Reflection #4

As we continue to talk more and more about ELL students in class I am starting to think more and more about what my experience in South Africa will be like next summer.  I will be leaving at the beginning of July 2013 and will be doing a study abroad teaching program in South Africa for six weeks.  While I'm there I will be teaching elementary students who speak English, but it may not be their first language as they also speak Afrikaans in this country, which is a West Germanic language.  I am not nervous to go and teach in South Africa, but I do believe I may be faced with some challenges if I encounter students who do not have English as their L1.  Luckily we have recently been discussing methods in which can be used to make learning easier for L2 students and I will definitely carry those lessons with me to make sure that I am giving all of the students the fair advantage to learn to the best of their ability.  My goal when I am over there is to make a difference by not only teaching to the best of my ability, but also by teaching them about our teaching methods in America and how efficient they can be.  I will most likely be placed in a lower elementary classroom, therefore my goal will be to incorporate as many hands on activities as possible, including songs and fun learning objectives that the students will enjoy and learn from.  I have only been briefly exposed to ELL students in the past, so being in another country and having to conform to their ways and being surrounded by several ELL students will enable me to feel how other ELL students may have felt being in an area where not everyone speaks their language.  I am very excited to embark on a journey in which I will experience a different culture, be able to take my culture to the students, and be able to carry out the teaching methods learned in this class over this past semester.