Hello, my name is Seemin Maredia and I am a senior at University of Houston. I am majoring in Early Childhood Education and hope to teach Kindergarten through 2nd grade students. Because I love teaching new things to younger students and they are at a developing stage. Where many of the children need additional support to succeed in the future endeavors they may face in upper grade levels. However, I currently live in Sugar Land, Tx and am student teaching in FBISD at Sienna Crossing Elementary School.
Please click the link below to learn more about myself:
Hey Seemin.
ReplyDeleteI hope our senior year is great and something to remember. I think it is awesome that you were able to overcome the challenges of learning not only one language but two. Learning multiple languages is a common barrier that many children in our nation face. I am sure learning a second language is difficult. According to Ortega, a naturalistic learner learns through informal opportunities without receiving any organized instruction and an instructed learner learns through schooling (Ortega. 2011. Pg. 6). Which type of learner were you? Either way, learning a second language has to be though. I have heard it is harder to learn a second language at an older age. Great blog.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print
Jessica,
DeleteI am glad you watched my video. I would have to say coming from another country and not knowing English was a nightmare for me. Because it was hard for me to make friends in school and understand many different assignments. But by going to ESL classes and get help from my teachers and family I overcame my nightmare. I would have to say I was more of an instructed learner since many people were helping me in school and additional classes as well. However, the older the person may get the harder it is to learn a second language. According to researchers, "These authors contributed neurolinguistic data supporting a natural predisposition in the child’s brain for learning the first language, together with anecdotal observations that children were also adept foreign language learners, when compared to adults." (Ortega, 2011, Pg. 12). I would like to help young students learn English at a young age that way it is not hard for them to comprehend certain things as they may grow older.
Hey Seemin!
ReplyDeleteLast semester and we’re done! I loved your video! I found it so interesting you taking about learning two different languages! I think by having learned this, you are going to be an incredible teacher to your students because many students need a bilingual teacher that can easily relate to them. I hope this Second Language Acquisition course continues to expand your knowledge of the languages you already know. According to Ortega, “SLA studies a wide variety of complex and influences and phenomena that contribute to the puzzling range of possible outcomes when learning an additional language in a variety of contexts.” (Ortega, 20.11. Pg. 2). I think you are going to be an inspiration to many young students.
Ortega, Lourdes. Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge, 2011. Print
Jolie,
DeleteThank you for watching my video. I would say it was not easy learning two different languages when your parents were struggling to learn english as well. Now that I am student teaching I can see many ELL students who are facing similar challenges as I did in my past. However, the certain students are not gaining additional help and support as our parents used to provide us. Because no matter how much help the child may be getting within their school most of the times it can be very challenging for them when they go back home and everyones speaking the first language other than english at all times. However, by helping the students overcome the challenge and guiding them to becoming successful is a great way to see them is very joyful. According to researchers, "We take it for granted that all humans have the potential to accomplish all of these amazing feats in whatever language(s) they happen to grow up with." (Ortega, 2011, Pg. 1). No matter how hard it may be for the students I think I will take every step forward to help them accomplish many new things to becoming successful.
Hi Seemin,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching your video. It is really exciting that you are about to graduate this semester. I am hopefully graduating this December. I think that it is very interesting that your parents learned English as adults. I cannot imagine how difficult that must have been. I also heard in your video that you learned Gujarati and Hindi as a child. How old were you when you were in school in India? Also, I heard that you were not able to read and write in Hindi, did this affect your education while you were in school in India? Did you know how to read and write in Gujarati? According to Ortega, "many others will be forced by life circumstances to learn enough of the additional language to fend for themselves in selected matters of daily survival (Ortega 2009 pg. 1). This could be true for a person who does not speak English and is starting school in America. These students have to adapt and learn the language to survive in that environment.
Ortega, L. (2009). Second language acquisition. London: Hodder education.
Your linguistic background is really interesting and I am sure that some of the ideas you have about second language learning will be challenged in this class. I wonder why you are not literate in Hindu since you have been to a school in India. Do you think that you have placed less attention to it due to your dedication to English?
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