I want to talk about HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
I am involved in a class in which ALL the studends are from different countries around the world, specially from Russia and Africa. Most of these studentes have been here either for 6 years or less than that, even there is one who arrived at the same time we did (august).
We have learned that, independently of the country where the students come from or the language they use, everyone has the same possibilities for learning and acquiring a new language.
I am involved in a class in which ALL the studends are from different countries around the world, specially from Russia and Africa. Most of these studentes have been here either for 6 years or less than that, even there is one who arrived at the same time we did (august).
We have learned that, independently of the country where the students come from or the language they use, everyone has the same possibilities for learning and acquiring a new language.
In my school. foreign students are divided in three groups: English 2, 3 and 4.
Students in English 2 are supposed to have more possibilities than the other 2 grups, and group 4 are "slow" because they do not manage the language as well as the other students.
Actually, I have seen that ALL students have the same possibility and they want to learn the language and get across themselves... and believe me they try!
Why are they classified in 2° social class? And Why do not they have the same opportunities for being successful?
We read in ESL/EFL teaching several things about HIGH EXPECTACIONS, and I firmly consider that all these students have abilities, probably some are faster than the other ones in terms of learning, but there is not reason to consider that they do not have possibilities because they do not manage the language, or because they do not know mathematics (I have realized that students are always in maths class).
I am not complaining about ESL class, because humor and anecdotes are very common there, students usually parcitipate in the class discussion, and the most important thing is that they have learned, but I just give a piece of advice about how we should consider the background and the different intelligences of our students, and what we have to expect about them, not necessarily that they are going to be the low class in this country.
Let's give the same treatment to everybody!
In relation to this, I found a podcast that explains clearly the why we have to have High Expectations in our students:
http://teaching.uncc.edu/podcast/communicating-high-expectations
Students in English 2 are supposed to have more possibilities than the other 2 grups, and group 4 are "slow" because they do not manage the language as well as the other students.
Actually, I have seen that ALL students have the same possibility and they want to learn the language and get across themselves... and believe me they try!
Why are they classified in 2° social class? And Why do not they have the same opportunities for being successful?
We read in ESL/EFL teaching several things about HIGH EXPECTACIONS, and I firmly consider that all these students have abilities, probably some are faster than the other ones in terms of learning, but there is not reason to consider that they do not have possibilities because they do not manage the language, or because they do not know mathematics (I have realized that students are always in maths class).
I am not complaining about ESL class, because humor and anecdotes are very common there, students usually parcitipate in the class discussion, and the most important thing is that they have learned, but I just give a piece of advice about how we should consider the background and the different intelligences of our students, and what we have to expect about them, not necessarily that they are going to be the low class in this country.
Let's give the same treatment to everybody!
In relation to this, I found a podcast that explains clearly the why we have to have High Expectations in our students:
http://teaching.uncc.edu/podcast/communicating-high-expectations
1 comment:
Felipe,
You raise a key criticism that all of us in the US educational system need to hear. Also--this podcast is really good...
Gina
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