Understanding Language Minority Learners

Third Academic Post

For this academic post I have used a source written by Elizabeth G. Sturtevant. She explains three key ideas to help educators understand language minority learners and 4 key concepts for program planning. These key ideas and concepts are for educators to help them understand English language learners ( ELLs) better. My information will be over the three key ideas that can be helpful to educators when working with language minority students in middle school and high school.  

Elizabeth G. Sturtevant (1998) explains 3 key ideas to help educators understand the population of language minority students that continues to increase. It’s important for educators to consider understanding this group of students, to help them in their Second-Language (L2) development.

The first key idea explains that all language minority learners are individually diverse. They are all different from one another in the following ways: they come from different backgrounds, some are born in the US, some have been living here since a very young age, and some have moved to the USA during their adolescent years (Sturtevant, 1998).

Language minority students also have an education history that’s different from one another. For instance, some students did not receive a formal education in their language one ( L1); others have had their school interrupted and some students have had to move from place to place, due to migrant work. These students have all had a different history of education, and that is why each student is at a different proficiency level in their L2 fluency and literacy during their middle school and high school years. The language levels of these students are: bilingual, partial fluent and some are very limited in their L2. English language learners who are limited in their English proficiency are either new arrivals or have been living here for many years. Those students who have lived here for many years, but aren’t proficient in their English, are greatly challenged in their education throughout their school years (Sturtevant, 1998).

In order for language minority learners to be successful, in their secondary education, they must be proficient in their English. However, it takes time to acquire a second language and each student will be at different level from one another.  It’s important for educators to take into consideration the process and length of time that it takes to learn a second language (Sturtevant, 1998).

According to Elizabeth G. Sturtevant (1998) there are two “faces” that must be taken into consideration when acquiring a second language. Those faces are conversational and academic. The conversational face takes about 2-3 years to acquire and the academic face takes 5-10 years (Sturtevant, 1998).

The length that it takes for language minority students to acquire their second language depends on how much literacy instruction they have received in their L1. Students who have received 2-3 years of formal education in their L1 usually have an easier time acquiring their L2. However, students who didn’t have any formal education or less than 2 years of school, in their L1, usually struggle more in acquiring their L2.

The third key idea is the importance of literacy and concept development in their L1 and how it can support literacy and concept development in their L2 acquisition. Sturtevant (1998) states that adolescents who begin school and have not had any literacy instruction in their L1 should be instructed in their L1, to help them continue to develop their literacy skills. Later, throughout their school years, they can use these skills to help them acquire their L2 more quickly.   

It is important that educators take into consideration these three key ideas when working with language minority learners. Language minority learners are all diverse because they all come from different backgrounds, they all have different levels of education and they all acquire English at a different pace; depending on their formal experiences, and on their literacy levels of education in their L1.

I strongly agree with Sturtevant’s research. She stresses the importance on being familiar with each student to assist them better in their L2 learning.  Due to the fact that each student is so diverse from one another, they each require individualized instruction, to help them with their language development. I believe that it’s important to want to work and assist this group of students as soon as they begin their L2 instruction, this way, they don’t fall too behind and struggle throughout their school years. These key ideas are essential for educators, when working with language minority learners. 

The following site  English Language Instruction in Middle and High School provides a 45 minute web cast with Dr. Deborah Short. She discusses how to teach English language learners academic content and how to ensure reading comprehension. The moderator is Delia Pompa, Vice President of the Center for Community Educational Excellence, at the National Council of La Raza.



Sources:

Sturtevant, E.G. , (1998). What middle and high school educators need to know about language minority students. [Proquest] Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdwe?index=0&did=34651187&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=


http://www.colorincolorado.org/webcasts/middle
http://vimeo.com/7098656