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Entry 4: Reflection

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             This semester was filled with so much understanding about how to effectively facilitate the learning process of second language learning. Prior to taking this course and the acquisition course, I thought that EC-6 teachers had a very minimal part in the English learning process for the students in the classroom. This belief came from my past experiences with ELLs and seeing that they always got pulled out of the general education classroom. However, the foundation of supporting our English language learners is to truly know who they are and where they come from. The text states the importance of teachers knowing their ELLs ethnicity and country of origin so they can effectively incorporate appropriate multicultural education strategies and primary language support that can accelerate their language acquisition (Wright, 2015, p. 13). This course has impacted my professional practice by helping me understand the logistics, laws, ...
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Entry 3: Interview an ELL teacher

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Hey everyone! Thank you for coming back to my third vlog post titled "interview an ELL teacher." I was so pleased to have interviewed Ms. Flores who is a fourth grade teacher in HISD. She has been teaching for the past five years and has truly enjoyed working with all of her students. Although the two main languages in her classroom are Spanish and Vietnamese, she is only confident in her conversational Spanish. She shared that she provides as many resources as she can for her ELLs because she believes when students feel comfortable and supported, they learn best. This is most supported in the text, when it is stated that "primary language support, when provided properly, can maximize ELLs' comprehension of English-language instruction and thus help the students acquire English more quickly and effectively." (Wright, 2015, p. 284). As she had also stated with the computer usage in the classroom, there are computer software and internet resources that provide ...
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Entry II: ELL Interview

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Hey Everyone! Thanks for coming back to check out my vlog post for this week. I had the honor of interviewing a good friend named Sagal D. for the "interview an ELL" assignment. Sagal is a UH student that moved to America with her family when she was just seven years old. Up until that point, her and her family were born and raised in Mogadishu, Somalia. Throughout the interview, I asked her questions about when and how she learned English in the United States and how her experiences were in public school. It was very interesting that Sagal mentioned that she was afraid of speaking English in her classroom as a child because she didn't feel comfortable or supported. She mentioned that she felt like she had to catch up with the language on top of the content 7 year olds learn in 2nd grade. However, her teachers encouraged cooperative learning to occur in the classroom, which allowed for student collaboration in pairs or in small groups to complete specific tasks (Wri...
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Entry 1: Course Introduction

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Hello, my name is Asmara Mengisteab and welcome to the first entry of my blog. I am currently a senior at the University of Houston studying education and business administration. Once I graduate this December, I will be a certified EC-6 teacher with hopes of becoming an impactful educator that changes lives for the better. I hope that this course can better prepare me for providing a support for my future ELL students. Down below is a link to my first Vblog- enjoy!! https://youtu.be/YbPC_rNnOa4
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