ERIC EJ1152387: E-Pal Exchanges: A Way to Connect Preservice Teachers and English Language Learners

2017·0.37 MB·English

by  ERIC

Research Note
E-Pal Exchanges: A Way to Connect
Preservice Teachers and English
Language Learners

Anne Patton, Eliana Hirano, & Anna Rose Garrett,
Berry College
!
Keywords: preservice, teacher training, pen pal, e-pal, cultural exchange

Pen pal exchanges have been used exchanged between preservice teachers
for years to promote cross-cultural and middle school refugee ELLs, which
communication. In educational settings, helped future teachers improve their
pen pal projects have served additional dispositions towards culturally and
purposes. One is providing English linguistically diverse learners.
language learners (ELLs) with a safe but
While the studies above examined
realistic context in which language skills
pen pal projects between K-12 American
can be practiced and learner motivation
students and students abroad or
increased. Barksdale, Watson, and Park
preservice teachers and local students
(2007), for example, examined pen pal
(refugee, urban, or adult ESL), no study,
exchanges between middle school
to our knowledge, has investigated the
students learning English in Malawi and
benefits of a pen pal project between
middle school students in the United
preservice teachers in the US and
States, while Larrota and Serrano (2012)
English as a foreign language (EFL)
investigated letter exchanges between
students. The overarching question for
adult ESL students and preservice
this study is: What do American
teachers in the US. Other studies have
preservice teachers learn through e-pal
examined how pen pal projects can help
exchanges with Brazilian EFL students?
prepare preservice teachers in the US.
McMillon (2009), Moore and Ritter
The study
(2008), and Wilfong and Oberhauser
Every semester, Education majors in
(2012), for example, examined pen pal
an Introduction to Applied Linguistics
exchanges between preservice teachers
class taught by the second author at a
and urban, predominantly African-
liberal arts college have the option of
American, elementary and middle school
participating in an e-pal project with
students, which aimed at preparing
intermediate level EFL students in
teachers for the diversity they will likely
Brazil. The main goals for this
encounter in their classrooms. Similarly,
assignment include providing firsthand
Walker-Dalhouse, Sanders, and
experience on language issues covered
Dalhouse (2009) studied letters
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in the course readings and lectures and to address (or not) these language
getting to know a non-native speaker of problems in a classroom or tutoring
English. setting. For example, Abby stated:
The college professor pairs the The incorrect use of an indefinite
students in collaboration with the article was [an] aspect of [my e-
language school coordinator in Brazil. pal’s] composition … which had
The e-pal pairs exchange emails some errors. … In order to
throughout the semester and the college explain this to her I can tell her
students then write a reflection on their that we use the indefinite article
experience. The grade earned on this “a” before a noun or an
reflection then replaces their lowest quiz adjective that begins with a
grade, amounting to less than 3% of the consonant [sound] and we use
total course grade. The guidelines for the “an” before a noun or an
assignment include logistics (e.g., reply adjective that begins with a
to emails within a week, thank e-pal vowel [sound].
when ready to finish project), suggested
2.! Greater confidence with
topics (e.g., hobbies, holidays), and ideas
communication. Most of the college
for the reflection (e.g., overall
students (67%) found that their e-
experience, language issues in e-pal’s
pal’s language errors did not affect
emails and their effect on
comprehension. They negotiated a
comprehension).
meaningful interaction with an ELL
For this study, the first and third despite language errors and noted
authors, who have both taken this course increased confidence in
in the past, independently analyzed 18 communicating with ELLs in
reflections qualitatively searching for general. Debbie, for example,
recurring themes (Taylor & Bogdan, explained the following:
1998). They then met, discussed their
When I first emailed my pen pal,
findings, and agreed on the three major
… I was most concerned about
themes presented below. This study
[being able to] communicate
complies with the rules for protection of
with someone from another
human subjects and all names are
country along with being able to
pseudonyms.
understand and relate to my pen
pal. Yet, after getting my first
What Preservice Teachers Learned
response, I knew I would
Three major themes were identified definitely enjoy the process. ...
in the reflections: Although her English was not
perfect, I could fully comprehend
1.! Reflection on language issues in the
what she was saying.
email exchanges. Following the
assignment guidelines, 100% of the 3.! Empathy and understanding. The
college students identified patterns of majority of the college students
language issues in their e-pals’ (78%) empathized with their e-pals
emails (e.g. use of articles, auxiliary by drawing connections to their own
verbs, prepositions). Additionally, language learning experiences. They
they sometimes thought about how were impressed by their e-pals’
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motivation to learn English, and had numerous students needing attention. As
a renewed understanding of the Catie mentions, “[this project] helps
difficulty of learning English. In [with] learning the concepts of
Fran’s words: Linguistics through a real person instead
of just the book.”
I learned that English is a very
hard language to learn. So many The second theme regards the
lessons I just know from growing college students’ realization that their e-
up in an English [speaking] pals’ language issues did not affect
country. But for English learners, comprehension. The pen pals conducted
there are lessons that are hard to meaningful conversations despite these
master. ... Personally, I only took challenges. This is particularly relevant
3 years of French in high school because, as Debbie’s quote above
but my teacher did not push us illustrates, preservice teachers may have
hard to learn the fundamentals of a concern that they will not be able to
the language. For me, I learned communicate with ELLs. As Walker-
words and not Dalhouse, Sanders, and
sentences. “I have a whole new Dalhouse (2009) explain,
perspective for what preservice teachers need
Regarding the EFL
English learning is “authentic experiences
students’ motivation, Ellie
with linguistically diverse
commented, “I was really like, ... and I cannot
students” (p. 339) in order
moved by her passion for wait to apply what I
to enhance their
English and her
learned in this project
communication skills with
willingness to go to a
to my teaching career.”! ELLs, and thus become
[language] school just to
more effective teachers.
learn it.”
Lastly, the e-pal exchanges allowed
Discussion and Conclusion the college students to form a
relationship with an ELL and, in turn,
This study set out to investigate what
develop more empathy and
preservice teachers taking an
understanding for these students. The
Introduction to Applied Linguistics
college students reflected on their own
course learn from exchanging emails
difficulty learning a second language
with Brazilian EFL students.
and acknowledged the difficulty of
Considering the course’s focus on
learning English as a foreign language.
Linguistics and the assignment
Moore and Ritter (2008) support that pen
guidelines, it is not surprising that a
pal projects give preservice teachers the
common theme regarded the language
opportunity to interact with students
issues in their e-pals’ writing. This
from diverse backgrounds and prepare
project allowed the college students to
them to understand linguistically and
develop a deeper understanding of the
culturally diverse students as individuals
specific language challenges that ELLs
with unique personal histories.
face, giving them an opportunity to
focus and analyze the language patterns In general, the e-pal project was very
of their e-pals in a way that will be well received by the college students,
difficult in a future classroom with who referred to it as “beneficial” (Catie)
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and “amazing” (Abby). Some of them which indicates that they truly enjoyed
mentioned they wanted to continue their the project.
communication with their e-pals and, “if
Considering the success of this e-pal
given the opportunity, I would do it
project, we argue that other teacher
again” (Debbie). In addition, some of
education programs should consider
them reported a shift in perspective as a
incorporating similar projects to increase
result of the project. Fran remarked that
future teachers’ preparation for working
“this experience grew me as a person to
with ELLs. Besides putting the linguistic
pay more attention to other countries
topics learned in class into action
instead of just focusing on what is going
through interaction with an actual
on in the United States,” while Abby
language learner, e-pal exchanges can
stated that “not only does [this project]
help future educators develop an
make me want to go visit Brazil, but it
awareness of the difficulties faced by
makes me want to become fluent in a
language learners as well as the cultural
second language.” It is important to note
differences that may exist between
that, even though students generally
student and teacher. As a result, future
made very positive remarks about the
teachers become more confident in their
project, these reflections were written for
ability to integrate ELLs in their
a grade, which may have had an effect
classrooms and respond to their needs.
on what students wrote. This should be
As Ellie insightfully noted, “I have a
interpreted as a limitation to this study.
whole new perspective for what English
Anecdotally, however, some students
learning is like [...], and I cannot wait to
have mentioned to the second author that
apply what I learned in this project to my
they still exchange emails with their pen
teaching career.”
pals after the semester has finished,

References

Barksdale, M.A., Watson, C., & Park, E.S. (2007). Pen pal letter exchanges: Taking first
steps toward developing cultural understandings. The Reading Teaching, 61(1), 58-
68. "
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Larrotta, C., & Serrano, A.F. (2012). Pen pal writing: A holistic and socio-cultural
approach to adult English literacy. Journal of Adult Education, 41(1), 8-18."
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McMillon, G.M. (2009). Pen pals without borders: A cultural exchange of teaching and
learning. Education and Urban Society, 42(1), 119-135.

Moore, R., & Ritter, S. (2008). ‘‘Oh yeah, I’m Mexican. What type are you?’’ Changing
the way preservice teachers interpret and respond to the literate identities of
children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 35(6), 505-514.
51" ORTESOL'Journal,"Volume'34,"2017"
Taylor, S. J., & Bogdan, R. (1998). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A
guidebook and resource. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Walker-Dalhouse, D., Sanders, V., & Dalhouse, A.D. (2009). A university and middle-
school partnership: Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward ELL students. Literacy
Research and Instruction, 48(4), 337-349. "
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Wilfong, L. G. & Oberhauser, C. (2012). A pen pal project connects preservice teachers
and urban youth. Middle School Journal, 43(5), 40-50.

Anne Patton is a senior at Berry College (Mount Berry, Georgia, USA), majoring in
Spanish with a minor in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. One of her passions is
to work with English language learners, and she teaches in the Berry College ESL
program for adult immigrants.

Dr. Eliana Hirano is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education and the coordinator of
the minor in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Berry College. Her doctorate is
in Applied Linguistics.

Anna Rose Garrett is a junior at Berry College, majoring in Art Education with a minor
in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. She works as a linguistics research
assistant.
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