As you walk into her room, you will see students collaborating with students of various cultures in order to complete the tasks on their activity list.
Describe the students in your classes.
My students are primarily from South America and
Asia (India and Pakistan) with one or two from Europe every year. The majority have been in this country for four years of less.
How does an ELS class help develop global citizenship?
It is the only class my students have in which the only native-born American, is the teacher. They are all relatively new to this country and language. While they are from different places, they are bonded by the similar and unusual experiences that they as immigrants are having.
How does problem-based learning help your students?
Problem based learning tasks lead me to group students who have different learning strengths regardless of their native language. Our groups may be the first time some of the students had to deal directly with each other. They must interact, but more importantly, they must help each other succeed for the good of the group.
Is there any particular unit that has really helped students see the world through a new lens or helped them gain a better sense in how they can make an impact?
My advanced class will be beginning a unit on "Different Points of View" and it's featured around a personal narrative called "Daughter of China". A Chinese girl experiences some culture shock in her exposure in a school with Americans. During the unit, my students will be making cultural kiosks in which they compare and contrast the American and Chinese cultures and then add their own cultures in the mix. It gives them the chance to express what they have learned through their research and experience and share with others.
In addition, I feel I have an obligation as an ESL teacher to share American culture. We do a unit on "The Boston Tea Party" for which they really have no frame of reference. I try to have them relate to the colonists, many of whom were English immigrants. In the ESL Intermediate class, we're doing a unit on "The First Americans" and regions of the U.S. There are two Woody Guthrie songs I play for them, "This Land is Your Land" and "Roll on, Columbia". At first, they were shy about singing them, but now they always request I play them and they belt them out.
Rubrics:
The Boston Tea Party
Different Points of View