Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Ana Gonzalez. She is a former ELL student and after interviewing her, I was able to gain some perspective on how it feels to be an ELL student and the process in which they learn a new language. I discovered that it was an extremely intimidating experience for her and it took more than one school to find the support that she needed to learn a second language. I believe that a rich and supportive learning environment for second language acquisition will directly affect the outcome and success of the student. According to Ortega, “there are five environmental ingredients that contribute to optimal learning which are acculturated attitudes, input that can be comprehended, negotiated interaction, pushed output, and a capacity to attend the language code” (Ortega, 2009, p.79). This means that she was given the opportunity to learn about customs and beliefs about a new culture, she was able to understand what was being taught, and she was given the opportunity to communicate with peers that were experiencing the same thing. It is critical that students are given the space and place to grow and practice their new skills without feeling pressure or intimidation. Lastly, after listening to Ana’s story, I learned that acquiring a second language is not just about practicing grammar in school and reciting words with your teacher. Learning a new language should not just come from the teacher’s point of view. We have to look through the eyes of the student to make language acquisition successful. According to Ortega, what matters in the L2 environment is how the student does or does not process the data, what they do and do not make of it, and how they live and experience that environment (Ortega, 2009, p. 80). As a future educator, I will remember this and try to help my ELL students feel as though are in a secure and welcoming learning environment.
Here is the link to my interview. Interview
