Case Study: Young Learners - Mrs. Serpe Has Been Teaching Fo

Case Study Young Learners Mrs. Serpe Has Been Teaching For About 10 Year

Mrs. Serpe has been teaching for about 10 years; however, this is the first year she can remember having ELLs who are coming in at lower proficiency levels. She is unsure how to support them effectively. Two students, Maria and Abed, exemplify her challenges. Maria has been in her class for six months, remaining mostly silent during lessons and only speaking on the playground. Despite her silence in class, she responds with nods and smiles, leaving Mrs. Serpe confused about her proficiency level and the inconsistency between her classroom and playground behaviors. She feels lost on how to help Maria, who entered the classroom with limited English background.

Abed, who has been in school for over a year, demonstrates confidence and engagement. He speaks comfortably with peers, participates in class discussions, and is reading near grade level. While his speaking and listening skills are strong, he struggles with writing, making grammatical errors, getting ideas onto paper, and becoming easily frustrated. Mrs. Serpe recognizes the need to develop tailored strategies to support both students' language development effectively.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective support for English Language Learners (ELLs) such as Maria and Abed requires a nuanced understanding of their unique language proficiency levels and tailored instructional strategies. As a seasoned educator, Mrs. Serpe can employ differentiated approaches focusing on language acquisition, comprehension, and expressive skills. These approaches would support her goal of fostering an inclusive, communicative classroom environment where all students can thrive academically and socially.

Maria’s case exemplifies the complexities faced by teachers with newcomers to the classroom with limited English proficiency. Her silence in class combined with her recent verbal interactions on the playground suggests she is experiencing a Rohingya-like silent period (Lyster & Saito, 2010). This phenomenon, common among ELLs, indicates a period of receptive language development where students concentrate on understanding language before speaking. Mrs. Serpe should focus on creating a safe classroom environment that encourages oral language through non-threatening activities such as picture-based discussions, gestural communication, and interactive storytelling (Krashen, 1982). By incorporating visuals, realia, and scaffolded language exercises, Mrs. Serpe can enhance Maria’s receptive skills and gradually facilitate her oral expression (Gibbons, 2009). Additionally, implementing formative assessments like observational checklists can inform her about Maria's progress and areas needing targeted support.

Abed, contrastingly, demonstrates strong oral communication and reading abilities but faces challenges with writing and grammatical accuracy. This discrepancy is typical of many bilingual students who develop oral fluency before written skills (Hakuta & Diaz, 1985). To help Abed improve his writing, Mrs. Serpe can employ strategies rooted in process writing approaches, emphasizing planning, drafting, revising, and editing (Graham & Perin, 2007). Using graphic organizers to visualize sentence structures and vocabulary mapping can scaffold his writing development. Moreover, integrating meaningful writing activities, such as digital storytelling or peer collaboration, can motivate Abed and reduce frustration (Vinayakumar et al., 2018). His phonological awareness can be strengthened through explicit pronunciation exercises and phonics instruction, enhancing both his speaking and spelling skills (Dixon et al., 2012). Regular feedback focusing on grammatical structure and fluency can foster confidence and progress in his language output.

To further support these students, Mrs. Serpe should access professional development on ELL instructional strategies and collaborate with ESL specialists. Incorporating sheltered instruction techniques—such as using clear language, visuals, gestures, and contextual clues—will make content comprehensible for Maria and Abed (Echevarria et al., 2017). Providing culturally responsive instruction that values students’ backgrounds can also motivate participation and self-esteem (Ladson-Billings, 1994). Furthermore, establishing consistent routines and clear objectives aligned with language proficiency levels ensures that both students experience success and feel included in classroom activities.

The success of these strategies hinges on ongoing assessment and flexible adaptation. Using formative tools like anecdotal records, student self-assessments, and targeted quizzes allows Mrs. Serpe to tailor her instruction. Creating a language-rich environment that promotes interaction, scaffolds content, and celebrates cultural diversity will accelerate language acquisition and foster communicative competence for Maria and Abed. Also, parent and community engagement through bilingual communication and cultural events can build a supportive network for these learners.

In conclusion, supporting ELL students such as Maria and Abed involves a comprehensive, culturally responsive approach centered on differentiated instruction and ongoing assessment. By focusing on receptive language development for Maria and expressive language support for Abed, Mrs. Serpe can facilitate significant growth in their English proficiency. Continuous professional learning, collaboration, and a nurturing classroom environment are essential for their success, helping them become confident, capable communicators and active participants in their educational journey.

References

• Gibbons, P. (2009). English learners: Reaching the highest level of English literacy. Heinemann.
• Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). Writing next: Effective strategies to improve adolescent writers’ skills. Alliance for Excellent Education.
• Hakuta, K., & Diaz, R. M. (1985). The relationship between degree of bilingualism and academic achievement. In T. L. Hiebert (Ed.), Bilingual Education: Current Perspectives (pp. 61-89). National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education.
• Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.
• Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. Jossey-Bass.
• Lyster, R., & Saito, K. (2010). Oral feedback in classroom SLA: Language learning? Language Teaching, 43(1), 1-31.
• Regalla, M. (2012). Language objectives: More than just vocabulary. TESOL Journal, 3(2), 28-31.
• Vinayakumar, R., Soman, K. P., & Menon, P. (2018). Digital storytelling using Scratch: Engaging children towards digital storytelling (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
• Gibbons, P. (2009). English learners: Reaching the highest level of English literacy. Heinemann.