Culturally Inclusive Teaching and Empowerment. Education Essay
Teachers of ELLs must understand the role of language and culture in learning, as well as the unique political and psychological factors that affect language acquisition among long-term English learners (LTELs), recent arrivals (RAEL), and students with interrupted formal education (SIFEs). Beyond the classroom, teachers can ensure the success of their students by implementing culturally inclusive practices, and by engaging and empowering families of ELL.
This assignment is in two parts to educate your colleagues about meeting the needs of specific ELLs and making connections between school and family.
Part 1
In the first part, provide your colleagues with useful information about unique factors that affect language acquisition among LTELs, RAELs, and SIFEs.
This part should include:
A description of the characteristics of LTELs, RAELs, and SIFEs
An explanation of the cultural, sociocultural, psychological, or political factors that affect the language acquisition of LTELs, RAELs, and SIFEs
A discussion of factors that affect the language acquisition of refugee, migrant, immigrant and Native American ELLs and how each of these ELLs may relate to LTELs, RAEL, or SIFEs
A discussion of additional factors that affect the language acquisition of grades 6-12 LTELs, RAEL, and SIFEs
Part 2
In this part, recommend culturally inclusive practices within curriculum and instruction. Provide useful resources that would empower the family members of ELLs.
This part of the presentation should include:
Examples of curriculum and materials, including technology, that promote a culturally inclusive classroom environment.
Examples of strategies that support culturally inclusive practices.
A brief description of how home and school partnerships facilitate learning.
At least two resources for families of ELLs that would empower them to become partners in their child’s academic achievement.
Reference that contain 3-5 scholarly resources.
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Introduction
English is one of the world’s principal languages, thereby encouraging many students to learn the language. This is taught by educators who teach English Learning Language (ELL). There are many types of students particularly, in this field. They are classified as long-term English learners (LTELs), Recently-Arrived English Learners (RAELs), and Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFEs). This paper shall discuss the factors and their impact on the students and the strategies necessary to improve learning.
Part I
Factors Affecting Language Acquisition
Generally, one of the most significant factors in language acquisition is the strategy used in language learning. Studies have shown that the success, as measured by eloquence and fluency, of successful versus unsuccessful language learners depended on the types and number of strategies utilized during the learning process. The strategies can be divided into direct and indirect strategies. Memory, cognitive, and compensation strategies are under the former, while affective, metacognitive, and social strategies are under the latter. The direct strategies are used to study the language directly while excluding other factors, while the indirect strategies are used to support the direct strategies via enhanced planning, evaluation, and regulating psychological issues. Other vital factors include gender, age, level of motivation, and experiences using the particular language (Khamkhien, 2010).
Characteristics of LTELs, RAELs, and SIFEs
LTELs are individuals in the United States who have been learning the English language for approximately six to seven years. Despite the long years of studying, they are still not proficient in using the language. One study has shown that not all LTELs lack English proficiency. Some remained with the label LTELs because they failed in passing other subjects connected with the use of the English language, while others have disabilities that hinder learning (Thompson, 2015). On the other hand, RAELs are individuals who have been studying the language in a U.S. school for not greater than one year. In some papers, RAELS are also called recently arrived immigrant English learners (RAIELs). Some of the subgroups that belong to this are SIFEs, student refugees, immigrants, and SLIFEs (Umansky et al., 2018). Lastly, SLIFEs are individuals who are any of the following: 1) Newly arrived in the U.S. who did not receive formal education due to differences in curriculum or lack of transcript records; 2) Have not enrolled in any formal education, or 3) Students who previously studied formal education but was interrupted secondary to wars or civil unrest (Cohan & Honigsfeld, 2017).
Specific Factors Attributed to Language Acquisition
Cultural or Sociocultural Factors.
Cultural factors include the cultural influence of the caregivers during primary and secondary language development. This is manifested as the learner and his caregivers’ positive or negative attitude about learning the English language. Some people give utmost importance to culture, making them hesitant to learn new cultures and languages that may taint their authenticity. Culture also affects the desired learning process and the individual’s interaction with the educator and peers who already speak the language in a classroom setting. Moreover, culture influences how individuals risk communicating with the new language CITATION Leand \l 1033 (Learn Alberta, n.d.). Sociocultural factors show that learning a new language is a social practice. These factors include feedback, peer interaction, self-efficacy, and the use of private speech (Ozfidan et al., 2014).
Psychological Factors.
The psychological factors that affect students in new language acquisition include aptitude, attitude, anxiety, and motivation. Aptitude is the student’s ability to learn. The factors under this are grammatical sensitivity, phonetic decoding, memory, and inductive language learning ability. Next, anxiety influences learning because it increases uneasiness and an unenthusiastic self-perception, which leads to frustrations with learning the English language. Third, attitudes towards learning can be divided into irrelevant, bored, and Dumbbell attitudes. The first two speaks for themselves, while the Dumbbell attitude views oneself as a total failure even before trying a new concept (Budianto, 2010).
Political Factors.
Political factors include diversity and the prevalence of lack of English proficiency in marginalized groups like the minorities (i.e., indigenous peoples, people of color) (Kuss, 2000).
Factors Affecting Language Acquisition of Refugees, Migrants, Immigrants, and Native American ELLs
Some of these include social injustice and the discriminatory nature of treatment or teaching toward these groups of people. These two main factors lead to diminished studying time since refugees often lack work and have to work more than two jobs at once while attending school. These also lead to increased stresses and pressures within society. On top of coming from an area with civil unrest, they are subjected to new forms of stress secondary to discriminatory treatment. Biased instructional strategies and materials can also affect their learning. Lastly, these groups might have unfinished formal education, but the problem lies with practicing listening and observing the English language use rather than using it for communication (CAELA, 1999).
Additional Factors Affecting Language Acquisition of Grades 6-12 LTELs, RAEL, and SLIFEs
One of the additional factors is curriculum and instructional strategies. These are mediated by language barriers where the child might not have attained English proficiency, and the educator already uses complex instructional materials. This primarily affects non-native speakers because they are exposed to a rich environment of native speakers and cannot cope with their learning speed. Moreover, the curriculum might not have provided enough support, such that it is too advanced, relative to these children’s linguistic capacity (Teach Thought Staff, 2013).
Part 2
Recommendations for Culturally Inclusive P...