Description

Please respond to shannon with 350 words  and include  the same  citations and reference listed  

Chapter 5 Reflection Language Identity

Questions:

1.Define what is Immersion Program and Dual Language Program

2. State the Pros and Cons of each type of program (Immersion and Dual Language)

3. Summarize the two Videos.

4. Summarize the assigned reading “Welcoming Kalenna: Making Our Students Feel at Home” by Negri-Pool and address what steps did teacher take to connect with Kalenna and her family?

5. Summarize the assigned reading “Strawberry Field Forever?” by (Ramirez) and address what key concepts made this teachers approach developmentally appropriate for her students?

6. Summarize the assigned reading “Talking the Talk” by DeWeese-Parkinson and address what was something that stood out to you in this classroom? What are   your thoughts on “qualified” challenge?

7. State how the Videos and Readings relate to each other

8. How can you help a student with similar issues- what would you implement in your future classroom and why- must explain well.

           An immersion Program and Dual Language Program is a method of teaching children two languages. The goal of these programs is for students to leave high school completely bilingual. Some pros of these programs are that learning a second language young helps brain development in powerful ways. Also, “Children will continue to develop in their home language, while also learning to be bilingual” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p.56). This will help children to not lose their home language and will support cultural identity. People who are bilingual are more competitive in the market place and also able to better communicate globally. Some cons are children with language related difficulties may have a hard time with these programs. Also, it may be challenging for parents when it comes to helping with homework. It may be difficult to find teachers and textbooks to teach these programs and know the content of a second language.    

           The first video is a little guide to second language education. It is about a man who is debating the pros and cons of different kindergarten schools with his buddies. He told his friends about a new Spanish immersion program nearby, thinking his friends would be excited, but his friends were hesitant since one didn’t speak Spanish and was afraid to not fit in and the other said his child already knew Spanish and English. The video goes into detail on the first bilingual schools and how they were first started in the US by Polish immigrants in the 1600’s. Today there are many language-focused schools in the US. The video goes on to encourage parents to do their research and look into language based schools. The second video explains dual language programs more in depth. It explains many of the pros of the programs such as cognitive flexibility and enhancing a second language. The video explains that there are two main kinds of dual language programs. There is a two-way dual language program where there are two groups of students, one speaking English and one speaking a partner language. There is also a one-way dual language program where there is one group learning two languages. Students are learning their home language 50% of the time to maintain both languages.

           The reading “Welcoming Kalenna: Making Our Students Feel at Home” is a story about Laura Linda Negri-Pool. In the story she recalls her childhood growing up in a home filled with Spanish culture such as being surrounded by family, parties with piñatas, dancing and lots of delicious Spanish food. She describes her school as drab and unappealing. She recalls when she was in 3rd grade and felt her identity was validated when her mother organized a Cinco de Mayo event at her school. This inspired her as an adult to find ways to make sure that other marginalized children and families saw themselves reflected in the classroom (Negri-Pool, 2008). The story goes on to talk about when she welcomes a child in her class named Kalenna who spoke Marshallse. Laura took steps to help connect with Kalenna and her family by infusing the classroom environment with objects that surrounded Kalenna in her home and educating herself on the Marshall Islands. The teacher began regular conversations with the family and even learned a song in Marshallese that they would sing in their greeting song that utilized the home languages of all the children.

           The reading “Strawberry Field Forever?” is a story about Cirila. She remembers her childhood when her mother struggled to help with homework because she hadn’t learned to read and write in Spanish. She grew up in migrant labor camps and remembers them surrounded by strawberry fields, which served as the children’s playground. Twenty years later Cirila decided to help these children in the camps. She noticed that these children showed limited vocabulary in their primary language so she used key concepts to make her approach developmentally appropriate for her students such as incorporating lots of literacy activities to help the children develop vocabulary in Spanish. She bought books that she read with the children and listened closely to their conversations. She would include activities with the books such as making tortillas to support math and science. She realized it is important for students to learn English, but believed we as educators can accomplish that by validating their first language and providing tools to become independent learners (Ramirez, 2008).

           The reading “Talking the Talk” is a story about a Migrant Head Start Director who was dedicated in involving parents and supporting children’s language and culture. The staff expanded the languages at the school to include indigenous languages spoken by the families. They began to bring these languages into the teachings by having moms come in to be teacher’s assistants that were qualified and who were bilingual in Spanish and indigenous languages. Something that stood out to me about this classroom was how much they relied on parents. They struggled with pressures to hire teachers with college degrees, and struggled to keep indigenous teachers on staff (DeWeese-Parkinson, 2008). My thoughts are that I think including the families is so important as I was a dedicated parent volunteer in my children’s class, which sparked my passion for child development. In this story everyone understood the parents were a critical part of the program.

           The videos and reading relate to each other because they both give more information explaining dual language and immersion programs and the give examples of the benefits that come with these programs and teachers who support dual language students. According to the textbook “When the programs support children’s home language while also helping them learn the language of the larger society, teachers convey the important message that the child’s home language matters as part of cognitive, social, emotional, and bilingual language development” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p.63). These programs support children in all areas of development including cultural identify, traditions and heritage.

           Unfortunately I do not speak a second language, but I would still help my students that are bilingual by implementing culture into my future classroom. I would be willing to learn more Spanish to help communicate with these children as well as educate myself on any other language the child might speak. I will connect with families to learn more about their culture and create parent letters in two languages. I will implement things in my classroom such implementing multicultural dolls and bilingual books. I will also display family photos, books, artifacts, and posters and other visuals from all the children’s cultural backgrounds throughout the classroom at child’s-eye level and in learning centers. “Numerous studies confirm the benefits of early childhood programs that nurture children’s home language while also fostering English learning” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p.64). I will support this by including the home languages and cultural backgrounds of all the children and families so they feel that they are important parts of classroom activities.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, O. J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC

DeWeese-Parkinson, C. (2008). Talking the talk: Integrating indigenous languages into head start classroom. In A. Pelo (Eds.) Rethinking early childhood education. (pp. 175-176). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: A Rethinking Schools Publication.

Negri-Pool, L. L. (2008). Welcoming Kalenna: Making our students feel at home. In Pelo (Eds.) Rethinking early childhood education. (pp. 161-163). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: A Rethinking Schools Publication.

Ramirez, C. (2008). Strawberry field forever? An early childhood teacher draws on her past to teach children of migrant farmworkers. In A. Pelo (Eds.) Rethinking early childhood education. (pp. 171-173). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: A Rethinking Schools Publication.