When I first came to the US at 17 years old, my English was intermediate. I could read and write for the most part, but I had limited confidence in my oral skills. I had a hard time expressing my ideas, and overcoming the fear of speaking was one of the hardest things for me. Now that I’m a teacher, I try to make sure my students have a safe place to experiment with language.
After working with a diverse population of students through my 24 years of teaching, mostly in the K-4 setting, I hope that I’ve had a small part in getting my students to fall in love with learning and push through the obstacles that come with learning a new language. Though I know students want to make me proud right away, I try to reassure them that in order to fully master another language, there will be some struggle involved. Here are a few methods I use in my class to build trust and help my students reach their goals.
Celebrating Their Strengths
Many of my students might not know English, but if they come into class knowing how to read in another language, the first thing I do is celebrate that. I like to use a strengths-based approach to teaching. It honors what they do know, and inspires them to grow. I encourage them to continue reading in their native languages as they make the transition to English.
Some parents and educators, with the best intentions, think that having students abandon their native languages is a good way for them to advance in English. I don’t believe this is the case! Children need to develop a strong foundation in their native languages. Keeping their languages alive by having conversations at home, developing a wide vocabulary, and gaining familiarity with reading will transfer to learning English sooner or later.
Carol Behel teaches English language development at Weeden Elementary School in Florence and won Alabama’s Teacher of the Year in 2019. Behel uses Reading Horizons Discovery to teach her English language learners a phonics-based approach to literacy.
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