Carolyn Stout

Pauli Bandenhorst
CI 280, 010
May 3, 2018
Teaching Philosophy for English Language Learners
Through academic research, thoughtful discourse, and personal experience in educational

settings, I have learned that teaching is much more than writing on whiteboards, designing

worksheets, and evaluating exams. Rather, teaching requires careful consideration of student

individuality and culture that constitute classroom dynamics and influence curriculum. Over

recent decades, the United States public schools experienced an immense growth in the number

of English language learners, or ELLs. ELLs comprise a student population that speaks a

language other than English and are acquiring English in school (Garciá & Kleifgen, 2010, p.1)

As an aspiring elementary educator, I expect my classroom to be abundant in cultural diversity,

evident in cultural background and language. Statistics from the 1997-98 schoolyear to the 2007-

08 schoolyear show an increase in ELL enrollment in public schools from 3.5 million to 5.3

million, or 51%, an increase that predicts a continual growth in ELLs (McCabe, 2018). Although

linguistic differences contribute to classroom diversity, they also pose potential learning barriers

for ELLs, stemming from an inadequate understanding of English and poor-quality pedagogy.

Because students whose first language is English do not experience such adversity, a significant

achievement gap has emerged between non-ELLs and ELLs. The National Assessment of

Educational Progress reported consistent trends in ELLs’ lesser academic performance in

mathematics and reading, evident in elementary, middle school, and high school students (Office

of Language Acquisition, 2016). These statistics demonstrate the necessary prioritization of ELL

educational needs in the classroom. Regardless of cultural background, all students deserve equal
education opportunities in an inclusive classroom space, awarding children and families full

membership of the community, equal developmental and learning opportunities, and an

experiential sense of belonging.

Our nation’s academic history has demonstrated a linguistic achievement gap that can be

related to curriculum, pedagogy, and philosophy. Theoretical constructs that deem useful in

English language learning include, “a curriculum that is challenging and creative, and a

pedagogy that is transformative/intracultural and collaborative,” (Garciá & Kleifgen 2010, p.

71). However, the implementation of these constructs requires an understanding of how language

and culture play a role in the learning process. Language and culture comprise funds of

knowledge, or collection of accumulated knowledge and skills. A child’s fund of knowledge is

constructed through exchanges with relatives and community members, who share language and

cultural values. When children participate in exchanges with members in their immediate

environment, they are provided with practical advice and a context for learning (Moll, Amanti,

Neff, & Gonzalez, 1982). Within these cultural contexts, teaching and learning is catalyzed by

children’s interests and questions, as they acquire skillful knowledge. Based on the family’s

values and culture, skills and experiences can be rooted in topics such as agriculture, economics,

medicine, household management, religion, repair, or material and scientific knowledge (1982).

For example, a child who grows up on a farm is likely to interact with animals and perform

laborious tasks. This agricultural environment will provide the child with a basis of material and

scientific knowledge, which can be carried into a classroom. Another example is a child of

working immigrant parents, who speak little English. In this case, the parents may be unable to

execute some tasks in English, such as calling a doctor’s office, paying bills, or helping with

homework, causing the child to serve as a responsible translator for the family. This child’s fund
of knowledge may be a collection of several languages, intrapersonal skills, and economic

experiences, comprising important people and professional skills. Another child’s fund of

knowledge may be shaped by reading before bed or singing at church, founding the roots of

literacy development. The previous examples prove how experience, language, and the cultural

structure of the home are determinants of the funds of knowledge children bring to school.

Teachers of ELLs can tap into children’s funds of knowledge by creating learning opportunities

that elicit skills and cultural knowledge in the classroom.

Funds of knowledge explain how children acquire knowledge in the home, as relatives

and members of the community use language and cultural experience as tools for teaching.

Through this natural learning process, parents become children’s first teachers and remain

educational influences throughout the children’s lives. However, when young children enter

school, they encounter new learning environments, comprised of new practices and new

teachers, who are likely to differ in race, religion, ethnicity, social class, or language, constituting

an unfamiliar educational setting. These transitional challenges occur in the early elementary

years of education, inevitably causing children to adapt to the program’s environment and

pedagogy. For some children, this transition is smooth and effortless. For others, the transition is

challenging and uncomfortable. Usually, the transition is more difficult for students who

experience greater differences between home and school environments, such as racial, linguistic,

or cultural differences. These differences have the potential to disrupt learning, participation, and

confidence in the classroom, as students feel discouraged by linguistic and cultural barriers.

Unfortunately, academic culture in America has constructed a discouraging divide between ELLs

and their native language and culture, setting English as the expectation for academic success.
 However, my experiences in early childhood and elementary education have helped me

recognize the importance of authenticity, culture, and linguistic diversity. Each student enters the

classroom with a different use, interpretation, and understanding of language and culture,

influencing their will and ability to learn. English language learners will face inevitable

challenges, as their native language will be tested both academically and socially by formal

assessments, teachers, and peers. However, I believe in promoting equitable opportunities for

ELLs and their families through an inclusive classroom, inviting each family to partake in the

learning process, regardless of race, ethnicity, social class, or culture. I aspire to facilitate an

inclusive classroom by building partnerships with families focused on trust, respect, and

communication. Not only do partnerships connect families to the school regarding academic and

administrative purposes, but partnerships connect home and school environments, granting

students the opportunity to feel their culture alive and present in the classroom.

An essential component to building partnerships with families is involvement. Family

involvement in elementary education has been linked to several positive outcomes for children,

including social competence, cognitive development, communication skills, literacy

development, vocabulary growth, expressive language, comprehensive skills, and positive

engagements with peers, adults, and learning (Harvard Family Research Project, 2006).

However, to achieve results, partnerships must be focused to match child’s needs with parental

attitudes and practices, as well as the school’s expectations and pedagogy. Therefore, teachers

must develop strategies to invite and engage families in the learning process and be present in the

classroom.

Some of the most common strategies to foster family involvement include open house

and parent-teacher conferences. The purpose of open house is to welcome parents to the school
and provide an opportunity for parents to become acquainted with the teacher and the classroom,

which should reflect the authenticity of student learning and culture. Open house is also an

opportunity to present goals, expectations, and teaching philosophy via conversations, posters, or

handouts. All printed parental materials should be written in English, as well as other native

languages spoken in the classroom, allowing non-English speaking parents to clearly understand

the conduction of the classroom. Overall, open house provides families with an important

introduction to the school, teacher, and classroom. Parent-teacher conferences, however, serve as

a more individualized method to update parents on their child’s progress in school. While

conversing with parents, teachers must be clear in expressing their thoughts and be respectful

when listening to parents’ opinions and expectations. Parent-teacher conferences are an excellent

way to partnerships, as parents and teachers work together to assess and student goals, yet

considering 60% of ELLs come from low-income families, many parents may not be able to

afford the time away from work to attend a school conference (Breiseth, 2015). As a teacher

committed to equity and inclusion, I will make myself available to communicate with all

families, whether early in the morning, after school hours, or a phone call on the weekend. By

scheduling time to discuss student progress with their families, I hope to prove my support for

families and gain trust to improve the partnership.

Along with person-to-person conversations, teachers must implement multiple

communication strategies to build effective partnerships. One-way communication strategies,

such as newsletters, report cards, and progress notes, keep parents informed of activities and

school policies (Edwards, 2016, p. 52). However, two-way communication strategies are

essential in building productive partnerships, as parents give teachers feedback and provide

ideas. Two-way communication can take form in parent surveys, home-to-school communication
notebooks, classroom websites, or phone calls (Edwards, 2016, p. 52). Regardless of their

language, education, or literacy level, all parents can contribute to their child’s education through

communication. Teachers can strengthen communication with parents of ELLs by reaching out

in their native language. To do so, teachers can translate written communication, learn some of

the native language, or connect families with bilingual faculty (Edwards, 2016, p. 97). By

communicating inclusively with all parents, families become clearly informed about school

events, classroom activities, and volunteer opportunities, providing encouragement for

involvement in the classroom.

Although parents play an essential role in family involvement, teachers can direct

students to actively participate in cultivating a culturally inclusive classroom. Culturally

inclusive activities will differ depending on the maturity of students in accordance with grade

level. For example, family photo blocks and personality puzzles are more appropriate for

younger grade levels, as each activity includes pictures of families and interests. Activities for

older elementary students may include writing a personal narrative, researching family history,

or constructing a project reflective of family history. Regardless of students’ age, these activities

and assignments should be hung around the classroom to help create a diverse environment and

encourage discussion. The teacher can represent culture in other ways around the classroom,

such as posting translanguaging charts, hanging up flags, and keeping up with current events of

other countries. The goal of a culturally focused environment is not to celebrate student culture

but acknowledge and respect student lives and experiences present in the classroom.

While family involvement promotes a culturally inclusive classroom for ELLs, teachers

must first study the classroom community and consider what value systems are present among

students. This consideration of value systems is important, as different value systems hold
different beliefs about education and have the potential to influence parent involvement in

education. Individualism and collectivism, for example, are two contrasting value systems,

describing different student, teacher, and community expectations. Individualism is

representative of American culture and stresses the value of independence, self-expression,

flexible roles, and an understanding of the physical world apart from human life (Trumbull,

Rothstein-Fisch, & Greenfield). Individualistic parents aim to make their children independent at

home and at school, where the teacher is not the sole authorative figure in the classroom. This

idea encourages children and families to participate in learning, ask questions, and hold

conversations with teachers. On the contrary, collectivism is a set of values focused on

interdependence, group success, hierarchical roles, and an understanding of the physical world

for human life (Trumbull, Rothstein-Fisch, & Greenfield). Collectivists believe that the teacher is

the sole authority in the classroom; therefore, collective students and families are less likely to

participate in the classroom and converse with teachers, as a sign of respect. The collective value

system is representative of immigrant cultures and ELL students. For this reason, some ELL

families may think family involvement is strange, as they associate school as a place where the

teacher is in charge, and students and families are to be quiet and obedient. These values serve as

a possible rationale for why ELLs are hesitant to speak up in class when they are struggling

academically or socially. Similar hesitation may also be exhibited by their families, who are less

likely to participate in family involvement activities. Therefore, teachers must carefully consider

the values of students and families before implementing culturally inclusive strategies in the

classroom.

Considering the increase in English language learners in the United States, elementary

teachers must prepare for future classrooms filled with diverse races, religions, social classes,
cultures, and languages. Teachers must create inclusive classrooms to help all students feel

confident, proud, and ready to learn. Teachers can also catalyze English language learning by

building trusting relationships and appreciating linguistic differences through family

involvement and cultural recognition. Although all English language learners will adapt and

learn at different speeds, I aspire to create a classroom culture that is inclusive and inspiring for

all students to learn together and love one another.

 References

Breiseth, Lydia. (2015). What You Need to Know About ELLs: Fast Facts. Retrieved May 2,

2018, from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/what-you-need-know-about-ells-fast-

facts

Edwards, P. A. (2016). New ways to engage parents: Strategies and tools for teachers and

leaders, K-12. New York: Teachers College Press.

García, O., & Kleifgen, J. A. (2010). Educating emergent bilinguals: Policies, programs, and

practices for English learners. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Harvard Family Research Project. (2006). Family Involvement in Early Childhood

Education. Family Involvement Makes a Difference: Evidence That Family Involvement

Promotes School Success for Every Child of Every Age,1.

McCabe, M. (2018, April 20). English-Language Learners. Retrieved May 1, 2018, from

https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/english-language-learners/

Moll, L. C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1982). Funds of Knowledge for Teaching:

Using a Qualitative Approach to Connect Homes and Classrooms. Theory Into

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Office of Language Acquisition. (2016, January). English Learner's (EL's) Trends from the

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https://ncela.ed.gov/files/fast_facts/OELA_FF_NAEP_LineTrends.pdf

Trumbull, E., Rothstein-Fisch, C., & Greenfield, P. M. (n.d.). Bridging Cultures in Our Schools:

New Approaches That Work.