EDU 536 Interview Questions

ELD Teacher Interview Questions

1. What is the make-up of your ELD classes?

My ELD class consists of 1 5 students in total. In that which, five of those students have barely

gotten here to the United States within the last three months. Some of these students have came

from Mexico, Guatemala, or from El Salvador. The rest of these students in my ELD classes are still

considered EL students because they have a difficulty with the English Language. Some students

have moved from other countries to the US when they were younger but they still have that

language barrier. As for a one or two students in the class have been born here in the US they still

have that language barrier because their parents are only Spanish speakers so they have that

disadvantage at home and only get to practice the English language at school, but these students

are in the advance spectrum of English Learners. The few students that are still stuck as an EL are

the oldest of their siblings so they are the ones setting the path for the rest of their brothers and

sisters and they will be able to practice with one another.

2. Describe your fast EL learner.

My fast EL learner came to the school this year, she started since the beginning of the school year and you

were able to tell the way she would do her work and or the eagerness she had to learn was in school was

that of a child that enjoyed school and wanted to learn. She would do very well in school when she lived in

Mexico, although she says her favorite subject is math. When she began to do her work in our Language

Arts I noticed that she would be doing okay and she would be trying her best. The only thing that would

come between her learning was the language barrier but she would always strive for her best. She felt more

comfortable asking the classroom aid for assistance since the aid would always ask the students if they

needed help. The student would also look up translations of thing on the computer to assist her in doing her

work.
3. Describe the type of ELD program you have at this school.
I have two ELD classes this year. One of the ELD classes I have is a beginning class in which all the new

students that have came from another country and or students that do not have that long living herein the

US are in that class. Then my second ELD class is a more advanced English Learner class that the

students know the language a little more but have still not tested out of the CELDT exam. Some of these
 students have a longer time in the United States and then some of the other students are in the class

because although they have lived in the country their entire life they have that language barrier at home.
4. Do you think it is the most effective type of program for your students? Pros/cons/changes you would
make?
I feel that the separation of the classes between beginner and more adv advanced EL students is good. But
sometimes the programs that the district gives us to use for the students are still not the best for the
students to use when they have the language barrier.

5. What type of ELD classes do you teach? (Content and time with students etc.)
I teach the two main ELD classes at the school. I teach the beginners ELD class and the more advanced

ELD class at the school stie. But the rest of my Language Arts and Social Studies classes still consists of a

couple EL students per class.

6. What does a normal class period entail? (Types of learning activities)
Depending of the class but a normal class will begin with the students doing their daily writing prompt and

then the actual lesson will begin. Depending what we are doing but then I will introduce the lesson and then,

if there are notes to take the students will take notes. Then I usually try to give them sometime to work on

the work they will have to complete or to get a head start on their homework.
7. What aspects of learning English do your students struggle with the most?
For the most part I think most of my EL students struggle the most is spelling because since the English

Language has so many weird forms of spelling and or the way that you are not able to hear some letters in

the words makes it difficult for students to spell because in the English language you cannot just sound out

the word to get its correct spelling.

8. How do you teach the academic English? How do you determine the vocabulary to be taught?
When teaching academic English you have to teach the students the rules and show them examples of

what follows under those rules. It depends on the level my students are and what is it that they already

know in order to know how to challenge them a little more.

9. Is there a particular theory or theorists that are significant contributors to your program development?
I think that the sociocultural model is important in which you can link their own culture into the new culture

they are adjusting. Also I believe that the acquisition model is important to include in the learning of the

students.
10. What are some ways you motivate your students to learn?
I think a way to motivate students to learn is to try and relate their learning to their culture and or things they

already know. When you relate the learning to students lives and or comfort it becomes easier for them and

they open up but at the same time you have to integrate a challenge within the activity.
11. How do you move from an ELL program to a more culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) program? Is
this a subject of discussion among your faculty?
I have never really discussed that with my faculty.
 ELD Student Interview Questions

1. What is your name? Tell me about yourself.

My name is Kenya Villalva, I am a twin, I am thirteen years old and I am in 8th grade.
2. What are some of your interests/hobbies?
I like to eat and watch TV unless when Im mad I end up cleaning my room or something.
3. Tell me about your family.
I live with my mom, dad, two sisters, and my little brother, and your nephew. My oldest sister is 23 years old

and then my other sister is 18 years old, then me and my twin sister which are 13, and then my little brother

who is 6 years old. My family talks to much and we go out a lot. Oh and they get annoying at times
4. What is the hardest thing about living in the USA?
The hardest thing about living in the US is that we have to go to school.
5. What is the best thing about living in the USA?
The best thing about living in the US is thaI I have more family living here, in which i can hang out with

them.
6. How do you feel about your English ability?
I am not good at English, and I am not very good at grammar. I do not enjoy my English class at all it is

boring.
7. What part of learning English do you dislike the most?
I do not like to read. I do not like to read anything, I never read!
8. Are there any parts of learning English that you enjoy?
The only thing in my English class I like to do a little more is to write.
9. Do you think learning English is important?
Yes, I do think learning English is important because you could communicate with people.
10. How do you use English outside of school?
I learn English outside of school by reading books, computers, and watching television.
11. What type of reading do you like the best?
I do not like to read really but if I do read I like to read magazines and interesting things.
12. Do you use technology to help you with school work?
Yeah, I use it for everything. We do everything in school on our chromebooks.
13. Who helps you the most with your studies and your EL learning (e.g., teacher, parent, other)
My older sister the one that is 18 helps me with my homework and my projects. Some of my teachers help

me and some do not help at all.

14. What is the most helpful thing the teacher does to help you learn?
One of the most helpful things a teacher has done to help me learn is that their teaching is good and you

are able to understand them.

15. Do you believe your peers or faculty are aware of your culture and of your background? Do you feel

well-adjusted in the USA?

I think that some teachers are aware of our background and are willing to help and want to help us and they

help our parents understand but then there are some teachers that are rude to us and our parents and they

dont like to help us at all.