Blog 2

I have been a teacher in the Headstart Program for 15 years.   Within only the past few years, our curriculum has integrated the English acquisition.  What I found immediately was the need for this objective to be included for young students.  I firmly support the English as a second language program because, frankly, it has shown results.  To start, seventy percent of my students are primarily Spanish speakers and these spectacular children have learned to grasp a new language with interest. I have seen progress develop since they came through my classroom door.   From August 2011 through today, one of my primary focuses within my classroom is to ensure my students have a firm understanding of their native language.  Once I have determined these kids are equipped to understand their own language/vocabulary, phonics awareness/rhymes, and the importance of letter to word association it is a natural process for these young students to be able make a smooth transition to a second language.

For instance, I observed one of my students modeling a teacher's role with her peers. During my observation, she instructed two classmates to sing "Itsy, Bitsy, Spider" in English.  They all sang along while acting out out the song. It was so cute to see and witness their progress.  This was an opportunity for me to be able to present open ended questions to them such as, "What color was the Itsy, Bitsy, Spider?" "Was it black?" This encourages conversation between students.

The classroom material for my students has also shown to be useful when learning English for the first time. For example, flashcards, printed labels, and picture/word relationships in both languages (Spanish/English) are a regular part of our daily routine.

I have had special learning experiences, insights, challenges as a teacher throughout my educational career.  One in particular that comes to mind is the fact that parents are becoming interested in learning English as adults.  They also understand the importance English has in their everyday life. Kids also seem to be more confident, involved and socially connected.  Parents see it is important for them to show interest in their children's activities and want be apart of their learning process.When parents were given a survey within our community they have expressed an interest in learning the English language. Our program is a result of listening to parent's needs and providing them with free English sessions with teachers twice per week. I am very proud of my students and their families for their support and interest.

Eva Speaks