Issues in English Second Language Acquisition

Issues in English Second Language Acquisition
Introduction
All students have different learning styles and for Second Language learners or English-as-Second-Language (ESL) learners, the challenge faced by the ESL instructor is not only about using a differentiation-based method of instruction to convey the lesson (Peregoy & Boyle, 2013) but also about using a variety of methods to assess the ESLs (Gottlieb, 2006). ESLs come from a variety of different backgrounds; they have unique social contexts and socio-economic situations; they have different levels of communication skills, which makes measuring their L2 acquisition a challenge for the instructor if the instructor is not prepared to assess a group of students individually, based on where they are coming from and how much learning distance they have covered. This paper will examine the differences, problems and assessment issues within second language acquisition.
Differences
Backgrounds
Every ESL comes from a unique background—socially, culturally, economically and linguistically. They also have different levels of cognition, which means that understanding cognition and cognitive development, where children are cognitively speaking at specific ages and stages of development—all of that plays a part in how instructors can help ELLs acquire their second language. Some students will be from families where they have strong support systems in place; others will not. Teachers have to be cognizant of the different backgrounds of the students and how these backgrounds will impact their learning ability in the classroom. Making home visits is one way the ESL instructor can help to provide learners with the additional support they may need (Whyte & Karabon, 2016).
Learning Styles
While the concept of universal grammar has been explored by researchers in the past (Saville-Troike & Barto, 2016), there are many others. Indeed, the theories that explain language learning or second language acquisition are numerous and include the theory of universal grammar, semantic theory, sociocultural theory, processability, connectionism and many others. These theories are all helpful in their own ways in understanding how students acquire language skills and can be used to make decisions regarding curriculum, instruction and assessment of English learners for all levels in any school. For grammar related learning, language learning is based on understanding the rules and guidelines of how the language is meant to be used in sentences. For the natural approach, there is more freedom and the ELL is not even viewed poorly for mixing the L1 and L2 because this is seen as a part of the natural process of development in which the ELL is sorting out the languages in his or her own mind and finding the right expressions for the words. It is also important to understand that in this approach there can sometimes be the case that the right word is only available or known in the L1 and not in the L2, so there is a good deal of understanding that must be present here. As for the language experience approach, it builds on prior knowledge and gives the student areas to develop and grow on. The scaffolding technique aligns with this approach and allows students to build on prior knowledge (Peregoy & Boyle, 2013).
Ability to Communicate
Some ESL students will be able to communicate more effectively than others. As Bonvillain (2011) points out, communicative interaction is defined by more than just the words that are spoken; it is also defined by the context in which the words are spoken, the speakers themselves, the setting, the nature of the conversation (the purpose of the conversation) and the topic itself. Knowing these parameters can help an ESL understand how to communicate more effectively, and it is the instructor’s job to help every ESL understand how communication objectives can be achieved within these different sets of parameters. Communication is one of the major differences that second language learners and instructors will have to be cognizant of. Coming from different backgrounds and cultures will certainly impact this difference, as Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions illustrates. Every culture has its own communication customs and expectations—so aside from the language of the learner and the instructor being different, the customs and manner in which the language is used and in which words are expressed are also likely to be different. That makes understanding communication all the more challenging.
Problems
Support
Making sure the ESL has enough support to stay engaged with lessons is one of the biggest problems ESL instructors can face (Bista, 2011). ESLs require learning-centered approaches, which can provide them with the ability to take ownership of their educative experience. However, is they have no support system in place, the learner can quickly fail to stay engaged and fall fast behind. Students’ background and home life situations should be assessed so that if there is no support system in place, the student can be provided one through the school. Additionally, schools should take care to have instructors on hand who can speak the native language of the learner to facilitate with the development of a support system as the learner transitions from the L1 to the L2. Support systems are essential for ESLs, particularly because they may be new to the country and may be experiencing culture shock, which can be quite debilitating if there is no support to help the learner absorb the shocks. Without supports, the learner can become isolated and withdrawn and feel completely disconnected from those around him. That is why it is so helpful just to have an instructor on hand who is fluent in the learner’s native language—and if there is no instructor on hand, the learner should have the freedom to enroll in a school where there is an instructor on hand who does know the learner’s L1—especially if the learner is new to the L2 and has no strong support system in place. A helping hand in the school who knows the L1 fluently can really be both a personal and academic life saver.
Differentiating Teaching Methods
To help reach a diverse set of learners, teaching methods should be differentiated. Teaching methods and techniques like pinpointing, questioning, demonstrating, explaining, incorporate learners’ background knowledge into lesson plans, employ scaffolding, incorporate visual aids and interactive technology in the classroom to facilitate active learning, and so on. Differentiating the teaching methods helps to ensure that are wide variety of ESLs are effectively reached. As every learner is likely to have a unique learning style, differentiating the instruction helps to reduce the risk of any one learner being neglected. The more diverse a teacher’s approach to the learner, the more likely it is to have a positive impact.
Learning the L2 without Losing the L1
It is also important for the ESL to retain the L1, as this helps to support the learner’s identity and sense of self. Likewise, being bi-lingual can help the learner in later studies and/or career seeking—so the goal of teachers should not be to displace the L1 with the L2 but to give the student the opportunity to learn the new language while retaining the old one. Some teachers fail to consider how important it is that a second language learner retains the L1, which can cause tension and stress in the home of the learner if the student is the only one acquiring an L2 while older family members still use the L1 to communicate. Respect should be shown to all second language learners for their L1 and the reality that many of them will still need to use their L1 in their daily interactions with family members.
Assessment Issues
Using a Variety of Measures
Using a variety of measures is important, as no one assessment method can accurately gauge the actual extent to which language acquisition has been achieved (Sireci & Faulkner-Bond, 2015). Researchers have shown that one way to help implement a better method of assessing second language learners is to divide them into subgroups, with same-level learners together in their own groups (Sireci & Faulkner-Bond, 2015). Subgroups can then be assessed based on their own special criteria which are unique to their needs, understanding and skill level. As Sireci and Faulkner-Bond (2015) note, “no test is perfectly suited for all students” and so“it is important to consider indentifiable subgroups…when considering the fairness and appropriateness of educational tests” (p. 215). The most important point that instructors should consider is the need to have valid interpretations of language acquisition—i.e., ways of ensuring that all learners are evaluated fairly even when standardized assessment measures are used.
Using Subgroups
Subgroups are helpful to use when conducting assessments because they eliminate the issue of assessing all learners at the same level. Even though they will all be in the same class, the reality is that students can be further subdivided and grouped. The second language learner can benefit from being assessed in a way that is wholly individualized. In subgroups, it may be easier for instructors to conduct both formal and informal assessments of the student. Formal assessment of the ESL learner in a subgroup would be tailored to the individual level of that group, while informal assessments would focus on individual performance within the group and whether advancement is made overall. The other benefit of subgroups is that they allow the students to interact with individuals at their same level so that they can be free of being overwhelmed by knowledge that is too advanced for them. They can also benefit from peer engagement and peer learning. This does not mean that the students would not associate with the other learners who are also in the class, as they most certainly would benefit from being with them too. According to the theory of the zone of proximal development put forward by Vygotsky, learners benefit simply from being around more advanced learners, as they can see how they behave and learn the skills they possess by observing and mimicking them. This can assist with assessments as well, as it provides an extra way for instructors to observe how students are interacting in class.
Recognizing “Valid Interpretations”
In many cases, assessments will need to be standardized, with formal tests given every quarter or year-end to determine the extent to which students are meeting their language objectives. There is often no way around this, especially in schools that are dependent upon federal dollars based on students meeting performance objectives. Therefore, second language learners will have to be educated to meet these tests—and that means teachers will be obliged to assess them accordingly. However, second language instructors should be aware that it is perfectly acceptable to use “valid interpretations” of assessments that deviate from standardized (Sireci & Faulkner-Bond, 2015).
Conclusion
In conclusion, when it comes to second language learning, there are multiple differences, problems and assessment issues that have to be taken into consideration. The second language instructor must be aware that many students will come from different backgrounds and have different levels of language learning skills to build on. Bringing their background experiences into the curriculum can help to make the students more engaged. Differentiating teaching methods can help to ensure that active learning takes place at some level and some point for all students. And differentiating assessment methods can be helpful in ensuring that each learner is assessed at a level and in a manner that is suitable to the learner. Dividing classes into subgroups can help with addressing the assessment issue, and using a combination of formal and informal assessments to measure language acquisition is another method that can be helpful. Finally, it is important that language learners have a suitable support system in place while they are learning their L2 so that they do not become isolated and withdrawn and lose whatever academic momentum they may have.


References
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