Ruth M. Wilson
Students who have been mainstreamed from bilingual classes are often expected to do the same work as other students. Unfortunately these students have many problems trying to understand the ordinary vernacular used in everyday situations. Teachers must recognize that a child’s personal world largely affects his performance in the daily school situation.
As teachers, we take for granted such things as comprehension, following directions, and appropriate use of idioms. While we are comfortable in using these idioms, we sometimes forget that these idioms are foreign and consequently formidable to the bilingual student. Hence barriers are erected that can be one of the causes why bilingual students test low on citywide testing programs. Problems are compounded because anxiety, frustration, and low selfesteem become additional barriers to achievement. Bilingual students fall further and further behind in their class work until finally, in some cases, behavior problems arise.
Because many students have trouble understanding idioms, this unit is designed to make bilingual students feel more comfortable and knowledgeable in reading and language usage. Hopefully this unit will enable students to cope better with reading difficulties, but, also with behavioral problems as well. Positive changes in behavior and attitude can be a by product of this endeavor and an asset to learning. As the student becomes more proficient and more confident, positive feelings will, hopefully, supplant the negative feelings prompted by failure in reading.
This unit is constructed for sixth and seventh grade students as part of a remedial reading course. The unit can be varied somewhat according to grade and reading level, and thereby provide awareness to the student of understanding an alternative way of speaking. The four main objectives are: 1) define 50 idioms, 2) help students understand these idioms in reading and conversation, 3) demonstrate when the use of a particular idiom is appropriate, and 4) provide activities for students to use the idioms.
The use of the computer will also be incorporated in this unit. The computer programs in general imagery will enable the students to reinforce and recall previous lessons taught. Students must read, understand, and choose the proper sequence they are to follow. After students interact with the program and its specific directions, the computer will give them immediate feedback. This activity will be the beginning and culminating event of this unit. All students will be able to see the exact amount of growth by comparing their Pre and Post test scores with a computerized printout.
By teaching the reading and language skills along with the computer, the students can actively participate in using idioms in various situations. The computer’s function will be: 1) to expose and reinforce the idiom, 2) to diagnose the comprehension of the idiom, 3) to Pretest and Posttest for final comprehension.
The lessons on the computer’s program will help the students compile a list of idioms for their own use. The idioms can be used by students to stimulate and create situations like TV and radio commercials, ads, or everyday speech.
