Due: Thursday, April 24, 2014; 11am
1.) In your opinion, how much does communication play a role in underachievement of students. Meaning, do you think language barriers impact the way minorities are educated within the United States?
2,) What could school board members and even teachers themselves do to ensure that all students benefit equally from the curriculum?
1.) I believe that communication plays a huge role in the underachievement of students. Language barriers can set back children who would be a lot farther ahead in school otherwise if they spoke the same language they were taught in. The way I understand it is that if something is difficult for me to learn then it must be ten times harder for someone else to learn whose first language is polish or another language. I also think that because a student speaks a different language people will just assume they are dumb or don't get things. In actuality though, they could be really smart, but just have a hard time understanding English. They may come off as unable to learn because of where they came from and the language they speak and I don't think that the American school systems pay attention to this.
ReplyDelete2,) One thing they can do is make sure every student whose first language isn't English be put in an ESL type class so that they can learn the language the school systems use and would be able to understand the material taught. Another thing they could do is hire teachers who speak more than one language. They could teach the class in English, but if a student were to have trouble understanding the English they could further explain things in their first language. When people move to the United States it is important for them to learn English so they can be taught things in the American school system and eventually have better opportunities for jobs latter on in life.
1) I think that communication plays a major role in the underachievement of students. Specifically speaking about language barriers, minorities unfortunately are greatly impacted. Minorities with a language barrier could potentially fall far behind in school and not live up to the potential that they could if they were able to speak in their own language. They may not be able to keep up in class because they don't know whats going on due to the language barrier. My friend that studied abroad in Spain told me about how hard it was to keep up in school because she didn't know what they were saying. This is a clear example of how communication plays a major role in the underachievement of students.
ReplyDelete2) One thing that school board members or teachers could do is provide help on the side. Outside of school hours they can help the student learn English by tutoring them one on one. They could also provide someone that will translate for the first month or so until their English improves. This option doesn't appeal to me as much though because then the student with a language barrier may not be learning the new language and could drastically fall behind after the translator leaves. I think that as long as the board or teacher is accommodating to the needs of the student then that will help with improving the achievement of minority students.
1.) I believe that communication plays a very big role in the underachievement of students. Language barriers greatly affect minorities' education because they cannot understand what the teacher is trying to teach to them, or they barely understand the lesson of the class. They also have a difficult time keeping up with the pace of the class because it takes them longer to complete tasks since they have to try to figure out what words mean. It also depends on the school as well since some schools do not have enough money to assist minorities and their communication.
ReplyDelete2.) One thing that school board members and teachers can do is to help the students outside of the classroom or put them into an ESL class. This way students will have the one on one help that they need or maybe even just a slower pace that will make a huge difference to their achievement. They could also have a translator or be allowed to have something that translates for them. By minority students having these options they can improve their understanding of English as well as improve their achievement in school. Their achievement is not going to magically improve, we need to implement ways to assist them throughout the school day.
1. I think communication plays a major role in the underachievement of students. Language barriers affect minorities' education because they are unable to understand what is being taught or only understand bits and pieces of the lesson being taught. They will not be able to keep up with the rest of the class because the pace will be too fast because they are unable to comprehend things as fast as the other students.
ReplyDelete2. The teachers should try to include all students learning abilities when making their lesson plans. For students that have the language barrier, a kinesthetic approach or visual approach rather than just linguistics. The School Board could provide a tutor to help the struggling people in the class due to the language barrier. Also, providing a translator in the class could prove to be beneficial. Not all students are going to be able to benefit equally from the curriculum but as long as actions are being taken to help improve, complaints are going to be made concerning it.
I think that communication does play a role in the underachievement of students in school today. Especially the minorities or those who don't know English very well. With the government making so many budget cuts to the education system and teachers there's no way to create a system to better educate the minorities in our school system. With our country growing and having such a diverse population the language barrier is an issue everywhere but especially impacting the youth when it comes time for learning. I think the best thing for school boards and teachers to do would be to create classes and programs based in the children's native language so they understand things that they need to learn better as well as teaching them English in a way they could better interpret it.
ReplyDelete1. I think that communication does play a role in the way students learn and the amount of success they have in the classroom. I've taken four years of Spanish, plus a year in college and I still can't speak it fluently and I still find it extremely hard to understand people unless they speak very slowly. I couldn't imagine coming to America and not being accepted or helped because you can't speak the language. If a student does not speak English in an English speaking classroom it would be almost impossible for them to learn or be remotely as successful as the fellow English speaking students. There are class like ESL classes that teach students English so they can learn, but they are still behind their peers.
ReplyDelete2. I am currently observing in a Special Education class for K-2 students and almost each student is at a different level. The teacher I am observing will work individually with each student so that he can better understand each individual need for the student. He also quizzes the students and if one is way more advanced than another that student will leave and go to another teacher that will work with them until they can be moved up or taken out of the special education class. So I think small class sizes and one on one teaching techniques are very helpful and effective for students to learn equally and at a level that suits them
1. It does play a role in the way students learn. If a child does not understand what is being said then they don't know what is being taught. If they don't know what is being taught then they will be left behind. Depending on the grade they end up with they're either held back or put into a grade that does not match the level they are at.
ReplyDelete2. A more hands on approach with students would be a big benefit. Children learn at different paces. With classes as large as they can get, they may not be getting the attention they need to keep them up to speed with the other children. To have more one on one time with their teacher it would help the student in the long run. For children with a language barrier, they should be provided a special class that will help them learn the language being used in the class until they are at a level where they would be able to sit in a classroom and understand what is being said.
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ReplyDelete1.) I think communication plays a major role in how well children succeed in school. If children can't understand what is being taught, then they won't be able to learn as well as the other children that do understand. Minority students that don't speak English as their first language struggle to keep up with the pace of a class that has English as their first language. This is also shown in children that have learning disabilities and can't communicate as well as other children, they often have to go at a slower pace in order to understand and be able to learn.
ReplyDelete2,) I believe that schools could make classroom sizes smaller, so that there is more one-on-one attention being given to all students and especially students that struggle to understand what is being taught. I also think that minority children should have extra help understanding their homework and what is being taught. I think that tutors that speak both the children's native language and English would be beneficial to children that have a language barrier because then the tutor could explain in both a familiar language and in English. Children with a learning disability get this extra help, and have an easier time understanding what is being said and taught in a classroom so I believe this should be given to any student struggling.
1. I believe communication plays an important role in underachievement of students for many reasons. The language barriers can have a big affect on the way a student learns. The language barriers can make the students become behind in their studies. This creates problems with not only the student but also with the teacher. When I took spanish in high school I had a difficult problem learning and speaking the language. I can't imagine what people have to go through to switch their language in order to talk to others and understand what people are saying.
ReplyDelete2. To ensure that all students benefit equally from the curriculum school board members and teachers can be aware of cultural differences and then change his or her approach to teaching. It's important for the school board members and teachers to be accepting of the different cultures and languages in his or her classroom. If there is a problem in the classroom the teacher can always fix the problem by changing something that didn't work. The school board can also make sure they have special teachers such as teachers endorsed in ESL, to help students learn english better. This will be an easy transition for the students while they are learning a different language.
1. I think communication plays a huge role in the underachievement of students, and especially minorities, in the United States today. When there is a language barrier, especially in an educational setting, it can be very disabling. It can be different if the teacher is bilingual or has experience teaching English. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to know simple words in english because our words are arbitrary. Also, the connotation a student gets when he or she is not fluent in the language of the other students can be disabling again. This can lead to the student being bullied.
ReplyDelete2. I think the school board and teachers can work on being bilingual. We should promote many languages, not put them down. Integrating the children's ability to speak other languages can be used to help other children who might only know English. This also would be helpful in giving the student confidence. Students would be able to bond with each other through helping one another. Also with this, the child should be offered ESL classes to help he or she become fluent in english as well. Keeping in mind the effect of their decisions on each and every child is important.
1.) Communication can play a major role in the underachievement of students, primarily with minorities that receive little to no extra help. With a language barrier in place it can be difficult to learn the initial ideas behind assignments let alone anything more in depth. Unless there is someone assisting the student, through translating for example, this can be hard to grasp, leaving the student feeling helpless or as if they will never be able to keep up with those around them.
ReplyDelete2.) The school board and teachers can start by keeping the focus more one-on-one. There may be students who just aren't comfortable with raising their hand and asking a question in front of an entire class full of students due to the fear of being made fun of. Another way to help is by having teachers that are bilingual or at least having translators on site. Tutors and ESL classes would also be majorly beneficial to the success of the students.
1.) Yes I think that language barriers impact greatly the way that minorities are educated in the United States. I think that it can be a setback if you aren't fluent in English and are in a classroom trying to learn what is going on, without understanding the language. Minorities don't fully understand what is going on and being taught. Teachers also don't always have the time to work with students who don't speak English fluently, because they have to focus on all of the students as a whole and don't have the extra time to work one on one with students.
ReplyDelete2.) School board members and teachers themselves could add in extra classes for those minorities trying to get an education but don't have all of the resources. Also, they could provide aids for students who aren't fluent in English and have the aid with them in class translating the words being spoken, just like how schools provide aids for deaf students so that they can go to class in a regular learning environment. School boards and teachers need to understand that the US is becoming more and more diverse and for minorities to get a proper education just like other students do, they are going to need to add in extra options and resources.
1) I think that communication plays a large role in the underachievement of students. I think that many schools today still are run with the mindset that English is a student's primary language and that they will be able to communicate and complete their work without any difficulty. However, this is not the case for many students, and their lack of ability to get help will help them severely in the long run.
ReplyDelete2) I think that school boards and teachers could put more effort into establishing ELL programs that provide a more individualized learning plan based on a student's level of knowledge and learning needs. I also think that providing students with a translator and more one-on-one assistance would greatly help, and even speed up, their learning process because they would have access to the individualized learning that they are in need of when assimilating to a new culture.
1. I think that communication plays a major role in the underachievement of students. It can be a major setback in the United States if English is not your primary language. Language barriers can cause students to fall behind if they do not understand what is being taught to them in school.
ReplyDelete2. I think in order for all students to benefit from the curriculum that school boards and teachers could look a little more into the cultural backgrounds of the students. I think that hiring teachers and staff who are bilingual may be beneficial for students who are not fluent in English. This would be helpful because it would allow for the student to be able to ask any questions they may have and then have them be answered in a way that they could understand.
1.Communication is the one of the main reasons students underachieve. Especially if there is a language barrier students will not be able to follow as fast as other students and will not be able to get as good of grades that they are probably able to.
ReplyDelete2, Schools can increase time working with this student. They could have an before or after school even a in school program for them to be able to learn the language and increase there knowledge of the language. There are a number of ways schools can go about teaching kids English, it is just a matter of the teachers and school board wanting to help the kids who have a language barrier.
1. I think that language barriers in a main reason why minority student might not be doing as good as they can in school. In a lot of cases, their parents speak very little English and sometimes no English at all. That means the student would have to learn English at school and most times the teacher only speaks English. It is then hard for the two to communicate, and that can set the student back.
ReplyDelete2. With more minority kids in the schools, they should hire teachers that speak two languages, or at least have some background knowledge in another language other than English. I think this will not only help the students learn English better, but they also won't underachieve.
1.) In my opinion communication plays a huge role in underachievement of students because the language barriers in school settings greatly impact the way students learn. Many Americans are still under the impression that English is the American language, therefore, a lot of teachers and students are inconsiderate of minorities in the classroom. If you are not completely familiar with English it would be very difficult to understand what is being taught. Also, teachers do not always have the time to work with these students who don't speak English fluently because they have to focus on the students as a whole and may not have the extra time to work one on one with the students who need extra help.
ReplyDelete2.) I think teachers and school boards should work harder to establish programs that focus on individualized plans, even if this requires taking a couple english and non-english speaking students out of the classroom and spending extra time on their language and communication skills together.
1) Communication is everything when it comes to school, so if a minority student is not able to communicate with a teacher or vise versa then how are they supposed to learn efficiently? They would not understand the teacher, or even know how to communicate to the teacher that they don't understand, and the teacher would not be unaware of this. Even if the student did know enough English to communicate they had a problem, they might be intimidated or scared to ask for help.
ReplyDelete2) At the very least, there needs to be someone in the school that the students can go to for help with learning English or who can tutor minority students. That way if the student is too afraid to go to the main teacher for help, at least they have someone they feel comfortable going to. Hiring teachers who are bilingual would also help this issue.