Читать книгу Introduction to TESOL - Kate Reynolds - Страница 70

In many K–12 settings, general educators and administrators make decisions about the education of ELLs based on misconceptions about second language learning and teaching. A pervasive belief persists that second language learners only need to be immersed in the language in the classroom to develop language skills. TESOL educators often share resources and research to illuminate the experiences of so-called immersion for ELLs. Submersion is used by TESOL professionals instead of immersion to describe how linguistically and academically overwhelming and incomprehensible the experience is when instruction is unmodified. Immersion, to a TESOL professional, means engaging ELLs with language and possible content (depending on program) at their proficiency level while supporting them in the second language acquisition process. TESOL professionals also discuss with general educator colleagues the inequity of not engaging ELLs with the language at their proficiency level and the rates at which they fall behind their peers in academic learning if instruction is unmodified. Advocacy in one’s profession can be one-on-one discussions with colleagues.