Learning from ELLs’ Perspectives: Mismatch between ELL and Teacher Perspectives on ELL Learning Experiences

Abstract

Situated within Activity Theory, this study investigates and compares ELLs' perspectives on their own learning and their teachers' perspectives on their own learning experiences. The predilection carried by this study is that there is a significant value in attending to and understanding how ELL students make meaning of their learning circumstances and compare that to teachers' perspectives on their students' learning. This study also assumes that allowing student voice and perspective to be heard in school is a prerequisite for student-centered learning. The authors report that students' perspectives on what they perceive as the limiting factors for their learning are sharply different from those of their teachers. Students' perspectives in this study showed that their perspectives on, and attitudes toward, their learning are very much influenced by what teachers do and do not do.

Mismatches in Teachers’ Teaching and Students’ Learning Styles in English Classes at a Secondary School Level: A Case Study of Laotian Secondary Schools

“…Moreover, this finding may support to the previous research of Thongma ( 2013) and Buangern and colleagues (2008), finding that Lao teachers of English in secondary schools lack various instructional techniques, and teachers cannot understand the learning characteristics among students, that includes lacking applying a suitable teaching approach to students (Sengsouliya et al, 2015). The present study has found the same result as of past researches (Akbarzadeh & Fatemipour, 2014;Asba, 2014;Fang, 2012;Ghada, Rima, Nola, & Mona, 2011;Karabuga, 2015;Peacock, 2001;Shim & Shur, 2018), indicating that mismatches do exist in English teaching-learning process. The present study found that teachers are likely to have a preference towards visual teaching style, which is well consistent with that of Asba (2014).…”

“…Through reviewing a wide range of literature, Asba and colleagues (2014) found that mismatches in styles between teacher and students do exist in educational settings. In previous studies (Akbarzadeh & Fatemipour, 2014;Asba et al, 2014;Fang, 2012;Ghada, Rima, Nola, & Mona, 2011;Karabuga, 2015;Shim & Shur, 2018), the findings have proved that mismatches in styles between teachers and students occur. For instance, Fang (2012) explored whether or not mismatches exist in teacher's teaching styles and students' learning styles in China.…”

“…One, teachers would not prefer to adapt their teaching styles accordingly to students' learning style preferences in their English classes due to their respect given to the curriculum, that teachers tend to teach according to the characteristics of the course (Akbarzadeh & Fatemipour, 2014). Two, the mismatches may be caused by different attitudes, traditional beliefs, and past learning experiences of teachers (Akbarzadeh & Fatemipour, 2014;Dreyer & Walt, 1996;Shim & Shur, 2018). That means teachers are likely to employ the styles which they learned best through in their learning experiences.…”

“…The study revealed that the student sample preferred kinesthetic and tactile learning styles while teachers are found to have a preference towards auditory and visual teaching modes of teaching. Similarly, Shim and Shur (2018) explain mismatches can happen as the perspectives on how to learn between learners' and their teacher are generally different. Teachers' great efforts on matching their teaching styles with students' preferred learning styles would be ideal.…”

Supporting English Language Learners in the Mathematics Classroom in the United States

“…Teachers in the differentiated classroom, however, strive to base instruction on student interests, needs, and readiness and use various teaching processes and instructional approaches to ensure that students reach their potential (Abbati, 2012;Strassman, 2004;Wu & Chang, 2014). Shim and Shur (2017) pointed out that teachers not only needed to find the distinctions between ELLs and non-ELLs, but also realize ELL students' performance was on a spectrum, showing significantly different performance levels among groups or clusters. In particular, for the students who have special needs, one of the strategies is to form groups of students and to provide task differentiation within the various group participants.…”