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Wk3 bilingualism
- 1. Bilingualism & Home Language Use TAUNYA HOPKINS S EI / 5 0 3 ADVANCED S TRUCTURED ENGLI SH IMMERS ION METHODS DECEMBER 1 , 2 0 1 4 PROFES SOR MANDY HEAL
- 2. OVERVIEW Sociocultural Aspects in the Classroom Cultural Impact Strategies and Resources to Build Partnerships Strategies for Evaluating Partnerships Role of Leadership to Cultivate a Positive Partnership
- 3. Sociocultural Aspects in the Classroom Gender Roles Testing Anxiety Participation Expectations Child-Rearing Practices Types of Discipline, Chores, Family Role School Structure Values Timeliness, Cleanliness, Attendance (Saville-Troike, 1978) (Calvet, n.d.)
- 4. Cultural Impact Relativism: Observing cultural differences Flexibility: Alternative course activities ‘Dinomia’: Two culture systems used by a single set of person(s) Additive Process: Include a second culture instead of trying to replace the home culture (Saville-Troike, 1978)
- 5. Strategies and Resources to Build Partnership Strategies: Introspection Interviewing Observation Participant Observation Resources: http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/18800/ http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/bilingual (Saville-Troike, 1978)
- 6. Strategies for Evaluating Partnerships Interaction Analysis External Program Evaluators Goals & Objectives Community Parents/Caregivers (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006)
- 7. Role of Leadership to Cultivate a Positive Partnership Teacher Mentoring Direct Instruction Practice Supportive Administration Free Parent Classes Community Resources Library, YMCA, adult mentors, Work Force support Social Services Federal or Social health, work, and education programs (Gonzalez, n.d.) (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006)
- 8. SUMMARY Sociocultural Aspects in the Classroom Cultural Impact Strategies and Resources to Build Partnership Strategies for Evaluating Partnerships Role of Leadership to Cultivate a Positive Partnership
- 9. References Calvet, E. (n.d.). Cockroaches and ladybugs. Retrieved from http://cockroachesladybugs .blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/how-do-cultural-differences-affect.html Gonzalez, V., Yawkey, T. D., & Minaya-Rowe, L. (2006). English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teaching and learning: Pre-K-12 classroom applications for students’ academic achievement and development. Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Gonzalez, V. (n.d.). The role of socioeconomic and sociocultural factors in language-minority. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1119065/The_Role_of_Socioeconomic_ and_Sociocultural_Factors_in_Language-Minority_Childrens_Development_by_ Virginia_Gonzalez Saville-Troike, M. (1978). A guide to culture in the classroom. National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. Retrieved from http://www.ncela.us/files/rcd/ be000443/culture.pdf
Editor's Notes
- Bilingualism and home language use offer a revised approach to many mainstream classrooms in which a single language immersion program is dominating. Sociocultural aspects, if left unrecognized, can have extremely negative impact both in the classroom and at home. To prevent a negative cultural impact for the ELL (English Language Learner) student, teachers can implement specific strategies and resources to create partnerships with students and parents. When these strategies are carefully evaluated, students and teachers can work together to make modifications or accommodations to the instructional techniques and classroom environment. With the help of community, administration, and teacher mentors, a bilingual and home language use approach teach continuing respect for the individual and enhance their lives.
- Many factors affect the classroom environment, instruction, and interaction between peers and teacher. However, sociocultural aspects in the classroom can have an impact not only in the classroom but also the students’ home environment. Some ELL students come from a cultural that has distinct gender roles and expectations in society. For example, female students from Puerto Rico exhibit much more test anxiety than male students from the same country because of varied gender performance expectations. While in many Asian countries like Japan, females volunteer far less vocal participation than males based on the difference of respect and allowances between the genders (Saville-Troike, 1978). By the time children reach school age, they have already developed a distinct idea of discipline, chores, and their role in the family and community. When ELL students experience opposing ideas in the classroom, this can have negative affects both in the classroom and at home depending upon how the child acclimates him or herself to their new environment (Saville-Troike, 1978). Cultures also have different concepts of acceptance for things such as cleanliness, timeliness, and attendance. In India, you are considered a fool if you arrive on-time, let alone early. And for work ethic, if you work too hard or put in extra work, this is also considered foolish in the Indian culture. These values that schools try and uphold may be very difficult for students and parents to adjust to (Saville-Troike, 1978).
- To understand the impact of culture so that it may positively benefit a bilingualism and home-language use, teachers must first establish relativism. Simply put, teachers must carefully observe ELL students to ascertain cultural differences versus individual personality characteristics. Teacher must be sensitive yet objective in his or her observations to ensure an accurate reading of the student’s relativism in relation to his or her peers (Saville-Troike, 1978). A more difficult aspect for teachers in assimilating student culture is the ability to remain flexible in his or her teaching approach or instructional strategies. However, if teachers are not flexible to provide alternative course activities, students may react negatively both in class and at home. For example, some cultures find it rude to look someone senior to them in the eyes for more than a brief moment. Maintaining this unique courtesy with a student not only establishes a connection between teacher and student but builds respect for continued learning (Saville-Troike, 1978). Savillie-Troike has coined the term dinomia, in which ELL students acquire two culture systems, one being dominant but working cohesively with the minority culture (1978). In some cases, students rejects significant parts of their home culture to acquire new dominant culture without being acutely aware of the change at the time. Instead of rejecting home culture, teachers must be sensitive and observant to ensure ELL students establish this sense of dinomia, coexisting peacefully with two cultures while maintaining foundational importances to home (Saville-Troike, 1978). To establish this dinomia, teacher can think of the assimilation as an additive process in which students include a second culture instead of replacing the home culture. Applying a bilingualism language learning approach allows students to maintain both languages and connections to cultures at home and at school (Saville-Troike, 1978).
- The first strategy for teachers to cultivate an effective home and school partnership is to use reflection for introspection. Introspection allows the teacher to consider his or her own culture, mores, ideals, and beliefs. An important part of this exercise is to distinguish between what is ideal and what is real. For example, teachers consider what might be expected in society of their culture but is not actually practiced (Saville-Troike, 1978). By first analyzing one’s own views, a teacher can then prepare an open mind set for discovering others cultural distinctions. The interview process should first be performed with teacher mentors to attain feedback on type of questions, which should be included, which should be eliminated and how to improve presentation of questions. For students, this can be done as a writing exercise or group discussion at the beginning of term. “Questions that might be asked of students at this stage are: Who is in your family? Who lives in your house? What language do you usually use with _? (Repeat for each person in the house.) What is your favorite food? What do you usually eat for breakfast? For dinner? What holiday do you think is most important? Why?” (Saville-Troike, 1978). Teachers must be careful in their observations to attain student performance of cultural beliefs and ideas. When done with relativism and using contrastive analysis, teachers can separate behavior from the skill in relation to culture ((Saville-Troike, 1978). To further build a strong partnership, teachers must make observations during teacher-student interactions such as one-on-one instruction or group discussions. Teachers should pay close attention to student reactions in relation to the direct contact with the teacher (Saville-Troike, 1978). Resources for building a successful partnership: Colorin Colorado and Reading Rockets are two excellent websites that provide teacher resources for creating and supporting a bilingual and home use program. http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/18800/ http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/launching/bilingual
- Teachers should use a variety of strategies to accurately and effectively evaluate home and school partnerships. The first strategy can include interaction analysis where teachers ensure evidence of native culture in the classroom (not to be limited to posters but activities). For example, holidays should be approached with an inclusive mindset when implementing activities (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006). One of the most helpful strategies is to obtain an external evaluator. Just as a teacher should use relativism, the external evaluator must remember to remove his or her own cultural and instructional expectations an instead focus on student behavior, interaction and feedback (verbal and non-verbal) (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006). When evaluating a bilingual and home use program, teachers and external evaluators should focus on the goals and objectives set by the school, administration, parents, and community (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006). The goals and objectives should be reflected in the classroom, and the community and parent goals should be included in the school’s objectives.
- Teachers, academic peers, administrators, community and social services are an integral part in supporting a positive bilingual partnership. New teachers or teachers new to a bilingual approach should participate in direct instruction practice where he or she can observe an experienced teacher. As teachers initiate their own bilingual program, the should receive scheduled observed feedback from a mentor teacher (Gonzalez, Yawkey, & Minaya-Rowe, 2006). Administrators also play a key role in opening communication with parents using newsletter, providing informational pamphlets, and if able, opening their doors to free parent classes or parent observation in the classroom of his or her child (Gonzalez, n.d.). Several community resources are often available and teachers can research these sources to provide the appropriate venue of service. For example, libraries, churches, Work Force support centers, and adult mentors make a significant difference in creating and maintaining positive community relations (Gonzalez, n.d.). Teachers and administrators should also be aware of social services from federal or state agencies such as social, health, work and education programs that parents can benefit from. The school’s office can provide pamphlets from these organizations or teachers can simply pin them to the students backpack to take home to the parents (Gonzalez, n.d.).
- One of the most important efforts to an effective bilingual and home use program is the community perception and ideas. Schools should not wait for this to develop, but instead should take an active role in asking shops, restaurants, and businesses to display informational pamphlets. Schools can then ask for community support by asking for involvement for field trips or guest speakers from local businesses. This community partnership with school administration and teacher training will help cultivate an effective bilingual and home use partnership.