Final thoughts....

When I started this course I thought it would be pretty simple to think about the needs of ELLs in terms of speaking and listening. Quite clearly I felt that practice was the key to acquiring a new language. I still believe that to be true but there is so much more to take into consideration. How we present the information initially is key, ensuring that our students have opportunities to practice with other learners from various levels and providing feedback in a respectful and productive manner are all essential components of listening and speaking. At times during this course I felt overwhelmed by all the components. When I looked at a big lesson plan and put my ideas all together it seemed easier than isolating just speaking and listening. I will have to see as I continue my learning journey how all the pieces fit together. I have learned a lot in this four weeks and I am excited to continue the next piece of this learning puzzle.