9 Lesson 8: How Does Language Vary Within (and among) Communities? (has activity)

Activity! ESL Classroom Interactions and Language Socialization

Setting

Public school, ESL classroom in middle America.

Participants
Mrs. Logan: female, aged 34, bilingual—first language is English, second is Pashto (a language spoken in Afghanistan).
Asai: female student, aged 7
Ilham: male student, aged 7
Tela: male student, aged 7
Benesh: female student, aged 7

Participants

Mrs. Logan: female, aged 34, bilingual—first language is English, second is Pashto (a language spoken in Afghanistan).

Asai: female student, aged 7

Ilham: male student, aged 7

Tela: male student, aged 7

Benesh: female student, aged 7

ENDS/Purpose

The class is primarily for 2nd grade students, many of whom are children of or are themselves refugees. These students are from Afghanistan and have been in the U.S. about 9 months.

Interaction

1     Ms. Logan:       Who is going to the fair tomorrow after school?
2                               [Asai raises hand. Is called on]
3     Asai:                  Mmmm . . .I go…yes…and…maman…
4     Mrs. Logan:                                                   ———-the correct word is ‘mother’
5     Asai:                 …yes…maman go…and…
6     Ilham:               ———–No!  It’s mother! I go with mother.  What food will be?
7     Ms. Logan:       I think there will be hot dogs and pizza. What is your favorite food?
8                               [Tela and Benesh raise their hands.]
9     Ms. Logan:       Yes, Tela?
10   Tela:                   Pizza.  I like pizza. Is… favorite.
11    Ms. Logan:        Good! What other foods do you all like?
12                              [Benesh has hand up is looking at Ms. Logan, puts hand down, up, down then puts                                          head down when not called on.]
13    Ilham:                I like chip.  I like pizza.  I like motaar.
14    Ms. Logan:       Motaar? You like cars, too?
15    Ilham:                Yes, big. Red.
16    Asai:                                               ———-I like red.
17    Ms. Logan:        Asai, remember to wait your turn or raise your hand.
18   Tela: I                  like blue.
19    Ms. Logan:        Great!  Now, thinking of food, who wants some popcorn?
20   Tela:                    Me!
21    ILham:                I want!
22   Asai:                    Yes.
23   Ms. Logan:         [looking at Asai], remember to say “yes, please.”
24                               [Ms. Logan hands out popcorn to Tela, Ilham and Asai.]
25   Ms. Logan:         Benesh, don’t you want popcorn?
26                               [Benesh sits quietly with head down]
27   Ms. Logan:         Okay, I guess not.  So, who wants some water?