Hello, everyone! My name is Janeth Duran, and I am the youngest of three. I am also the daughter of two Mexican immigrants, which means Spanish was my first language. Growing up, I was surrounded by Spanish everywhere I went, and with everyone I spoke to, it was the language that surrounded me.
Once I entered public school, I spoke very little English, so I was immediately placed in ELL (English Language Learner) classes. At first, it was challenging to adjust, as I struggled to communicate with my teachers and keep up with some of my peers. However, I was fortunate to have two older siblings who helped me improve my English at home. Thanks to the fact that they were older than me, they had more experience speaking English, so they worked with me to improve mine. I was only in ELL classes for a short period of time before transitioning into regular classes.
Now that I am actively involved in the school environment, I want to ensure that I provide the right kind of support to my Emergent Bilingual (EB) students. The textbook, states "Misidentified students could be placed improperly in special education programs, or students who truly need special education services could be prevented from receiving them."(Wright 2019. This makes me want to enter the classroom with as much knowledge as possible to make sure I help my ELL students rather than set them back.
My goal is to create an inclusive and encouraging space where they feel confident in their language development while also embracing their cultural identities. I believe it's important to incorporate different languages in the classroom to ensure that students feel seen and connected to their cultural roots.
This topic is very near and dear to my heart because I was once an ESL student, and it’s an experience I often reflect on. To this day, there are moments when I struggle with English, but I will always be proud of my roots.
Wright, W. E. (2019). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice (3rd ed.). Caslon Publishing.
