Yuwen Deng PhD student Purdue University deng35@purdue.edu INTESOL 2014 Developing inclusive learning communities: A study of ESL teachers’ and ELLs’ language use and ELLs’ language development Yuwen Deng PhD student Purdue University deng35@purdue.edu

Outline Background Method Theoretical Framework Analysis and Findings Discussion Future Work

Background Learning communities ELL course work and field experience Research Questions -How do ESL teachers use language in the classroom? -How do ELLs use language with the teacher and with other students? -How do ESL teachers facilitate ELLs’ language development and create an inclusive learning community for ELLs?

Method Observations & interviews Participants: -ESL teachers: Ms. H & Ms. T -ELLs: 5th graders, a focal ELL Wei (level 1) Data Sources: field notes, informal interviews, conversations, students’ work

Theoretical Framework Culturally Responsive Teaching - “using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively” (Gay, 2002, p.106) -Adopting a culturally responsive pedagogical stance, teachers would work more effectively and successfully with diverse students who are from different cultural backgrounds (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Zhao et al., 2009)

Analysis and Findings 1. Language use in ESL class -social language & academic language -code switching -encouragement

Ms. H: Could you put all these four words in a sentence Ms. H: Could you put all these four words in a sentence? What happened to the earth? Earth was formed by... Wei: (Looked excited and raised his hand) The earth was formed by gravity and particles. Ms. H: Right. You’ve got it. Put one chip in the bottle. Wei: (Put one chip into the bottle). Ms. H: Every time you read, you should always be thinking. (Ms. H asked the students to write down what they thought about the earth and then asked them to share their thoughts in class.) Wei: We are living in the earth. Ms. H: No, not in the earth, it is on the earth. We are living on the earth. Wei: (Looked confused and repeated his words) We are living in the earth. Ms. H: We are living on the earth, not in the earth. In the earth is inside the earth. It is hot. We cannot live in it. It is different from “on the earth”. On the earth is on the surface of the earth. We are living on the earth. Wei: (Scratched his head, seemed to understand a bit but still felt a little confused) On the earth. (Other students laughed.)

2. Instructional approaches and learning activities -multiple modes & types of support -cultures & experiences embedded -heuristics -rotations & cooperative learning

Wei: I am totally confused... I like this, um, “push the tree”. Ms. H: Do you push the tree? (Saying while making a pushing gesture) Jim: No. Ms. H: So, what did you do with the tree? See the words you wrote. (Pointing to the phrase “put up the tree” in Jim’s essay) Jim: Put up the tree. Ms. H: That’s right. Explain to Wei what “put up the tree” means, okay? Jim: To take the tree out of the box, to help the tree stand. Ms. H: Right. And put some bulbs and lights on it. Jim: And stars. Wei: Oh, I like putting up the tree. (Nodding his head) Ms. H: Do you have a Christmas tree at home? Wei: No, we don’t have a tree. Ms. H: Oh, we will have a tree this year in our classroom. Wei: Can I put up the tree? (At this point, Wei figured out the meaning of “put up the tree”) Ms. H: Yeah, you can help put up the tree.

3. Classroom environment -physical & social -learning resources 4. English language development -uneven in different domains -L1 & cultural identity

Discussion -culturally responsive stance Language use Instructional approaches Learning activities Cultural identities Classroom environment Resources Inclusive learning community English language development -culturally responsive stance -integrate languages, cultures, experiences -various activities -culturally relevant learning materials written in multiple languages

Future Work Grades: elementary & secondary Levels 1-5 Academic content areas

References Brooks, K., Adams, S., & Morita-Mullaney, T. (2010). Creating inclusive learning communities for ELL students: Transforming school principals' perspectives. Theory into Practice, 49(2), 145-151. Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106–16. Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: Teaching second language learners in the mainstream classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Gibbons, P. (2009). English learners, academic literacy and thinking. Heinemann. Gottlieb, M. (2006). Assessing English language learners: Bridges from language proficiency to academic achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34(3), 159–65. Menyuk, P. & Brisk, M.E. (2005). Language development and education: Children with varying language experiences. Hampshire, U.K.: Palgrave MacMillan. Valdés, G. (2001). Learning and not learning English: Latino students in American schools. NY: Teachers College, Columbia University. Zhao, Y., Meyers, L., & Meyers, B. (2009). Cross-cultural immersion in China: Preparing pre-service elementary teachers to work with diverse student populations in the United States. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 37(3), 295-317.

Q & A

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