Megan Tunon ESL 1: Introduction to ESL Reflection This course was truly invaluable for me.

When I started on this journey, I had no idea what teaching ESL was all about. I just had an interest in helping students who enter a school system in a new country with limited language skills because I have found myself in this same situation over the last year. After completing the course, I feel so much more confident about my knowledge base in teaching English as a Second Language. I was happily surprised to find that many of the theories and best practices for this field were ideas that I was already familiar with and am very confident implementing in the classroom. I found each aspect of this field extremely interesting, and I loved learning about the language proficiency level descriptors, the WIDA organization and the language acquisition standards and the ACCESS exams. I took the opportunity to explore many of the online articles that were referenced in our reading and have selected various texts that I used in the research component of our Observation Assignment to read on my own. I loved reading and responding to the other students in the class on the forum and gained lots of helpful advice and tips for teaching ELLs. Because I am so far from home, it was wonderful to be able to connect with other teachers back home. I found the observation assignment to be the most valuable part of the course. It was so well organized and while I was completing it, I really felt like I was hitting all of the important things that I needed to know to move forward with this certification and my career as an ESL teacher. I only wish I had known to put more emphasis on this early on in the course. I would have started the research component much earlier. This Im sure was my own error because the resources for the assignment were posted in week 2! Maybe more emphasis can be placed on the importance of this assignment in the very beginning? But really, Im sure it was my scatter-brained head that overlooked it! My only suggestion would be to make more articles like the ones from the Colorin Colorado website or other scholarly articles required reading. I did a lot of this on my own and found to be so valuable. Thank you so much for this incredibly fulfilling course!

Megan Tunon ESL 1: Introduction to ESL Reflection K W L

Megan Tunon ESL 1: Introduction to ESL Reflection Professionalism: It is our duty as educators to provide a free and appropriate education for all of our students. This has come to include those whose native language is not English. Therefore, we must adapt to fit the needs of English language learners as we have adapted to fit the needs of students with different challenges who came before them. Language Learning: From personal experience, I can relate that learning a second langue is extremely difficult, even when full emersion is possible, and this becomes especially true the older one gets. There are many methods for learning a second language out there, and their effectiveness varies based on the individual learner. I think it is nearly impossible to recreate natural language acquisition in the classroom, and so a variety of methods must be implemented to achieve successful language acquisition. Culture: Much of our knowledge is culture based, and so the way that we interpret knowledge is unique to our upbringing. Therefore, students who are trying to assimilate into a new culture may feel completely confused and lost when trying to work within a new set of guidelines and expectations. Their perspective of the world is different than their new peers, and this needs to be taken into consideration when providing an education for these students. Planning, implementing, and managing instruction:

How has our educational system adapted to support the growing number of ELLs in our schools? How will it continue to adapt moving forward? Should the growing number of ELLs in our schools affect the way we approach language instruction?

In this course I learned a lot about the evolving nature of ESL in our public schools. I learned about the appropriate way to approach cultural differences in our classrooms and about detrimental to the student-teacher relationship making assumptions about students cultures and backgrounds can be

What are the predominant theories surrounding language learning today? How are they being implemented in the classroom? What resources are available and how are they being used in ESL and general education classrooms?

I leaned about a variety of language acquisition theories such as content-driven learning, bilingualism, sheltered classroom and many more. I also learned that a mixture of each of the prevailing theories is needed so that we can adapt to fit the needs of our students at different levels with different learning styles.

How are teachers, administrators, and school communities accommodating students from different cultures? How are the curriculum and learning materials adapted to suit their needs? How are we educating American students to understand and appreciate the cultural differences of their classmates?

It is so important to get to know our students and find out about their cultural beliefs, values, and norms. Not only will this help us to avoid offending out students, but it will give us insight into their attitudes and behaviors, and give us an idea of their interests and what we can incorporate into their lessons to help to motivate them and increase understanding.

Megan Tunon ESL 1: Introduction to ESL Reflection Admittedly, this is an area in which I do not have much knowledge. I know that schools are required to provide an education to all students, and have designed courses to assist those whose native language is not English. Some students require assistance with general education classes and some need to start with basic language acquisition classes.

In this area, I want to know everything! What are the different types of ESL courses that are being conducted in our public schools today? What are the best practices for teaching ELLs? What are the materials that are available to teachers of ELLs? How does the teacher negotiate teaching language and assisting students with their understanding of the requirements of general education courses? How does a teacher successfully facilitate learning, while making the student responsible for his or her own learning?

Throughout this course I was exposed to many examples of effective instructional strategies and best practices for instructing ELLs. Many of the strategies are ones that I use in my regular ed classroom, but the emphasis is on language acquisition rather than just reading comprehension or effective writing. I also picked up some great strategies for teaching ELLs in their other content areas such as math, science and social studies.

Assessment Both formative and summative, assessment is key in any type of learning. I image that there is no exception when it comes to English langue learning. In fact, it might be more important to understand if a student is really achieving a higher level of English language acquisition, or if he or she is somehow coasting through. Assessment can help the teacher evaluate a students strengths and weakness and is essential for developing an effective instructional plan.

What are the most effective types of formative and summative for ELLs? How can assessments most effectively be implemented into an ESL educational plan? Are assessments best conducted in the native language? What accommodations can and should be made in the general education classroom for ELLs?

Before taking this course, I had never heard of the ACCESS exam, and I now feel like I have a really good idea of its format and function. I also learned about differentiating instruction for the varying levels of ELLs I may have in my classroom.

Megan Tunon ESL 1: Introduction to ESL Reflection

Megan Tunon ESL 1: Introduction to ESL Reflection