Getting Beyond the Language Barrier

Facilitating ELL/Non-ELL Interaction

Spokane Regional ESL ConferenceAnny Fritzen Case, Gonzaga University

February 22, 2014

“I wanted to help [this African student] before, but I don’t know how she’d respond. So then I don’t cuz I don’t want to be in the awkward situation. . . I have a thing about being in awkward situations. I try really hard not to be.” (Victoria, oldtimer)

“Most of the immigrants, for my own information, they’re feeling too much nervous and so most of the time, I find them hanging by themselves.” (Gilbert, newcomer)

“Yeah – I don’t have problem – everybody like me and I like them. I cannot say that I have to hate any student or a teacher or anybody. . . I think it was Jesus helping me to come here. How I can hate them if Jesus take me [here]? I can’t. I have to work together with them.” (Landry, newcomer)

“I would definitely do anything to help somebody who’s just came to America, and you know, I was once in this position and I know how it feels.” (Nadif, oldtimer)

Outline

Benefits of ELL/Non-ELL Interaction The Proximity “Problem” Closing Gaps Video Project Opening Spaces Discussion

What are the benefits of ELL/Non-ELL Interaction?

Language Support in academic learning Cross-cultural understanding Friendship

(Usually framed as helping ELLs . . . .)

What are the challenges?

Avoided Awkward Unsuccessful Time consuming Language Barrier

“in the complex social world of high school adolescents, one [can] not simply assume that proximity would ensure interaction.” (Harklau, 1994)

Closing Gaps

Key Concepts

Proximity as Presence

Proximity as Pedagogy

Proximity as Problem

Proximity as Process

Eliminating institutional barriers

Instructional Strategies Confronting discriminatory

attitudes & practices; preventing discomfort

Orchestrating successful interaction

Video Project

Site: Afterschool program (11 meetings) Participants: 4 oldtimers (8+ years in U.S.)

and 8 newcomers (10 months – 2 years) Countries of Origin: Cuba, Vietnam, Somalia,

Burundi, Congo, Tanzania Purpose: Create a “Welcome Video”

The Study

How do high school students manage and perceive opportunities for interaction with peers from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds?

Data Sources Pre- and post-project interviews Audio- and video-recordings of group sessions Observational fieldnotes, journaling, artifacts

Qualitative Analysis

Closing Gaps

Shared project Perceived similarities Dedicated time Instructional strategies

“Make Them Understand”

“I don’t know what to do – like when they don’t understand, I try to think of some way to show them or like give some way to help them understand, but they don’t get it. And I get it and I get frustrated.” (Julia)

“We were doing commercials. . . and they didn’t understand one thing I was saying! I was like, “Nadif, help me!” I had to bring Nadif in to see what he could say to ‘em to make them understand ‘cuz with me, they were lost.” (Marisol)

Seeing Beyond the Language Barrier

“Marisol couldn’t get the guys to understand and she was having a hard time getting them involved . . . I didn’t really think about it, I just went up there and we kinda like understood each other.” (Nadif, oldtimer)

Embarrassing

Word centered to Person Centered Unidirectional to Multidirectional

Learning/Teaching Planned to spontaneous

“Taking it Seriously”

“Even though you do think that they know what they’re doin’, I don’t . . . I don’t know if they get that . . . you think they get it, but I, to me, I don’t think they actually know what the focus is – who we are actually helping.” (Marisol, oldtimer)

The “Talk”

“I don’t know why I was quiet. They was trying to talk to us and we just quiet, like we don’t know how to speak.” (Juma, newcomer)

We got right back to work and I mean, Marisol kind of understood that it wasn’t all about work – it was about having fun, too. And I think the other guys kinda understood to be more serious, so I think both points . . . [got] across.” (Nadif, oldtimer)

Opening Spaces

Becoming Understanding

“ . . . as we started working together, we built an understanding with each other . . . I don’t think language was that big of a deal anymore at the end ‘cuz of what we understood of them and how they communicated with us.” (Julia, oldtimer)

“They were my good friend because we were discuss together and when we have some question and ask they, they reply you. They were my friend.” (Landry, newcomer)

Opening Spaces

Delivering meaning They don’t understand

us Strategic Preventing problems Task centered

Constructing meaning I don’t understand you Responsive Embracing vulnerability Person centered

Responsive Improv

(Both/And Project)

Discussion

What opportunities do your ELLs have to interact with non-ELLs?

What has helped facilitate mutually beneficial and satisfying interaction?

What ideas do you have for future opportunities?

What ideas do you have for supporting ELL/non-ELL interaction?