Friday, February 20, 2015

6 common Mistakes made with ELLs



In my English language learners class we are getting ready to have our Celebration Of Knowledge! This celebration of knowledge covers our knowledge about English language learners so far. One topic that I find important for teachers to understand is the six common mistakes made with Ells. By understanding these six mistakes teachers get an insight as to what NOT to do instead of just learning what to do.

The 6 mistakes are:

1. Banning the use of their first language-Students need to keep using their native language. This is how they probably communicate at home  and with their families.
2. Being fooled by a students' ease of use with predictable language- Just because you may hear an Ell interacting with their peers does not mean they understand the academic language. 
3. Over-correcting errors- This will just put the student down and they will lose all self-confidence.
4. Encouraging parents to speak only English as home- This goes along with number one banning the use of their first language. It's part of their culture. 
5. Assuming students understand classroom instruction because they are listening- This not only happens to Ells. This could go for any student in the classroom. Just because a child is watching you teach and give directions does not mean they understand. 
6. Forcing students to speak- Let the child be ready to speak. They may become aggravated and less motivated if you are constantly forcing them to speak. 






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