English Language Learners--5th Response

Unlocking the Research on English Learners

This article spoke about the challenges facing English language learners (ELLs).  The author, Claude Goldenberg, spoke about the benefits of a bilingual education for ELLs.  When in college I began learning about best practices for English language learners, including being taught in two languages, I denied because as an ELL, my experience with learning English was not as difficult as these researchers make it out to be.  I learned English fairly easily.  I was not in a bilingual school and did not receive bilingual education.  My method was 100% immersion and it worked.  Therefore, I don’t completely agree with Goldenberg. 

I do however acknowledge that my experience has been different from most ELLs.  Many ELLs I’ve known grow up in homes with family members that do not speak English.  Therefore, they continue to practice their native language at home.  That was not the case for me.  My sister and I were home alone a lot and we had no friends or family members to check on us while our mother worked long hours to take care of us.  Therefore, there was no one to influence our language learning.  We watched a lot of television, read a lot of books and spoke English at school.  I will not debate anyone on the matter because I recognize that not many people, certainly not many researchers, share my view.  I believe that for ELLs, schools should focus on providing these students with the best education to help them learn the language.

Community College Students--4th Response

Community College Students Face a Very Long Road to Graduation

This reading took me so many places.  Vladimir de Jesus tug at the strings of my heart and I hope all works out for him.  His story made me look at my students, students taking remedial reading and writing courses, differently. 

“I don’t just want to be in school. I want to learn in school.” (said by Vladimir)

I am always frustrated at my students.  I am fed up by their lack of enthusiasm, their unpreparedness in class, their coming to class late and their unwillingness to participate in class discussion.  It seems that many just want to be in school but are not interested in learning, counting on the social promotion to which they are accustomed to get them through college.  I always feel it my duty to give a few speeches throughout the semester to remind my students that their CAT-W will not even be graded by Medgar Evers College faculty, that in order for them to get out of my class, they must put in the work.  I recognize that many suffer from a lack of self-esteem and do not believe that they have what it takes to succeed.  That is why, I do my best to express my concern for their future, even during my speeches.

“I know that I can pass these classes, but my mind is always elsewhere.” (said by Vladimir)

This is where my heart softened a lot.  A lot of my students face very difficult trials at home, a fact that I identify with.  Many are parents and must work to provide for their children.  Some have sick parents.  Some are homeless.  I don’t know how I as a teaching assistant teaching the remedial workshops can help them. 

I’m thinking all the time of the future, the future, the future, but I’m stuck here in this present.” (said by Vladimir)

I realize how lucky I am.  Yes things have been tough but I have my mother’s support.  Also, I have no children.  If either of those statements were incorrect, it would have been impossible for me to complete my undergraduate degree.  I hope that CUNY and the state of New York really thinks about this issue of remedial education and the students in those classes.  The futures of these students impact the future of our economy.