Imagine that you are an adolescent-you are trying to figure out who you are and how you fit into society. There are so many physical and psychological changes occurring as your body grows, and hormones begin to affect several aspects of development and behavior. Now imagine that amongst all of these factors, you are placed in another country where few individuals speak the same language as you and it is difficult to communicate- it is difficult to communicate directions, what you want, and most importantly, who you are. Now imagine not only having difficulty with simple conversational language, but you also have to attend school where history, science, math, and more, will be taught in that foreign tongue.
As an educator, it is important that when working with ELL students these challenges are not discounted, and that certain steps are taken to reduce the language barrier, and allow non-native speakers to succeed in their academics. Much research has been conducted concerning the best way to educate ELL learners, and although there is no one-size-fits all approach to teaching these students- there are many variations in cultural background, native languages, familial situations and more- there are some strategies that have been proven successful. It has been determined that it takes an individual about five years to become proficient in English, but it can take longer to gain fluency in both conversational and academic English, especially depending on the native language of the student. One of the main controversies regarding ELL instruction includes whether or not the student's first language should be integrated or dismissed in the classroom. It has been shown that integrating the student's native language will actually help improve proficiency in English since correlations between the two languages can be addressed and built upon. In many ways, it may also help the student feel more comfortable and accepted in the environment, which may lead to confidence and therefore increased academic success. Academic language is more important to a student's success than conversational language since it relates to reading, writing, listening, and speaking in a more elevated and sophisticated tongue- it is said that older ELL students have an easier time learning English than younger students. It is also the language that is commonly used in assessments and other classroom settings. Therefore, it is important to enforce that more elevated way of speaking so that it will become integrated more naturally into this new language.
