Helping Emergent ESL Helping Emergent ESL Students Succeed in Students Succeed in the Classroom: the Classroom: Cultural Factors to Cultural Factors to Consider and Consider and Strategies to Help Strategies to Help Lori Searfoss, ESL Lori Searfoss, ESL Teacher Teacher
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Helping Emergent ESL Helping Emergent ESL Students Succeed in the Students Succeed in the
Classroom: Classroom: Cultural Factors to Consider Cultural Factors to Consider
and Strategies to Helpand Strategies to Help
Lori Searfoss, ESL Teacher Lori Searfoss, ESL Teacher
Disclaimer Disclaimer
•Lori’s comments are based on Lori’s comments are based on observations during 20+ years observations during 20+ years of travelling to Latin American of travelling to Latin American countries and working in rural countries and working in rural areas with families in areas with families in conjunction with Habitat for conjunction with Habitat for Humanity as well as MA Humanity as well as MA program (Latin American program (Latin American Literature and Culture) at OSU. Literature and Culture) at OSU.
•Comments are based on Comments are based on personal observations of homes personal observations of homes and conversations with adults and conversations with adults and parents of our students in and parents of our students in the US. the US.
•All Observations are All Observations are GENERALIZATIONS and do not GENERALIZATIONS and do not apply to every student. They are apply to every student. They are GENERALLY true of poor GENERALLY true of poor countries in Latin America, countries in Latin America, specifically rural areas from specifically rural areas from which many Spanish-speaking which many Spanish-speaking immigrants come from. immigrants come from.
ESL students’ success on classroom assignments, homework and school projects is significantly affected by communication between the family and school, parents’ education levels and expectations, access to supplies needed to complete tasks, and acquisition of developmental skills. Often our Somali and Hispanic students are the ones bridging the gap between their family and school expectations and this can result in frustration and poor academic performance.
The The Premise Premise for for Today’s Today’s DiscussionDiscussion
Children should be “seen Children should be “seen and not heard” in rural and not heard” in rural areas in Latin America.areas in Latin America.
Parents may have low level Parents may have low level of education. Home of education. Home country may be poor. country may be poor.
Consider families’ home countries’ cultural/environmental norms: For example:
Rural Guatemala
Rural Nicaragua
Home country Home country may lack may lack modern aspects modern aspects of American of American homes. homes.
These homes are in Los Robles, Nicaragua
This home in This home in Los Robles, Los Robles, Nicaragua did Nicaragua did not yet have not yet have electricity. electricity.
This family generates income by making furniture ; the family income is about $40/ month.
Homes in both US and home country may lack Homes in both US and home country may lack books, newspapers, magazines, internet, English books, newspapers, magazines, internet, English language televisionlanguage television..
Families may have limited or no experience with Families may have limited or no experience with zoos, museums, educational TV shows, parks, zoos, museums, educational TV shows, parks, restaurants, family outings, vacations, games, restaurants, family outings, vacations, games, craftscrafts..
Child playing in his “yard” in Palos Altos, Bolivia
Older siblings often supervise younger Older siblings often supervise younger siblings while parents are working, busy, etc. siblings while parents are working, busy, etc.
Corporal punishment is the norm, including in Corporal punishment is the norm, including in response to school issues. response to school issues.
Large families means limited time spent with Large families means limited time spent with children. children.
Likely no learning groups, learning centers, Likely no learning groups, learning centers, independent work stations, partner work, independent work stations, partner work, posters, reference materials, etc.posters, reference materials, etc.
Teacher usually instructs, students repeat and Teacher usually instructs, students repeat and memorize, not asked to “participate” memorize, not asked to “participate” individually. individually.
School in Los Robles, Nicaragua
No indoor gymNo indoor gym No cafeteriaNo cafeteria Few books, supplies Few books, supplies Parents have not be able to pay for uniforms and Parents have not be able to pay for uniforms and
supplies; education is not always freesupplies; education is not always free
School Yard, Los Robles, Nicaragua
Sitting on “basketball court” outside school, Los Robles, Nicaragua
Academic Support Academic Support ConsiderationsConsiderations
Do the parents read English? Do the parents read English? Do the parents read ANY language?Do the parents read ANY language? Do the parents both work? Do the parents both work? Can parents help if the parents cannot read the Can parents help if the parents cannot read the
homework?homework? Is a parent home to supervise homework time? Is a parent home to supervise homework time? Do the parents understand the expectation to Do the parents understand the expectation to
do homework?do homework? Can the parents communicate with the teacher?Can the parents communicate with the teacher?
Also… Also…
Can the homework Can the homework be done be done independently?independently?
Is there a lot of Is there a lot of reading required?reading required?
Are there pencils, sharpeners, erasers Are there pencils, sharpeners, erasers and paper in the home? If so, are and paper in the home? If so, are they accessible? they accessible?
Do students have fine motor skills to Do students have fine motor skills to operate scissors, glue, markers, etc? operate scissors, glue, markers, etc?
How long will the homework take? How long will the homework take?
At-Home Project ConsiderationsAt-Home Project Considerations Are there school supplies at home? A Are there school supplies at home? A
computer? computer? Is there money for supplies? Is there money for supplies? Materials for projects can be expensive.Materials for projects can be expensive. Does the family know where they can Does the family know where they can
Is there a place to work on Is there a place to work on projects at home?projects at home?
Can the project be safe-Can the project be safe-guarded from younger guarded from younger siblings? siblings?
Does the family know Does the family know what/where a library is what/where a library is and how to use it? and how to use it?
Do they have Do they have transportation to the transportation to the library?library?
Is it close enough to Is it close enough to walk?walk?
Is it safe to walk?Is it safe to walk?
Does the family have more than one Does the family have more than one car?car?
Do they live close enough to walk to Do they live close enough to walk to library/stores?library/stores?
Is it dangerous/too dark to walk?Is it dangerous/too dark to walk? Is there anyone home who can drive Is there anyone home who can drive
children to the library or to the store children to the library or to the store to buy supplies?to buy supplies?
Communication Factors to Consider Communication Factors to Consider Parents’ educational levels? Parents’ familiarity with American culture? Parents’ ability to communicate orally and in
writing; Does communication require interpreter/translation?
Take-home folders and parental signatures may be unfamiliar requirements.
Do parents have access to internet and email?
Suggestions for Educators: Suggestions for Educators:
Allow students time to do projects in school.
Show examples of projects/pictures of past projects.
Give access to supplies in school. If possible, have students work with a peer
or tutor in school.
Suggestions for EducatorsSuggestions for Educators
Send supplies home in a Ziploc bag. Make sure homework is short and
can be done 100% independently. Modify homework expectations. Modify project time and complexity. Allow students to make up points lost
due to missing homework/projects.
Other suggestions Other suggestions Schedule a parent conference with an interpreter* at the beginning of
the year to explain expectations, homework, and projects requiring time outside of class
Create/Explain the Communication Folder Explain Field trips/Permission slips at conference – translate building
documents. • To schedule an interpreter, first contact your school principal. To have a document translated, go to the district’s intranet: Our
Departments / Office of Pupil Services / ESL / Resources / Forms & Reports / Request Forms / Request for Translation: http://www.wcsnet.org/MembersArea/esl_forms.php
What do you think?What do you think?
What other ideas do you have to help students succeed?
What did you find helpful? What would you still like to know?