Chapter 2

As I read the title for Chapter 2, I immediately thought of my ELL students. I am well aware of their language proficiency. I take this into consideration when I grade their work, and have discussions in class. We don't have the luxury of a full-on ELL program, so I'm not even sure what that looks like. I know that they receive approximately 30-40 minutes of pull-out instruction daily. They take tests with me, read their assignments with me, etc. I just read up on PARCC's accommodations for ELL students. They the option of taking the test in their native language and the opportunity to practice in their native language. My students took practice tests, and I will honestly say, I had no idea that they could, or how they should, take the tests. I was never involved in any of the discussion involving accommodations for this test. The majority of my ELL students tested with me, and their test was in English. 

If a school has a high population of ELL students, it stands to reason that if they are tested in any language other than their native language, their scores will be less than desirable. I couldn't go into a school in Mexico and take a test in Spanish; why is the opposite expected? I also think it's important to understand that what may appear as a learning disability may, in fact, be simply a translation error. 

Another aspect that resonated with me is the one about alternative viewpoints, specifically the statement about miscommunication due to different styles of speaking and listening. I pride myself on my articulation. I insist that my students use correct grammar and sentence structure when they speak to me. However, I have to be aware that they do not have the same life experiences and PK that I have. I am sensitive to that and address questions and discussion with the class accordingly. 

How do you insure that you are meeting the needs of the diverse students in your classroom?