Reflections and Reaffirmations
Currently, my inquiry has reaffirmed much of the literature regarding the relationship between ELL engagement and the incorporation of the ELLs’ L1. If executed in a meaningful manner, bringing non-English L1s into the classroom can be a way to positively recognize the cultural identities of ELLs, and can lead to a beneficial effect on academic engagement. My observations from short practicum feature the same results. ELLs were seemingly more engaged when their L1s were present in lectures, visuals, or when allowed the option to work in their L1.
However, my findings lead me to other concerns and questions:
1. When non-English L1s are incorporated into the classroom, how does this affect students who do not speak those languages?
2. Does the culture of the school play any role?
The first question’s answer is starting to formulate from my experiences in short practicum. When I integrated the non-English L1s into my explanation of onomatopoeia, the entire class seemed engaged, drawn by a curiosity for the linguistic differences. However, I believe my short practicum school had forged a healthy culture for diversity and multicultural perspectives. I wonder if a school without these inclusive environments may encounter struggles when attempting to bring these non-English L1s into their classrooms.
I am intending on spending more time examining the literature as well. Although the field is overwhelmingly in support for the inclusion of the L1, I am curious to critically examine any literature that may be against this pedagogy. Furthermore, I would like to investigate the literature behind dialects, pidgins, and creoles and what effects they may have in the classroom as well. However, I understand that creoles are their own language. And while the former linguistic variations are not fully formed languages, I hypothesize that the three can be utilized in a similar manner to the L1 as they are integral components of cultural identity. Specifically, pidgins result from an intersection between two cultures and seem to reinforce the relationship between culture and language.
Although I am already creating unit plans and lesson plans with ELLs in mind, I intend on further developing my pedagogical approaches. Already, I have observed the positive effects of L1 integration within my classroom, and so I am inspired to integrate my findings into my teaching next year.