disposal daily gives them a confidence and comfort zone I have never seen before. This is so important in yielding success in the course. As for the statement made by the speaker on ESL students doing twice the job with half the results…. I also could not agree more. I feel overwhelmed at times watching these kids trying to take in a lesson, translate it for their understanding, check for understanding with myself and the ESL teacher, and still produce a product in the same amount of time all the others do. Nothing they do in class is streamlined. Everything requires many more steps and check ins. The frustration has to be intense and the amount they are not recognized for is a crime.
2. Now What?? From the 12 strategies Gonzalez offers, which do you already use consciously? What are the results? Are there any strategies that you connect with and plan to use? How will you know if you are successful? Please explain.As a history teacher, it is natural for me to instinctively research the home countries and cultures of the students I work with. Using cultural elements and references to their home creates comfort and always generates an instant smile. I know this is appreciated therefore this is a practice I will always continue. In addition, I was introduced to using sentence frames to help my students along and frame their questions/responses in Global a few years ago. This small step has always proven to be something that helps bridge the content and expectations of written response/essay writing in my course. As a teacher, I would also like to explore the suggested strategy of honoring the “silent period”. I am a talker by nature and silence often makes me uncomfortable. This is an area I need to work on in order to continue to create a safe and comfortable environment for my ESL kids. Giving them a reasonable and quiet moment to process, think, and formulate a response they are proud of is priceless and a goal of mine for this year.
2. Now What?? From the 12 strategies Gonzalez offers, which do you already use consciously? What are the results? Are there any strategies that you connect with and plan to use? How will you know if you are successful? Please explain.As a history teacher, it is natural for me to instinctively research the home countries and cultures of the students I work with. Using cultural elements and references to their home creates comfort and always generates an instant smile. I know this is appreciated therefore this is a practice I will always continue. In addition, I was introduced to using sentence frames to help my students along and frame their questions/responses in Global a few years ago. This small step has always proven to be something that helps bridge the content and expectations of written response/essay writing in my course. As a teacher, I would also like to explore the suggested strategy of honoring the “silent period”. I am a talker by nature and silence often makes me uncomfortable. This is an area I need to work on in order to continue to create a safe and comfortable environment for my ESL kids. Giving them a reasonable and quiet moment to process, think, and formulate a response they are proud of is priceless and a goal of mine for this year.
