Chapter 3

Chapter three discusses many views regarding teaching and learning in the classroom.  I was particularly interested in constructivist learning.  "Constructivist learning in the elementary years helps students to maintain their curiosity and zest for learning.  English develops as students talk, listen, read, write, and are involved with authentic tasks" (Diaz-Rico, p. 50).  Constructivist learning is a process by which students are able to construct their own understanding of the world around them and how it works.  I believe this form of teaching is so important and relevant to students.  Traditionally many teachers take the approach that they do the teaching and their students do the learning.  Under constructivist learning, in speaking of the role of the teacher, "Instead of giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as facilitators whose role is to aid the student when it comes to their own understanding" (http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/constructivism/)  With constructivist learning, the teacher will pose questions, and have students come up with ways of solving problems through a multimodal approach.  Constructivist learning must have complete participation of students or learning doesn't take place.  This is a perfect approach in teaching English language learners.  They must be actively involved in pair discussions, class discussions and hands on activities where they are constructing their understanding of new concepts.  With this approach, EL students build learning and language acquisition and think in a more critical way.

Constructivist learning is not an easy approach to teaching.  Alyssa Barnard wrote, "As Educators we need to understand the current development of each student and their backgrounds."  This is especially important in constructivist learning because many EL students may not have prior knowledge of either the concepts or certain vocabulary in order to build new knowledge.  A teacher needs to find ways to pull the English learner into a constructivist learning experience so that he or she will receive the full benefit.  This might mean using more visuals to help with vocabulary and concepts while still maintaining a constructivist learning environment of students.  The key is not to go back to a teacher teaches, and learner sits and learns approach.  One wants the English language learner to have full active participation in developing his or her own learning and discovery.  Emily Ismael wrote a great deal about Chomsky's theory that language development is instinctual based on pre-school children making great gains in first language acquisition.  I believe language acquisition is very much a part of constructivist learning in that a child navigates appropriate and inappropriate ways of communicating as he or she sees how verbal communication allows his needs and wants to be met.  He or she forms her reality in their first language and this begins again as they learn a second language discoveries.