Developing inclusive learning communities:

A study of ESL teachers’ and ELLs’ language use and ELLs’ language

development

Yuwen DengPhD student

Purdue Universitydeng35@purdue.edu

INTESOL 2014

Outline

Background Method Theoretical Framework Analysis and Findings Discussion Future Work

Background

Learning communities ELL course work and field experience

Research Questions-How do ESL teachers use language in the classroom?-How do ELLs use language with the teacher and with othe

r students?-How do ESL teachers facilitate ELLs’ language developme

nt and create an inclusive learning community for ELLs?

Method

Observations & interviews

Participants:

-ESL teachers: Ms. H & Ms. T

-ELLs: 5th graders, a focal ELL Wei (level 1)

Data Sources:

field notes, informal interviews, conversations, students’ work

Theoretical Framework

Culturally Responsive Teaching- “using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and

perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively” (Gay, 2002, p.106)

-Adopting a culturally responsive pedagogical stance, teachers would work more effectively and successfully with diverse students who are from different cultural backgrounds (Ladson-Billings, 1995; Zhao et al., 2009)

Analysis and Findings

1. Language use in ESL class

-social language & academic language

-code switching

-encouragement

Ms. H: Could you put all these four words in a sentence? What happened to the

earth? Earth was formed by...

Wei: (Looked excited and raised his hand) The earth was formed by gravity and

particles.

Ms. H: Right. You’ve got it. Put one chip in the bottle.

Wei: (Put one chip into the bottle).

Ms. H: Every time you read, you should always be thinking.

(Ms. H asked the students to write down what they thought about the earth and then

asked them to share their thoughts in class.)

Wei: We are living in the earth.

Ms. H: No, not in the earth, it is on the earth. We are living on the earth.

Wei: (Looked confused and repeated his words) We are living in the earth.

Ms. H: We are living on the earth, not in the earth. In the earth is inside the earth. It

is hot. We cannot live in it. It is different from “on the earth”. On the earth is on the

surface of the earth. We are living on the earth.

Wei: (Scratched his head, seemed to understand a bit but still felt a little confused)

On the earth.

(Other students laughed.)

2. Instructional approaches and learning activities

-multiple modes & types of support

-cultures & experiences embedded

-heuristics

-rotations & cooperative learning

Wei: I am totally confused... I like this, um, “push the tree”.

Ms. H: Do you push the tree? (Saying while making a pushing gesture)

Jim: No.

Ms. H: So, what did you do with the tree? See the words you wrote. (Pointing to the

phrase “put up the tree” in Jim’s essay)

Jim: Put up the tree.

Ms. H: That’s right. Explain to Wei what “put up the tree” means, okay?

Jim: To take the tree out of the box, to help the tree stand.

Ms. H: Right. And put some bulbs and lights on it.

Jim: And stars.

Wei: Oh, I like putting up the tree. (Nodding his head)

Ms. H: Do you have a Christmas tree at home?

Wei: No, we don’t have a tree.

Ms. H: Oh, we will have a tree this year in our classroom.

Wei: Can I put up the tree? (At this point, Wei figured out the meaning of “put up

the tree”)

Ms. H: Yeah, you can help put up the tree.

3. Classroom environment

-physical & social

-learning resources

4. English language development

-uneven in different domains

-L1 & cultural identity

Discussion

-culturally responsive stance-integrate languages, cultures, experiences-various activities-culturally relevant learning materials written in

multiple languages

Language use

Instructional approaches

Learning activities

Cultural identities

Classroom environment

Resources

Inclusive learning

community

English language

development

Future Work

Grades: elementary & secondary Levels 1-5 Academic content areas

References Brooks, K., Adams, S., & Morita-Mullaney, T. (2010). Creating inclusive learning

communities for ELL students: Transforming school principals' perspectives. Theory into Practice, 49(2), 145-151.

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106–16.

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Gibbons, P. (2009). English learners, academic literacy and thinking. Heinemann. Gottlieb, M. (2006). Assessing English language learners: Bridges from language

proficiency to academic achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally

relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34(3), 159–65. Menyuk, P. & Brisk, M.E. (2005). Language development and education: Children

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Q & A