Although we as teachers would like to think that simply being friendly to our students will lead to a positive classroom environment, the research shows that we must play active roles in making this happen. In doing so, we should be aware of the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds learners bring to the classroom as well as create an environment where bullying is less likely to occur. Let us take a look at a few strategies we can use with secondary ESL students to support them both socially and emotionally.
One thing we can do right away from the start of the school year is to create a classroom setup which projects an openness to diversity, community building, and is student-centered. For example, we as teachers can attempt this by placing our desks in the corner of the room with the students facing one another in groups of three to four. Additionally, we can consider the walls of our classrooms and decorate them with pieces of art which the students have made and put up multicultural images which reflect the backgrounds of our learners.
Another issue to consider when developing positive relationships with students is that while multicultural awareness is essential in the classroom, we cannot lose sight of the fact that they are individuals. What this means for us as teachers is that we should ask our students about how school was conducted in their home countries as well as if they have extraordinary responsibilities outside of school (e.g., translating for the family often) which makes completing assignments more difficult. To be of assistance we can explicitly write out the daily schedule for them to memorize and set aside time in school to complete work.
Related to this is the fact that the students are all used to reasoning in their native languages which are a core part of their identities. As such, English-only policies in the classroom tend to diminish the value of these languages, and should be avoided. Instead, translanguaging should be encouraged to make it clear that while the content of the class is English, native languages are useful tools for higher order thinking.
A third concern we as teachers ought to have when establishing a positive classroom climate is that bullying is something which is bound to happen, but we can create the conditions which reduce the likelihood. Again, we can begin with the physical environment and place posters around the classroom which highlight that bullying is destructive to the student community and that reporting incidents is highly recommended. However, as this is not enough, receiving constant feedback from students about their concerns in the classrooms and hallways will help to maintain a positive climate which supports everyone’s social and emotional needs.
In conclusion, I would just like to add that while I have not recorded data to be analyzed of my own experience in Japan, conditions which allowed for me to feel part of a community while not losing my own identity were very helpful to my integration. Therefore, as a migrant myself I am very aware of the difficulties of assimilating to a foreign culture and am looking forward to helping ELLs do the same, whether in Japan or in another country.
References
“Anti-Bullying Strategies, By Grade.” TeachHUB, www.teachhub.com/anti-bullying-strategies-grade.
Classroom Culture. (2017, August 14). Retrieved from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/critical-practices-for-antibias-education/classroom-culture
What is Translanguaging? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/life-bilingual/201603/what-is-translanguaging