Caroline Lopez's Blog
Hello, welcome to my first entry! I am a senior at the University of Houston who is getting a degree as an EC-6 Generalist. I am currently student teaching in a third grade class where one period is an ELL group so, I am looking forward to applying what I have learned in the classroom.
Video:https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aVGtsJ9E5zteMJkwSlwpQyhzLFPSLpnT
Growing up, English has always been my first language. My parents spoke and taught me how to speak in English. However, when I would go to visit my grandparents that would be where I had learned Spanish. Spanish is my families first language, it is what my grandparents language and my parents first language. However for me, it may have been my heritage language, but not my primary. As I have grown, I have lost most of my Spanish speaking skills. The main times I speak Spanish is when I a with my ELL students or in certain situations. I think it is interesting how Ortega (2013) points out that, "an individual may use their heritage language under certain conditions and understand it, but his/her primary language is a different one" (p.23). I find this interesting how ones heritage language can be brought to the surface when an individual is in a certain condition.
I have only once been in a situation where I did not speak or have knowledge of the language. Tat time was when my family and I went to Canada and in the area we were in, they spoke French. It was interesting because my family and I had to adapt to the surroundings and figure out bits of what was being spoken along with having to converse back. With second language acquisition, Ortega (2013) talks about how it "generally refers to the learning of a nonnative language in the environment in which that language is spoken" (p. 7). This was what happened to my family and I. Which in this scenario, it had me to think that how must it be like for individuals coming from another county. As a soon to be teacher, I want to make sure that the students feel comfortable in the classroom and are able to pick up on certain words or phrases when they are an ELL put in an environment that is nonnative.
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Hey Caroline! I really enjoyed watching your Vblog. I find it so endearing that you care a lot about your future students as well as your current ones, and how you want to be able to pick up on important phrases and words that your ELLs speak, in order to make them feel like you too care about their home language, which in return will help them see that you have their best interest in mind and that you care for them. I thought it was really interesting how you mentioned that during your brief stay in Canada you and your family stayed in a part of the country where most people spoke French. You mentioned how you and your family had never been exposed to that language so you guys struggled to communicate with them, this reminded me of Corders’ definitions of “input” and “intake”. (Gass 2008) mentions “Anyone who has been in a situation in which the language one hears is totally incomprehensible, to the extent that it may not even be possible to separate the stream of speech into words, it is considered input” According to Gass it is input because while the language is available to the learner, it “goes in one ear and out the other.” (p.305)
ReplyDeleteGass, S. M., & Selinker, L. (2008). Second language acquisition: An introductory course.
New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Joanna, thanks for viewing my post and responding. I really liked what you had said about input and intake. When I was going through the text, I found it interesting about what Glass had said about input. The text had talked about how if children are only exposed to language as input, there is no proper grammar learned. (Glass, 2008, p.161) That is in a sense what I had felt when I had gone on my trip. I had picked up phrases however, certain grammar cannot be used the same. For children they need to be exposed to both hearing the text and learning the proper forms to how one can use it.
DeleteGass, S. M., & Selinker, L. (2008). Second language acquisition: An introductory course.
New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
Trying to keep up with a language can become very difficult to obtain when there are only a few opportunities that allow you to practice it. Considering your experience as a student teacher, you have a whole class that are ELL students. There could be different situations and different upbringings that come with that. Some students may only speak Spanish at home or be from another country altogether. The more challenging part is recognizing the age of onset. The age of onset is “how early or
ReplyDeletelate in life one should start to learn an additional language after the mother tongue” (Ortega, 2013, p.8). It is a difficult task to teach a lesson in English and expect the students to learn it when they do not understand the language. As teachers, we have to adjust accordingly.
Hello Kimberly. I am glad you were able to look at my vlog as well as comment on it. I do agree with that it is more challenging when it comes to teaching a new language to a person. What Glass (2008) says is “an important part of learning a new language is the ability to retain relevant information long enough to figure out what it means or to analyze it syntactically”. Children have a higher likelihood on retaining new languages because their brains are like a sponge. They can take in much more information and quicker than an adult. That is why I think it is important to expose children earlier rather than later to a new language.
DeleteGass, S. M., & Selinker, L. (2008). Second language acquisition: An introductory course.
New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
Hello, Caroline!
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned picking up some French in Canada, it reminds me of my own experiences when learning other languages. I learned Korean from mostly talking to my Korean friend or watching Korean dramas with her. According to Ortega, there are two types of learners: naturalistic and instructed. “Naturalistic learners learn the L2 through informal opportunities,” and “instructed learners learn additional languages through formal study” (p. 6, 2013). ELLs in elementary schools mainly learn English through structured and formal lessons. However, I believe most of their learnings should from informal interactions with peers and in their neighborhood. Therefore, I believe the best approach to learning a new language is a mix of both type of learners. Students need formal instruction in order for them to identify mistakes, but they also need opportunities to learn from authentic interactions.
Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hi Mia! That is amazing that you learned Korean just by talking to your friend and watching dramas in Korean. You are not the first person that I have encountered that learned a language that way. You are right about students needing a mixture of formal instruction and authentic interaction. Our book differentiates the two as “foreign language learning” and “second language acquisition” where the “learning in a second language environment takes place with considerable access to speakers of the language being learned, whereas learning in a foreign language environment usually does not” (Gass p. 7).
DeleteReferences
Gass, Susan M. (2008). Second Language Acquistition. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hi, Will!
DeleteThat is so awesome—I would love to meet your friend one day and talk about it! Yes, learning Korean would be considered foreign language learning. According to Gass & Selinker (2008), this process does not take place with access to speakers of the language, unlike SLA. This makes it hard to really fully learn the language. I learned Korean mostly through songs and shows. I was able to imitate their pronunciation, but I am still struggling with pragmatics and grammar rules. I do plan to continue learning because I want to travel there one day!
DeleteHi Mia! Thank you for commenting on my post. After reading your comment, I do agree with the point that you made about the need for students to learn through peers. Gass discusses in the text about the importance of authentic interactions. Gass (2008) tells how “it is interpersonal activity that forms the basis for individual functioning. This clearly embodies the social nature of learning and underscores the importance of collaborative learning as it shapes what is learned”. (p. 285)
Gass, S. M., & Selinker, L. (2008). Second language acquisition: An introductory course. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
Hi Will, I liked how you pointed out the aspects of second language acquisition. With SLA the more exposure to authentic interactions gives the learner a better opportunity to grasp the language. In the text, Glass (2008) points out that with SLA “the important point is that learning in a second language environment takes place with considerable access to speakers of the language being learned” (p.7). The more that we can have the students interact with each other, the better speakers they can become.
DeleteGass, S. M., & Selinker, L. (2008). Second language acquisition: An introductory course. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
Hello Caroline, It seems that your personal experiences in needing to learn another language is limited, however the fact that you brought up this situation raises a very interesting point. Ortega states that “others are forced by life circumstances to learn enough of the additional language to fend for themselves” (Ortega, 2013, p.1). In the case of teaching, many teachers are left to guide students who are forced by the school system to adapt to an English speaking classroom. Often, they are made to fend for themselves, however teachers who understand that ELL's may be forced to fend for themselves in strange situations would be more willing to work with students who struggle and adapt to help them. If this is in mind moving forward, students can very well have a better chance for success.
ReplyDeleteOrtega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hi Lee. I do understand what you are saying about the teachers needing to assist the students more who are having a harder struggle. One point that Gass (2008) made was that “the teacher guides the learner in learning the second language and eventually, the learner will be able to communicate in that second language” (p. 496). This is very true with teachers. We are the ones who guide the students with their new learning. When it comes to a student who is learning both the subject matter and a new language as well that struggle needs to be recognized with the teacher.
DeleteGass, S. M., & Selinker, L. (2008). Second language acquisition: An introductory course. New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
Hello Caroline. I think another way to look at this is not only guiding the students on a personal level, but also finding out how we as teachers can be effective in our instruction. Ortega references the fact that there are different ways of creating instruction for students, namely by teaching the mechanics and phonics or through natural language meaning-making processes (Ortega, 2013, p. 8). Keeping the students' interests at the heart of how we teach them is imperative to their growth.
DeleteOrtega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. New York, NY: Routledge