Sociocultural Aspects of Schooling for ELs

After reading the case study done on Miguel by Rubinstein-Avila, I have learned about the difficulties that many English learners face in today's schools. Miguel, like many English language learners, came with his family to the United States at a young age. His developing literary skills did not give him the confidence to succeed in school. It was his motivation to keep trying that caused him to succeed. Miguel is a great example of a student who has the motivation to succeed but lacks the necessary skills and support to do so.  As Rubinstein-Avila puts it, "academic applied pupils" need not be the typical Caucasian students who have recieved multiple areas of support. It is our job as teachers to teach and give students the skills necessary to succeed. Therefore, for my action, I will address the literary skills of English language learners in my class by building their confidence in the language and creating an environment that will foster literary growth. English learners, especially those foreign to the United States, should benefit from activities that build confidence and positive relationships among students.