Paper Example on Teachers Helping English Learners Thrive

Introduction

Teachers have expended a lot of effort toward easing the life of English learners as the second or the first language. Various instructional materials, therefore, have been employed to help students to grasp the course content better and to be more proficient both in the written and spoken language. Quiroz and Gonzalez (2012) stated that over 20% of the population between the ages of 5 to 17 years talk more English than their primary language, meaning that 20% of school-going children speak other languages other than their first language (L1). As cited by Quiroz and Gonzalez (2012), Merill (2007) reported that there are multiple strategies with which the content of the English language can be delivered to the students. This paper, therefore, looks into the benefits of using learning aid strategies such as visuals, graphic organizers, modified text, and using L1 to assess proficiency in speaking and writing English. The paper analyses two articles that best explore the intricacies involved in teaching English, and also details the researchers' concepts about the different models applied in teaching English.

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Summary of Article 1

Shabiralyani et al. (2015) undertook a study to find out the “Impact of Visual Aids in Enhancing the Learning Process.” Their study aimed to find out teachers' opinions concerning the utility of visual aids in learning—participants of the study came from various institutions, both public and private, within Dera Ghazi Khan District. The researchers used a random sampling technique to collect information from research participants. In their writing, Shabiralyani et al. (2015) quote an interesting statistic from Cuban (2001). Cuban (2001) reported that ‘visual aids psychology’ says that learning from the sense of sight helps students retain almost 83% of the content. Also, this research supports the benefits of visual aids and graphic organizers in learning. The researcher reported that individuals remember 10% of what they read, 20% of content delivered through speech is recognized, and there is also a 30% content mastery of what is seen. Besides, individuals comprehend 50% of what they hear and see and retain 70% of what they say. A 90% retention rate happens when learners talk and do what they say (Cuban, 2001; as cited by Shabiralyani et al., 2015).

Summary of Article 2

Swoosh (2013) explored the “Benefits of Using Graphic Organizers in the Classroom,” and this study revealed that graphic organizers enable the teaching of broad topics. The criteria adopted by the tutors and learners in this context involves breaking down the general subject into small instructional materials that are delivered to the English learners in bits. As such, from one graphic content to the other, students are best able to grasp the connection between concepts and ideas. Just like visual aids, graphic organizers help in the comprehension of concepts as well as identifying the relationship between the thoughts and intentions of learning. Visualization of these ideas is the most opportune strategy to aid the thinking process (Swoosh, 2013). As such, to improve concentration and retention of course content, swoosh (2013) recommended that lines, maps, charts, and webs be utilized in conjunction with graphic organizers. This doubling will facilitate a more significant comprehension of learning material and better connection of new ideas with a lot of ease and shortcuts in understanding the various amount of data available through learning English as a second language (L2).

Key Concepts and Application

Both articles show that there is a great advantage to using visual aids and graphic organizers in content delivery throughout the learning process. Precisely, Shabiralyani et al. (2015) researched to explore the benefits of visual aids in learning. Their study established that using visual aids helps concretize the content of learning hence being a useful tool for retaining the material of study at any particular time. Swoosh (2013) also reports similar findings concerning the advantages of using graphic organizers in the learning process. From engaging learners to fostering higher retention rates, to improving achievement, graphic organizers also make the learning process enjoyable and more interactive (swoosh, 2013). The significant concepts here revolve around retention, aiding the thinking process, improving comprehension and achievement as well as being more engaging due to the visual stimulus of the instructional materials.

Application

In informing the future of teaching and the impact on students in a classroom setting, the findings of this activity will henceforth be incorporated alongside conventional teaching models. Analysis of the two articles has shown the benefits and importance that accrue to students whenever visual aids and graphic organizers are used in the teaching and learning process. As a dependent variable, the learning process is significantly positively affected by the usage of visual aids in teaching (Shabiralyani et al., 2015). Like graphic organizers, visual aids also are independent variables whose impact translates touch on the effectiveness of the learning process as a dependent variable.

Also, following the message from Quiroz and Gonzalez (2012), forthcoming English lessons will incorporate much of the use of L1 in teaching. Conclusive evidence and support have been brought forth to solidify the importance of visual elements, graphic organizers, and the use of L1 to teach English. Moreover, the combination of these teaching strategies will bolster faster understanding of course material; hence teachers and students alike will utilize less time in comprehending information, and at the same time, learn more content in a short time.

References

Shabiralyani, G., Hasan, K. S., Hamad, N., & Iqbal, N. (2015). Impact of visual aids in enhancing the learning process case research: District Dera Ghazi Khan. Journal of education and practice, 6(19), 226-233. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079541.pdf

Quiroz, B., & Gonzalez, G. (2012, May). TXCC briefing paper: Research-based strategies for teaching social studies, science, and mathematics to ELs at the secondary level. Sedl.org. https://sedl.org/txcc/resources/briefs/number_9/index.php.

Swoosh, (2013, May 23). Benefits of using graphic organizers in the classroom. YurTopic. http://www.yurtopic.com/education/teachers/graphic-organizers.html.