Literacy as a second language

For many learners literacy can be a difficult achievement, especially those whose home language isn’t the same as the language used in school. Today learning a second language has become a more common theme in schools. As a Spanish teacher, I’ve come across many articles that show a growing population of Hispanic students throughout the country, which in turn has led to a growing demand for English as a Second Language teachers.

These differences in language affect the way students acquire literacy. Often students who are native to a language other than English get mislabeled as learning disabled, rather than receive the language help that they need in order to assimilate in to their new societies. Often times these students aren’t even literate in their native language, leading ESL students to find themselves completely disconnected from school literacy. It is important that students do not fall behind their English speaking counterparts. Therefore it is crucial that teachers change lessons to include different cultural backgrounds and make the transitions easier.

In Haneda’s article, she states that critical thinking can’t be introduced until the basics are mastered. Educators have to work to make sure that there is an even connection between school literacy and home literacy, and that they don’t come into conflict. ESL students are often seen drawing from other areas to express themselves in order to make up for their poor English. According to Haneda, schools need to engage students in ways to make them culturally literate, as opposed to them simply cracking the code and learning English. This can be done by assigning readings and writing activities that relate to their communities and culture.

Other examples of how ESL education can affect critical literacy were seen in the Lomawaima and McCarty article “Indigenous Bilingual/ Bicultural Education” about Native American students. According to Lomawaima and McCarty students that first learned to read and write in their native languages produced better test scores than their counterparts who receive an English only education. By mastering literacy in their primary language, students are able to understand material in their own contexts, therefore allowing them to transfer the skills and knowledge when they are ready.

Understanding how students acquire second language literacy is crucial in ensuring that both ESL students and English speaking students have equal and fair opportunities at acquiring a critical literacy. As stated in both Haneda and Lomawaima and McCarty article’s it is important to connect these literacies to the different environments of the student and these include; school, home, and their communities.