Challenges faced by ESL Learners

In today’s world English is a Global language. The English language is growing so rapidly, we can not deny the importance of the English language. Now, the English language is used for international communication. As we all know Pakistan is a multilingual country, majority of learners could not speak well. There are many challenges.

 Here are the most common reasons ELLs struggle in school: Health issues: If your child has vision or hearing problems, it can make it even harder for her to understand what's going on in school. But other factors can also affect learning. These include lack of sleep, stress, culture shock, and poor nutrition.

If asked, most adults would tell you that they have goals in life. For example, I have a personal goal of visiting every continent in my lifetime. Up to the point of writing this article, I have visited four of seven continents; I am more than halfway there!

Goals help us to focus on where we want to be in the future, be it financially and professionally, or personally, such as learning a new skill or fitness-related goals. Having goals is motivating.

When we set goals, we have not only identified what we seek but also the steps needed to accomplish those goals. It is the same with our students; by helping them to set goals, we can support them in reaching those goals.

English learners and multilingual students can benefit greatly by setting goals on a variety of topics, including learning and acquisition of a new language, while at the same time maintaining and strengthening their native language.

Why create goals with students?                                                                     

Students, just like adults, likely have long-term goals they would like to accomplish. However, some students may never have been asked what they are or been guided to develop goals. 

As students work towards their goals, they can monitor their progress and make adjustments along the way. This process helps students see the movement they are making in reaching their goals and helps to keep them accountable to themselves and to others to continually make progress.

This does not assume that students will not face setbacks or perhaps get off-track. Rather, monitoring goals helps students to celebrate the successes they are making along the way, and learn to make the needed adjustments when they face setbacks or get behind on their goals. This life lesson is important for everyone, as setbacks are an inevitable part of life, and learning to deal with them appropriately will build the skills needed for future success.    

What can and should student goals focus on?

Student goals can focus on any number of topics, from academic to personal goals. Depending on the age and grade level of the students, you can guide them in a brainstorming session on goal topic development by posing some questions, such as, “What would you like to be able to do one year from now?” or, “What would you like to be able to do one month from now?”

 

If students are not sure, you can share some sample goals with them surrounding personal topics as these may be easier for students to identify early on. For example, students may consider goals around sports, such as “be able to make more goals/baskets/accurate throws, etc.”, or around cooking, “learn to cook a new dish/a dish that my family enjoys”, or around a particular hobby, such as “play the guitar (or another musical instrument.”

Sharing ideas with students about what they would like to accomplish in their free time and having them consider personal goals can be an effective way to lead them to consider academic goals.

For ESL  and multilingual students, language development and the retention and development of their native language are worthy academic goals. As English learners and multilingual students develop skills in a new language, it can be challenging for them to see the progress they are making.

When they have goals, they can see their progress towards learning a new language as well as increasing their proficiency in their native language. For example, students may develop a goal to increase their score on a language proficiency assessment based on the data available.

Alternatively, they might develop a goal of learning new vocabulary in the target language and/or in their native language. Another goal could be around reading new books in the target language and/or in their native language. Students in upper grades may also consider generating goals around study habits, assignment completion, or other academic topics.

How can we support English learners and multilingual students in developing goals?

When beginning to develop goals, students may be tempted to create life goals that are quite broad and reach far into the future. These longer-term goals are important and ultimately helpful.

In the introduction to this article, I mentioned my own goal of visiting every continent in my lifetime. From a longer-term goal, it is helpful, especially for youth, to develop shorter-term goals that will help students ultimately reach their desired destination.

For example, for my long-term goal of visiting every continent, I have a goal to visit a continent I have not yet visited within the next three years. This shorter-term goal allows me to begin the planning process and make concrete steps including choosing a destination and saving the money needed for the trip.

In short, every learner has to focus first on their goals. Everything is possible in this world but without effort nothing is possible.