Reflections....

       It is hard to believe that my Yoed class is over already! For the most part, the month has gone by rather quickly. I have really enjoyed this class, and believe that I am walking away with some very useful information. I have acquired many new tools to use with ESL students, such as the Cloze Procedure and Choral Reading. I think what I have enjoyed the most and got the most out of is evaluating reading materials. After spending a good amount of time in the library researching books and different types of literature, I realized that I could spend hours searching for the perfect selection. And trust me, if I had time, I would have spent many more hours there! I can not get enough time at the library, I LOVE it!!

        Another great aspect of this class has been the on-going wiki. I definitely have a love-hate relationship with wikispaces! I have the hardest time with formatting and uploading files to it; however, it is such a wonderful tool to have. It puts everything in one place and provides a ton of great information.  I see this coming in very handy when it is time for me to take the Comp. =)

           

Evaluating Reading Materials

     Prior to taking Yoed 6020, I never really evaluated any reading materials for my students. However, I realize now that there are so many things to look for when choosing the right literature for a lesson. 

     When planning a reading lesson, or a lesson regarding a particular concept, the literature that we use is very important. Especially when selecting literature for ESL students. As teachers, we need to be sure that the literature that we are choosing is appropriate for all levels of ESL students. We must pay particular attention to the level, content, illustrations and activities that go along with the reading material.

      We want to make sure that all of our students are getting the most out of the literature we select for them. This means paying close attention to the vocabulary, the activities that the selection lends itself too, as well as the illustrations. The illustrations are a very important part of the selection. The illustrations can assist the students in comprehension, bring the story together and keep the students engaged.

       There are so many things to consider when planning a lesson. The work is worth it though, when a student is enjoying a book and learning at the same time.

         

Teaching ESL Students

    

           Before I started graduate school, I greatly underestimated what  it took to effectively teach ESL students. I guess since I do not have much personal experience with teaching ESL students, I did not understand the strategies and planning needed to reach English language learners. Throughout my graduate courses at MTSU, I have learned that there is so much that goes into the planning process as well as many variables that effect how ESL students learn. I am very excited to continue learning how I can best reach my future ESL students. With todays classroom consisting of an increasing number of English language learners, I feel that continuous professional develpment in this area is a necessity. As teachers, we need to be prepared to teach a wide variety of students, with various cultural backgroungs and various levels of language proficiency.