MLesinski ESL509 Blog

The article I read this week ( "English for Informational Technology" ) looked at the importance for nonnative speakers of English to understand certain terms and phrases if they intend on entering the field of Information Technology. While it may not be completely necessary to speak fluent English to work in the field of IT, it may be very difficult to do so without at least a cursory understanding of the English language.   If a nonnative speaker of English wants to get into the field of writing code, it may also be necessary to understand the English language as many of the tags needed to write working HTML are written in English. I had never thought of this until looking at English as a Lingua Franca. I am sure that there are other examples out there of professions or practices where knowing a specific language is required, even if it is not the spoken language of the area. Comment below if you know any examples of professions where a specific lan...

The article I read this week ( "Drawing on Ideas for Language Learners" ) talked about the benefits concept mapping can have for L2 students. Through the use of the concept-mapping platform Ideaphora , several distinct uses of concept mapping for L2 students were discussed. Education researchers have advocated the use of concept mapping for over 40 years as an effective way to foster higher-order thinking skills. Concept maps help to move ELL students from knowledge acquisition to knowledge utilization to creation. Utilizing concept maps, language learners can create a visible structure of their understanding in given domains that can be modified to reflect new understanding. Some of the major ways concept maps can be used are in pre-reading, pre-writing, vocabulary building, developing critical thinking skills, assessment, and reading comprehension. With the advances in technology, creating these concept maps has become easier for teachers and students to utiliz...

I'll admit it freely: I LOVE memes. I think they are often hilarious and I share them with my friends and family regularly. If you are not familiar with what a meme is, it is formally defined as: an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation. AKA: funny pictures shared online that often have accompanying captions adding to their hilarity. Now what, might you ask, do memes have to do with teaching ESL students? This is a fair question indeed. The fact is, many of our students today share my enjoyment in both creating and sharing memes with their friends. Memes are incredibly engaging for students at the secondary level and the articles I read this week ( "Using Classroom Memes to Connect with Your Students"  and  "Try Not to Smile When an ESL Student Uses Memes as Writing Prompts" ) showed me that I need to start harnessing the power of memes to eng...

This week, the article I read was “ A Historic Literacy Effort in California Brings Personalized Learning to English Language Learners ” by Tim Newcomb. The article really shows the power that personalized learning can truly have not just for ELL students, but all students, if it is implemented properly. In Napa County, California, Barbara Nemko (the superintendent of schools) partnered with Footsteps2Brilliance® to bring a digital version of early learning literacy to the students in her district. Footsteps2Brilliance® is “ a transformative pre-K through 3rd grade literacy solution that utilizes mobile technology to connect school, home, and the community for academic success.    Its innovative Mobile Technology Platform allows comprehensive literacy apps to be accessed online or offline from any mobile device (Apple or Android) or traditional computer.    This enables school districts, for the first time ever, to leverage the mobile devices that parents alrea...