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TESOL Program Reflection on Equity and Tools

This document summarizes the key learnings and takeaways from a TESOL program. It discusses 4 main topics: 1) understanding data literacy and research through lesson planning with SIOP and WIDA; 2) focusing on equity and access through analyzing instructional materials; 3) incorporating various technologies for assessment and evaluation; and 4) reflecting on pivotal moments around second language acquisition. The overall reflection emphasizes that many factors including environment, stages of language development, and cross-linguistic influences must be considered for successful L2 acquisition.

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110 views6 pages

TESOL Program Reflection on Equity and Tools

This document summarizes the key learnings and takeaways from a TESOL program. It discusses 4 main topics: 1) understanding data literacy and research through lesson planning with SIOP and WIDA; 2) focusing on equity and access through analyzing instructional materials; 3) incorporating various technologies for assessment and evaluation; and 4) reflecting on pivotal moments around second language acquisition. The overall reflection emphasizes that many factors including environment, stages of language development, and cross-linguistic influences must be considered for successful L2 acquisition.

Uploaded by

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© All Rights Reserved
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Concluding Program Reflection Assignment

1. Data Literacy and Research:

In terms of thinking of data literary and research, we have built an understanding of this

through our SIOP lesson plans and use of WIDA. In specific, the learning community aspect of

our SIOP lesson plan got us in the practice of thinking of the school demographics and

population when planning our lessons. It is not uncommon for educators to overlook this aspect

when planning lessons. However, it is important to consider the learning community and

demographics as they impact the school community and learning of students in more ways than

one. For one, by understanding demographics of a school can reflect cultural relevance and

inclusivity. This also enables teachers to incorporate cultural relevance to accommodate

language proficiency levels and address diverse needs. As well as that, the use of WIDA allowed

us to go into depth of what is achievable for the different proficiency levels of our multilingual

learners. Specifically, the WIDA allowed me to create differentiation and assessment of my

language learners because it illustrated the appropriate language lesson for. The WIDA

illustrated what language learners can do at various stages of language development or what

could be obtained based on their proficiency level. With this in mind, when creating lessons, it is

important to develop scaffolded activities for language learners because our goal is to create

lessons that challenge but are attainable.

2. Equity and Access

Over the program, we have had various assignments that highlighted exposures to

different tools. These assignments such as the text and lexical analysis or instructional critique

has emphasized the importance of using appropriate tools for our diverse [Link]
assignments have really brought to my attention the tools and materials I am using in my

classroom. More so, if they are equitable to all the learners. In the text analysis, I chose a text

from the Into Reading and curriculum and realized that it wasn’t the best for our multilingual

learners. As well as that, in the instructional material critique assignment, we were tasked to

redesign materials for our multilingual learners. Specifically, this assignment was very hands-on

in the sense where we had to critique and redesign a section from each of the texts to create more

effective teaching tools and materials for the students. I chose popular read- alouds: “The Very

Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle”, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin

Jr. & Eric Carle and “Silly Sally” by Audrey Wood. In partaking in these assignments, I was able

to take a deeper look into the text and examine the vocabulary, visual and illustrations, and

cultural fit of the story as a whole. By doing this, I was able to see that these popular children’s

books that my teachers used to teach me, weren’t all inclusive to diverse learners. Using

appropriate tools that represent all our students such as students with special needs, multilingual

learners and students that come from various backgrounds is equally all important. Firstly, it

promotes inclusiveness and equity which promotes equal opportunities to access and engage with

curriculum for our students. Additionally, tools that are culturally relevant can make the learning

experience more engaging and meaningful for our students, Therefore, motivation and

engagement amongst students. Most importantly, students are empowered when they feel they

are represented in their learning.


3. Technology Use in Assessment and Evaluation

Over the courses of the TESOL program, we have encountered assignments that

incorporated the use of technology heavily such as YuJa, virtual field trips, mind maps and

infographics to create appropriate tools for our multilingual learners. In certain assignments, we

have to use a variety of technology to create mind maps or infographics. These assignments have

allowed us to interact with different resources to create more visual tools. More than that, it has

allowed us to add to our bag of “tools'' for our multilingual learners. As being exposed to so

many resources over the program, some of the websites that I incorporate in my teaching and

classroom include: Canva, United for Literary, Padlet, Slidesgo, Quzlet, Flipgrid, Epic, and

more.

However, when it comes to technology use in assessment and evaluation, one course that

comes to mind is the EDSN 640 course. In this course, we discuss: progress monitoring, created

selected responses test, quiz, reliability validity and fairness and three part analysis summaries to

go with our selected response quizzes.

4. Concluding Reflections

Over the course of the TESOL program, I experienced many pivotal learning moments.

There are several that come to mind. One coincides with an activity where we had to go online to

take the aptitude tests, The Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT). The test consisted of so

many different parts that it was targeted to measure areas such as cognitive abilities, grammatical

sensitivity, phonetic coding ability, and memory capacity (Ortega, 2009). More specifically,
these tests were created to target areas such as phonetic coding ability, vocabulary acquisition,

sound recognition, sound-symbol correspondence, and more; After taking these tests, It really

made me experience first hand how it feels to learn a different language. During the activity, I

was so overwhelmed and felt like I was reading gibberish. It was at that moment, I realized that

this is what our multilingual learners must feel like, especially our newcomers. They must feel

overwhelmed with all the rules and world of their L2 acquisition.

A second pivotal learning moment is the fact that a child will go through many stages of

language acquisition before we can truly say they are fluent in a language. This is important to

keep in mind, definitely helps when feeling hopeless and stumped about the progress students

are making and as John Heywood’s once said,“Rome wasn’t built in a day”. It is also important

to realize that children may be at different levels of language development, which can also be

impacted from various factors. As a result, we should not expect students to learn L2 in months

or within one school year. Realistically, it would take a few years before they will fully immerse

themselves into their L2 language.

Another pivotal learning moment, speaks to the cross-linguistic influences that can

impact multilingual learners in their L2 acquisition. Specifically, multilingual learners will try to

use knowledge from L1. As a result, multilingual learners may produce grammatical errors in the

L2 due to cognitive errors. This can also occur due to the transfer between different grammatical

structures in languages. Therefore, if we can acknowledge the differences of MLs native

language vs the language they are acquiring, it can help with misconceptions and errors they are

making. Also, by making an effort to make these comparisons can also highlight similarities

between languages which can help multilingual learners L2 acquisition.


All in all, these pivotal learning moments all connect with the idea that in order for L2

acquisition to happen many factors need to be considered. As we always think about the

logistics, another essential aspect to think about is the environment. A specific quote from

Professor Goldin, that stood out to me, “language learning is not really something that the child

does; it is something that happens to the child placed in an appropriate environment, much as the

child’s body grows and matures in a predetermined way when provided with appropriate

nutrition and environmental stimulation” (Goldin, 2022). Thus, creating an appropriate

environment is equally as important for students, if not more. Aside from logistics and teaching,

students must feel welcomed and safe in their environment. In order for learning to take place,

they must feel safe enough to make mistakes and practice L2 acquisition. With these factors in

mind, L2 acquisition is a journey.


References:

Ortega, L. (2009). Second language acquisition. Hodder Education.

Goldin, A. (2022). Week 7 presentation: Child Language Acquisition and Language in the Brain

[PowerPoint slides]. Canvas@ [Link].

Common questions

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Understanding the stages of language acquisition helps educators maintain realistic expectations by recognizing that language learning is a complex, gradual process. It emphasizes that language proficiency cannot be achieved in a short timeframe and that individual progress should be measured against realistic benchmarks. This understanding prevents discouragement and fosters supportive guidance for students as they navigate their language learning journey .

Using culturally relevant tools is essential because they promote inclusiveness and equity, offering all students equal opportunities to access and engage with the curriculum. Culturally relevant materials make learning more engaging and meaningful, thereby increasing motivation and engagement. Furthermore, when students see themselves represented, they feel empowered, which is crucial for their educational and personal development .

Considering school demographics and population is crucial because it allows educators to incorporate cultural relevance and inclusivity into their lesson plans. Understanding demographics can help accommodate language proficiency levels and address diverse needs, which impacts the school community and students' learning significantly .

Popular children’s books may fall short in inclusivity as they may not represent the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of all learners. Educators can address this issue by critically examining the books for vocabulary, visuals, and cultural relevance, and by choosing or adapting texts that reflect the diversity of their students. This approach ensures that all students see themselves in the curriculum and can engage fully with the content .

The aptitude test activity provided insights into the overwhelming nature of learning a new language, mirroring the experiences of multilingual learners especially newcomers. It highlighted the cognitive demands involved in processing phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary, and emphasized the need for empathy from educators who might otherwise underestimate the challenges their students face in language acquisition .

Creating scaffolded activities for language learners is significant because it aligns with the WIDA framework, which emphasizes providing attainable challenges that can cater to students at different language proficiency levels. Scaffolded activities support language development by gradually increasing complexity and ensuring learners can build on their existing knowledge while simultaneously acquiring new skills .

Assignments like text and lexical analysis contribute to understanding equity and access by prompting educators to critically evaluate the appropriateness of educational materials for diverse learners. Through these analyses, educators can identify biases and deficiencies in texts, leading to the redesign of materials to be more inclusive, culturally sensitive, and accessible to students of varying backgrounds and language proficiencies .

Technology can enhance assessment and evaluation in multilingual classrooms by providing diverse resources and tools that make the learning experience more engaging and tailored to multilingual learners' needs. For example, the use of platforms like Canva, Padlet, and Flipgrid allows for the creation of visual tools and interactive assessments, while courses like EDSN 640 focus on monitoring progress through technologically supported quizzes and analyses .

Multilingual learners often face challenges due to cognitive errors and grammatical structures transfer between languages, which can result in errors in L2 production. Understanding cross-linguistic influences can help educators identify misconceptions and address errors. Recognizing the similarities and differences between the learners' native language and the target language can facilitate better instructional strategies and support language acquisition .

Feelings of safety and welcomeness are crucial for effective L2 acquisition because students need a supportive environment to make mistakes and practice their new language skills. Professor Goldin emphasizes that language learning is something that occurs naturally when students are placed in a nurturing environment. Such an environment ensures that students feel safe to engage fully with the learning process, which is necessary for successful language acquisition .

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