A useful strategy to use when teaching beginner ESL students is contrastive analysis. Contrastive analysis is where you compare and contrast English and the student’s native language. You analyze vocabulary words (are there cognates or similar sounding vocabulary words), grammar (what is the syntax structure of the student’s native language), pronunciation (what are similar sounds between the two languages), and the reading and writing system (Latin, Arabic, Chinese). By doing a contrastive analysis, you are able to predict easier language skills as well as difficult language skills for the student as they are acquiring English. For example, Spanish speakers use the same writing system as English speakers, so forming letters will not be as challenging like it would be for Chinese speakers. However, Spanish speakers do not have the third person singular (He walks). Therefore, this skill will be more difficult for Spanish speakers to learn. As an ESL teacher, you know ahead of time that your students need more time to practice this skill. Contrastive analysis helps with reading in that you begin with letter names and sounds that are similar between the two languages. Similar letter names and sounds will be easier to learn than letter names and sounds that differ between the two languages, which you teach last. If you do not know the similarities and differences between English and your student’s first language, listen carefully to the student when they speak their first language. Any sounds that are similar to English will be easier for the student to learn. I have noticed that the “th” sound (soft and hard) is difficult for many English language learners because most languages do not have this sound in their first language. If you have students who do not use the Latin writing system in their first language, then, as an ESL teacher, you can plan extra time for these students to learn how to form Latin based letters during your lessons.
Bilingualism/Multilingualism: Translanguaging
Bilingual teachers usually use one language during each block of instruction. But, is separating each language the most effective way for teaching both languages? The current bilingual trend is moving away from separating the two languages to using both languages in the same lesson. Using both languages in order to solve a problem or to understand content in the classroom is called translanguaging.
Translanguaging is used to maximize students' learning. The reasoning behind using translanguaging in the classroom is the belief that students naturally use both languages in order to fully understand and learn academic content. The goal of bilingualism and translanguaging is to develop academic learning and skills in both languages. If translanguaging is occurring in the classroom, then progress and learning need to be achieved in both languages through effective language planning. Ensuring that students are effectively using both languages during a lesson needs to be managed, so students do not overrely on one language over the other. This may be difficult to regulate since students may naturally prefer using one language over the other.
What is the difference between translanguaging and codeswitching: Translanguaging in the classroom is a much deeper process than codeswitching. Translanguaging is when both languages are used in order to solve an academic problem or to understand academic concepts in a deeper way. The goal of translanguaging is to fully understand and learn academic content by using two languages. Codeswitching or codemixing is when a bilingual person switches between two languages while speaking. Codeswitching may occur to solve an academic problem or to understand academic content, but there are many other reasons why codeswitching occurs that do not involve academic content. There are a variety of social reasons for codeswitching, whereas the only goal for translanguaing is to obtain a deeper meaning and understanding of academic concepts.
When to Correct Beginner ESL Students
When you have a beginner ESL student, your first priority is to make that student feel as accepted and secure as possible. This helps students adjust to the new language and culture. In regard to language learning, ensuring that your beginner students feel emotionally safe and comfortable helps students to take risks by using and practicing their English skills. Taking risks with the English language greatly increases students’ language acquisition. Correcting a beginner ESL student may make a student feel uncomfortable with practicing their English language skills and may inhibit their learning. So, when do you correct a a beginner ESL student?
There are four factors when correcting beginner ESL students:
If students make an error when you have already taught the language skill. For example, if you have already taught subject/verb agreement and the student says, “I happy.” You need to correct the student by requiring the student to say, “I am happy.” Do not correct students if the error is above their language level and you have not yet taught the language skill.
If the error is embarrassing for the student or inappropriate. If the student is mispronouncing a word so that it sounds funny or inappropriate, then you need to correct the student. I had a student pronouncing “witch”, but it sounded like an inappropriate word in English. In this case, the student was corrected by pronouncing the word correctly.
You can correct a student if the student does not mind being corrected or wants to be corrected. This is usually rare, but I have had one student who wanted to constantly be corrected from the beginning. If this is the case, by all means, correct the student when they want to be corrected.
If what the student is saying causes confusion and communication breaks down. Most of the time I could figure out what the student was trying to say despite language errors. If I did not understand what the student was communicating despite asking them to repeat what they were saying, then I corrected the student usually by modeling the correct language. If the language they were using was above their language level and I had not taught these language skills, then I would correct the student by modeling the correct language.
Correcting students is a necessary, but delicate balance. Your goal is for the student to practice and play with the language without feeling embarrassed or hindered in any way, so you do not want to overcorrect the student unless they want to be. However, you also do not want students’ errors to fossilize and become ingrained either. Your goal as an ESL teacher is for your students to use English like native speakers.
The above factors can serve as a guide as to when to correct your beginner ESL students. Remember to be compassionate toward your students, especially beginner students who are most likely feeling vulnerable. Imagine how you would feel if you were in their place. This perspective may help guide you to not only when to correct your students, but how you correct them as well. When correcting a student, be encouraging and positive and praise students after they produce the correct language. You are not only teaching your students the English language, but you are a symbol of support and empowerment for your students as well.
Strategies for Beginner English Language Learners in the Classroom
The following strategies are for classroom teachers, teacher aids in the regular classroom, and ESL teachers.
Classroom
ESL students should sit in front of the classroom, so he/she can easily see and hear you.
Provide a buddy for the student.
Bring in the student’s parent(s) to talk about their language and culture.
Provide manipulatives and hands-on activities.
Provide demonstrations.
Have a peer teach the student basic vocabulary words after they finish their work or when they have time.
Have the ESL student read to a peer if they feel comfortable in doing so or have a peer read to the student when they have time.
Establishing a Sense of Belonging
Label your classroom in the student’s native language and English.
Display pictures of the student’s native country.
Display a flag (real, student made, or picture) of the student’s native country.
Read literature about the student’s native country.
Celebrate holidays from the student’s native country.
Have peers greet each other in the student’s native language.
Have peers use simple words or phrases from the student’s native language throughout the day/week (Thank you. You’re welcome. Please.)
Have the student share an object from their native country.
Have peers share an object from their native country or from their heritage if applicable.
Provide group work. Focus on what the student can do during group work. The student can be the time keeper, can draw or color for the group, or can label words for the group.
Speaking and Understanding
Use gestures, facial expressions, pictures and/or objects while speaking to your student. For example, while asking, “Do you like to draw?”, pantomime drawing in the air.If you state, “You need a pencil”, show the student a pencil.
Emphasize key words in a question or statement. “You need a pencil.”
Rephrase what you are saying. When giving directions and you say, “Only do the even numbers.”, you can rephrase this direction by saying, “Only do numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, …”and write these numbers on the board.
Paraphrase your question or statement into simpler words while emphasizing key words.
Repeat questions or statements at a slower pace as many times as necessary emphasizing key words.
Give the student a lot of wait time to answer a question. The ESL student needs a lot of time to process what you are saying. The student may be translating English to their native language and then their native language to English if they are required to respond. This takes a lot of time! Give the student at least 30 seconds of wait time.
Speak slowly and clearly to the student. If you speak slower than you usually speak, you are probably speaking too quickly. You do not need to speak louder! Use simple English such as short and simple sentences.
Sentences should be short and should include basic grammar and basic vocabulary words. Avoid using abstract language such as phrasal verbs or idioms.
Simplify directions using simple words, short sentences, pictures or objects, and few steps. Write the directions on the board and use pictures or objects where applicable.
Avoid using pronouns like he, she, we, they or it.
Reading
Begin with similar sounding consonant names in the student’s first language and with the most common letters.
Begin with similar sounding consonant sounds in the student’s first language and with the most common sounds.
Begin reading basic, repetitive texts.
Texts should be at the student’s instructional reading level. Texts should contain graphic elements such as pictures, glossary, captions, etc. and should be about universal subjects (food, animals, people), so the content is easier to understand.
Vocabulary words should be taught/reviewed before reading.
Background knowledge should be provided if there are differences between the American culture and the student’s native culture in the text. Perform a picture walk before reading a text discussing vocabulary words, sight words, and/or pictures.
Writing
Give the student an alphabet chart to refer to.
Provide a written model for the student.
Provide sentence starters for student if applicable.
Provide child friendly/student dictionary whether it is a word dictionary, picture dictionary, or both.
Modify the student’s spelling words by giving spelling words at his/her level or by giving the student less vocabulary words by picking the most important/easiest.
Give opportunities for the student to write about what interests them. Often ESL students will write about their country and/or culture.
Use sentence strips to help students with grammar. Laminate them so you can reuse them. Cut sentence strips into pieces and write each word on a piece of sentence strip. The student can unscramble simple sentences.
Modifying Student Work/Quizzes/Tests:
Give simple directions.
Do the first question together.
Focus on key concepts/vocabulary words.
Give the student less work/questions.
Give the student extra time.
Use multiple choice, true/false, matching, labeling activities, or a word bank.
Use graphic organizers.
Allow the student to use a bilingual dictionary.
Grading:
Grade the student on content, not their English.
Give the student “NA” (Not Applicable at this Time) if you are unable to assess the skill. In the comments section, say something like, “Some skills were unable to be assessed at this time due to (child’s name) language skills." Focus on what the student can do. In your comments section, mention the positive characteristics and behavior of the student such as motivation, intelligence, being a hard worker, being attentive, etc.
Remember To:
Respect the child’sSilent Period. Do not force ESL students to speak or to repeat what you say.
Encourage the ESL student by smiling and praising the student whether it is after they speak or when looking at their work.
Provide a safe environment.
Focus on the student’s meaning, not their grammar. Do not make the student correct their English unless they feel comfortable to do so and do not overtly correct the student unless they feel comfortable with you doing so.If the student makes a mistake, model the correct language.