Wk 5 Field Experience: Reflection

Reflection on Former EL Student Interview Student Institutional Affiliation Course Instructor Date Reflection on Former EL Student Interview Introduction To understand English learners' challenges through the US education system, I interviewed a former EL student of West Freehold Elementary in Freehold, New Jersey. The interviewee is currently working as a staff member at the same school and was the best person to give responses to his journey in learning English through the education system. Questions and Responses Here are several questions I posed during the interview and the corresponding responses from the interviewee; 1 At what age did you start learning English, and what was the initial feeling of learning it as a new language? “I was seven years old. I was excited to learn a new language which I perceived as essential throughout the system, but was afraid of making mistakes and trying to fit into the class.” 2 What was one specific challenge you encountered in your class as an EL student? “The greatest challenge was following through as some teachers spoke too fast, so I found it hard to catch up and missed most of the information by the end of the session.” 3 Were the teachers supportive throughout the journey as an EL student? “Well, some of them understood our struggles and used visual aids with simpler words to enhance understanding, while some discriminated against me due to my marginalized language (López, 2022).” 4 How did fellow students treat you as a beginner in learning English? “Some peers were very kind and understanding, they involved me in their discussions and activities even outside cl...