Reflective Fieldnote Blog Entry #4

The student that I chose to observe is an early advanced English speaker who came to the United States at 4 years of age. I chose this particular student because I am considering giving him a recommendation for my school district's gifted program. This student is very inquisitive, often asking questions that even I must research to answer. He frequently requests to take classroom projects to a higher level by continuing research at home.

During the observation I engaged students in an interactive speaking game that allowed me to observe without having to interact frequently with the students. Students worked in pairs and took turns reading words that they had to describe in attempts to get their partner to guess what the word is. No pictures (drawings), motions, letters in the word, or rhyming words were allowed. Students could only speak in English. Additionally, students worked against a timer that acted like a "hot potato" that could not be passed to the next team until the correct word was spoken.

This student, whom I previously thought to be fairly comfortable with English was placed in a position in which he had to use his second language despite anxiety to beat the timer. It was a tool for me to determine students' abilities to speak English even when they were uncomfortable or rushed. In my observations, this student frequently reverted back to his first language, which, in this case, was against the rules. He frequently placed his hands on his head in and grunted as if in frustration, gesturing towards his teammate..."You know...it's like..."

I learned that my students need more opportunities to use their English is a variety of situations. In our "safe" homeroom environment, my students know they are free to speak any language unless specifically stated otherwise for a particular activity. They most often choose to speak in English however. I have not been able to observe the students I have chosen to send out to regular education classes to see how they are using their English when conversing with their general education peers in a different setting. Could it be that the anxiety of using a second language with native users or under the pressure of a general education setting might have a similar effect on my students as this particular activity did? I have never considered the emotional impact of speaking a second language under pressure for my students until observing reactions by this student in this activity.

The value of case study research is that it provides purpose in evaluating a specific scenario to determine the effectiveness of educational practices. This kind of information is far more valuable than standardized tests that attempt to determine student progress. It provides a very detailed picture that may provide insights that may not have otherwise been discovered as in this particular observation.

This information is imperative for future teachers who will have my students next year as our district moves from a sheltered program to a pull-out/push-in program. General education teachers who are unfamiliar with ELLs in their classroom should be aware of challenges that these students will face. It may be beyond their means to meet the needs of every learner when they have a class of students with a variety of needs and numbers close to state limits, but push-in or pull-out teachers and the district ELL office can be available to help make sure that the needs of these students are not overlooked with such an immense transition.

I have realized that my students need to be taught the skills to communicate in a variety of environments. It is also a reminder that we as teachers are obligated to so much more than that three letter acronym heard in every public school: A Y P!