Reflection on English Language Difficulties
I found that Zwiers’ chapter on understanding how students use language made me think much more about the challenges in acquiring a language like English. I had the opportunity to teach English in Nepal in May, and that experience highlighted just how difficult English can be to use and understand. There are so many words that sound similar, and words that are the same but have different meanings depending on their context. While understanding the ‘bricks’ of language was an area of concern, my experience in Nepal highlighted that it is often the ‘mortar’ that is so much more confusing.
Sometimes it is hard to remember, at least for native English speakers, that much of how we construct sentences has been acquired through years and years of observation and mimicry. In working with English Language Learners I found that it can sometimes be difficult to know when or where to draw the line between evaluating the correct content of their speech or written work and evaluating how precise or correct their use of language was. If the student achieved the correct answer and used reasonably good grammar and sentence structure was that enough? Should consideration be given to their level of proficiency, and whether their current work was improved relative to their previous work? Should all students be marked based on the exact same standards? If your goal is to teach a specific subject matter, and the student demonstrates that they understand, how much weight or attention should be given to language quality?
In the end, I feel that it comes down to ensuring that students feel empowered and that they are capable of learning and improving. Different students respond in unique ways to a variety of feedback and marking styles, and strategies for improving their learning need to focus on the specific needs of the students, to the best of our abilities.