Building Connections with Vocabulary

As I've mentioned in previous posts, every student in the class I'm completing my service learning hours in, is an ELL, or English Language Learner, student. My coordinating teacher is very aware of her students' needs, and one of my jobs in the classroom is to help out with students who are struggling with writing and reading because of vocabulary and grammar rules.

Many of the students are proficient in social English but struggle with academic English. As a result, their teacher spends a lot of time on reading and writing exercises so that they can have extra practice. She lets her students work at their own pace and in groups so that they can help each other understand whatever concepts they're learning. She maintains a positive and patient attitude towards their learning and towards their diverse needs.

If a student is struggling with a word definition, the teacher allows me to look up a picture of the word (if applicable) and has the student say the word in Spanish, then in English so they can make the connection. Once, a girl who really struggles with vocabulary words in English was unsure of what a ring was because she didn't know the definition of the English word. I looked up a picture of a ring and asked her to tell me what it was in Spanish. I then told her that the English word was "ring," and I could see the light in her eyes go on as she made the connection between the words.

To reinforce her students learning vocabulary words, the teacher does something called The 100 Club. Every Friday, the class takes a vocabulary test. The students who get a 100 on the test are invited up to the front of the class, and the rest of the students clap for them. When I asked the teacher why she does this, she said it helps the students respect and celebrate each others' accomplishments. "The idea is that no one will get jealous because they know that if they get a 100, their classmates will be genuinely proud and happy for them," she told me.

The teacher also encourages everyone to help out their fellow classmates when they are struggling. There is a very understanding and close feeling in the classroom because it is so small and the students are all very close friends with each other. Because the students all come from a Hispanic culture, they have many similar background experiences. There have been multiple times when she has made a connection to something they have learned in the past or even to a holiday they all celebrate, and the students have let out a collective "oh yeah!" Once the background experience has been established and discussed, the teacher will make a connection to the new concept they are learning. She will occasionally pull up on image on her computer that will help the students make the connection themselves.

I really admire the community that exists in this classroom. The teacher maintains a positive attitude and is always willing to help her students when they are struggling. She's very aware of her students' needs and is ready to fulfill them. As a teacher, I'll need to maintain the same positive attitude to make school a positive experience for both me and my students.