Making Literacy Real
Description/Overview
Remember the first time you read a book? Remember how difficult it was to read and comprehend what you were reading? Now, imagine reading it backwards? Okay? You still with me? Now, imagine reading a book in a different language? Even more difficult, huh? Young English language learners, face that difficulty today. We must be aware that literacy strongly impacts the educational environment. ELL (English Language Learners) are students who face or have faced the difficulty of reading, writing, and speaking due to their lack of understanding of the English language. The purpose and goal of literacy is to better educate students in such a manner, where they can interact with the world around them. As a college student studying education it is my job to learn and understand how literacy is essential in the educational world. Experiencing first hand how ELL students assimilate has become a valuable learning tool to my own education. My KSP will give you a brief understanding of where, who and how I worked with the concept of literacy in my field experience.
Skills Gained
A required part of Education 360 is to partake in field experience at In-Tech Academy located in the Bronx of New York City. At In-Tech we were assigned particular classrooms where there was a variety of ELL and LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students. This is where are roles as future teachers take place. Working with these students was great! Though the gap between exceptional and conventional students was particularly big, they worked well together. At In-Tech, I was assigned a 6th grade boy named Louis. He was a below average student who had difficulty in reading and writing proficiency. He was also an ELL or ESL (English as a Second Language) student. While working with Louis, I gained the knowledge and skills to find the right kinds of learning methods that he was capable of using. I learned that ELL students have the capacity to learn at a higher learning level. The only downfall is the willingness, effort and time to succeed in this, is up to the student. Some skills that I adopted during my field experience, was the importance of motivation to my student as well as myself. Instead of telling my student what he needed to do without explanation, I facilitated his learning by using prompts and cues to develop learning skills. Some of my decisions throughout my work/experience were based off my student and the class as a whole. I used a couple of learning methods to enhance my student's learning abilities, ending up with a "tracking method." This method was extremely useful as well as successful.
Lessons Learned
Currently, I am applying the knowledge, insights and skills from my field experience to my learning experience plans. In my lesson plans I incorporate the different literacy levels and learning methods of where students can be in my future classroom. Awareness of the different learning levels and literacy levels within your classroom is crucial. With these new skills and insights I can compare and relate it to my own educational experiences, whether they were inside or outside of the classroom. Being a first generation college student as well as American in my family, I can strongly relate to students with difficulties in literacy. With parents who are from another country and predominantly speak their language to you, it was difficult for myself when it came to learning in school. Luckily, my parents did speak English and encouraged me to learn it as my primary language. This gave me the rationale and motivation to encourage students who were just like me.
Impact/Importances
My learning connects to goals and values way beyond the immediate experience, because of my field experience. My work can benefit individuals or groups of people due to the simple way of how literacy changes the learning environment. My values revolve around a positive educational experience for each and every individual. A small effort can make the biggest difference! The impact of my work on myself and others around me has created the best of circumstances. For myself, I have learned the significance, value and work ethic to understand students today. Where they were, where they are and where they want to be. For others around me, I feel as though I have had an impact on them in a positive way. Everyone has their own way of teaching and learning methods, but I have given them the opportunity to try something different.
Remember the first time you read a book? Remember how difficult it was to read and comprehend what you were reading? Now, imagine reading it backwards? Okay? You still with me? Now, imagine reading a book in a different language? Even more difficult, huh? Young English language learners, face that difficulty today. We must be aware that literacy strongly impacts the educational environment. ELL (English Language Learners) are students who face or have faced the difficulty of reading, writing, and speaking due to their lack of understanding of the English language. The purpose and goal of literacy is to better educate students in such a manner, where they can interact with the world around them. As a college student studying education it is my job to learn and understand how literacy is essential in the educational world. Experiencing first hand how ELL students assimilate has become a valuable learning tool to my own education. My KSP will give you a brief understanding of where, who and how I worked with the concept of literacy in my field experience.
Skills Gained
A required part of Education 360 is to partake in field experience at In-Tech Academy located in the Bronx of New York City. At In-Tech we were assigned particular classrooms where there was a variety of ELL and LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students. This is where are roles as future teachers take place. Working with these students was great! Though the gap between exceptional and conventional students was particularly big, they worked well together. At In-Tech, I was assigned a 6th grade boy named Louis. He was a below average student who had difficulty in reading and writing proficiency. He was also an ELL or ESL (English as a Second Language) student. While working with Louis, I gained the knowledge and skills to find the right kinds of learning methods that he was capable of using. I learned that ELL students have the capacity to learn at a higher learning level. The only downfall is the willingness, effort and time to succeed in this, is up to the student. Some skills that I adopted during my field experience, was the importance of motivation to my student as well as myself. Instead of telling my student what he needed to do without explanation, I facilitated his learning by using prompts and cues to develop learning skills. Some of my decisions throughout my work/experience were based off my student and the class as a whole. I used a couple of learning methods to enhance my student's learning abilities, ending up with a "tracking method." This method was extremely useful as well as successful.
Lessons Learned
Currently, I am applying the knowledge, insights and skills from my field experience to my learning experience plans. In my lesson plans I incorporate the different literacy levels and learning methods of where students can be in my future classroom. Awareness of the different learning levels and literacy levels within your classroom is crucial. With these new skills and insights I can compare and relate it to my own educational experiences, whether they were inside or outside of the classroom. Being a first generation college student as well as American in my family, I can strongly relate to students with difficulties in literacy. With parents who are from another country and predominantly speak their language to you, it was difficult for myself when it came to learning in school. Luckily, my parents did speak English and encouraged me to learn it as my primary language. This gave me the rationale and motivation to encourage students who were just like me.
Impact/Importances
My learning connects to goals and values way beyond the immediate experience, because of my field experience. My work can benefit individuals or groups of people due to the simple way of how literacy changes the learning environment. My values revolve around a positive educational experience for each and every individual. A small effort can make the biggest difference! The impact of my work on myself and others around me has created the best of circumstances. For myself, I have learned the significance, value and work ethic to understand students today. Where they were, where they are and where they want to be. For others around me, I feel as though I have had an impact on them in a positive way. Everyone has their own way of teaching and learning methods, but I have given them the opportunity to try something different.
- Developing an understanding of literacy and the skills necessary to help students who have difficulty in this area.
- Learning the importance of patience, communication, and kindness when it comes to hurdling the challenges of literacy with young adolescents.
- Learning that even the smallest contribution to a child's learning goes a long way within the educational world.