Language Learners

I have recently experienced what school is like for students whose first language is not English. Of course I took the required Spanish courses in high school, but my memory was put to the test recently in a literacy class I am taking this semester. Our instructor handed out instructions on what to do, and it was all in Spanish. I immediately struggled to make sense of the task. Luckily, one of my classmates understood Spanish a lot more than I did, so she was able to figure out it out. The activity only lasted about ten to fifteen minutes, but the entire time I had difficulty understanding and communicating. I can only imagine what this feels like to language learners in the classroom.

Just think for a minute about this. Here's a student whose first language is Spanish, or something other than English, and they are sitting in your classroom each day. They may not understand what is going on and they may have difficulty expressing themselves. Sitting in school for seven or eight hours a day feeling lost is most likely a horrible feeling to those students who don't speak English very well. The recent experience I had of feeling this way after ten minutes has really opened my eyes. I immediately thought of ways to support language learners in the classroom.

Support is essential to the students who are struggling with language. If there is no support these students may feel lost or disconnected to the teacher and their classmates. They may not feel like they are a part of the class. Teachers must work with these students and communicate with them. They can never give up on their students either. A great way to incorporate their language into the classroom is to bring in books and other resources. It gives the student an opportunity to enjoy school. Showing the student that you really care about them and their success is another important goal.  Most students, no matter what language they speak, want to learn and discover new things. It is up to us teachers to provide these opportunities for our students.