Lesson Eleven: Division that Leaves No Result: Oracy and Literacy

            In reference to age, one year, three years, four years, and five years are quite significant, no matter which corner of the globe you go.  Ask people if they can guess what happens at those ages, and most will probably be able to tell you:  the ability to listen meaningfully (smiling at the sound of your voice), the beginnings of speech, the ability to read, and then the beginnings of writing.  These steps happen universally.  It is the natural process by which humans develop cognitively. 

And, yet, when it comes to academia, we constantly test, examine, analyze, quiz, drill, pound—you get the picture—two things:  reading and writing.  To give an example, I am a junior in college and, having gone through the entire public school system, have taken over ten standardized tests (read this, write in that), not one of which involved any listening or speaking exercises.  It will not be until my senior year of college that I will be administered a speaking activity, as part of my teaching certification.  It appears to me that—save a few select majors, such as mine—a student may pass through the entire public school system, and even college, without having once been evaluated on his/her listening and speaking abilities.

How, then, do we expect English Language Learners (ELLs) to ever be on the same par as native speakers of English?  It is assumed that they will simply “pick up” skills in listening and speaking in social contexts—a reasonably fair assumption for native speakers, though flawed.  If we feel the need to educate native speakers in academic reading and writing, we take the position that simply acquiring reading and writing skills from social contexts—text messaging, environmental texts, etc.—is insufficient.  By that position, it is our duty to educate students—all students—on how to listen and speak, because what is “picked up” from social contexts does not meet our expectations.  Throw a language barrier into the mix, and you have even higher a demand to instruct students—native speakers or ELLs—on how to listen and speak.

Lesson Ten: Community, Globality, and Everything in Between

            There are some six billion people living on this planet.  These people are scattered across six continents, 195 countries, and thousands—or millions—of cultures.  It is no surprise that, among these cultures, countries, and people, there are distinct differences.  You would not, for example, shoot somebody a thumbs-up in the Middle East, unless you intended to be highly offensive.  You would not find the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert pondering discrete mathematics, much less whether or not Lindsay Lohan stole a necklace.  What is surprising, however, is the number of similarities.  Geographical location seems to take no toll on certain aspects of culture.  Whether you come from the gigantic landmass of Russia or the tiny island of Japan, for instance, you will probably have the same views about self-reservation in public.  The Internet Culture Projects helped to show some of the differences between cultures, as well as highlight some of the differences.

            One similarity I found interesting was between Laos and the Middle East.  In both places, it is considered rude to display the bottoms of one’s feet, the rationale being that the bottom of one’s feet is considered quite filthy, and by allowing them to be exposed—even by crossing one’s legs while seated—you are disrespecting all nearby.  The Middle East attained this custom via Islam; Laos, however, with Muslims representing only .01% of the population, has had practically no exposure to Islam, and has attained this social custom through completely different means.

            Another similarity was between the Philippine and Hispanic cultures.  In the middle of the day, usually around noon, an hour-and-a-half break is scheduled into society.  Children can leave, go home, eat lunch, take a nap, etc.  This commonality, however, is an instance of cultural diffusion.  Due to Spain’s colonization of the islands, the practice was adopted into the culture.

            It was definitely a treat to tour the world, so-to-speak, in class.  We got to see what we can expect from this culture or that culture, and we also gained some insight as to the level to which countries, cultures, and people are the same.  In my future classroom, I will most certainly be referring to the Internet Culture Projects for both quick-reference and detailed research into the cultures of my English Language Learners.

Lesson Nine: Instructional Novelties and Their Place in the Public School System

     As a requirement of the Secondary Education Minor + Foreign Language Major at UALR, I must also become ESL certified.  In my first course of ESL, or English as a Second Language, I share the classroom with many students wishing to become ESL certified.  I speak for myself—although I feel it would be safe to assume this for the rest of the class—when I say that my view of ESL and ESL programs was entirely inaccurate before this course.  I thought that, with my certification, I would be qualified to teach a student—who may not speak English—who had been mainstreamed into an all-English-speaking classroom environment.  While this is indeed true, I had no idea that other ESL programs existed.  Along with textbook readings, the film “Profile of Effective Teaching in a Multilingual Classroom” opened my eyes to another form of English language development:  a classroom-wide language learning environment.

     Ms. Liten-Tejada, the teacher of the classroom in the video, is in charge of something truly magical.  Imagine:  one classroom, around ten students, about as many different ethnicities and native languages, and all of the students communicating!  Through various teaching strategies, Ms. Liten-Tejada teaches the students in her class English, regardless of their language and educational background.  From basic things such as speaking more slowly and simplifying directions, to the effective implication of visual cues and group-based activities, the teacher involves every student in the learning process.

     Another benefit to the class-wide approach to teaching ESL is the ability to teach one idea from many angles.  Study after study confirms that when content is taught in a foreign language, and a foreign language is taught around content, both language and content are retained better.  Ms. Liten-Tejada is not only able to teach an idea across disciplines—e.g., the art of Egypt and the history of the pharaohs—but is also able to solidify language usage among the students.  This approach is a surefire way to ensure that the material that is to be covered is learned, while the language is actively retained.

     In my future classroom, I hope to be as skilled an ESL teacher as Ms. Liten-Tejada.  Maybe, if my fortune is good, I will get the opportunity to lead such a rewarding classroom like hers.  Maybe, I will help to renovate the currently-flawed ESL programs in school districts nationwide.  Maybe, because of me, a student will go forth possessing the skills necessary to succeed. 

     Even if those skills are as basic as speaking English.

Lesson Eight: The Passing of Time and the Age of Importance

            Perhaps all of us are aware of a Hollywood trend:  actors, such as the couple “Brangelina,” adopt children from a foreign, impoverished country, in the hopes of enriching the children's lives.  And, certainly, living in a household in which both parents have starred in more than fifty high-grossing films combined would leave a child with nothing close to a disadvantageous life.

            What we might not be aware of, however, is that many children are adopted from lower-opportunity countries into everyday American households.  It's easy to imagine Maddox Chivan, son of “Brangelina,” taking for granted his lifestyle, not even realizing what life in his native Cambodia is like.  But, is it harder to imagine that Kaylan, Anisha, and Lizzie—three girls adopted from India into middle-class Minnesota—would do the same?

            When the PBS program Frontline offered to take the three girls back to their home country, the girls' answers were surprising.  They had images and stories in their heads—the typical stuff you or I see and hear about India through the media.  When Kaylan puts on an Indian garb she ordered on the Internet, she is relieved to put her “normal” American clothes back on.  Anisha fears sticking out in Minnesota crowds, but feels American more than anything.

            Once arrived in Calcutta, the girls were taken aback.  They remarked at the beauty of a city so full of sadness.  They commented on the terrific—or terrible—sights all around them as they rode the bus through the city alongside lanes and lanes of bicyclists and confusion.  At the mall, they nervously laughed, realizing that the pizza, McDonald's, and ice cream they had eaten were just unreachable goals for the people all around them.

            What, then, do you suppose Nguyen Qui Duc thought as he returned to Vietnam, from which he was evacuated at the age of ten?  From ten onwards, he was raised American; however, the seeds of Vietnamese national pride and patriotism had already been planted.  As a journalist, Qui Duc returned to Vietnam.  He did not ride the bus, but instead biked most of his way.  He did not patron international restaurant chains, but instead local holes-in-the-wall for their delicate Vietnamese cuisine.  He did not express desire not to have been born there, but instead spoke of his home country in a tone of utmost respect.

            This difference is remarkable.

            As a future ESL teacher, this differences reenforces perhaps the most crucial of all instructional proverbs:  No two students are the same.  A classroom may have two students from Guatemala, and these two students may share some similar characteristics.  However, one student may have come to the United States at age three, possessing little or no attachments to their home country, while the other may have come last year and may feel very strong attachments. 

            Age may also be a factor, as well as the students' level of cognitive development.  For example, a first grader is likely to grow very angry if someone insults his/her mother, whereas a high-schooler might simply shrug it off and continue about the day.  Similarly, a younger ELL may have an innocent, learned attachment to a home country that may be grown out of as the child develops.

            They key in my future classroom will be understanding my students on a personal level.  Even with an Internet Culture Project, and the resources it will provide, nothing will beat the level of knowledge you can gain from a student by simply talking to them.  And, this is understandably so:  even in a class of 30 kids, getting a personal portrait of each and every student is difficult; across seven classes, it only takes more and more time.

            It is amazing to see the difference in the Indian girls' reactions and those of Qui Duc upon returning to their home country.  How much more amazing will it be to teach them?

Lesson Seven: The Phenomenon of Chicken Pox

     I want to start this entry by saying that the Chicken Pox video was absolutely amazing.  As a Spanish major, I have frequently heard that children attain a second language far more quickly than adults or teenagers.  However, I never imagined that such a phenomenon could take place so rapidly.  Kindergarteners, after only a handful of weeks’ exposure to French, were being spoken to, instructed, and speaking in French.

     The teacher in the video united several different instructional strategies, as well, creating the perfect learning environment for his students.  From an ESL perspective, the teacher was doing everything possible to ensure that the students were learning the language naturally.  They heard the words first; they heard them many times.  From hearing the words they inferred the meanings.  Eventually, they spoke the words.  Then—and only then—did they see the words and read them.  This follows how toddlers learn their first language (listening à speaking à reading à writing).

     In my future classroom, I will try my hardest to successfully employ as many effective language development instructional methods as the teacher in the Chicken Pox video. 

Speaking of my future classroom, I had never really seen myself as an early childhood educator.  The thought of being in control of a room full of thirty screaming six year olds never piqued my interest.  

     Now, upon seeing the innate skills children at such a young age possess, and the feeling of reward that a teacher must possess upon witnessing the children progress, I feel as though a new wind has blown.

Lesson Six: The Plurality of Languages and Its Profound Effects on Education

     Can you remember a time in high school--middle school, even--that you were bored in class?  The teacher was saying words and waving his hands back in forth in seemingly meaningful ways, and you were watching the second hand on the clock creep painstakingly slowly towards the twelve.  The teacher's lesson was certain to be important, something you would need to know in the future, especially on the test--and, yet, you simply could not keep focused.
     Now, imagine the same situation, with one difference:  every paragraph or so, the teacher would stop and speak a paragraph or so in Scandinavian, repeating himself in a foreign language.  Not only would the teacher's lesson time be struck in half, but the teacher would also have further trouble maintaining students' attention.
     This is the argument of many opposed to bilingual education and, just like the method it describes, is flawed.  This is not, however, the only available option for bilingual education.  For example, there is Pull-Out English Language Development (ELD), which is set up roughly like a Gifted and Talented program, in which students are pulled out of their regular class schedule for x number of minutes per day in order to receive instruction.  Sometimes a class period is worked into an English learner's schedule as an official class, but which receives no college entrance credit.  Additionally, there are well-designed courses, taught by well-certified educators, that teach English Language Development to students for college-applicable credit.
     As a student going into Foreign Language Education, I will also be certified to teach English as a Second Language (ESL).  In my decision upon which school I wish to teach at, a number of factors will come into play--among them, the type of ESL program available for language learners.  The method outlined in the second paragraph of this entry has been proven to be inefficient, and, should I be expected to comply with such a program, I would try rather hard not to teach in that district.  However, if another program--such as the college credit-worthy ELD courses--I would try rather hard to teach in that district.
     Unfortunately, the latter is more expensive and more of a "hassle" to school districts, to the extent that perhaps none exist in Arkansas--at least to my knowledge.  Larger schools, especially in larger states such as California, have access to more ELD resources.  But should a student's access to effecting instruction--both in English and in content--be limited by their geographic location? 
     Bilingual education is staring at us with a straight face.  It isn't bluffing.  It's our move.

Lesson Five: Social Conjugation and the Changing (or Changed) Face of Society

     We have all heard of Thomas Edison.  We know who he is and what he is famous for.  We know Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, and Henry Ford.  Apart from being revolutionaries of their times, they have something else in common, as well:  they are all white.
     A challenge:  Try to think of as many non-Caucasian inventors as you can.  It is likely that you cannot name nearly as many as you can their white counterparts.  This is evidence of a deep-rooted, racial prejudice--one that has only recently begun to be counteracted in textbooks nationwide.
     This move towards cultural awareness is evidenced in many classrooms across the country.  One example is, of course, the Little Rock Nine of the 1950s, which served as an impetus to future social progresses.  Pulaski Heights Middle School--where I observe an educator--currently displays informative posters outlining famous African Americans and their accomplishments.  These posters champion cultural diversity by providing students with information about people of other backgrounds, races, ages, and genders.
     In my future classroom, cultural diversity will be an almost inseparable component of daily classroom discussion.  Being a Spanish teacher, teaching Spanish to students comes not only with knowledge of the language, but also with knowledge of the culture, the people, the literature, the art, etc.  Individuals' viewpoints will be volunteered, valued, voiced. 
     Discussions of immigration and its effects on all aspects of society will be frequent.  Will the community's vote on ordinances begin to change?  Will labor unions be strengthened or weakened?  In this way, students will be engaged in cultural diversity, actively participating and actively aware. 
     George Washington Carver, Enrique Ostrea, Ann Wang:  maybe someday, children will name these among their list of most famous inventors.