ERIX FLORES
Cassidy, Jacquelyn A. “Computer-Assisted Language Arts Instruction for the ESL Learner.” The English Journal, vol. 85, no. 8, 1996, pp. 55–57. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/820043.
SUMMARY:
This article that Cassidy wrote tells the reader that she developed a ''computer-assisted interactive assignment.'' The teacher teaches an ESL classroom and developed a technological interactive assignment where the teacher's ESL students interact with native English speakers via email which consist of communicating about academic goals, work goals, what do these students want to major, their political views, and many more. Moreover, this online interactive assignment is structured in which the teacher orchestrates. For instance, in the first email students need to introduce with themselves, and the second email's topic will be based on their academic goals and what they would like to major once they graduate from high school, and so on.
REFLECTION:
As you can see this article was written in 1996 where internet and technological development started to proliferate at a small scale. Moreover, Cassidy had the right concept at place by developing this computer-assisted assignment in which ESL students and native English speakers interact at a social level through the use of the technological advancement back in those times. The reason why I think this article is great is due to the fact that it validates ESL students' opinion and goals because it is easier to communicate through digital means rather through physical means due to the obvious reasons that there is a language barrier, and through the use of technology both students from both parties can orchestrate a well-thought response with their peers having more time to respond.
In addition, the reason why I believe this article is great is because even though this article has been written in 1996 and it predates today's technological development, and in my perspective I believe that Cassidy had the right concept that we benefit in today's technological integration in today's education in our classroom. Cassidy is a progressive teacher which today's teacher benefits she planted that seed that technological integration in the classroom and digital identity is key to maximize student learning. As a teacher I see how this teacher saw through the future and decided to be proactive about the situation and integrate a different form of teaching style in which is prevalent today, and thanks to these actions in her classroom and writing this article it has putted a grain of salt to academic scholars to develop what we have today in which public education promotes the use of technology in today's classroom and having some form of digital identity.
QUOTATIONS:
United States classrooms are being
transformed into microcosms of
our great society, representing a
multitude of cultures and languages. Acknowledging that American classrooms, particularly English/
language arts classrooms, are in
transition is the first step in meeting
the needs of these "New Americans," our ESL students who usu-
ally speak their native language at
home or among friends, reserving English
for school.
Teachers will have to
create an environment where students learn
not only from the instruction provided by
the teacher, but from each other. Native
speakers of English and the more proficient
non-native speakers can provide feedback,
and computer-assisted instruction can provide the perfect medium to create partner-
ships between teacher, learners, and peers.
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Erix, I like the reflection you provided, and I also think it is great that you have noted the teacher for looking ahead into the future ways of how technology could help our students, especially the ESL population. There can never be too many ideas to help and improve ESL.
ReplyDeleteErix, I agree with your view, communicating through technology is so much better when there is a language barrier. A couple of years ago I had the privilege of assisting an ESL teacher in the classroom; I was working with a couple of kids from Syria. They couldn't speak English very well. So, one of the girls pulled out her tablet and used Google to translate.
ReplyDeleteHi, Erix. I'm not a teacher, but I believe that the idea of using technology to facilitate students' ESL learning is beneficial. You're absolutely right; this assignment does validate students' opinions. Of course, the article was written in 1996, and this was a time where email began to emerge as a new technology. I think it is important for teacher in 2018 to value the diverse digital literacy practices that students bring to the classroom. When teachers ask students to compose digitally; they are valuing students' literacy practices and this is important in an age where students are being asked to use technology to compose.
ReplyDeleteWith technology, we are able to sit down and think for as long as we need before constructing our thoughts into sentences. Unlike the classroom experience where we mustn't take too long or there's just an awkward silence. I think in this respect, ESL students would definitely be able to gain more confidence as they are given the time they need to gather their thoughts without the pressure of 30 other eyes waiting on their response. Moreover, seeing their writing on screen and to have others respond to them helps them form a digital identity where they can go back to their posts and see the progress they've made in language and thought.
ReplyDeleteThe use of email for ESL students to contact native speakers reminds me of as child in Elementary school. We would have pen pals. Sometimes the pen pals where from the U.S but a few where from other countries. Now with technology such as email they could contact each more frequently then how we did with letter writing.
ReplyDelete