Kelly Hughes

November 1, 2012
Dr. Stevens

Language Diversity and Second Language Learners

Language diversity in schools is growing at a rapid rate all over
the country. It is vital for teachers to understand how to work with
students who are second language learners. They must have
appropriate teaching strategies to help them learn material and
become accustomed to working with and understanding the English
language. Since language barriers can be extremely different to
overcome, teachers must have experience working with children who
are second language learners in order to better assist them in the
classroom.
Smithland Elementary School is an extremely diverse school in
Harrisonburg, Virginia. There are about 46 different languages that are
spoken in Smithland Elementary, which is an astounding number.
When I first entered Smithland, I had no idea how linguistically diverse
the school was. My field experience involves working in the first grade
classroom. Almost all of the students in the classroom, with the
exception of four speak a second language. Every student in the
classroom can speak, write, and understand English. Some of the
students who speak Spanish have a harder time than some of the

other students. Mrs. Manzano does an excellent job of addressing the

children with limited English proficiency in the classroom. One of the
most effective teaching strategies for addressing students with limited
English proficiency that Mrs. Manzano uses is when she splits up the
students into different groups based on their ability level. She sets
aside special time to work with the group that struggles more with
comprehension of material and the English language. The teacher
spends time focusing on the break down of words, how to pronounce
them, and the use of them in sentences and real life experiences. She
goes more in depth with each student individually and pays special
attention to their comprehension and skills as they develop.
The Spanish language has been devalued and seen as
slang-like or unsophisticated and insignificant for too long. In society,
students have English as their second language are seen as behind or
disadvantaged compared to other students. It is extremely difficult for
students to enter schools with limited knowledge of the English
language. It is nearly impossible to succeed in American schools today
without knowing English. The English language is very complex and
when added to a diverse curriculum, it is challenging and demanding.
As a future teacher, I am expecting my classroom to be very diverse
linguistically. I want to work in an environment with minority children
and there is a high probability that a lot of the students I have in the
classroom will be second language learners. With this, I must create

strong teaching strategies and incorporate many different styles of

teaching in order to reach every student in my classroom. Since every
learner is different, I will address the certain needs of students
language barriers and attempt to overcome them as best I can. I will
most likely use the teaching strategy that Mrs. Manzano incorporated
into her classroom because I felt that splitting the class up into groups
so that the students who need extra attention can receive it and they
can also work with their peers who are experiencing some of the same
struggles and difficulties that they are.
In conclusion, linguistic diversity and second language learners
are becoming more and more included in the classroom. It is very
important for teachers to understand this and be able to address the
needs of the students and their possible language barriers. Teachers
must work with the students to overcome their struggles and learn the
curriculum while still trying to comprehend the English language.