Integrating, Involving, and Engaging New Immigrants and ELL Learners in the Classroom
Presentation by: Austin Uzama
Session A | 9:20 – 9:40 | Room 207
Abstract:
New immigrant students are suppose to be integrated gradually into the class through assistance from teachers, the students’ self-esteem and sense of maturity increase dramatically. However, in my daughter’s case, the reverse was the case, because of the school’s attitude towards her as an ELL student. She hated to go to school not because she did not like to study, but because her Grade 7 teacher would ask her to go to the kindergarten class. She did not want to be in the Class photo of the graduating class. Even with my continuous intervention that she does not have to go to the kindergarten class; her teacher told me the kindergarten class is the best place in the school for her to learn English. The teacher went further to blame me for not speaking English at home, even with the overwhelming evidence in favour of practices that view students’ native language as an asset.
This inquiry therefore examine what went wrong with the spirit of integration and involvement of new ELL students, why it happened, and how this situation can be prevented in future. The importance of this research includes equipping teachers with prior knowledge concerning ELL learners; help uncover problematic school policies; help create a model of dealing with ELL learners, and it will help advance knowledge in ELL teaching field.
