I am currently teaching at Swainston Middle School in North Las Vegas. Our student population is very diverse, including English Language Learners (ELLs). During this time as a teacher, I have served students with different language needs. It has been my goal to engage ELL students in my lessons as every other student. It is my opinion that as teachers we are all language teachers. For this reason, ELLs should be provided with the support they need to develop their second language. ELLs present different challenges than native English speakers. ELLs are themselves quite diverse in their native language, literacy knowledge, and English development. For example, some ELL students can read and write fluently in their native language while others will enter the classroom with no prior literacy instruction. …show more content…
To accomplish this task, I have learned we should incorporate into our daily routine student- centered activities. This goes along with the Language Development Approach adopted by CCSD which is founded on the six principles of effective instruction. I believe every lesson plan should include activities that promote collaboration. When students collaborate they can become active in the learning process. Additionally, students when collaborating could practice their academic language. In an effort to teach literacy in my content area, I have promoted students interaction and discourse as learning strategies. I have experienced that learning is more effective for ELLs when they are given the opportunity to practice their academic language in the classroom. My goals as an instructor, has been to become a facilitator in the learning process and to implement teaching approaches that promote success in all content areas. I have concluded that students should learn the language, not about the