Essay On Culturally Responsive Instruction

These principles include suggestions for dealing with their implications such as the use of multiple methods to convey information, providing explicit instruction in academic language, incorporating primary language supports, making expectations clear, and using testing accommodations when appropriate (2010). Characteristics of culturally responsive instruction include high expectations, positive relationships with families and communities, cultural sensitivity, active teaching methods, student control of portions of the lesson, and instruction around groups and pairs to create low anxiety (2010).

A culturally responsive classroom creates an environment that is safe and accepting for children of all nationalities. An inclusive environment can include visuals that depict different cultures, inclusion of different cultures in the curriculum, access to bilingual dictionaries, sharing of family artifacts, field trips, and nonfiction picture books to teach key concepts in the content area. Knowing the principles of ELL instruction and characteristics of a successful ELL learning environment will not automatically create a competent ELL teacher. However, this knowledge will contribute to a better understanding of the factors that impact learning for ELL students and prepares the teacher to plan lessons that will result in maximum learning

for all students. “Successful lesson plans target specific learning goals, enable students to make connections between their own knowledge and experiences and the new information being taught, give students practice using and applying the new information, and assess students learning to determine whether to move on or to reteach the material” (Echevarria, Vogt & Short, 2013, p.25). Now that the ELL teacher understands the process for creating the lesson plan, the next step is to decide which strategies will best address the goals and meet the needs of the ELL students.
A research based and field tested approach to lesson planning known as Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) is a strategy used extensively in the U.S. to weave language and content objectives into a subject area. Teachers develop the students’ academic language proficiency consistently as part of the lessons and units they plan and deliver (Echevarria, Graves & Short, 2013). Thirty features of the SIOP are grouped into the eight main components of lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice and application, lesson delivery, and review and assessment (2013). These components can be used with any curriculum or program to make the content understandable for ELLs while promoting academic English language growth.
Building on the need for teachers to know and understand the learner, SIOP teachers make connections between content being taught and students’ experiences and prior knowledge. Lessons are planned to result in a high level of student engagement and interaction with the teacher and other students, and the SIOP teacher also considers the students’ needs, cultural background, and learning styles (2013). Language objectives are clearly defined along with content objectives in the teacher’s lesson plan. A good resource for teachers when planning lesson objectives is the Common Core State Standards for English language arts. Supplementary materials may be used to facilitate different learning styles in the classroom and adapt the content to meet all levels of student proficiency.
As English language learners advance in their language literacy, it is important to introduce them to different learning strategies. ELLs can use cognitive learning strategies, metacognitive learning strategies, and language learning strategies to continue their progress in speaking and understanding the new language (2013). One thing to remember about teaching learning strategies is that “it is important to know a student’s educational background and native language literacy proficiency to be aware of what they already know and can do regarding strategy use in their home language” (2013, p.119).
Scaffolding is a term that is associated with Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD is the difference between what a child can accomplish alone and what he or she can accomplish with the assistance of a more experienced individual (2013). Scaffolding is another effective strategy that can be used with ELLs. Three types of scaffolding used are verbal, procedural, and instructional (2013). Teachers need to remember that the scaffolding strategy is to be used as a temporary support. It is important for ELLs to have the opportunity to interact with the teacher and other students in a structured setting. Whether the interaction occurs during scaffolding or a more casual context, English learners need the opportunity to practice using the language.

Differentiation instruction is a strategy that fits well in a classroom with ELLs (2013).

English language learners are at different levels of proficiency. Listening, reading, verbal, and writing skills of ELLs will require a variety of instructional levels to meet their varied needs. Understanding the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the learners, will enable the teacher to develop lesson plans that meet and challenge the skill levels of each student. Writing is one of the most productive activities for ELLs (Saville-Troike, 2012). Writing is a common method for testing knowledge and is used frequently for academic

purposes.
Instructional strategies can be used by the teacher to introduce students who have an inquisitive mind to reading. Instructional strategies include KWL which asks questions such as what do you know, what do you want to know, and what did you learn (R.Vacca, J. Vacca, &.Mraz, 2014). This strategy engages students in active text learning and may be used with small groups of students or the whole class (2014). KWL is a helpful strategy to introduce ELLs to trade books. The use of trade books that meet all students’ academic, linguistic, social, and emotional needs will introduce ELLs to a variety of books that will extend and enrich their English vocabulary (2014). ELLs need exposure to more than text books to increase their understanding of text context, increase their self-awareness, and cultural understanding.
It is important that teachers assess the progress of ELLs in a fair and equitable manner. Assessing the ELL student is a complicated and heavily debated issue (Matthews, 2011). Informal assessments by the teacher occur ongoing and include observation, anecdotal reports, and conversation that occur within regular instruction and are not graded (Echevarria, Vogt & Short, 2013). Informal assessments allow the teacher to measure context learning by the student from a documented baseline. It is important for the teacher to assess the match between the student and lesson context to evaluate the students’ learning. This evaluation can be used when developing lesson plans that are relevant to the students’ academic and language performance. Formative assessments are standardized assessments that measure a students’ performance in comparison to a set of academic skills or objectives (2013). Formal assessments are used by schools to look at how students are performing in comparison to others and to analyze performance trends. Common Core testing is considered high stakes testing as schools are evaluated based on students’ scores. English language learners are at a particular disadvantage when taking standardized tests as those students may struggle with the questions and instructions written in English. As states develop comprehensive assessments, the needs of ELL students must be considered to obtain fair and accurate test results.
After assessment, the teacher needs to look at ways to help ELLs who are having difficulty with performance. Peer tutoring has similarities to scaffolding, but differs in the fact that peer tutoring is accomplished by a peer who has mastered a higher level of proficiency in academic skills and English usage explaining the assignment in the student’s first language (Herrell & Jordan, 2004). Peer tutoring may take place outside of the classroom and often lowers the anxiety for the learner as the questions can be answered in a less stressful environment. When questions are being answered in a one-to-one basis in the home language, feelings of self- esteem and accomplishment are gained (2004).
In the classroom, literacy coaches can play an important part in supporting the teacher and developing programs that will positively affect the students (Vacca, Vacca & Mraz, 2014). Literacy coaches can provide leadership in the areas of professional development for teachers and the development of appropriate programs for English language learners. Literacy coaches can help teachers obtain appropriate materials, understand a student’s background knowledge, and learn appropriate strategies for teaching and assessment (2014). Literacy coaches are a key asset for a school to build communication with the families of their English language learners and help the school’s programs to become more culturally responsive (2014). Literacy coaches can be very helpful in the area of assessment for ELLs due to the stress often felt by teachers in the area of high stakes testing. Coaches can help teachers develop a wide variety of assessments that will help them gain information needed to develop effective lesson plans (2014). In co-operation with a literacy coach, the teacher can analyze teaching strategies to determine those most beneficial to the ELL students.
Academic success for ELLs is built on many factors. These factors include the personal characteristics and experiences of the learners. Their home and community environments will have cultural impacts on the learner as they interact with others on a daily basis. Teachers do not have control over factors outside of the classroom that affect the learner. However, in the classroom it is important for the teacher to establish a place of security that allows ELLs to feel safe and take risks with learning. When thinking about strategies to support ELL students, the most important factors must include the characteristics and teaching philosophy of the classroom teacher. An ELL teacher who embraces Dr. Eugene Garcia’s 5R’s and a T strategy creates a classroom that will support English language learners. Here is Dr. Garcia’s strategy:
Respect- families and children-pronounce names correctly
Responsible-know if instruction is making a difference
Responsive-adapt instruction to circumstances of ELLs
Resourceful- time management- after school-before school-Saturdays
Reasonable- expectations are managed-understand how to evaluate children
Theory- Start where children and families are and take them to where they need to go- take assets and build on that (Garcia,