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Dane Della Rossa
CO 301 D – 5 December 2008

The Effects and Issues Involved with Teaching Standard English to Non-native English Speakers
Framework

Many problems arise while trying to teach English to students, specifically Standard English. Some of the questions I wanted to research were: How do native languages and home discourse communities cause problems when teaching Standard English to students? How do teachers identify these tensions? How do teachers show students how to code switch? How do teachers then successfully teach Standard English to students?

Context

The first group of students I focused on were international students in the CSU Intensive English Program. The second group is fifth grade suburban students at DeVinny Elementary School in Lakewood, CO. The third student group was seventh grade students at Spring View Middle School.

Methods

I gathered fieldnotes while volunteering at the IEP. I also interviewed Patrice Henningsen, 5th grade teacher at DeVinny, and Patty Onorato, 7th grade teacher at Spring View Middle School.

Results

I found that Students at the IEP were more open to learning Standard English because they have no prior background in English to interfere with their learning. They had a great attitude towards being in the program as well because they want to learn in order to make living in the US easier.
I also found that non-native English speaking students cling together because they feel isolated. To help them integrate, pairing students who are strong in English and students who aren’t as strong help them both to expand on their learning.

Reflection

Every student is unique, and the ways in which we can look to reaching students on an individual level, is identifying the uniqueness in their own language as well. As we identified, sometimes it’s not that a student can’t speak the language; it’s the fact that there are many barriers keeping the student from learning. The students who simply do not have the desire to learn Standard English need the special attention from the teacher. They need to see the positive side of learning Standard English in order for them to believe in it.