Chapter 7 Reflection

Chapter 7: Why Use Web 2.0 Tools With ELLs?

            Chapter 7 deals with the best ways to foster a comfortable and beneficial learning environment for English language learners or ELLs.  This is a growing question in the country, due to the fact that 10.5% of the total public school system’s students are ELLs.  The main problem identified is the fact that it takes most ELLs five to seven years to develop an academic language to be functional with textbooks, class lectures, essays, and educational videos.  However, with the use of web 2.0 tools, this process may be shortened due to the fact that students, when using these tools can be provided with extra opportunities to do meaningful work from the comforts of their homes or any place they want.  There are also a variety of tools they can harness and use to foster language acquisition, for example: language podcasts, instructional videos on YouTube, blog entries and wiki entries to name a few.  The Web 2.0 tools all the student to create and practice in a safe environment where they face little or no pressure from their peers as the practice. 

            After explaining the benefits of using Web 2.0 Tools with ELLs, it goes on to point out the correlations of using these tools to the TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) standards.  Many of these standards were made to foster practice of English in a social setting and in a more content oriented setting.  Some of the things they suggest to use to accomplish some of the objectives are: blogging, Facebook, VoiceThreads, podcasts, researching, creating wikis, creating a website and many others to publish student interests and work they create.  The chapter also explains that the TESOL has produced technology standards as well that outline different productivity skills that ELLs should possess.  Web 2.0 tools help to foster the technology skills that ELLs will need to be successful later in life. 

            The chapter ends by discussing the safety concerns that many schools feel when letting students publish work and create work online.  Worrying by educators and administrators often leads to schools locking down networks and banning digital social media from students.  This is often the response rather than teaching students proper technology etiquette, which in turn forces many teachers away from using technology in the first place. 

            In my setting I do not deal with many ELLs, however I have had a few that I have dealt with in the past and even one student in particular this year.  In the past when I have had ELL students I have tried my best to make accommodations and help them learn in the same ways as other students, but with a normal lecture driven teaching style I was always limited by time in my interactions.  However, this year after flipping my classroom I have more time to devote to students that need extra help. 

            This year I have in my class a foreign exchange student from Germany that speaks fairly good social language, but is lacking the academic language in English needed to be successful in chemistry.  However, after talking with the student I found out that he had taken chemistry before in Germany, so I learned quickly that I would have to find a way to relate the material to what he had previous learned.  In addition, this year in class I have adapted a more technology driven curriculum, by using instructional vodcasts that the students watch and by using an online course management system called Moodle.  On the moodle site the students take online quizzes and respond to prompts as well as respond to other students posts.  Just by observations and in terms of overall grade I have seen that my ELL student has taken a natural interest in learning with Web 2.0 tools.  I believe this has made the link between social and academic language an easier transition for him and it is something that helps me continually monitor his progress.