Teaching the E.S.L. student

Struggles and concerns

HOW DO Your E.S.L. students compare to native English-speaking peers? Participation Finishing on time Understanding cultural references Communicating with instructor Understanding assignments Awareness of plagiarism / cheating Understanding readings Working in groups Keeping up with reading

Cultural considerations Assignments Organizational Preference Style and Word Choice Citations Assessing and Grading the Writing Empathy! Diversity!

The difference in methodology for teaching a multi-lingual class Slow your rate of speaking slightly. Try not to speak with your face to the white board. Define words that may be new for 2nd language learners, or check for understanding. (What is a ___? What does ____ mean? When do people usually use the word ___? ) Teach academic verbs. Negotiate meaning. Instead of telling students what they are trying to say, listen and wait. Then, reflect back the right language for the idea and let them confirm or clarify. (Do you mean __? So you think ___?) Provide “linguistic input.” (A common way to write/ expression people use is ___.)

The difference in methodology for working 1-on-1 with E.S.L. Students From “Just Check My Grammar” by The Writing Center of UNC at Chapel Hill Make a connection. Need process-oriented and “higher order” feedback, but Language   Ideas Talk about language at any point in the writing process where it might be helpful. Negotiate meaning. Help students explore the right language for the right idea. Provide “linguistic input.” Show language resources.

What have you found helpful in your experience?

QUESTIONS?