Anyone can teach ESL students but I do believe not everyone should. Those who respect the fact that our country is nation of immigrants will respect those being taught. We tend to forget that somewhere in our family tree an ancestor made the trip the land of the free and the home of the brave. I always tell my students that we all have different first names but the same last name. We are African Americans, Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Puerto Rican Americans and so on. Let us not forget that we are all Americans. This country is like no other country in the world. Where else can one go and be part of that country. You may move to China but you will never be Chinese. Once we understand this, anyone can help a fellow immigrant learn the primary language and become an educated American.
Rosa,
Yes, I agree. Language is only a tool to being productive. It is almost like we need to teach a course in Reality Language. The proper language that is needed to be professional in a career. I once taught Speaking Effectively which was usually the second course after students took their first ELL course. I found the students to be so motivated to learn.
Arlene Muller
With the proper training, I believe anyone who is motivated could and should teach ELL. English is my second language, and I am also an ELL’s teacher. I have seen the importance students place on finding a relevance to everything we cover in class. It is not only about mastering the language, but to be able to be productive members of society.
Benjamin,
You are correct in your thinking. Patience is often the missing component! It also helps if you have had the experience in learning a new language because you will better understand the learning process of a new language.
Arlene Muller
I believe that anyone is capable of teaching ELL students. However, I do not believe that everyone is capable without significant training. To teach a new language, you must be competent, patient, dedicated, and focused. I personally believe that patience is often the missing component. Adult learners have a harder time with language than children, so an instructor must be willing to take the time that is needed, and not be disappointed if the results take longer than expected.
Virginia,
Yes, you will find that when a comment is made and you see or feel a change in the other persons reaction toward you, you have 2 choices. One is to realize the difference in the relationship and know that you will just move on and understand that people still have feelings that relate to the past and inferences from the past. You can also sit down with her and explain that your remarks were free from the past inferences and you only realized that your words had taken on a different meaning once your saw and felt her reaction to your words. It is a decision you make based on the amount of emotion you and she are willing to experience at the time.
Arlene Muller
Soft skills application is also offered by max knowledge. A comment that I made offended a student at break time. All I said was something about having a picnic and eating fried chicken and watermelon--she was african american and I am white--the student never related to me in class after that remark that I thought was trivia, but very important to her.
I would have to agree, that everyone can teach ELL students, but not eveyone should. This is like saying everyone can teach 3rd grade, but not everyone should. It takes patients and careful planning to correctly deal with ELL learners. I'm not saying some teachers aren't patient, but some feel that if I am teaching and the majority of my students understand, then those who don't need to figure it out.
No, I do not think 'anyone' should teach ELL students. I teach in the dental field in a fast pace program. It is very difficult to teach the students two languages at the same time while covering all of the material required for the course. An instructor can be pulled in two separate directions. It takes a passionate and patient instructor who is willing to give more than the normal amount of extra time to accomodate ELL students. If done right, it can be most rewarding for the student as well as the instructor. Not all instructor's personalities can successfully accomodate particularly a beginning ELL student.
I think any teacher can teach ELL students. I think that with the proper training, patience, and endurance, we teachers can do whatever we put our heart and mind to accomplish. We would want our students to behave in the same manner toward their goals. So we should be their examples and should not say "I can't" before we try.
I tend to agree with what has been said. I'm currently working on a plan for a writing lab at my institution so my ESL students as well as my EL students have a place to get some assistance and earn stronger grades.
That is a good point, but this would be an eye-opening experience for a teacher who is biased.
The qualities that make for a good instructor in any style class are the same ones needed to teach English language learners. I enjoyed this class for the training aspects which assist in this kind of teaching, but training is needed for any style of class.
I think anyone can be trained to teach ELL students, but it takes a lot of soft skills! ELL students require special attention outside of the classroom, perhaps in tutoring or office hours. Not a lot of teachers are willing to give the extra support and compassion. ELL students are often timid and scared that their grade will suffer because of the language barrier and need to be coached.
No, I don't think anyone is able to teach ELL students. I teach nursing and very frequently have ELL students that I struggle with. That's why I am taking this course! I NEED to learn how to teach the ELL student. Medicine has mostly Latin origins. It's very difficult trying to teach it. ELL students are learning 2 languages at the same time!
Not everyone can teach, but if an individual has the passion--and understands that every class is different--and that every student is different-- and is willing to put forth effort in order to reach each one, he or she can teach successfully.
Obviously, a native speaker of a given language is going to have an easier—a swifter—path to mastery of teaching in that language than a non-native speaker. Once an instructor obtains this mastery, however, he or she should be considered as fit to teach in that language as native speakers. Any instructor, therefore, who has done the work needed to function at a high level as an instructor in the English language, is able to teach ELL students.
Mark A. Coppelli
anyone can but not just anyone should. People who teach ESL students need some education in the problems and needs of ESL students within the academic environment. Additonally these persons need to be ready to loose long held beliefs and misconceptions regarding cutire and race.
As metioned in the various posts, I also feel that empathy, appropriate training and willingness to teach are vital aspects needed for teaching ELL students.
When I was a young teen, my family moved to Central America. My brother and I encountered various types/styles of classes for teaching students Spanish as a second/third language. What we learned in each class depended more on the teachers than on the class material. One of our favorite Instructors was a young man in his 20's, who grew up speaking Spanish and French; English was his third language. Looking back, it was his empathy that made us more eager to learn in his class than other classes. Plus, he had the patience of a saint. He cared, he understood our agonies and he mad the material interesting. What more could a student ask for?
Today, as I reach out to students in my classes who are doing their best to learn English and other subject matter at the same time, my mind goes back to the young teacher my brother and I had. His dedication was a great blessing to his students. We learned, and we enjoyed it.
I would say anyone "can" teach ELL, but not everyone should. As we are all human, we all have biases, but not all Instructors are engaged in a lifelong process of confronting them. The skills and methods can certainly be shared, but I think empathy is very important and I'm not convinced everyone can do it authentically.
