ELL+and+Wikis

Since the inclusion of the Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) endorsement for teacher licensure in Massachusetts, teachers are receiving training and are becoming savvy in utilizing instructional tools that will assist all students, but more specifically, English Language Learners. One of the tools we can implement to assist ELL students is the use of a wiki. The wiki will allow students to strengthen their skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening while meeting TESOL Technology Standards. Teachers using wikis in class will need to take time to teach their students the purpose of wikis and why students must be mindful of what they read.

By utilizing the wiki as a tool for ELL students, the emphasis is on collaboration and meeting individual needs. The teacher can see each draft to ensure that all students are participating fully in each prompt, and can then support ELL students by tracking their progress.This allows ELL students to respond to the collaborative prompts in their own time and during their support periods if needed. Students are also able to use other resources such as Google translate and can add images or other supports if they are having a hard time expressing themselves through written language.

The beauty of the wiki is that it allows for multiple media to be embedded within the collaborative workspace. For example, students can work on a project that includes written text, spoken narratives, video clips, images and links to external resources. This allows each student to play upon their own strengths while supporting the group as a whole. If each student participates in each aspect, the group will certainly have a rich learning experience where students help each other while fostering a supportive learning community where each student exhibits leadership in some aspect of the project.

Another major benefit for English Language learners using wikis is practicing proficiency in all TESOL Technology standards. This includes demonstrating basic operational skills, using input and output devices (printers, headsets, keyboard), and code-switching using electronic communication competently. Here is a link to the TESOL standards addressed by English language learners and their teachers.

Fortunately, Wikis provide a perfect jumping off point for beginners to tackle the world of technology as they are easy to create, edit, and share. English language learners can use Wikis for a personal journal, telling of their school experiences and questions, something they can choose to share or not. In this, the students benefit from practice inputting and editing their thoughts, while getting support from their audience. In secondary education, advanced students can use Wikis to create newspapers for school, participate in class debates, and to expand their grasp of vocabulary.

The largest disadvantage for English language learners using Wikis is the influx of inaccurate information on the majority of Wiki sights. Erroneous facts (and spelling) may be taken as truth by users who are not familiar with the language or the format of a wiki. What may be misunderstood is that anyone can change a wiki to make it say what the author wants, whether that is factual or opinion-based. Early users will have to be taught what the purpose of a wiki is and why they cannot always base their new knowledge on what they read.

Overall, Wikis are wonderful tools for English Language Learners to express their thinking in a supportive, collaborative setting that meets the Common Core standards and creates a learning environment.

Resources []

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http://wikisinefl.wikispaces.com/Wikis+in+EFL

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@https://sites.google.com/site/wikiedworld/wiki-recommendations

Download "Using Wikis in the ESL Classroom"

@https://www.tesol.org/docs/default-source/books/bk_technologystandards_framework_721.pdf