Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS

Rebecca Steinke Learning Centers and ESL Students January 2014

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS Effective Methods of Incorporating Learning Centers

Learning centers are designed to facilitate student-centered learning, where the student is engaged in self-discovery and exploration of a topic. When centers are well-developed, organized, and connect to school curriculum, they are effective and teach a student the information in a variety of modes. With the fact that not all students learn the same way, this helps teach to all different intelligences, while displaying to the classroom teacher how each student learns best. When implemented in a classroom with ESL students, there are important aspects to consider which ensure that these students are supported at each center. While these students may just be learning English, or may have no concept of our language, it is still important to immerse these students into subject content through the use of interactive and meaningful centers. To make effective centers for ESL students, it is important to remember that they rely on visual aids to understand what theyre learningand also depend on consistency to know where to find information related to a particular subject (Celic, 2009, p. 14). The use of visuals can come in the form of pictures and words written not only in their L1, but also in English. As with learning any new language, creating a working vocabulary is crucial to being able to implement the language in daily use. In every center, using an interactive word wall will help with the academic vocabulary that the student is expected to understand. The teacher can create two cards, one written in the students native language and one with the word written in English. After teaching the word, the student can draw a picture on the card that will help them remember what the word means. In an article by Julie Jackson (2011), an ESL student stated The word wall helps a lot because it can be a reference and I learn from seeing stuff so the pictures really help (p. 45). This proves how essential it is for the student to make their own connection

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS between the word and the picture they choose to represent the concept. These cards should be added to the word wall as they are learned, rather than at the beginning of the unit, to eliminate any confusion. Along with word walls, a variety of visually appealing charts are effective when reminding a student of what they have already learned. You will not have any charts in the center when the school year starts, but as you begin teaching different concepts during the first weeks of school, the space will begin to fill up (Celic, 2009, p. 19). As the charts are created, they can be stapled to a bulletin board, with newly created charts stapled on top so they are all

accessible for your students to flip through during the school year (Celic, 2009, p. 10). Placed in every center of the classroom, charts should be clear and focus on one concept. For example, when used in the math center, the process of addition should be shown step-by-step, with key words written in English to summarize the concept of addition. When in the writing center, an effective chart for an ESL student would be one that diagrams how to write a sentence. Not only does this help the ESL learner, but all learners in the classroom as well. When introducing ESL students to learning centers, it is important to remember that they may be confused at the idea of guiding their own learning because they did not engage in this in their native country (Bassoff, p. 1). There two steps that can help the ESL students understand how these centers work, without ostracizing them or making them feel different than their peers. First, the ESL student should have the opportunity to practice the center to understand the directions before the center is implemented into the daily routine. This is also helpful when teaching centers to younger students whose L1 is English. Then, the students should be paired with a peer who seems to be a leader in the room. This student should be able to guide the ESL

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS student when working in centers for a short period of time as the student is fully immersing themselves in the centers. Lastly, teachers should design meaningful centers. All students want to succeedall students want to feel like a part of the overall community (Bassoff, p. 1). Through

implementing centers that focus on strengthening students English language skills, you create a wonderful resource to help understand where your student falls in the scope of academic English acquisition (Bassoff, p. 2). From this information, you are able to cater to the needs of this student, without ostracizing them, but by creating a successful learning environment for the student. ESL Learning Centers in My Classroom From the research that I have gathered, there are many elements to consider when creating centers to educate students and strengthen ESL students English skills. In my classroom, I would incorporate the use of interactive word walls, charts, and the steps to make an ESL student feel comfortable in every center and every content area. I believe that it is important to have centers in every content area to construct the opportunity for children to understand information in a hands-on manner that generates creativity. I have created scenarios that relate to a general education classroom with an ESL student, where the use of centers not only guides the ESL students English skills, but also provides supportive activities for English speaking students in a Kindergarten setting.1

A large portion of my supporting information is based upon findings in the text English Language Learners Day by Day K-6: A Complete Guide to Literacy, Content-Area, and Language Instruction, written by Christina M. Celic, who has extensively explored the topic of creating a positive learning environment for an ESL student.

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS It has been suggested that math is a universal language, meaning that virtually

everywhere you go, 1 plus 1 will equal 2, the circumference of a circle will be found by the same formula, and so on. However, when it comes to learning the vocabulary to implement mathematical terms into the English language, it is not so universal. In my classrooms math center, I would create a word wall that is aligned with the state standards of Kindergarten math. At this age, math does not incorporate a large amount of vocabulary words; however, symbols and math concepts are developing. I would write a number on an index card, for example: five. Then, I would have the students draw a picture of something that will help them think of the number five (five lollipops, five dogs, etc). This would be implemented for the numbers as the English speaking and ESL students learn what they mean and how to write them. After learning the basics of math, I would integrate charts into the center, remembering that Celic (2009) states they should only display one concept per chart (p. 15). For example, I would have the basic shapes: circle, square, triangle and rectangle in a chart that is visually appealing. With this, the ESL students can see the word and the shape that goes with the word. As an activity at this center, the students would go through a magazine and cut out shapes that they see in pictures and paste them to their own chart. They could also complete an activity where they say the word out loud as they are drawing the shape on an individual white board. White boards have been proven to be an excellent scaffold for ELLs by Celic (2009), as they support visual and kinesthetic learners (p.16). Not only should these concepts be used in math centers, but they should definitely be applied to writing and reading centers. Melissa Wood (2004) states, writing develops young childrens understanding of written language. A way to promote understanding of written language is though writing centers (p. 18). Even though at the Kindergarten level many students may not be able to read and write,

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS there should still be a center relating to concepts of print. In my writing and reading center, I would develop a high-frequency word wall, where all students are able to see these specific words of their daily vocabulary. The ESL student in my class would have their own reference page with high-frequency words on it that they can apply. Once they have a complete

understanding of the word and how to read and write it, they would add it to their reference page. This page could be kept in their personal folder or at the center. While all students are learning to read, write, and make the sounds of the letters of the alphabet, ESL students at the center could listen to the sounds of the letters on a tape. As this would be open to all students, the ESL student might benefit from it the best, while being able to hear and make the sounds of the letters. From experience, I have seen that students encounter difficulties when trying to correctly make the sounds of letters at this age. I would be sure to introduce this activity to the ESL student through the use of the two steps I spoke about previously. I would fully explain and model how to use the center for the student. Then, I would pair this student up with another peer who is considered advanced and a leader in the classroom. As the ESL student sounds out the letters, the other student could be helping them hear the sound, while also reinforcing the material for themselves. If this was not helping the student, I would act as the students peer and facilitate their learning of the sounds of the letters. While math, reading and writing are seen as the most important subject areas for students to be proficient in, it is still necessary to implement science and social studies into the school curriculum, even in Kindergarten. Science is an area of study that helps someone understand the world around them in a different context. Through science, a student is able to explore plants in nature or why rain falls from the sky. In my science center, there would be a word wall similar to those previously

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS mentioned. However, with science, there may be more opportunities for true artifacts at the center that relate to the content to paint a picture in the childs memory. For example, if the students were learning about butterflies, a real butterfly would be effective to convey what a butterfly looks like. I am sure that most students have seen a butterfly before, however, an ESL

student may have no idea what a butterfly is. I would then have a circular chart showing the life cycle of the butterfly with general English words to support the information presented. Social studies is important at an early age because it teaches children more about their expanding community and helps them come to see themselves as citizens (Mindes, 2005, p. 1). Keeping in mind the National Council for Social Studies standards, Kindergarten aims at learning about yourself in the social setting. In my classroom, this would be integrated into the social studies center through the word wall defining the word respect. After teaching the children about this social act of caring about one another, they could come to the center and draw a picture displaying how to be respectful. An activity that could foster an ESL students understanding of respect would be the students creating skits or examples of what respect looks like, linking the word respect with the action of being respectful. A chart that would further explain respect would be a mind map where the students tell the teacher other words that come to mind when they think of respect. Although not all Kindergarten students could read this, their ideas displayed in the center give them a sense of belonging and that they are part of the classroom community. Through the research that I have conducted regarding ESL students and the importance of centers in a classroom, I have noticed that there is a strong influence on understanding vocabulary. This is evident because if a student does not understand the words around them, they will not be able to have a working English vocabulary to communicate with their peers. It also

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS aids them in their academic communication skills and being able to use what they are learning. However, the use of modeling how to use centers, creating interactive word walls, and implementing visually appealing charts are teaching practices that will not only help the ESL student, but they will help expand the minds of the young and impressionable students who do speak English. There are a multitude of resources available for teachers to implement these simple, yet effective elements to their centers that will educate all of the students in the classroom in a variety of ways.

Running head: LEARNING CENTERS AND ESL STUDENTS References Bassoff, T. Making center learning meaningful for ELL/ESL students. Intervention Literacy Centers,1-6. Celic, C. (2009). English language learners day by day, K-6: A complete guide to literacy, content-area, and language instruction. Heinemann,14-22. Jackson, J. (2011). Interactive word walls. Science Scope, 35(3), 45-49. Mindes, G. (2005). Social studies in todays early childhood curricula. Beyond the Journal. Young children on the web. Sept. 1-6.

Wood, M. (2004). The importance of writing with young children. Eastern Michigan University: Senior Honors Theses,1-37.