1.++Home

=Welcome to the Spring 2012 ESL AQ Educational Rounds=

Case
Ambigeswari, a newcomer to Canada of South Asian background, specifically Tamil, aged 11, female, only child, with supportive parents who speak some/limited English but are not able to support her educational needs at home due to their work schedules nor do they have the financial means for personal tuition. They moved to Canada less than 2 months ago, renting an apartment in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Her father, qualified accountant, works as a factory worker in London and her mother previously housewife is working at a fast food chain outside Kitchener. There is no evidence of Ambigeswari having specific learning exceptionalities that will require a special education program. She has had formal education (traditional teacher-centric) in Sri Lanka, speaks very little English, and is having great difficulties acclimatizing to her new life in Canada. She hardly talks in her Grade 6 class and is shy. There is a student who speaks the same L1 as her at school, in a grade above hers. However it is a male student and her parents have issues with this. To make matters worse, it seems that Ambigeswari’s classmates have not been helping her transition to Canadian life - when she was introduced, several students laughed at her name, and students have made comments about her food at lunch. Her parents said that Ambigeswari has had Mathematics education in Sri Lanka, and she was an average student.

media type="custom" key="19262914" align="center"

Desired Outcome
The goals for this case study are to create an inclusive environment and implement appropriate teaching supports to help Ambigeswari learn age-appropriate math curriculum. To achieve this, the following guiding questions will be considered:
 * 1) What are the key issues or challenges that are specific to ELL's and Mathematics?
 * 2) How would you ensure a smooth transition for Ambigeswari into a Canadian classroom?
 * 3) What learning strategies could you employ to facilitate her development in Mathematics?
 * 4) What types of modifications and accommodations are available for this ELL learner?

A sample lesson plan will be created incorporating research-based practices and instructional strategies relevant for this case study.

Resources
Visit the resources page for a list of relevant literature, cultural background research and online resources.

* Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tamil_Nadu_school_kids.jpg