Click here to watch my interview!
Upon reflection, this was probably my favorite Vlog entry to
date. I was able to interview my cousin, Leila Khansa, an ESL teacher at the
high school level. The program at her school is interesting because it is still
possible to have newcomers at her campus, Seven Lakes High School, and teach
ESL as its own class to newcomers and intermediate English learners. One of the
biggest things that I noticed in talking to Leila was the fact that we discussed
that her instruction is a combination of instructed and naturalistic learning. I
think it’s interesting to have noted that, because as we all know naturalistic
learning is a great way to develop day to day skills, but instructed learners
progress at a faster rate, are likely to develop more elaborate language repertoires,
and typically become more accurate in the language they are learning (Ortega,
2013, p.139). I think that with the way that Leila teaches her class, the
students are getting the most out of their education in her classroom and with her
methods. She also mentioned that she enjoys ESL because the students are more
motivated and actually want to learn, as opposed to students in mainstream
classes who sometimes question the purpose of what they are learning. I think
that means that their effort, enjoyment, and investment are relatively high
(Ortega, 2013, p.169). It was also interesting to interview someone with the linguistic
background that she has. With a Masters in linguistics, she is able to
recognize the various needs for different students of different backgrounds. She
also mentioned having the students speak in setting that are more natural to
them in order to build confidence because without confidence speaking the
second language, the students will never be able to properly speak it. This is supported
in our text with Ortega stating that with more self-confidence and less anxiety
about using the L2, leading to higher levels of fluency (2013, p.197). This interview
really allowed me to see the inside of an ESL class and show me the different
ways to make instruction effective for the students.
Hello Noor! I really enjoyed reading your post about your cousin and her background. I really like how you mentioned that she has a different background so she can relate to those type of students that come from a different background and help them because she has been in their shoes before when it came to learning a new language. According to Ortega, "rintegrative reasons related to identification with the target culture and a genuine desire to become more like members of the L2 group" (Ortega 2013, p. 173). If the students feel like they can relate to the teacher then that is motivation for the students to learn from the teacher. The teacher is not only trying to support the students but she has been in the situation before so she knows the struggles that they may have and the teacher will be able to motivate her students. It helps when the students have someone to understand what they are struggling with and the students will see it as motivation because the teacher has went through it.
ReplyDeleteHi Taylor! Thanks for your awesome input. I agree, I think that it’s amazing the way that my cousin, Leila, approaches her classroom. As she just entered the country when she was in middle school, she understands that it is important to be able to connect with her students and be able to see where they are coming from, which she does. The idea of how important this is is supported in the text showing that the more they are able to relate, the more they will be able to learn from the teacher (Ortega, 2013, p.173).
DeleteHi Noor! Your interview with Leila was very interesting. Being in an elementary school, I got a chance to gain insight on how a bilingual class for children is ran. To see how a high school ESL class is lead by your cousin and being able to compare it to an elementary level bilingual class is really neat, and it has allowed me to make some connections. I think the overall idea of motivating the students and building their self-confidence when it comes to speaking English is constant throughout all grade levels. I really like how your cousin uses different strategies such as grouping the students and having them do dialogue in order to make them more comfortable around one another. You mentioned that she likes to motivate the students in such a way that they themselves are willing and excited to learn. This reminds me of intrinsic motivation, which Ortega describes as, "When individuals engage in behaviour that they understand as self-initiated by choice and largely sustained by inherent enjoyment in the activity" (Ortega, 2013, p. 176). I think as a teacher it is very important that we build our students' intrinsic motivation. If the students truly enjoy learning a second language, then they will more likely to be successful in it!
ReplyDeleteHi Alya! Thanks for your insights. I agree, it was very interesting to get the views of a highschool ESL teacher rather than what we are surrounded by every day, elementary. I also agree that intrinsic motivation is very important in a student, which is supported in our text stating that if students are able to engage in behaviors that they want to or they enjoy, they are more likely to learn and actually want to learn the second language (Ortega, 2013, p.176).
DeleteHi Noor,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed hearing about Leila's perspectives on teaching English as a second language. Although Leila mentions that her students recognize the purpose behind their learning of the English language, this seems to align with the characteristics of extrinsic motivation as described by Ortega (2013). Ortega (2013, p. 176) mentions that "learners who are extrinsically motivated may say, for example, that they are learning the L2 for ulterior goals that have little to do with the L2 itself, such as a better salary, a more prestigious job, or simply because it is expected of them." Leila mentions that students do not seem motivated, or open to learning English before they realize they must try or their grade will suffer. This correlates to what Ortega (2013, p. 176) mentions about introjected regulation, which "happens when people ‘buy into’ the external pressure, by developing feelings of guilt or shame that then can only be avoided via compli- ance with the expected behavior." It seems that although Leila's students begin learning English under extrinsic motivation, they eventually develop introjected regulation after being submerged in majority English speaking surroundings. The "family atmosphere" Leila describes must benefit her students and motivate them to engage in learning and practicing speaking the English language. Leila's knowledge of linguistics also seems very supportive of her students and co-workers. Tying all of these components together really works to create an overall supportive learning environment and classroom community for ELLs.
Hi Angel! I love that you pointed out the idea of extrinsic motivation, but I think a lot of the points Leila was making throughout her video was the fact that she uses intrinsic motivation. She wants them to understand the language and do better for themselves, which I think shows that she is urging the students to be more intrinsically motivated (Ortega, 2013, p.176). She wants the students to want to learn in order to better their own language development.
DeleteI loved watching this video. I’m really glad that your cousin is out here doing what she absolutely loves! She seems very dedicated and passionate about teaching her students. The way she speaks about her job is very insightful and it fills me with joy for her to say it is so rewarding and purposeful. One thing that really stood out to me was when she mentioned having a positive classroom climate helps her shy students feel more comfortable, almost like having a strong sense of family. Her knowledge of linguistics aids in preventing predicted errors and help with letter-sound assessment. A strategy she uses in her classroom is pairing beginner students with intermediate students to get them to come out of their comfort zone. Just like in a general education classroom, I would do the same thing that way students are constantly learning from each other just through socialization! She mentioned how grammar is such an important aspect of language acquisition and I’m curious to know what she thinks about grammar instruction being emerged from “communicative and social needs: ‘people construct relational and semantic categories in order to make sense of the world and in order to communicate with one another’” (Ortega, 2013, p. 104) instead of being taught the rules. Lastly, I appreciate her advice to future ESL teachers about try learning a new language to be familiarized with the language acquisition process.
ReplyDeleteHey Anicia! I love how you said that it’s important for students to learn from each other and be able to socialize just like in a general education classroom. I find that although this is an enormous part of second language learning, it is also part of learning in general. This is hit on a lot in the textbook with communication being a huge part of learning (Ortega, 2013, p.104) and I love that you were able to point that out!
DeleteHi Noor, it was interesting listening to your cousin’s perspective especially since she is working with young adults. Ms. Khansa made an interesting point that ESL students do differ from regular students through behavior and motivation. In addition, the motivation stems from values, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior that are rewarded and modelled for the learners in the communities (Ortega, 2009, p. 174). Most students need a sense of belonging, therefore they tend to speak to peers who could relate to them whether it be through: hobbies or culture. To accommodate to this, I like how Ms. Khansa had prepared a seating arrangement to have these students pair up with a peer who similar background. As a future educator, having a seating arrangement can be a huge advantage in their success with not just academically, but socially as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle! I agree that the seating of your students can play a big role in the way that students are able to learn. Who they socialize helps to make sure that they are learning what they need to learn and having those around them to support that learning. (Ortega, 2013, p.174). The sense of community in the classroom can help this growth and I love that you pointed it out because I completely agree that it is important in the development of students.
DeleteHola Noor and Michelle, I agree with both of you when realizing that knowing where
Deleteto seat ELL in the classroom determines their success in learning their second language. Being able to be comfortable in the classroom I think allows students to flourish more in learning their L2. According to Ortega (2013 p.170) "an attitude were the ELL finds learning a second language genuinely interesting. One reason for this interest could be because they know that learning the L2 will allow them to interact with the native speakers more and become a part of the community." If students feel like they want to be a part of the community, they'll want to communicate more therefore, allowing them to practice.