The phrase "language barrier" wasn't imagined fromnothing. Language is a type of gate. If we have full use of the language in ourculture, we feel successful; we make friends; we can communicate our needs toothers--our teachers, for one. When a student comes into the classroom,teachers need to help open the gate by taking the time to see if they aretrapped behind a language barrier.
I am reminded of when I was a tutor at the community collegefrom which I received my Associates degree. One of the students I was helping struggledterribly in her English writing course. In order to get to know why thisseemingly bright individual might be having trouble, I decided to ask her aboutherself. I discovered that she was a refugee from Afghanistan and had theequivalent of a doctorate degree in her homeland, but due to the languagebarrier, she could not access her knowledge effectively in her newenvironment.
The significance of her plight touched a chord thatcontinues to reverberate through my heart. The ability to communicate opensdoors—and a lack thereof can close and even lock them.
Teachers have the opportunity to help students get the tools they need toaccess what they know, enabling students to experience encouragement andinclusion instead of failure or ostracism because they happen to be on theother side of the gate at the moment.
Source: twowritingteachers.wordpress.com via The Purple on Pinterest
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder