Do we really need to talk solely about the language piece in the ELA problem as a one of instructional mechanics? Is there not more going on here?
I don’t think that the ELA problem can be solved in a mechanical way, by trying to find the right “method”. We have done that and failed. The ELA kids are still isolated in their buildings, seeking each other out for safety as would be natural to anyone in a minority.
But why does there have to be a minority? Don’t all the minorities together form a majority?
The problem is not just about individuals in our ELA classrooms; it reflects a world wide problem between nations. The one is a microcosm of the other. We must find a way in spite of our language barriers to create harmony and trust in both arenas.
First we must find a way – it can be done – of establishing harmony and trust between peoples in our ELA classrooms. After that the language gains will occur as if by magic and without all the pedantry.
The seeds of change lie in the creation of community first. That’s what I will be looking at whenever I think about the ELA problem going forward, which at the level of the classroom is such a perfect microcosm of the larger problems facing our world right now of racism and hatred and greed.
Related: