Introduction
For an ELL instructor, it is crucial to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for students. Hence, they need to employ various practices to make ELLs feel supported and included in the community, and to give them opportunities to express themselves. My mentor teacher and I have identified several successful strategies that assist ELLs in adjusting to and thriving in Arizona’s educational system.
Reflection on Personal Experience with Supporting Cultural Diversity
The way my mentor teacher and I celebrated cultural diversity in the classroom is the first thing that needs to be discussed. During instruction, we ensured that all students had a chance to express themselves. We usually ask ELLs about their views on certain topics and include those responses in instruction.
Additionally, we used ELLs’ native tongue and cultural assets to increase participation. For instance, we permitted English Learners to converse with peers who shared their languages during class discussions. This way, students were able to understand the curriculum better, as it was easier for them to discuss it (“Integrating Speaking”, 2021). Hence, to appreciate cultural diversity and make the most of ELLs’ language and cultural assets, we modified classroom activities.
Additionally, my mentor and I demonstrated responsiveness and comprehension of the identities, needs, and abilities of every ELL. Throughout numerous exercises, we have monitored ELLs’ abilities to tailor the classes to their needs. Additionally, since several of the students in the class had hearing impairments, we used relevant words in sign language and communicated through drawings. Additionally, we demonstrated an understanding of the children’s needs by establishing classroom rules.
From my mentor’s perspective, this can involve creating assignments that allow students to express their own perspectives on various topics. We also included more activities that involved creativity, such as drawing, to accommodate social, cultural, and emotional needs. Hence, adequate accommodations were made for ELLs and special needs students based on their needs and identities, and we have demonstrated our understanding of them.
Further Questions
I had two extra questions for my mentor, both of which pertained to supporting student expression. The first one was about motivating ELLs’ expression, and he stated that he encouraged ELLs to use their home language during classroom discussions to increase engagement (“Integrating Speaking”, 2021).
The second question concerned providing additional expression options for nonverbal students. My mentor learned some words in sign language and printed pictures that symbolized words and phrases, giving them more options to express themselves. Hence, for additional expressive possibilities, my mentor encouraged nonverbal children to utilize sign language and pictures, and encouraged English Language Learners (ELLs) to use their home language.
Conclusion
Hence, cultural competence will be a crucial component of my future practice in teaching ELLs. I will apply the advice given to me by my mentor and the techniques he employed, which will involve using the results of classroom observations and assignments to help me demonstrate cultural understanding. Moreover, this will enable me to tailor the curriculum to their needs, optimizing language development.
Reference
Integrating Speaking and Writing for ELLs. (2021). A World of Language Learners.