Week 4- Assignment # 2 ELL & Technology News

loria Wade Gabb

Week 4 Assignment # 2

ELL & Technology

“Where do English Language Learners fit Into the Ed Tech Revolution?” by Jefferey Knutson (2015) is an interesting read.  According to this article, English Language Learners (ELL) are a growing yet underserved segment of the U.S. student population. The diversity of learners among ELL student populations remains one of the greatest challenges facing the teachers of ELLs. Diversity emerges in the form of language and ethnicity, but also in the wide variety of educational backgrounds these students bring to the classroom. Teaching these diverse learners presents teachers with a host of unique and very complex challenges. While Ed-tech resources for English Language Learners do exist, they are scarce. This scarcity presents the ed-tech industry with a challenge given the fact that the number of EL Learners are increasing. As this happens, the need for qualified teachers and teaching resources -- like quality ed-tech tools for ELLs become an issue.

When ELL teachers look to the ed-tech industry for solutions that specifically address their students' needs, they often come up empty-handed. Apps, tools and resources for nearly every grade level, subject area and skill imaginable are available, but tools for ELL students and their teachers often seem to be missing. Teachers can access language-learning apps and programs available, but few, if any of them are suitable for young learners in a classroom setting. There are plenty of games and apps, like digital-storytelling platforms, that can be applicable in an ELL classroom, but they don't explicitly offer support for language learners. In light of this, teachers are bound to continue using and repurposing these types of tools and other digital resources in creative and useful ways to try and make students acquire the language. ELL teachers regularly employ a variety of specialized and unique teaching strategies and best practices aimed at helping their students acquire English and thrive academically.

This news article brings to my awareness the sad reality in our schools today.  Even sadder is that there seems to be no sense of urgency in addressing ed-tech resources for ELLs, despite the increasing population.  A few emerging companies are starting to develop some promising and exciting, new ed-tech innovations, but given the level of need, and the growth of ELL populations in schools, the ed-tech industry does not seem to be coping with the demand to bridge the digital divide. This also brings to memory a previous news article read exposing the lack of resources in schools where ELL population is high.  If we are serious about addressing diversity in our schools, then we all have to be urgent in our efforts.