The assignment that is used to serve as evidence for AP #1 is the LEP Analysis: Part I that was done as part of the class FLE 4316 – Language Principles and Acquisition. This assignment required me to spend 12 hours in an ESOL classroom and to evaluate and assess one ESOL student more closely. I worked with a 5th grade preproduction/early production girl. During the time spent with this student, I was looking for different mistakes and problems she was encountering speaking English. This analysis focused on three areas of the English language – phonology, morphology, and semantics. For each area I analyzed three different issues this student was having and introduced different strategies to help her overcome her difficulties in speaking English.

This assignment addresses AP#1 in a number of ways. First off, it allowed me to devote all of my attention to one particular student’s difficulties and needs, specifically with learning and speaking the English language. Because of this, I was able to assess and identify specific challenges this student was facing, thus developing several strategies targeted specifically to these challenges to improve student performance. During the time spent with my student I used formal and informal assessments with her. After she would read ( either aloud or silently) from her reading book she would periodically take formal ‘paper-and-pencil’ quizzes (mostly multiple choice) to ensure that she comprehended what she was reading. However, the informal assessments I had her do were more beneficial to me for what information I needed to obtain for my case study. I had her read aloud from books several times and I would also simply talk to her about anything of her choosing- movies, TV shows, etc. I did this so I could hear her speak English and as I did, I was able to assess specific problems she was having. I gathered much information I learned in this specific class (FLE 4316), and also from other classes and my own personal experiences interning in the classroom with ESOL students. I then used this knowledge to develop strategies to help improve my student’s English speaking abilities. For example, I frequently witnessed this student leaving off the alveolar voiceless fricative sound [s] at the end of pluralized words as she spoke (‘I saw two dog’ instead of ‘I saw two dogs’). A method I used by observing my cooperating teachers when I was interning/observing was to point out the mistake and use several examples and say them aloud with the student, like saying ‘one dog, two dogs’ repetitively, so they would see and hear the difference. I used this type of strategy with my student as written in my evidence: take pictures of a single object then next to it show a picture of two of the same objects. For example, have a picture of a dog with the word ‘dog’ or ‘one dog’ under it, then next to it show two dogs with the words ‘dogs’ or ‘two dogs’. Do this several times with different examples and pictures and maybe underline the ‘s’ at the end of each pluralized word to not only focus on the lesson of making your words plural but also so the ending s is brought to her attention. This example is essentially the same as the first given strategy, but in this one you are intertwining visual and auditory learning at the same time. This way, this student can hear and see the differences in what she is presently saying incorrectly, to what is the correct way. This assignment shows that I spent much one-on-one time with an ESOL student and was able to successfully assess specific academic challenges she was having and provide several suggestions for instructional planning to improve student performance. Taking the data I collected from the formal and informal assessments given to my student I was able to develop tailored strategies to help her with her specific problems. I was able to use these strategies directly on her after my case study was completed. For example, I initially presented the strategy described above in question #2. I made flashcards and together we would read each card, and say them aloud. We went through each card several times until I felt she could actually hear the difference when she spoke. After this, she would still make the same mistakes as she casually spoke; but now when she did she would notice each time she did it, and correct herself. I believe this is a great start to eliminating the problem completely. Proper assessment techniques can have a very positive effect on students. My ESOL student benefited very much from the techniques I developed for her because I was got the chance to assess her performance in reading and writing, where I was able to encounter the difficulties she was having.