Ethnographic Study

What are your overall impressions of this observation?

I truly enjoyed the opportunity to observe this student in a second language learning environment. While the observation may have left me with more questions than answers regarding how best to accommodate the student I observed, I felt that through both observation and interviewing the student I came to understand her daily struggles as an adolescent English language learner.

What did you learn as a result of the fieldwork?

First, and probably most importantly, I learned a great deal about a student that I've had the privilege of working with for the past two years in class. Although I knew of some of the struggles she had faced when she immigrated to the US, I learned so much more through my observation and interview. I believe that my fieldwork will help me to better meet the needs of not only this particular student, but also other immigrant students that I work with in the future. I also realized that, as a general education teacher, I need to be MUCH more cognizant of the diverse needs of the learners in my classroom. Because I teach a second language acquisition course, I often assume that the activities I use in my classroom are appropriate for English language learners, since they are appropriate for second language learners. However, observing in another teacher's classroom made me more aware of the adjustments that still need to be made in my presentation like chunking, adjusting my language and adjusting the cognitive load of the assignments I give.

What is the value in case study research and analysis in terms of classroom practice?

Case study research is extremely valuable for any teacher looking to improve practice in terms of meeting the needs of diverse learners in their classrooms. Examining classroom practice from an ethnographic perspective of an individual student leads a reflective teacher to differentiate their instruction not only for that individual learner, but also leads them to evaluate their instructional practices for all of the learners in their classrooms. Case study research also personalizes learning forcing teachers to re-evaluate the rather prescriptive practices that teachers often feel are necessary in our standards- obsessed culture.

What is the value of the ethnographic narrative?

The ethnographic narrative was by far my favorite part of the fieldwork assignment. It allowed me insight into experiences that, while almost unimaginably tragic, are a stark reality for many immigrant students. The interview and narrative allowed me to build rapport with a student on a level that is uncommon in most classroom interactions. I hope to be able to complete fieldwork like this with other students in the future.

How will this information assist future teachers (next year’s teachers) as well as yourself in meeting the needs of this particular second language learner?

I think that the information I collected in the observation and ethnographic narrative could help future teachers to be more aware of the contextual factors that affect the second language acquisition process for this English language learner and, hopefully, help them to respond in a more compassionate and patient manner when seeking to help this student succeed academically.