Madeline Bergstrom

T&L 339
March 21, 2016
Cultural Diversity and language Socialization

This article mainly discusses the cultural patterns that follow cognitive
development, especially when ELLs are submersed into new classrooms. Many
students struggle to find their place in English speaking classrooms because they
one, lack language knowledge and two, hold vastly different cultural customs than
that of their peers. These variations are not bad; yet merely pose a layered struggle
for ELLs in a traditional English-speaking classroom. It is also imperative for
teachers to learn about their students, regardless of their linguistic background, so
that no student is discounted in their worth.

One important thing that I learned from this article is the cultural component that
language has. I understand why teachers think their new ELL students are
incompetent or not developmentally of age, yet the cultural aspect that comes along
with these new learners plays a huge role in their overall learning experience. Not
only is there a clear language barrier, but also some customs may shock these new
students into performing less than they are capable of. Another thing I learned from
this article is that educating oneself on the backgrounds of my future students,
especially ELLs, is so important. This will allow me to become more consciously
aware of what they are bringing into the classroom so that I can best help each
student succeed.