Response #8

Reflection # 8
Okay. What is it going to be form-focused or communicative or a combination of both. Back up your thoughts with some of the studies in LS Ch. 6

I believe that when instructing ELLs there is not a set of structured programs or techniques that can be chosen just because research shows they are effective. The most important factor to implement certain kind of approach is to meet the needs of every student and to make use of available resources to do so. As we all know year after year, our classroom population changes, and what was effective one year may not be the most appropriate for next. We have to realize, as we been talking in the classroom and reading from the text, that there are several factors that contribute to students' learning; SES, background, culture, proficiency and academic levels in L1 and L2, reasons for learning, etc. So, if teachers want maximize instruction, they have to take what works better either from structure or communicative based approaches. There are features in both from which our students can benefit, as well as to meet their needs.
In my case, because I teach both group of students, English and Spanish speakers, I use a lot the communicative approach to engage students in meaningful communication and to develope their oral language skills. However, I cannot leave structure-based out because I teach kinder and they need the basics to develop strong writing and reading skills.