What identified problems related to teaching, lesson delivery, materials, and related strategies are present?
The First Grade students were able to answer questions correctly; however, could not explain why they chose the answer. Students were very low functioning and had very little vocabulary. Expectations were very high for where they are at academically. Teacher tries to meet children, where they are at by encouraging them and getting them to think about how they are learning.
What problems or issues related to teaching -in general-did you observe? Very few students could express themselves in English. Most were copying, and looking around at the more verbal ones for help.
What concerns emerged with regard to grouping, interactions, and etc.?
Differentiating was not too hard, since most of the students were low academically; however, getting the students to participate was difficult for the teacher.
Second Language Acquisition
What did you observe that worked well in promoting second language acquisition? Visuals and songs seemed to work best for the teacher, the students seemed more engaged and participated more during this time.
What type of interactions took place that encourages second language acquisition?
When they were singing a rhyme during large group reading with a visual chart, they seemed happy, the teacher and student exchanged relaxed and oral language.
What materials were best suited for the specific second language learners in this setting?
Visuals-chart, Auditory-music, and manipulatives.
Ethnographic Perspective The information needed to meet the needs of ELL’s is their letter knowledge; letter-sound knowledge, Reading level and ability to risk take. Culture was integrated in reading in learning by the big book used, which was rich in culture and asked questions that made connections with students. Issues and concerns relating to culture, linguistic diversity could emerge when a majority of students are Spanish speakers and one is African in the classroom. Culturally and linguistically this is difficult for the one student who is different; however, I didn’t see this as a problem when I observed the lesson.
