Iceberg Analogy by Jennifer

For me, the Iceberg photo accurately represents an

English Language Learner. With the beginnings of
language acquisition, an individual’s identity and
knowledge base is slowly emerging and revealing itself
to other native speakers of English, much like the top
of the iceberg is represented as barely breaking the
surface. A new English language learner initially
struggles to convey what they know and attempts to
participate in the daily procedures of a regular English classroom through gestures and pictures. As time
goes on and more vocabulary is acquired, the ELL student can slowly convey his or her identity and
knowledge base and begin to feel socially connected to others. ELL students do come equipped with a
wealth of skills, language knowledge and understandings of their first language, as represented by the
immensity of the submerged part of the iceberg. Learning English is a process that may come quickly for
some, but for others, it is a near five-year journey of learning. As Teachers, it is up to us not to find out
what they do not know, but rather what they already do know and find ways to help them demonstrate
their understanding.

I chose the tree to represent an English Language Learner’s journey. The roots represent the first 5 years
of life, where learning a language is based upon the encouragement and successful interactions of many.
A child is rewarded in their attempts at language and is encouraged by parents, siblings, grandparents
and extended family and friends. As well, positive interactions and chances to practice exchanges occur
in the community via daycare, visits to the Library or drop in playgroup settings, to name a few. As Ellen
Bialystoke, Professor at York University, mentions in the video “ Does Learning Languages Make you
Smarter?”, For children in their first five years, automatically everyone they interact with and every
interaction is for the purpose of helping them learn language. These interactions to me, are like the
interconnected roots of a tree, woven together and vitally important in providing a solid foundation for
the tree to grow. The trunk of the tree represents the stage where learners are initially placed into the
new, unknown environment of the English Language. Things, like the trunk, feel rough, tight, and
constricted while the struggle to learn and converse begins. Laura-Ann Petitto, Professor at the
University of Toronto states in the same video, that learning a second language is harder and requires
more ports in the brain. Furthermore, as Elizabeth Coelho states, the process of learning a new language
for school takes longer and requires more supports than people think. As vocabulary is acquired and
skills develop, the trunk soon gives way to the branches. The branches now represent the growth of an
ELL student as they develop and expand in their areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, and
progression is made to becoming an academically proficient student. So, as represented with a fully
grown tree, we can also see a fully grown student who has a strong root system, a thick trunk of learning
progressions and stages and many branches of newly attained skill sets.

References:
Free Iceberg photo: Source iStock Photos by Ghetti Images

Photographer: Romolo Tavani

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/iceberg-floating-in-arctic-sea-picture-id693474546?
k=6&m=693474546&s=612x612&w=0&h=Ae8Nc6yhit4KALT66XPs-JFNu4aXFN7Vc-XOSwzfndM=

Tree and Root system: Source Shutterstock Free images

Photographer Potapov Alexander

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/green-summer-oak-tree-isolated-on-129420983?
id=129420983&irclickid=UYtQv2XeRxyOWMtwUx0Mo36DUkEzBK3BszAUwc0&irgwc=1&utm_medium=
Affiliate&utm_campaign=Elevated%20Logic%2C
%20LLC&utm_source=426523&utm_term=STOCKSNAP_SEARCH-
NORMAL_API&c3ch=Affiliate&c3nid=IR-426523

 Linguistic and Academic Support for Newcomers and Language Learners (pp. 57–60) in Language and
Learning in Multilingual Classrooms: A Practical Approach (Coelho, 2012).

Does learning language make kids smarter?

Laura-Ann Petitto and Ellen Bialystok explain how learning languages makes kids smarter.

youtube.com10 years ago