Class Demographics:1st Grade Class

I am completing my service learning experience in a Title 1 elementary school with an identified high ELL population. I worked in a 1st grade classroom with the following profile:

Number of students: 25

Gender: 17 female, 8 male

Languages: 5-second language learners

• 1 girl speaks Chinese
• 2 girls and 2 boys speak Spanish 

Language Proficiency and Ability: 

The students are mainstreamed and are ELD's. There is some of the ELL students, however that are struggling with academics and language.

Chinese- Has difficulty even speaking any English, but can count and understand most things that I am telling her to do when I have pictures to help explain. The students also does math problems by drawing out the number of circles then counting them all together to do addition problems.

Spanish- Some of the students have difficulty understanding what they are reading and doing things on their own and staying on task. I have experienced so far that they work well together in a group and I am there as a guide and direct them to help them figure out the correct answer. I have found also that it is easier to explain to them in many different ways until they get it to see which one connects in their head.

Other Relevant Information: 

Reading books side by side and to the whole classroom as they are quiet and ready to listen and to follow along as I ask questions and get them excited and help them understand what the book is about. Also when students ask what a word means I try to use examples of them that they can relate to and understand. For example a student asked what the word "same" meant as we were doing a math problem and I explained what a twin was a how they were the same and their head instantly clicked to the word as they had a cousins who were twins.

Visual Connection: 

I was surprised about how much of the mainstreamed regular kids would reach out without hesitation and help the ELL students to be able to make sure they had a friend and having fun like everyone else. Also academically were the other students helpful as they would help the ELL's find the right page and make sure that they were getting help even when the ELL's hands weren't raised they would come and tell me that they were struggling and needed that extra help.