Grouping of ELL's

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cmq98
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Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:55 pm
Location: New Jersey USA

Grouping of ELL's

Post by cmq98 » Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:48 pm

I recently read that grouping ELL students by proficiency level instead of grouping the with proficient speakers could be detrimental to their learning. I'm very torn by this statement and have grouped my high school students both ways. I agree that grouping lower level ELL's with fluent English speakers can have it's benefits, but in my experiences I've found that the FES do most of the work and end up giving the ELL's all the answers. Can anybody provide any experiences in which this type of grouping can be beneficial?

Sally Olsen
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Post by Sally Olsen » Mon Feb 14, 2011 4:41 pm

I am always amazed that teachers use groups without training the students to work in groups. You would never do that with any other type of teaching. You carefully train students to use computers, labs, tape recorders, gym equipment and on and on. Usually students are well trained in classroom techniques as well, sit crossed legged on the story mat, don't touch others at the desks and on and on.

You have to train students to work in groups. There is a whole literature on group work and how it works best. You can Google it.

If you are working with native speakers and giving them a group of ELL students you have to train them to be teachers and not to do the work for the students. The native speaking student has to want to train to be a teacher and see the advantage of doing this work in their own learning and it is an advantage. You train your assistant teachers while the others are doing work and give the assistants extra time and recognition because they are doing part of your job. In the end it is a win win situation for everyone but everyone has to agree to this and you have to work on the students for whom it is a problem.

JDRRowan
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Post by JDRRowan » Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:39 am

I am also very torn by this statement. I feel as though, if we are placing ELL students in the least restrictive environment that should be in their regular grade level classroom. The inclusion model of this classroom should contain higher functioning students that could act as role models for the students that need a little extra help. Students do tend to learn a lot from their peers. I have seen classrooms that have this inclusive model work. The students all succeed academically and socially because the various skills that are practiced.

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