ESL Teacher Reflection 4

This past week in class we talked about writing and how to include grammar instruction into writing for students. The concept that I really became attached to was the idea that you should not correct every mistake in a writing piece that ESL students make, because this can become very overwhelming to them. Not only do I completely agree, but also even as a English speaking student I felt this overwhelming feeling at a younger age when I would receive writing pieces back from my teachers.

Over the last few weeks I have seen this concept really expressed in my ESL placement at Cornell Elementary School. My mentor teacher will often let students (because they are only in elementary school) spell things the way they hear it phonetically. My mentor teacher will help the students sound out the words, and then let them write down however they think that the word is suppose to be spelled. It is only when the students ask her how to spell something and have already tried several times (and then become frustrated), does she tell them. Giving the correct spelling also usually only applies with the older fourth and fifth grade students. This gives students the chance in their writing to worry more about expressing themselves then the exact spelling with every word.

In many of the writing samples that are done in class, there are often key words that need to be used. This incorporates the grammar that she needs to cover and still gives students the freedom to express what they want without having to write one specific thing.

I really think my mentor teachers methods work for the students. They all seem to be acquiring the information they need to, and progressing in their writing skills. Therefore, the methods that my mentor teacher has been practicing with the students (with bringing grammar into the students writing), is slowly helping them learn how to write with structure, to incorporate grammar, as well as specific and concepts into the students writing.