Subarea 1/Objective 4: Foundations of Second Language Instruction Flashcards
Apply knowledge of factors, including socio-emotional and socio-cultural considerations, that influence the teaching and learning of English language learners.
In an ESL classroom composed of students from the same cultural and linguistic background, the teacher has success with teacher-centered activities but observes that the students are reluctant to engage in student-centered activities such as cooperative learning groups. After conducting research on the educational system in the students’ home country, the teacher concludes that the students have less experience with a collaborative approach to learning.
Which of the following teacher strategies would best facilitate the students’ participation in group activities?
A. Presenting the students with videos and scripts of group debates.
B. Conducting group discussions on specific preassigned topics.
C. Scaffolding group activities with the teacher acting initially as moderator.
D. Having the students be responsible for playing specific roles in their groups.
C.The students in this scenario need exposure to and practice with the skills and processes involved in cooperative group work. By moderating the group work, the teacher can provide support to the students, as needed, while gradually releasing responsibility to them as they begin to feel com-fortable and successful in cooperative activities.
A is incorrect because the students are already accustomed to more passive, teacher-controlled activities such as watching videos or reading scripts.
In addition, debates involve developing and presenting opposing arguments rather than working
cooperatively toward a shared goal, and thus they foster different skills. B and D are incorrect because,
though they involve some relevant subskills, they do not address all the skills and processes involved in
cooperative group work, nor do they include teacher scaffolding, and therefore they are not likely to be
effective in facilitating students’ successful participation in the group activities.
Several English language learners in a first-grade class have a first language that has a strong oral tradition but no writing system. The ESL teacher observes that these students enjoy listening to, drawing about, and acting out stories, but they never engage in independent reading in class. Discussions with the parents/guardians also confirm that the students do not engage in independent reading at home. In response, the ESL teacher develops a unit called “Why read?” and includes activities that illustrate how reading is important for staying safe, saving time, using technology, understanding songs, and even learning rules to games.
This unit is likely to benefit the students’ literacy development primarily by:
A. Linking their favorite social activities to reading.
B. Showing them a variety of topics they can read about.
C. Encouraging their exploration of in-school reading resources.
D. Increasing their motivation to develop reading skills.
D. The fundamental purpose of the unit described in the scenario is to demonstrate the importance of reading in a range of situations that are likely to be meaningful to the students, thus promoting their intrinsic motivation to learn to read well.
A is incorrect because the scenario does not provide information regarding the students’ favorite social activities, plus the example activities given also focus on practical purposes for reading, such as to enhance safety and manage time. B is incorrect because the unit described does not focus on topics to read about but rather reasons for engaging in reading. Lastly, the unit described does not focus exclusively on in-school reading or on reading resources within the school setting, making C incorrect.
In an ESL class, the majority of students are from a cultural background in which strict turn-taking is not observed. The ESL teacher notices that one student who is from a different cultural background is very reticent during whole-class or small-group discussions but participates confidently and easily when called on directly.
Which of the following instructional strategies would likely be most effective in facilitating positive intercultural communication in this classroom?
A. Assigning the reticent student the role of recorder during group activities.
B. Allocating a specific amount of time to the reticent student for responding in class.
C. Encouraging the students to discuss their prior school learning experiences.
D. Having the students role-play polite interruptions and culturally appropriate turn-taking.
D. Role playing is an effective strategy for helping students learn how to behave appropriately in a new social and/or cultural context because it provides a safe, controlled situation in which students can practice new behaviors and receive constructive feedback and encouragement from the teacher, as well as from fellow students.
A is incorrect because it does not facilitate the student’s participation in group interactions but rather relegates the student to a relatively passive role within the group. In addition, it does not help the other students learn how to take turns. B is incorrect because it does not meet the needs of the students in the class, who all need to learn how to participate successfully in crosscultural group situations. C is incorrect because simply discussing students’ prior school learning experiences will not provide them with the scaffolds they need to become effective communicators in the new language and cultural setting.
An ESL teacher would like to reach out to the family of a new student in the ESL program who speaks a first language that is unfamiliar to the teacher and uncommon in the school community. The teacher has learned a few simple phrases in the family’s language but also wants to be able to provide helpful information to the family (e.g., about the school, the ESL program, teacher expectations, and school assignments). In an effort to achieve this goal, the teacher identifies a community organization with fluent speakers of the family’s language who can help the teacher maintain ongoing communication with the family.
The teacher’s actions most strongly
demonstrate the teacher’s awareness of the importance of:
A. Establishing communication between the school and community.
B. Learning about English language learners’ home cultures.
C. Engaging families in English language learners’ education.
D. Avoiding stereotypes when communicating with families.
C. Research indicates that family engagement plays a critical role in the educational success of all students, including English language learners. However, because of language barriers and other factors, families of English language learners may not be familiar with school practices nor feel comfortable venturing into the school setting. In this scenario, the ESL teacher is proactive in trying to break down some of those barriers by finding a community organization to help the teacher engage with a family who is new to the school and whose cultural background and home language are unfamiliar to the teacher.
A is incorrect because the teacher is attempting to facilitate communication between the student’s family and the school, not necessarily between the school and the community. B is incorrect because in the scenario described the teacher is using the community organization to try to reach out to the family to help them better understand various aspects of the school program. At this point, the teacher is not trying to educate himself/herself about the student’s home culture or way of life. D is incorrect because the scenario does not indicate whether the teacher is trying to avoid stereotypes or unfair beliefs about a particular group of people. Indeed, the scenario explicitly states that the teacher is unfamiliar with the student’s home culture.
According to assessments and other educational records, an entering-level student in a middle school ESL class performed well academically in his home country. However, since his arrival, the student has displayed ongoing shyness, decreased motivation and effort, and an overall lack of progress in language learning. The ESL teacher invites the student’s parents to a conference and arranges for a translator to be present, but they do not attend the conference.
In this situation, which of the following steps would be most effective for the ESL teacher to take next to promote communication between the school and the student’s family and, in turn, to support the student’s academic success?
A. Meeting the student’s family at their home or a community center to gain more knowledge
about them and their culture and to facilitate better linguistic and cultural understanding between the teacher and the student and his parents.
B. Asking the student to stay after school for extra instruction and to discuss the home environment and why his parents did not attend the conference.
C. Requesting that the principal send a follow-up letter in the first language to the student’s parents explaining the importance of establishing a strong home–school relationship and requiring them to attend a conference.
D. Conducting research about the student’s first language and home culture to determine the
reasons why the student is having difficulty progressing in school.
A. A school setting can often feel like an intimidating place for the families of English language learners, so meeting a student’s family in a familiar setting, such as their home or a community center, can be an effective strategy for facilitating the initial contact with a student’s family.
B is incorrect because this strategy does not help bridge the cultural and communication gap between
the school and the student’s family. C is incorrect because this strategy is more likely to exacerbate the
situation by further intimidating or alienating the family. D is incorrect because, although conducting
research about the student’s first language and home culture may be of some benefit, this strategy does not necessarily provide insight about this particular student’s situation or help establish communication between the teacher and the student’s family.
An ESL teacher who works with expanding- and bridging-level English language learners is disappointed by the low attendance of parents and guardians at parent-teacher conferences. In an effort to establish regular communication with parents and guardians, the ESL teacher gives students the role of t ranslating a weekly class newsletter to their families. After receiving positive feedback from several families, the teacher periodically gives students special assignments involving interviews with family members (e.g., about personal accomplishments, aspects of the home culture, or their dreams or wishes for the future).
This approach to including parents/guardians in students’ learning is likely to benefit both the students and their families primarily in which of the following ways?
A.
By encouraging multiculturalism.
B.
By demonstrating the value of the home language.
C.
By communicating class goals in multiple modalities.
D.
By reducing social distance between the school and home.
D. A variety of factors, such as cultural and language differences between the home and the school, can create barriers for the families of English language learners that inhibit their participation in school activities such as conferences. In this scenario, the teacher uses a class newsletter to help reduce this social distance by providing opportunities for students’ families to learn about class activities and even be comfortably included in some newsletter activities without necessarily having to come to the school.
A is incorrect because multiculturalism, the co-existences of a variety of cultures, may be a by-product of the newsletter strategy but is not explicitly encouraged in this scenario. The focus of the newsletter is to help build a rapport between the families and the school. B is incorrect because, although the teacher demonstrates the value of the students’ home languages by having the newsletter translated, the intended purpose of the students’ newsletter assignments is to help connect their families to the school. C is incorrect because the teacher is not attempting to communicate class goals, nor is the teacher attempting to use a variety of modalities to communicate. Instead, the teacher is attempting to bridge the gap between the school and the home.
A high school ESL teacher notices significant changes over a period of time in an entering-level
English language learner. While the student was initially friendly and interactive, the student has
become withdrawn and inattentive and has stopped participating in social activities.
The most likely explanation for the student’s changes in behavior is that the student:
A.
Is experiencing a personal identity crisis.
B.
Has entered the stage of acculturation known as culture shock.
C.
Has a naturally introverted personality.
D.
Lacks the foundational academic skills needed to succeed in school
B. Entering-level English language learners typically arrive from other countries and are new students to a school and to U.S. culture in general. People typically go through different phases in the process of experiencing a new culture. Following the first stage, euphoria, in which the newcomer is excited and fascinated with all the new customs, foods, and sights in the new culture, many newcomers experience a stage called culture shock or culture fatigue, during which they may become increasingly frustrated or bewildered by all the unfamiliar cultural cues. Withdrawn and inattentive behavior is typical for students at this point in the acculturation process.
A is incorrect because, although the student’s behaviors described in the scenario may resemble some of the behaviors exhibited by a person experiencing a personal identity crisis, both the student’s situation as a newcomer and the student’s behaviors match the typical characteristics of a person who is experiencing culture shock. C is incorrect because the student in this scenario was initially interactive and friendly. D is incorrect because it is not possible to draw any conclusions about the student’s academic skills from the evidence provided in the scenario.
To better understand students’ cultural backgrounds and to promote students’ research skills, a middle school ESL teacher decides to undertake a family/cultural research project with a group of
expanding- and bridging-level English language learners. After sending home a letter in the students’ first language describing the project, the teacher conducts a series of lessons with the help of the school’s library media specialist to show students how to use technology to locate information. The teacher also encourages students to ask their parents/guardians, extended family members, and community members questions about their cultural history. Finally, the teacher models multiple strategies for conducting research and arranges for additional sessions in the school library media center to further support students’ use of the Internet. The project has a positive impact on the students’ engagement in school and results in high involvement of family members.
The success of this project can most likely be attributed to the fact that it primarily relies on:
A. Intrinsic motivational factors to promote student learning.
B. Community involvement to support students’ achievement of academic goals.
C. An explicit approach to developing students’ literacy skills.
D. Instructional technology to promote students’ language development.
A. The success of this project is largely due to the opportunity for students to complete a project of personal value. Research shows that when students are intrinsically motivated student achievement is high, as demonstrated in this scenario.
B is incorrect because, although some community members played a role in the project, their role was to act as a cultural resource and not to directly promote students’ academic achievement. Also, the success of the project did not primarily rely on the community’s participation. C is incorrect because the teacher did not explicitly teach literacy skills as part of the project. D is incorrect because the success of the project is primarily due to the students’ enthusiasm about their research topics, which related to their home culture.
Research has shown that “voluntary” immigrants (individuals who immigrated in pursuit of a better life) and “involuntary” immigrants (individuals who immigrated against their will or who traditionally lacked opportunities to assimilate into mainstream culture) typically have unequal educational outcomes. An ESL teacher could best use this information to better understand which of the following sociocultural factors related to students’ language development and learning?
A. Mainstream school models and their influence on students’ resistance to change.
B. Power relationships in society and their impact on school achievement.
C. Undervalued language varieties and their effect on students’ school success.
D. Group motivation and its impact on learning.
B. Immigrants who experience an involuntary “push” to immigrate are less likely to view themselves as empowered by their new situation and more likely to experience difficulties in the acculturation process. These factors can have a significant effect on parental attitudes toward a new school and the new culture as a whole, which in turn can affect student attitudes and achievement. A is incorrect because it does not relate to sociocultural factors with respect to immigration status.
C is incorrect because the scenario does not suggest that students’ language varieties (e.g., dialect) are related to the issue of voluntary and involuntary immigration. D is incorrect because the scenario is not related to group motivation with respect to education but rather to motivation with respect to immigration.
An English language learner is extroverted and enjoys interacting with others. He is not afraid to
try to communicate even when he is uncertain of the accuracy of his speech. These personality traits are likely to affect this student’s English language acquisition in which of the following
ways?
A. Facilitating language acquisition by supporting his ability to self-monitor his language production and to internalize language rules.
B. Hindering language acquisition by encouraging the fossilization of nonstandard language forms in his interlanguage development.
C. Facilitating language acquisition by promoting his willingness to take risks and his motivation to integrate into the new culture.
D. Hindering language acquisition by creating social distance between him and native English speakers who do not share these traits.
C. Language acquisition research suggests that learners who take risks and are eager to integrate into a new culture often acquire language faster than learners who are not risk takers in relation to attempting to use a new language.
A is incorrect because not being afraid to try to communicate does not necessarily mean that the student is able to self-monitor his language production or to internalize language rules. B is incorrect because, while the precise causes of fossilization are unknown, there is no evidence in the research that indicates outgoing people are more likely to experience fossilization than less outgoing people. D is incorrect because the student’s outgoing personality is more likely to reduce social distance between him and his peers, regardless of their personalities.
Which of the following factors is likely to have the most significant impact on the degree to which an English language learner is able to acquire native-like pronunciation in English?
A. The age at which the student begins learning English.
B. The amount and type of second-language instruction the student receives.
C. The grammatical features of the student’s first language.
D. The extent to which the student desires to maintain his or her first language.
A. Language-acquisition research indicates that the earlier a student learns a newlanguage, the greater the likelihood that the student will be able to acquire native-like pronunciation.
B is incorrect because native-like pronunciation is rarely attained by older learners, regardless of the length of time they receive formal language instruction. C is incorrect because grammatical competence and pronunciation are not directly related to one another. A learner can achieve gra-mmatical competence without achieving native-like pronunciation. D is incorrect because first language maintenance does not have a direct effect on pro-nunciation of the second language. A person can speak English exclusively for years and never achieve native-like pronunciation, while another person, who learns English at a young age, can maintain the first language and also demonstrate
native-like pronunciation in English.
