Contexts for Learning: English Language Learners in a US Middle School

Abstract

Within the sociocultural theoretical framework that this paper adopts, learning, including second-language learning, is conceptualised as increasing participation in a community of practice. Thus it becomes of central importance to examine the nature of the community itself and the kinds of participatory opportunities that it supports or discourages. For it is through their engagement in the specific practices of their communities that students appropriate the knowledgeable skills that these practices involve. In this paper, based on the findings of an exploratory ethnographic study conducted in a US middle school, I examine the learning opportunities created for adolescent English language learners in three different classrooms and the ways in which these students took up these opportunities. I argue that, in addition to the particular subject matter to be taught, what appears to shape the kinds of learning opportunities afforded to English language learners is: (a) teachers' conceptualisation of the needs of second-language students; (b) the ways in which they perceive their own role in responding to these needs; and (c) the larger context of institutional practices.In the past decades there has been growing recognition in the human sciences of the fundamentally social nature of learning and cognition. Paralleling this conceptual shift, in place of the prevailing term 'acquisition', the term 'participation' has come to be used to characterise learning in order to emphasise its social nature. If learning is considered as increasing participation in a community of practice, then it becomes of central importance to examine the nature of the community itself and the kinds of participatory opportunities it supports or discourages. For it is through their engagement in the specific practices of their communities that students appropriate the knowledgeable skills that these practices involve. In this paper, based on the findings of an exploratory ethnographic study conducted in a US middle school, I consider the learning opportunities created for English language learners (ELLs) in three different classrooms and the ways in which the students took up these opportunities. 1 I argue that, in addition to the particular subject matter to be taught, what appears to shape the kinds of learning opportunities afforded to English language learners is: (1) teachers' conceptualisation of the needs of second-language students; (2) the ways in

Preschool teachers’ language and literacy practices with dual language learners

“…The small body of research focused on the relations among beliefs and practices of teachers of DLLs has found positive relations between teachers’ beliefs about bilingualism/bilingual education (e.g., using the students’ home language in the classroom) and varied instructional practices (e.g., constructivist approaches, literacy practices, standards-based teaching) for school-age populations (Flores, 2001; Haneda, 2008; Rueda & Garcia, 1996; Vázquez-Montilla, Just, & Triscari, 2014). Of these studies, only Flores (2001) investigated teachers’ use of culturally and linguistically responsive strategies; however, a limitation of this study is that teachers self-reported their practices which may not accurately reflect what practices are implemented.…”

Attitudes of Preservice Teachers Towards Teaching Deaf and ESL Students

“…It is unclear why teachers expected that they would need to devote more individual time and provide more peer assistance to the Polish student than the Auslan student. On one hand, this view is promising, considering that the literature on ESL education identifies peer collaboration and meaningful communication as optimal strategies for learning English (Gersten, 1999;Haneda, 2008;Lee, 2004;Mickan, 2007;Olivo, 2003) and it is encouraging to discover that the preservice teachers in this study independently suggested teaching strategies for ESL students that are considered effective in the literature. Although these strategies are useful for ESL students, it is likely that they would also be beneficial to deaf students who use Auslan.…”

“…Studies have shown that the best predictor of language acquisitionand consequently understanding of the content being taught -is when students have opportunities to practise English within meaningful interactions (Gersten, 1999;Haneda, 2008;Lee, 2004;Mickan, 2007). Strategies that allow ESL students to practise English include informal opportunities for meaningful discussion within the classroom (Olivo, 2003), collaborative learning (Oortwijn, Boekaerts, & Vedder, 2008), and encouraging students to practise writing for multiple contexts and multiple audiences (McCarthey & García, 2005).…”

Lost in institution: Learning to write in Midwestern urban mainstream classrooms

“…In North America, researchers have been examining various social, cultural, and political contexts in English learning among immigrant and ELL students (Haneda, 2008;Hancock, 2001;Kramsch, 1995;Liang, 2006;Saville-Troike, 1989;Spolsky, 1990). These contexts range from broad educational movements and policies to particular situations in the classroom, community, or home (Gándara & Rumberger, 2009;Moll & Whitmore, 1993;Taylor & Dorsey-Gaines, 1988;Valdés, 2001).…”