Entry 1 - Course Introduction

Hello, I am Vanessa Birdsong and I am a senior at the University of Houston. I graduate May of 2019 with a Bachelors in Science as and EC-6 generalist. I am very excited that this is my last semester of college. I can not wait to go out and use all that I have been taught. Please find my video below to find out more about my experience with other languages.
This topic is something that is very dear to my heart. Although I was not able to master Spanish, I have always had a deep fascination with other languages. With Houston being one of the most diverse cities in America, it is important for me to understand how to best help these students. As a teacher I want to best help my students who will be coming from homes that are very different from mine. I love the quote from my second language methodology class last semester when Rosaria (2018) she said “We cannot fit our children into one box fits all, every child has a very unique journey.” I want this statement to ring true in my classroom. I do not want to simply put all of my children in the same box and teach them the exact same way and expect them to learn. In my classroom I want to have a relationship with every student so I know how I can help each child succeed.

Far too often I have talked to people who are ELL and they tell me how they hate their native language and how they wish they only spoke English. I have found that these people were rebuked or embarrassed or even bullied for speaking in their native language and have now come to hate it. I learned through Wright (2015), last semester when he said “ The United states functions on the tool of assimilation” (p. 14). I have seen this reality so real for so many. Even my husband who is Mexican, but does not know Spanish because his grandmother refused to teacher her children. She wanted to protect her children from the embarrassment and pain that she faced as a child speaking spanish in America. I believe this is one of the biggest failures of the Education system. In my classroom I want to celebrate other cultures and languages. Teaching them how important it is to know their native languages while still learning English. As an educator I know there are many challenges I will face, but I look forward to them all. Knowing that they will grow me as an educator and as a person.

Wright, Wayne. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Caslon, 2015. Print. Second Edition

Comments

  1. Carina AlcantaraFebruary 2, 2019 at 9:35 AM

    Hi Vanessa! I love how you started your blog speaking Spanish. You mentioned you took 5 years of Spanish, and you got to visit the Dominican Republic. It sounds/looks like such an amazing experience! (Loved all the pictures you included) Ortega mentioned, “whether we grow up with one, two or several languages, in most cases we will learn additional languages later in life” (Page 18). Therefore, it is not too late to learn any language you would like. I like how you said you hope to have a classroom to encourage students through every step, you are going to be a great teacher. Thanks for sharing your video with us! Good luck and let’s finish strong!

    Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.

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    1. Vanessa BirdsongFebruary 9, 2019 at 9:00 AM

      Hi Carina!! Thank you for the encouragement, I do hope that one day I can speak Spanish fluently. It was interesting reading in our SLA book about all of the different people who have learned English at different ages. Too often I get stuck in the mindset that you can only learn a new language when you are young. I loved that story Ortega talked about, the English speaking American who moved to Egypt and learned Arabic as an adult. That story gave me hope that if I were determined I could learn another language.

      Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.

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  2. Eboni WilliamsFebruary 3, 2019 at 6:45 PM

    Hey Vanessa, I want to start off by saying congratulations on your new marriage! I recently married in August of 2018 and the journey has been truly amazing. Secondly, I really enjoyed watching your video. I can relate on how you’ve spent years trying to learn a new language. I tried learning Spanish for three years and still only know the basics. My L2 acquisition (process of learning additional languages) (Ortega, 2013, 22) has not been the best;however, I am hopeful that it will get better as the years come.

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    1. Vanessa BirdsongFebruary 9, 2019 at 9:04 AM

      Thank you, congratulations to you to!! The first year of marriage has truly been amazing. Working in the schools i see how important L2 acquisition (process of learning additional languages) (Ortega, 2013, 22) is so important for my students. Most of my students who are ELL's already speak fluent English however they are still trying to master the language and are learning so many new languages every year. I am excited for all that I will learn in this class to help my future ELL students.

      Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.


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  3. Kanwal ShiwaniFebruary 6, 2019 at 12:42 PM

    Hey Vanessa! I loved watching our video; thank you for sharing your experience with us. I agree with you that not every student learns the same and they should not be taught the same either. I also agree that as educators, we should never create an environment in which students do not feel embarrassed to speak their native language. Ortega mention that “in some parts of our world, most children grow up speaking one language only" (Ortega, 2013, pg.3) and I think parents play a part in that, mainly because they want to protect their children. I personally believe that learning more than one language teaches you about different cultures and customs.

    Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.

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    1. Vanessa BirdsongFebruary 9, 2019 at 9:11 AM

      Kanwal, thank you for your reply! Yes I think creating an environment that feels safe and welcoming for all students of different backgrounds is so important. I want my classroom to be somewhere where we celebrate all different types of cultures. Ortega talks about how the majority of people in America only ever learn one language. He also discusses how this is not the case for the majority of humanity around the world (Ortega, 2013, pg.3). I believe this is a shame and will be something that will hurt us as Americans in the future. As educators it is our responsibility to make sure students and parents feel as though they are welcome no matter if they speak fluent English or not.
      Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.

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  4. Rachel SillsFebruary 9, 2019 at 12:34 PM

    Hello Vanessa! I really enjoyed watching your video. I really love that you have dedicated so much time to learning a new language. It shows dedication and I hope to continue practicing Spanish to become successful one day soon. Ortega speaks about sensitive periods in learning new languages. According to Ortega (2013), "adults may be able to use cognitive and metacognitive abilities and strategies to learn many aspects of the L2 initially faster"( P.17). It is never too late to learn as many languages as we can which will only benefit us in the future!

    Ortega, L. (2013). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.

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