ELL ELL Cultural Awareness and Diversity 3

Question 1

What is 'heritage language' and why should ELL programs support it?

Accepted Answer

The home or community language an ELL student grew up with, which supports identity, family communication, and cognitive development

Answer

A language spoken only by elderly community members with no educational value

Answer

A formal language used in legal documents only

Answer

A language taught as a foreign language in US schools

Question 2

What does 'stereotype threat' mean in the context of ELL students?

Accepted Answer

The risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one's group, which can impair academic performance through anxiety

Answer

A physical threat from peers who hold stereotypes

Answer

A legal term for discriminatory language policies

Answer

A technique for testing cultural awareness

Question 3

What is 'multicultural literature' and how does it benefit ELL students?

Accepted Answer

Books and texts that reflect diverse cultures, languages, and experiences, helping ELLs see themselves in the curriculum and develop cross-cultural understanding

Answer

Literature that is too complex for ELL students

Answer

Literature written only in languages other than English

Answer

A genre of literature that avoids all cultural references

Question 4

What is 'code-switching' in the context of bilingual ELL students?

Accepted Answer

Alternating between two languages or dialects within a single conversation or utterance

Answer

Using computer programming codes in the classroom

Answer

Switching to a lower reading level text

Answer

A punishment for using the home language in class

Question 5

How should ELL teachers respond when students use their home language in the classroom?

Accepted Answer

Use home language strategically as a scaffold while developing English, rather than prohibiting it entirely

Answer

Always prohibit home language use to maximize English exposure

Answer

Only allow home language at recess

Answer

Require students to translate everything they say

Question 6

What is the 'iceberg model' (Cummins) and what does it illustrate about ELL language development?

Accepted Answer

It illustrates that surface language proficiency (BICS) is visible, while deep cognitive-academic language proficiency (CALP) underlies both languages and transfers between them

Answer

It shows that ELLs only need to learn the visible surface features of English

Answer

It demonstrates that ELLs should learn English before developing their home language

Answer

It is a metaphor for the difficulty of pronunciation instruction