ONE PAGER #1 -

MCKENZIE BOCZANOWSKI

Something to take to my classroom:

One thing I took away from the article, Educating
English Language Learners, was that peer-to-peer
interactions have a huge influence on the language
development of bilingual students. I would make sure
to give my students group activities that integrate
both fluent English speaking students and bilingual
students. I would have the English students use the
correct terms in English and then have the bilingual
students use the same term but in their native
language to show that these words may not look the
same but have the same or similar meanings. Then I
would incorporate visuals like pictures or videos like
the article suggested to make sure each student not
only heard the word but saw what that word meant.
For example, Hola! means the same as Hello in the
English language. My students can start each day by
greeting each other in their own way.

My Own Experience:
When I was in grade school I struggled to learn the curriculum.
I felt stupid, like I was hopeless when it can to learning. I would
study hard for tests just to fail them in the end, so I gave up. It
wasn't until my first semester in College that I began to fight
for my right to learn. It was then that I was tested for a
learning disability. I can relate to bilingual learners because
like them I have to learn and study in different ways in order
to understand the material being taught to me. Visuals were a
huge factor in my progress. I learned that I struggled with
Quote: memorization because I didn't know the meanings of what I
was memorizing, but if I had a picture that correlated to the
“They’re doing twice topic or section we were being taught then I was able to
the job of visually understand. I think students today are provided with
everybody else in more manipulatives to help them learn in a way that best
works for them. We have to listen to our students because
the class, even sometimes not wanting to do the work doesn't mean they
though the result don't want to learn it.
looks like half as
much.” -Kim (ESL
teacher)

Something New Learned: "Silent Period"

One thing I learned from the
podcast post, 12 Ways to Support
English Learners in the Mainstream
Classroom, was that students who
are non-English speaking tend to go
through a "silent period" when they
first enter the classroom because
In order to show your bilingual
they are uncomfortable with their
students that you understand their
struggles, can you as the teacher ask lack of fluency in the language.
them a question in their native Teachers should never pressure an
language and then have them ELL student to speak in English if
answer in English? I think by showing
your students interest in learning they are uncomfortable because it
parts of their language and culture it can be discouraging.
will encourage them to learn English
and the other students in the class -Melissa Eddington (ESL Teacher)
can see that even you as the Teacher
struggle when learning something
new.