Publishing Web for Students' Final Papers
Publishing Web for Students' Final Papers |
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From: Annie McDevitt
Email: banannie@cats.ucsc.edu
Course: Psychology 101:Informal Learning and Technology
College: University of California, at Santa Cruz
Instructor: Eugene Matusov
ClassWeb: http://ematusov.soe.udel.edu/psych101
ChildrenObservations: Yes
Date: 12 Dec 1996
Time: 00:18:06
Remote Name: mingong-mac-02.ucsc.edu
The purpose of this paper is to look at what makes a learning environment friendly to students with limited english proficiency (LEP). By the year 2000, Latinos will comprise the largest single segment of school-aged kids in California (Ullrich, Nancy, 11/26/96, class presentation, Psychology 100G). Considering this statistic, educators need to continue to make changes in their classrooms in order to serve these children. We need to learn how to teach in a manner which affirms their primary language, while simultaneously encouraging them to take risks in their use of english. During the last nine weeks, our “Informal Learning and Technology” class has spent two afternoons a week at a local Latino youth organization, working collaboratively with elementary-aged kids on computer programs. We students, with our varying degrees of computer experience and limited spanish knowledge, have been attempting to create a bilingual environment in which these children can explore and gain familiarity with computers. Additionally, I researched current literature on the topic of bilingual education. Through my experiences, and those of my classmates with the kids, as well as with this current literature, I have compiled some ideas about what makes a positive learning environment for LEP students.
*Method*
The local Latino youth organization with which we worked was established with the intent of providing positive activities for children of Mexican descent. Its aim is to provide alternatives to gang activity, drug use and other destructive activities which often plague lower income neighborhoods. The program our class was specifically involved with consisted of elementary school kids who enrolled on a voluntary basis and came to the site two days a week to work with us on computers. The hope was that these kids would have a chance to gain some experience with computers which, unlike their higher income classmates, they might not have at home. As well, we hoped that relationships would be formed between the kids and the undergrads which would make the possibility of future college attendance seem attainable and appealing. Twice a week, right after school about 10 kids would come to the site and start working at computers, some of which had CDRoms, others of which had more simple games. With the assistance of the undergrads, the kids would explore the different pragrams and use their creativity to entertain themselves with activities such as writing love letters or drawing pictures on the computers. The program lasted for about an hour and a half. Initially, since it was a brand new program at the site, there was some confusion on the undergrads’ part about what our roles were to be. As the quarter progressed however, we found that we were to simply provide guidance and minimal instruction while allowing the kids to learn and discover on their own.
*Results*
In our time at the site, I worked with many different kids, but a few of them really made an impression on me. One of them was “Pedro” a fifth grader who spoke very minimal english with the exception of a few phrases such as, “Aw yea”, “Yes!” and “Good-bye”. I enjoyed working with him because I was able to practice my minimal spanish skills. In working with him, as well as the other kids, I found that computers can provide an excellent bridge between two people who know little of the others’ language. Though at times, we struggled to understand one another, we could both understand what was going on on the computer screen. On occasions when I didn’t have the vocabulary to answer his questions about a program, I was able to demonstrate the answer on the computer by showing him what to do. Most of the programs at the site provided instructions in english only. So it was interesting to observe the way LEP students overcame this potential obstacle. I often saw Pedro asking a bilingual friend or cousin how to play a specific game. I saw this as beneficial on two levels. First it provided Pedro with the necessary knowledge to play and enjoy the games. Second, it communicated to him and his helpers that his spanish need not be a “problem”. Too often in traditional classrooms, spanish speakers are excluded from learning and classified as remedial, simply because of their minimal english abilities. (U.S. Department of Education, 1995)
Our class felt that it was important that the site be a place where the kids felt comfortable speaking either enlgish or spanish. Our professor hoped that the site “should become a bilingual environment where both English and and Spanish are used for speaking, reading and writing.” (Matusov, Eugene, 11/10/96) When I asked my class whether they thought the kids felt comfortable using spanish, they all agreed that they did. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the majority of the kids there also spoke spanish, so they didn’t have to fear being ridiculed by an english speaking majority, as can happen at their schools. Whether or not they felt comfortable taking risks speaking english is harder to answer. I noted that LEP kids would often speak to me in spanish, even if they had a good english vocabulary, simply because it was more comfortable for them. I wondered if maybe I should be encouraging them to speak english more, but came to the conclusion that they may be forced to communicate only in english at school all day, so it was good for them to be in environment in which they could communicate in the language which came most naturally to them.
I was not alone in my struggles to bridge the language differences at the site. One of my classmates eloquently describes the difficulties and successes she experienced trying to teach a young girl a certain game.
“I worried to myself (about) how I was going to be able to understand what she was saying. I wanted to help her more... and I couldn’t tell if she ‘really understood’ the game. (Through) saying ‘si’ together and our mutual smiles, I (began) to feel more comfortable bringing out my memories of highschool spanish... She was patient with me and willingly worked to understand me. I think our smiles were universal. We both understood them, no matter our native language.” (C.T. , 11/19/96)
The book, ** Principles of Effectiveness and Promising Strategies in Bilingual Education ** (U.S. Dept. of Ed., 1995) provided some enlightening information on the question of what makes for an LEP student friendly classroom. First, it suggested that it’s important that teachers should themselves go through an experience of learning in a language other than their own so that they might better understand the challenges of their LEP students. I myself had an experience of this sort in Yucatan, Mexico this past summer. l went there to work with young kids in the chuches of three different pueblos. I was definately a student there, trying my best to function for the first time in a non-english speaking environment. It was extremely frustrating at times, because, I found that what one is competent to do in one’s primary language is often completely impossible when trying to communicate in an unfamiliar language. This can quickly lead to feelings of inferiority if one is not in a supportive environment. For example, on one occasion, a young girl asked me if there was something wrong with my head, because I was unable to understand what she was asking me. These sorts of incidents can be a daily occurence for LEP students in traditional schools. If educators could have the sort of humbling experience I did in Yucatan, it would make them think twice about their methods in teaching a multilingual class.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “students hard work in school is predicated on a positive and strong sense of identity and feelings of personal efficacy.” LEP students can easily become discouraged by classmates’ and teachers’ inability to or disapproval of communicating in their primary language. A successful student is one who is able to engage actively in class material and ask questions when confused. As well, the authors stress that it is helpful for students to be taught concepts in their own language and then encouraged to respond to them in english. These ideas, however, are an impossibility for LEP students if there is no one one in the class who can communicate with them in their primary language. If the teacher is not spanish-speaking, then perhaps a teacher’s aide could help or even a bilingual student. Finally, it is essential that educators shift to teaching methods which use different mediums to counteract the problems LEP students encounter in a traditional classroom. Pictures, demonstrations and multi-sensory experiences are good ideas. Certainly these methods don’t replace the need for LEP students to improve their english skills, but they do provide a means for them to be involved instead of excluded in the meantime. They certainly offer a better alternative to simply talking more loudly or slowly, which is completely ineffective.
*Discussion*
From my experiences at the site this quarter, I found that working together on a computer is a good place to start with LEP students. Through computer programs, kids are able to grow in confidence in their abilities, gain exposure to english and collaborate with their fellow students. In these ways, computer use can be beneficial in providing much needed feelings of self-efficacy for LEP students. Working with these bright kids, I found that the key to learning from each other was a willingness on both sides to be vulnerable, to look foolish and make mistakes in each other’s language.
From the literature, I found three things which are key to an LEP friendly learning environment. First, it’s important that teachers themselves have an experience in a learning environment where english is not the primary language. Second, it is crucial that LEP students are taught that their language is not a hindrance to their learning, but rather an asset in this increasingly bilingual state. Lastly, I found that the use of different mediums, more specifically ones which circumvent language differences are key to the LEP friendly classroom.
By the year 2000, only 42.7% of students in California will be white. Currently, almost half of all Latino students drop out of formal education before they finish high school and less than 10% finish college. (Ullrich, Nancy, 11/26/96) The implication of these facts and this study is that there must be a push for a change to teaching methods which are helpful to kids of a wider range of language and cultural backgrounds. Educators now more than ever need to be aware of the social, historical and political realities of their diverse students. They need to teach material that is culturally relevant, in a manner which is culturally sensitive. This means significantly expanding the curicuulum. Lastly, there needs to be a shift to include the use of students first language within the curicuulum. These are some methods which will provide the crucial self-efficacy needed to encourage successful students.
*Works Cited*
1. Matusov, Eugene. 11/10/1996. **BU should be bilingual environment.*, University of California, at Santa Cruz, The class Web discussion at http://ematusov.soe.udel.edu/psych101, Psych.101: Informal Learning and Technology, Fall1996.
2. C.T., 11/19/1996, **Spanish-only speakers, Does language mask evidence of learning?**, University of California, at Santa Cruz, The class Web discussion at http://ematusov.soe.udel.edu/psych101, Psych101:Informal Learning and Technology, Fall 1996.
3. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs, 1995. **Principles of Effectiveness and Promising Practices, Model Strategies in Bilingual Education: Professional Development**, Chapter 2, (unable to recover publisher and place of publication).
