The article I read this week discusses the impact of remote learning on English Language Learners during these challenging times. The article focuses on one particular high school student in a Pittsburgh Public High School. She discusses how the change to remote learning has disrupted her learning English as a second language in challenging and frustrating ways. She is expected to complete all of her assignments online in English all while trying to navigate new online learning platforms. In addition, she is using Google translate for reading assignments just so she can keep up and not fall behind in class. As per Schneider (2020), educators say these types of students are some of the most at risk for falling behind without additional support. I agree and I think students should be given the opportunity to practice navigating through these new online platforms before expected to complete assignments. I’m sure many students around the world are struggling with the new technology platforms, but ELLs have an additional difficulty due to the language barrier.
Some additional barriers that ELL students are facing with remote learning include teachers not accepting homework assignments. As Schneider (2020) states, students are expressing that teachers "told them that they received too much help with the work and that the English in the completed assignments was beyond their level” (para 5). I personally took this statement to heart and was completely shocked. These ELL students are trying everything in their power to complete the assignments in these challenging times and for teachers to give that kind of feedback is saddening. In my opinion, the students are probably doing the best they can, spending more time on the computer than others, and are hopefully still learning some English language throughout the process. Students have also expressed that teachers outside of ESL classes speak so quickly that it is hard to comprehend what is being said and taught in online sessions. And, ELL students are too shy to ask teachers to clarify information or repeat directions in the event that they will hear negative feedback.
The article continues to discuss some alternative ways to help students with the technology aspect of virtual learning. Zoom and the WhatsApp video call have been two methods used by educators in order to give students some additional help. Teachers are able to point and share the screen to give students somewhat of additional support.
As per the district, they are struggling to keep up with translation services for students and their families. There are 96 languages spoken within the district. When information is sent home to families in English, it takes several days until that same information is translated and sent home to families in their spoken language. This I feel puts an additional barrier on the students if their parents do not speak any English because they will have less of a support system at home in order to complete assignments. In addition, some students experience another barrier of having to take care of younger siblings so parents can go to work. These times sure are challenging for students and their families.
Once ELLs return to school, educators and advocates say the next challenge will be figuring out how to make up and/or catch up for the learning that students have lost due to the additional barriers (Schneider (2020).
Schneider, S. (2020, October). Advocates say remote teaching puts English language learners in an impossible situation. Retrieved from https://www.wesa.fm/post/advocates-say-remote-teaching-puts-english-language-learners-impossible-situation
I have been worried about students falling behind since the closure in March. Thankfully my school has opened up and most students that need the additional support are here in person so we can provide the additional supports they need. There are only a select few in our grade level that opted for remote learning and I worry that they will fall behind if things continue on this way for an extended time. Teachers are doing what they can, but remote instruction will never equate to face-to-face instruction.
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