A World Away: Back to School from a Newcomer EL's Perspective
For many students, "back to school" means reconnecting with friends, showing off new shoes, and settling back into a familiar routine. For a newcomer English Learner (EL), however, it is a journey into an entirely new world. They are not just starting a new grade; they are starting a new life, a new culture, and a new identity. This perspective, often invisible to those around them, is filled with a unique blend of hope, confusion, and anxiety that profoundly impacts their social-emotional well-being and academic success.
The Social-Emotional Rollercoaster
A newcomer EL's first days and weeks are a rollercoaster of emotions, often more intense than those of their English-speaking peers.
Loneliness and Isolation: Imagine walking into a classroom where you don't understand a single word. Every laugh, every instruction, and every casual conversation is a reminder of your isolation. This can lead to profound feelings of loneliness, even in a crowded room (Suárez-Orozco & Suárez-Orozco, 2001).
Anxiety and Fear: The constant fear of making a mistake—linguistically, socially, or academically—can be overwhelming. Simple tasks like asking to use the restroom or finding the cafeteria become sources of immense anxiety. This "affective filter" can prevent students from taking risks, speaking, and engaging in learning (Krashen, 1985).
Grief and Acculturation Stress: Many newcomers have left behind their families, friends, and entire lives. They are grieving the loss of their home culture and struggling with the stress of acculturation—adjusting to new norms, values, and expectations (Brown, 2007). This stress can manifest as sadness, withdrawal, or disengagement.
Navigating the Academic Maze
Academically, the back-to-school experience for a newcomer EL is a complex maze with its own set of challenges.
The "Silent Period": It is completely normal for newcomers to go through a "silent period" where they listen and absorb the new language without speaking. This is a cognitive process, not a sign of disengagement. Expecting them to participate verbally immediately can cause stress and withdrawal (Garrison & Mora, 2009).
Linguistic Load in All Subjects: It's not just the English class that is challenging; every subject, from math to science to social studies, is taught in a new language. The academic vocabulary, specific linguistic structures, and expectations for explaining reasoning are often completely different from their previous schooling (Schleppegrell, 2007).
Understanding the "Hidden Curriculum": The unwritten rules of U.S. schooling—how to ask for help, how to work in groups, the expectations for homework—can be incredibly confusing. These cultural differences are often not explicitly taught but are crucial for academic success.
Strategies for Schools and Teachers
Thankfully, there are intentional, research-based strategies that schools and teachers can employ to create a welcoming and supportive environment for newcomer ELs.
Prioritize Relationship-Building and a Safe Space:
Strategy: Teachers should prioritize getting to know the student as a person first. Use visuals, gestures, and translators to communicate interest in their hobbies, family, and home country. Create a "buddy system" with a peer who can offer social support.
Rationale: A safe, trusting relationship with an adult lowers the affective filter, making students more receptive to learning and more willing to take risks (Hammond, 2015).
Scaffold Content and Provide Visuals:
Strategy: In every subject, use visuals, graphic organizers, sentence starters, and hands-on activities to make content comprehensible. Don't rely solely on verbal instructions. Pre-teach key academic vocabulary with pictures and gestures.
Rationale: Visuals and scaffolding reduce the cognitive load of a new language, allowing students to access and build on their prior content knowledge (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2017).
Validate and Leverage Their First Language (L1):
Strategy: Allow students to use their L1 with peers to discuss complex concepts. Provide L1 resources or use translation tools. Display signs and labels in multiple languages to celebrate linguistic diversity.
Rationale: Honoring a student's L1 validates their identity and leverages their existing knowledge base, which transfers to English, leading to deeper conceptual understanding (Cummins, 2000).
Practice Patience and Grace:
Strategy: Understand that the silent period is a normal and necessary stage. Don't force students to speak. Instead, create low-stakes opportunities for them to use language when they are ready. Focus on what they can do, not what they can't.
Rationale: Patience and a positive, asset-based mindset are essential for fostering a student's self-confidence and long-term academic growth.
Back to school for a newcomer EL is not just about learning a new language; it's a monumental act of courage. By understanding their unique perspective and implementing supportive strategies, educators can transform their first days of school from an overwhelming ordeal into the beginning of a successful and empowering journey.
References:
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching. Pearson Education ESL.
Cummins, J. (2000). Language, power, and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Multilingual Matters.
Echevarria, J., Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. J. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model. Pearson.
Garrison, L., & Mora, J. K. (2009). Mathematics and the English language learner: A practical guide for teachers. Allyn & Bacon.
Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin.
Krashen, S. D. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and implications. Longman.
Schleppegrell, M. J. (2007). The linguistic challenges of mathematics teaching and learning: A research review. Language and Education, 21(2), 139–150.
Suárez-Orozco, C., & Suárez-Orozco, M. M. (2001). Children of immigration. Harvard University Press.