POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS

A. MABINI CAMPUS ANONAS ST. STA. MESA, MANILA

UNDERSTANDING ENGLISH
LEARNERS
 ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE A HETEROGENEOUS
GROUP
HOME LANGUAGE BACKGROUNDS
As English teachers we have to understand that the students we are teaching
have different languages used in their home. If we are able to identify what language they
have we can help them understand English by adjusting to the language that they are
using. By that, they will feel that they are accepted in the class because there is no
prejudice in the language they use. Some of our students might came from different places
that have different languages as well. Knowing and understanding their home language
backgrounds will make a big difference in teaching English language inside the class.
ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE A HETEROGENEOUS
GROUP
LEVELS OF LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Different students have different levels of language proficiency. We cannot and
should not expect our students to have the same acquisition in the language we are
teaching. There are students who can easily cope up and understand what we are
teaching and there are some who dont. As English teachers, we should not put pressure
to our student to understand the language in the time-frame we have given them. We
should not let this differences put some of our students behind because they were not able
to keep their pace with their classmates.
ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE A HETEROGENEOUS
GROUP
SOCIOECONOMIC STANDING
Why does the teacher has to know their students socioeconomic standing or
status? It is because the students performance could be the manifestation of what only the
student has. For an instance, the students finances. For some, money does nothing to do
with education. However, if a student has more money than the other, chances are that
student has more advantages than that of student. I could say, perhaps, advantage in the
materials that the students use inside the class which can have an effect in the students
learning.
ENGLISH LEARNERS ARE A HETEROGENEOUS
GROUP
ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS AND BACKGROUNDS
Students have different views in life. Some of them dont really look at education
and studying as an important matter in their life thus, they dont take it seriously. On the
other hand, some of the students already have vision of what they want to be in the future.
As a result, they study hard to achieve it.
On the part of the teacher we have to understand that not all of our students have
the passion in studying so we should not force them to do what they want to do. Although, I
know that as teachers what we want for our students is always the best for them.
WHAT DO ENGLISH LEARNERS NEED?
ELLs NEED TO LEARN ENGLISH WELL ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN
ACADEMIC SETTING.
For the student to participate well in the class they must first learn the English
language well. Why is it so? It is because the language that the student will use in the
class is English. However, the effort should not only be expected to the students but also to
us teachers.
WHAT DO ENGLISH LEARNERS NEED?
THEY NEED SUPPORT TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THE DUAL CHALLENGE OF
LEARNING ENGLISH WHILE MASTERING THE SAME ACADEMIC CONTENT AS
ALL OTHER STUDENTS. THEY NEED TIME AND SUPPORT.
It is not just the language per se that they have to learn and understand but also
the content of the language. In this kind of situation we should support our students more
and give them the time needed to learn and understand both language and its content.
WHAT DO ENGLISH LEARNERS NEED?
ENGLISH LEARNERS NEED SUPPORT IN BRIDGING CULTURAL AND
LANGUAGE WORLDS.
I have discussed that there are students who have different language used inside
their house and probably in their everyday life. However, that difference should not hinder
them in understanding and learning the language. We should help them to adjust and cope
up with the new language that we are teaching them. By supporting them through our
words and actions we can help them, little by little, to learn and understand the English
language.