Wait-Time for ELL Students Review - Essay Example

? Literature Review: “Wait-Time” for ELL Literature Review: “Wait-Time” for ELL Introduction Wait time conception has become a main aspect in the research of elementary English Language learners teaching in the 21st century. The effects associated with increased wait-time on the quantity of correct responses to questions from elementary ELL students in a classroom have raised major concerns in the teaching profession. There has been an increase in the number of culturally and linguistically diverse students prompting education professionals to upgrade their skills and knowledge to ensure effective teaching in ELL classrooms. This has resulted to researchers and educational scholars into seeking the appropriate wait-time that teachers should give to ELL students. ELL students pose a challenge because of their language-learning disability (Becker and Goldstein, 2011). Understanding of concepts and subject ideas, systematic ideas reflection, critical thinking, and content comprehension of an ELL student on a subject determines the response that a student gives to a question. However, effective learning for learners does not solely contribute to response given by ELL students. Wait time has a substantial effect on the response that an ELL student gives to a classroom question. Existing research by Beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu (2013) classifies silence time in a classroom into eight categories including: student-pause time, within-teacher presentation pause time, within-student’s response pause-time, post-teacher question time, student pause-time, post-student responsive wait time, teacher pause-time, student task-completion work-time and impact pause time. Despite the detailed wait-time classification, there has been no concrete conclusion on the specific wait-time required for elementary ELL students to respond to questions. Effect of Increased Wait-Time on ELL Student Responses Cooper and Irizarry (2013) identified increased wait-time to affect positively the students’ response to questions in a classroom setting. Some of the significant effects on increase in wait-time in a classroom of elementary ELL students include long answers responses to questions by students, improved student participation through volunteering more answers that are appropriate, increase in the analysis and synthesis of the context , which results to students giving evidence-inference responses that are more speculative( Cooper and Irizarry, 2013). Increased wait-time contributes to improved students’ self-confidence in responding to questions, increased rate of student asking questions on clarity as well as higher students’ achievement. Simply by increasing wait time, especially to students who have to translate the question into their mother tongue and then critically evaluate the questions to give a response, teachers can influence the quantity of correct responses to questions (Cooper and Irizarry, 2013). According to Mohr & Mohr (2007), a teacher should allow sufficient wait time to support ELL students to switch from hearing in a foreign language into reasoning and thinking in their first language, and then giving the response to the question. Additionally, increased wait time has proved to enhance the cognitive techniques applied by a student to give responses. Relationship between Increased Wait-Time and Critical Thinking Several studies indicate that teacher’s wait time is often associated with the thoughtfulness and comprehension of a student answer to classroom questions (Huntley, 2008). Notably, teachers do not give sufficient time for students to internalize, think critically, and se comprehensive knowledge to respond to classroom questions. Teachers who only give elementary English Language Learners (ELL) students a few seconds to respond to classroom questions evoke student recall on a subject rather than critical thinking (Cruz and Thornton, 2013). In many occasions, ELL students translate the question into the first language to understand it clearly, after which they can then respond thoughtfully to a question. However, Increased Wait time affects classroom timetable because it spends more time in giving students ample time to reflect and expansively answer a question. Increased wait time enhance classroom participation and content comprehension for students. Studies analyzed have shown that increased wait-time for elementary ELL students in turn increases the time to internalize and process background information and use of cognitive strategies to make an accurate and thoughtful response to a question. Adequate wait-time enables ELL student to encode received information simultaneously discouraging guesswork and information recall (Stahl, 1994). To internalize a question completely, elementary English Language learners should be given more time, which will enable them to understand the basis of the question prompting them to give correct and detailed responses despite their language disability. According to Stahl (1994), students pursuing English as a second language need more wait time to advance their cognitive learning skills and translating classroom information and questions into their first language for accurate analysis and synthesis; hence, gives correct answers compared too ELL students subjected to short wait time. English language learners are prone to literal recall of text that leads to poor evaluative thinking capability of the student. A study on the relationship between use of higher cognitive questions and increased wait time indicate that the students and teachers were able to carry out recitations at higher The ability of a teacher to use extended wait-time on a classroom of ELL students provides substantial positive effects such as increase use off supportive evidence among others; hence, the use of increased wait-time for ELL students is constituent with the goals of ELL students, making it an almost intuitive strategy (Penick and Harris, 2005). Adding wait-time, especially to elementary ELL students, has a direct impact on the students’ response to questions because it provides them with adequate time for percolating a question down through the brain cells and come up with the correct response (Teachervision.fen.com, 2013). Effect of Increased Wait-Time on Mastering a Question The provision of adequate time to master a question helps an ELL student to have better mastery of the content in a second language. Moreover, adequate time to complete the process of retrieving information assists a student to identify accurate information to the posed question. Adequate time to recover the store information also plays an incredibly crucial role in improving student’s memory level. A part from increasing students’ memory level, sufficient time to recover the stored information helps learners to elaborate upon the retrieved information. The level of elaboration is specifically higher on complicated questions that require adequate and precise information and numerical figures (Becker and Goldstein, 2011). Most student stores the elaborated information into their memory thus advancing their intelligence level (Beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu, 2013). The elaborated facts as well offer more pathways that result to the understanding of new ideas and concepts. Moreover, most ELL students store memory in their first language and more time will be required to retrieve and interpolate the information into a second language. “Realization of increased wait-time is beneficial for moving students from receptive, semantic processing to expressive, syntactic processing of responses” Whitsett and Hubbard, 2009, p. 44). Information processing models of the learning activity have indicated that, providing adequate time for learners to understand and formulate teachers’ questions prior to giving response increase the quality of the answer. This requirement for increased wait time is especially pronounced with questions that require a lot of facts and accuracy for non-native students (Bluck and Gilbertson, 2006). In answering questions that require applications of external information, a learner is required to apply the retrieved facts into the current situation and identify the accuracy of the facts before responding to the question. If the questions require additional information, the learner is therefore expected to have more time to retrieved additional information from long-term memory and apply the retrieved information to the new situation. As a result, offering additional information to a student before responding to the posed question gives a learner adequate time to search for the needed information, retrieve the information, apply the retrieved information, evaluate the information as if need be to seek for additional information. Further research by Hernandez (2003) indicate that increase wait-time lead to the progress of an English learner from concrete to more abstract and critical thinking from figurative to operative cognition aspects, which enable the student to apply rich learning experiences that enhance cognitive thinking when responding to questions. Relating Language Proficiency with the Required Wait-Time for Correct Responses Correct oral response expected from ELL students depends on the oral language literacy and proficiency. Moreover, Becker and Goldstein (2011) identifies literacy connection with teachers wait time to be one of o the main factors that affect the individual learning and academic progress of elementary ELL students. Increased time that a teacher pauses before expecting a response from an ELL students indicates improved self-confidence, which gives students more opportunities to build language skills that will enable them comprehend questions accurately (Becker and Goldstein, 2011). Stahl (1994) further identifies that Second language students have limited meta-cognitive processes of understanding new information compared to native speakers; hence, to completely understand teachers’ questions, second language students ought to be given adequate time to understand and respond to classrooms questions (Cruz and Thornton, 2013). Active Learning and Response Formulation According to research by educational and psycholinguistics experts, longer wait time has been associated with student improvement in active listening skills, which demonstrate that uninterrupted wait time and pauses before a response is positively interrelated to high level of cognitive activity of the student (Hativa, 2000). Researchers established that the use of longer wait-time was identified to enhance student classroom learning because of increased active listening and classroom participation (Hativa, 2000). Moreover, elementary ELL students require extra time in the formulation of their responses. Commonly, ELL students require sufficient time to find the appropriate English words to give a response. Increased wait-time promotes enhanced students’ participation in a classroom. Agpa.uakron.edu (2009) indicates that the use of increased wait-time by teachers in a science classroom significantly increase the quantity of responses and achievements on higher-cognitive-level science questions. Nevertheless, wait time should be increased in reference to the cognitive level of the question and the student ability to understand English language, and internalize information to make responses that are thoughtful and correct. Effect of Increased Time on Background Information Retrieval Offering additional wait-time to an ELL student before responding to the posed question gives a learner adequate time to search for the needed information, retrieve the information from the memory, apply the retrieved information appropriately, evaluate the information as if need be to seek for additional information, which eventually lead to responses that are accurate and of high cognitive level. Brandenburg (2008) noted that the increase of time that is given to a student t resend to a question proved to be a multi-dimensional practice to enable the students have adequate time to get the relationship of ideas, terminologies, and background information in reference to the posed question. Researchers have as well confirmed that, failure to give adequate time to learners reduces their memory level and understanding level (Orlich, 2013). Teachers are discouraged from interrupting with student retrieval process. In his researches on the impact of wait-time in student performance, Tobin observed that, extended wait-time increases students’ achievement and performance level. Moreover, wait time helps the student to understand the question effectively before attempting an answer (Orlich, 2013). By granting adequate time, the learners are in a position to understand the vocabularies in the question as well as the most effective terminology to improve the quality of the response and the number of correct responses from ELL students in a classroom. Summary Based on the available information, it is clear that failing to give an ELL student adequate time to respond to a question reduces learners’ self-confidence. Self-confidence is an essential component in increasing the learners’ cognitive level. Inadequate processing time as well results to the elimination or shortening of elaboration time. Reduced teachers wait- time leads to fewer idea pathways in students’ propositional network that bring about the reduction in the level of retrieved information in future searches and ability to answer a question correctly. Teachers who do not provide adequate time for students with poor English proficiency to answer questions reduce students’ participation in class actives and contributions. Researchers have also found out that, reducing wait-time may decrease students’ commitment and willingness to answer questions (Bluck and Gilbertson, 2006). In an ELL classroom, most students will store the content and background information in their mind using their first language. Consequeently, to give correct responses, the student has to translate the information from the brain into a second language, a process that will require more time before giving the response to a question orally. Collectively, it is evident that increased wait-time in an ELL classroom contributes greatly to the quantity of correct responses from the students, which are not only based on the memory recall, but also on critical thinking and evidence-based thoughts. Conclusion In concluding the above review, it is clear that, both pre-service teachers and practicing teachers should give adequate wait-time to elementary ELL student in their class participation, especially in giving response to questions. Increased wait-time has been confirmed, to be very relevant in all levels of learning, training, and education whereby, irrespective of the language proficiency disability, a student can give correct responses to questions posed in a classroom. Based on the available research, teachers should provide elementary ELL students more than 3 seconds to respond to a question. Increased memory level and understanding is achieved by teachers giving students adequate wait-time for every question posed. In addition, researches have asserted that extending the wait-time to three or more seconds increase students’ achievement level, self-confidence, active listening, as well as their cognitive level in response to questions in a classroom. With no doubt, increased wait time positively affects the cognitive level of a student. ELL students can only be motivated towards academic success by ensuring that teachers discourage content recall facilitating evidence-based and thoughtful responses to classroom questions. A substantial number of teachers do not take into consideration that a non-native student will require more time to translate the question into the first language to enable them formulate an a thoughtful and correct response. To achieve the best outcome in learning institutions, particularly in ELL classrooms, educators and pupils alike should understand the significance of wait-time in their discussion and discourse, which will boost their quantity of critical and thoughtful responses to content tests and questions. References Agpa.uakron.edu (2009). Wait Time. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.agpa.uakron.edu/p16/btp.php?id=wait-time [Accessed: 24 Jul 2013]. Becker, H. and Goldstein, S. (2011). ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION: A RESOURCE HANDBOOK. [e-book] London: CAPELL. pp. 5-29. Available through: Connecticut State Department of Education http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/bilingual/CAPELL_SPED_resource_guide.pdf [Accessed: 24th July 2013]. Brandenburg, R. (2008). Powerful pedagogy. [Germany?]: Springer. Beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu (2013). Questioning Techniques: Research-Based Strategies for Teachers — Energy and the Polar Environment — Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears. [online] Retrieved from: http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/energy-and-the-polar-environment/questioning-techniques-research-based-strategies-for-teachers [Accessed: 24 Jul 2013]. Bluck, J., & Gilbertson, D. (2006). Improving Responsiveness to Intervention for English-Language Learners: A Comparison of Instructional Pace on Letter Naming Rates. Journals of Behavioural Education, 20 (15), 131–147. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.cu-portland.edu/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=25&sid=0cd88edb-c990-4744-b5f3-2328f277824d%40sessionmgr15&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=eric&AN=EJ748147 Cooper, J. and Irizarry, J. (2014). Classroom teaching skills. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Cotton, K. (n.d.). Classroom Questioning. [e-book] North West Regional Educational Laboratory. Available through: Redmond District Schools http://rsd.schoolwires.com/145410515152938173/lib/145410515152938173/Classroom_Questioning_by_Cotton.pdf. Cruz, B. and Thornton, S. (2013). Teaching social studies to English language learners. New York: Routledge. Hativa, N. (2000). Teaching for Effective Learning in Higher Education. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. Hernandez, A. (2003). Making Content Instruction Accessible for English Language Learners. In: Garcia, G. eds. (2003). English Learners: Reaching the Highest Level of English Literacy. Kindle ed. New York: International Reading Association, pp. 125-152. Orlich, D. (2013). Teaching strategies. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Penick, J. and Harris, R. (2005). Teaching with purpose. Arlington, Va.: NSTA Press. Teachervision.fen.com (2013). Your Secret Weapon: Wait Time (Professional Development Teaching Advice, Grades K-12) - TeacherVision.com. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods/new-teacher/48446.html [Accessed: 23 Jul 2013]. Walsh, J. and Sattes, B. (2005). Quality questioning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Whitsett, G. and Hubbard, J. (2009). Supporting English Language Learners in the Elementary and Secondary Classrooms: How to Get Started. SRATE Journal, 18 (2), pp. 41-47. Retrieved from: http://apbrwww5.apsu.edu/SRATE/JournalEditions/182/Whitsett.pdf [Accessed: 24th July 2013]. Read More