EDUC150:
Language
Minority Students: Issues for Practitioners
Topics and
Schedule
Week 1 (8/31) Introduction: Culture and
language
While there are perceived differences among various languages and
cultures, each language or culture is a complex organism that cannot be
reduced to a fixed stereotype. ESL teachers need to understand and
affirm
cultural differences and develop non-judgmental attitudes toward a
student’s
cultural and linguistic background. At the same time, teachers
need
to recognize diversity within a culture, a changing nature of culture,
similarities between cultures, and ideology behind cultural
representations.
Through reading and group activities, we will critically explore issues
of culture.
Week 2 (9/7) Culture and multicultural
education
“Multiculturalism” is a notion that requires a critical
scrutiny.
Through reading and discussion, we will deepen our understanding of
multiculturalism
and its implications to teaching ESL.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.5 (Culture: pp.
178-202), and Nieto (1995)
Week 3 (9/14) Culture, multiculturalism and
teaching
Our understanding of culture influences how we teach students
from
various cultural backgrounds. We will critique taken-for-granted
ways of understanding different cultures and explore pedagogical
implications.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.5 (Culture: pp. 202-223),
and Kubota (2004).
Assignment due: Statement of culture and teaching
ESL
#1
Week 4 (9/21) Home culture, students, and
schooling (Latino
experience)
The gap between the culture in which ESL students were brought up and
the
culture of the mainstream American school has a great impact on the
educational
experience of ESL students who go through adjustment, accommodation,
struggle,
and/or resistance to their new environment. We will examine these
issues from Latino experiences.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.1 (Students)
Jigsaw Reading: Read one of the following
chapters
and share the content in group discussion.
Valdés (1996): Ch.6 (Raising children), Ch.
7 (The school context) or Ch. 8 (Education and life chances)
Week 5 (9/28) Home culture, students, and
schooling (Asian
experience)
We will examine the same issues from the perspective of Asian
students.
Also, we will critically explore Asian images in a historical context.
Readings:
Lee (2004: pp. 11-16 and pp. 50-86) Optional: Cheng (1998)
Week 6 (10/5) Bilingualism and second
language acquisition
We will learn theories of language acquisition of bilingual children
and
pedagogical models for ESL/bilingual education.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.4 (Language), and
Baker (2001) Chapter 8 (Cognitive theories of bilingualism and
curriculum.
Week 7 (10/12) Language assessment
ESL students have unique educational
needs which make assessment and
evaluation
an important part of educational processes. We will learn about
this
issue through reading and presentations.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch. 8 (Assessment)
Fall Break
Week 8 (10/26) English with an accent
ESL teachers interact with children
and parents with a non-native
accent.
We will explore issues of ideology and discrimination in relation to
speaking
English with an accent.
Reading: Jigsaw Reading: Read one of the
following
chapters and share the content in group discussion.
Lippi-Green, R. (1997): Chapter 5 (Teaching children
how to discriminate), Chapter 6 (The educational system), or Chapter 11
(The stranger within the gates)
Week 9 (11/2) Student and immigrant
experience (Student
presentations)
ESL teachers need to develop understanding of the life of
immigrants.
Through peer presentations, we will learn about experiences of
immigrants.
Assignment due: Interview report
Week 10 (11/9) Classroom teaching
We will explore what kind of pedagogy contributes to empowering ESL
students.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.3 (Teaching),
and
Cummins (1994)
Week 11 (11/16) Language policy and
programs in the USA
Bilingual education including ESL instruction is highly politically
charged.
We will examine a historical overview of the politics of bilingual
education.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.2 (Policy and Programs)
Week 12 (11/30) Politics of English
Language Teaching
Education is never neutral--it reflects and reinforces ideologies and
power
relations in school and wider society. We will discuss how ESL
pedagogical
pracitces and policies mirror ideologies and influence ESL students'
lives.
We will also discuss critical pedagogy and possibilities for personal
and
social transformation.
Readings:
Valdés (1998), and Vandrick (2002)
Thanksgiving Break
Week 13 (12/7) Bridging home, school, and
local communities
ESL teachers must become mediators among ESL students, school teachers
and personnel, parents and people in the community. We will
explore
issues surrounding home, school and community through reading and
meeting
with individuals from support organizations for immigrants in the
community.
Readings:
Ovando & Collier, Ch.10 (School and
Community), and Delgado-Gaitan (2004) Chapter 5
Final exam (take home), Statement of culture and teaching ESL
#2, and course
reflection (due 5 pm on Monday, December 12)
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