Service Learning and Prospective Non-Native ESLTeachers: Drawbacks and Benefits

Malcolm Finney
Assistant Professor
California State University, Long Beach
E-mail: mfinney@csulb.edu

ABSTRACT

A large percentage of the graduate students with the TESOL option in the Department of Linguistics, California State University, Long Beach, are international students. Most of them, if not all, plan or hope to become ESL teachers. This paper is based on a survey of international students who took the graduate seminar on Literacy and Linguistics, a designated Service Learning course, in fall 2001. It specifically addresses the rewards and challenges that the students' participation in a service learning course would have on them in terms of empowerment and confidence as a non-native English speaker teaching English as a Second Language. Results of the survey reveal that in spite of some challenges, the consensus was that it provided a rewarding experience for the students involved.

I. INTRODUCTION

Over fifty percent of the graduate students in the Linguistics Department at California State University, Long Beach, who are working towards an MA degree with the TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) option, are international students primarily from Asia. Most of them plan or hope to become ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers. These students, however, encounter a number of obstacles, particularly linguistic and cultural in their preparation for a career in ESL teaching. They are still developing competence in the language they someday hope to teach. In addition, their previous learning experience and cultural background make it extremely difficult for them to be active participants in a traditional graduate seminar, which is necessary for their prospective career. Most of them constantly entertain doubts about their ability to become effective ESL teachers. Incorporating community service learning into such seminars presents an opportunity for these students to apply theoretical models of teaching in real-life, practical, and non-pressure contexts. This helps empower them and builds their confidence in preparation for a future career in teaching.

This paper discusses challenges and rewards of community service learning as articulated by students in a designated community service learning graduate seminar that I taught on Literacy and Linguistics in fall 2001 in the Department of Linguistics, California State University, Long Beach. I present and synthesize excerpts from journals and essays on rewards of the community service learning experience in areas including: applying theory in practical contexts; empowerment and enrichment; non-native English speakers using L1 as resource; and a stronger awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity.

I further present responses of students to a survey at the end of the semester soliciting comments on specific challenges and rewards of community service learning involvement and whether their being native or non-native English speakers contributed to these challenges and rewards. Issues addressed by the survey included gender, age range, linguistic background, profession/prospective career, exposure to English, active use of English, challenges, and benefits. Students were asked to list the challenges and benefits they faced as a volunteer in community service learning and whether their being a native or non-native English speaker contributed to these challenges and benefits. A copy of the survey can be found in the Appendix.

From feedback I received through the survey and students' reflective journals, the prospect of being involved in community service learning as a non-native English-speaking student could be initially intimidating. Students tend to have strong feelings of doubt and inadequacy at the start. Once they become involved, however, feelings of doubt and inadequacy are replaced by feelings of empowerment and enrichment. They realize that their primary language is not a major liability but could become an additional resource in helping learners that share a similar linguistic and cultural background. They also become confident in their ability to make a difference in the learners' lives and become more aware of and more sensitive toward linguistic and cultural diversity.

For the purpose of clarity in this paper, the university students who were involved in community service learning are referred to as "students" and the children and adults that they were required to assist in literacy activities are referred to as "learners."

II. SERVICE LEARNING COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS FOR LITERACY AND LINGUISTICS

The seminar introduced students to different perspectives of literacy (linguistic, cognitive, sociocultural, pedagogical) and provided them, through community service learning, with the opportunity apply different theoretical models of literacy instruction in a real-life community situation. Some of the students participated in Project SHINE (Students Helping In the Naturalization of Elders). As student tutors, they were matched with learners attending ESL courses in the Division of Continuing Education, North Orange County Community College District, Southern California. The learners in these courses were expected to be 50 years or older and learning literacy, among other skills. Students were required to do 20 hours of one-on-one or small group tutoring at one community site. The Long Beach Public Library Foundation, Southern California, accommodated other students as volunteers in a number of literacy projects with Long Beach public libraries and Family Learning Centers. Students volunteered a minimum of 20 hours as student tutors. They were involved in activities designed to enhance children's English literacy skills, including reading to youngsters in a group setting and assisting children with homework and Internet.

Students were expected to combine meaningful community service with in-class learning through a process of guided/structured reflection exercises. Students were required to submit bi-weekly reflective journals describing and analyzing their experiences, to write two essays during the semester reflecting on course themes and on their service learning experience, and to present a detailed final report. Students were expected to articulate the challenges and rewards of the service learning experience, including possible contributions of this experience to the development of professional skills related to their prospective careers.

The survey that was conducted solicited comments from students on what they considered challenges and benefits of their community service learning experience. The survey identified some specific challenges and benefits, but the students were encouraged to include as many challenges and benefits as possible. They were also encouraged to comment on anything they considered worthy of mention.

III. SURVEY RESPONSES: CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING

The most common challenge cited the fact that as tutors they were expected to help students experiencing problems with English. There were early feelings of inadequacy and doubts about their ability to help others since they themselves were non-native English speakers. A male Japanese student who plans to become an adult ESL teacher at a junior college in Japan wrote in his reflective journal: "Today, I had a problem with my grammatical explanation of the difference among 'have to', 'had to', and 'has to'."

A female Mandarin Chinese student, who plans to become either a K-12 teacher or an adult ESL teacher, felt that her non-native English speaking background provided a bit of a challenge because, as she put it: "I lack of knowledge on some topics, such as citizenship"

The students did make mention of other general challenges as well. The above-mentioned Japanese student considered it a challenge that he could not speak the primary language of the learners he was expected to help. He wrote: "Since the majority of the students were Mexican or Vietnamese, they were using L1 during the group activities, sometimes. As for me, as a native speaker of Japanese, I could not help them, using their L1, but it was a great thing that I did not understand their native language in that they had to use English whenever I asked questions to students in groups." This was echoed by a male Mandarin Chinese student, who also plans to become an adult ESL teacher, who wrote: "In some cases, if I knew the learner's (lower level) native language, there could have been more effective tutoring…. Sharing same cultural backgrounds with learners or showing respect to their cultures and life experiences will enhance the trust from learners to the tutor." Similar sentiments were expressed by a female Mandarin Chinese student, who, like the others, plans to become a K-12 teacher or an adult ESL teacher. She wrote: "The instructor could not meet the learners' need[s]. It frustrates the learners. My background can do nothing about that."

A female Vietnamese student, who is currently a substitute K-12 teacher and a substitute adult ESL teacher, cited a different kind of challenge: "Helping adult learners was a challenge to me understanding patients and devotion." In general, the challenges mentioned had to do with initial doubts about their ability to make a difference as well as frustration stemming from their inability to help because of a linguistic and cultural background that was different from that of the learners they were assigned to help.

IV. SURVEY RESPONSES: BENEFITS OF THE SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Comments made by students in the survey indicated that their involvement in community service learning was indeed a rewarding experience in a variety of ways. In general, the expressed benefits of service learning far outweighed the challenges. According to a male Japanese student, there are benefits in service learning for native and non-native speakers alike. He remarked: "I think everybody can benefit from community service learning regardless [of] being a native speaker or a non-native speaker of English. Both native and non-native speakers have the advantages in teaching adult learners." He further stated: "I learned a great deal by observing and helping older learners in the ESL class. The adult learners reminded me of the difficulties and challenges I encountered while learning foreign languages. More than anything else, through talking with the learners, I learned from them not only about their lives and literary practices in English in the U.S., but also their native cultures and American dreams."

A female Vietnamese student felt enriched by the experience. She further believed that her experience as an ESL student became a resource rather than a liability. She wrote in the survey: "Being there, working with real adults, not adults from books, TV, radio, newspapers, etc. helps me make a commitment to those learners that I will help them within my capacity to make their study a lot easier and more comprehensible, more interesting. As a non-native speaker of English as those learners, I think I know how to help them productively through my own experience."

This student mentioned additional benefits in response to the following prompts on the survey:

Self Esteem: [Community service learning] "help(ed) me build my self-esteem and the [learners'] self-esteem."

Sense of Personal Worth: "I can contribute something, though of little value, to the community where I live/work."

Making a Difference in the Community: [Community service learning] help(ed) me confirm my confidence in my confidence in making a difference in the community -- in helping adult learners acquire and improve their English proficiency to a certain level (I wish I could have more time). ... Even just to look at their smile[s] when I arrive to understand that they are waiting for me so that we can learn together--that's the best reward I've had before."

A female Mandarin Chinese student believed that community service learning helped prepare her for a future career as a K-12 or an adult ESL teacher. She made the following comments: "I got more experience on tutoring. ... I had more ideas to design my lesson plans and to help them individually."

Another female Mandarin Chinese student, who also plans to become a K-12 teacher or an adult ESL teacher, expressed similar sentiments. She further considered her linguistic and cultural background an asset when she had the opportunity to assist a learner with a similar background. She remarked: "The learners could not understand the instruction and could not read the sentences. Being a non-native English speaker, I could use my native language to explain the instruction or content. Mostly, it's helpful for meaning, since adult learners prefer meaning-based learning. ... My linguistic background helps me realize the way to pronounce, so I can teach them basic concept of pronunciation. ... Also my experience in learning English could help me to understand what the learners' needs, especially Asia[n] students."

This student further felt enriched and better prepared for her future career. She commented: "The service learning experience help[ed] me improve my self-esteem because the learners make me feel that not only [a] native English speaker can be an English teacher. ... The most important thing is I find assessment is necessary before teaching and during teaching. ... There is no certain way to teach all the students. Namely, diverse teaching for diverse students. ... How to teach multiple-level class is one topic that I never think about before." She also concluded that she gained "experience for teaching in the future." Also, in her response to Other Issues Worthy of Mention, she wrote: "Teaching skill is one of the factors to keep students attending the school, not the most important for adult learners. Mostly the adults are self-motivated. They go to the class with diverse reasons. They are not like children being forced to school. The adults have their certain way to learn things. How to fin[d] the preferred way to learn language is a big challenge."

A female Turkish speaker, who is an adult German as a Second Language teacher and plans to teach adult ESL, also considered her background an asset. She commented: "... being a nonnative speaker of English myself, I could understand some of the challenges [the learner] had to deal with, possibly better than a native speaker would. For instance, having the opportunity to reflect back on my own English learning, I might have been more patient with [the learner] in cases where she needed time. I can still remember the difficulty of having to produce English in front of others. Maybe by just having had this experience earlier on in my life, I might have been able to hold myself back more, giving [the learner] the extra minute she needed." Her comments were triggered by the disappointment that a learner expressed in her class [and her] teacher's impatience at what she perceived to be the learner's slow progress in English and unwillingness to participate in class activities.

This student found the experience very rewarding: "I felt a sense of accomplishment each Wednesday after I left the library. Upon arrival I was always tired and a bit on the edge. Yet, then I would see [the learner], or if I was lucky, some other willing soul coming to ask me a question. In about two hours I would leave the library [feeling] light, feeling I did some good. Just that feeling in itself has been enough for me--as far as spiritual, personal and community awards. ... Professionally, I also developed a sense of what it would be like to work with someone one to one. I had never helped anyone younger than 17 before so working with kids between 8 and 14 has been new and nice. I want to teach ESL, hopefully at a junior college. I admit, though, while I was at the library on Wednesday nights, I pondered on several occasions whether I would try teaching elementary school. My experience has been very fulfilling. Thank you."

This student also wrote some insightful remarks under Other Noteworthy Comments: "On several occasions I helped children with their mathematics assignments. During these periods what struck my attention was that, soon after the problem was understood by the learner in clear terms, the solving of the problem followed easily. It was the wording that the learners had the most problem with. This might be an important issue for content area instructors of ESL, who have students very literate in their mathematical skills, yet simply not advanced enough in their English comprehension to be able to transcribe the wording in math problems. In other cases, even for native English speakers, the transition from wording to numbering might be difficult. Then again, I was in other situations when I had to explain an equation and what the numbers and equations referred to. Yet again, in math, as well as in other areas, different learners need different sorts of help, and it is up to the teacher to see and hear the individual needs."

Judging from all the comments listed above, there is no doubt that the students did find the service learning experience to be tremendously rewarding, both personally and professionally.

V. EXCERPTS FROM REFLECTIVE JOURNALS

Students were required to submit bi-weekly reflective journals describing and analyzing their experiences. Comments made by students in their reflective journals provided further support for the gratifying experience of community service learning in multifarious ways. Following are excerpts from the journals classified under the following categories: (1) Applying Theory in Practical Contexts, (2) Empowerment and Enrichment, (3) Non-Native English Speaking Instructors Using L1 as Resource, and (4) Awareness of Linguistic and Cultural Diversity.

1. Applying Theory in Practical Contexts

Since they had an opportunity to combine theory with practical experience, a number of students who participated in community service learning found it to be a meaningful experience. In the words of one of the students (a Korean female): "I am so glad we learned about Ebonics in the literacy class because if I haven't I would have probably told [the learner] that his sentence was not correct. Since I learned, I told him he was correct (which is correct in Ebonics) but maybe the teacher would like it better if he wrote it a different way. Helping [the learner] was a fun and interesting experience."

Another student (a Turkish female) remarked on her approach to literacy: "My approach has changed in the sense that, I learned the importance of listening to the learner and their level, interest, flow other than what I am used to... not all learners have the same "drummer" in their heads, some move faster, some move much slower. With [this learner], simply having the luxury of taking the time to explain, hear, observe, read again, spell and be spontaneous made a difference in her production of two great stories. I believe she learned a lot."

A male Japanese student had some comments about the value of small classes: "...there are too many [learners] in the class. ... This is not a problem with the teacher. ... They should have been divided into smaller classes. Again I have learned the difference between ideal situations on the books and the real-life situations."

Another male Japanese student shared his views about why somelearners do not actively participate with the teacher in class: "After the class, I talked about this with the teacher. She said, 'This happens to them, especially Asian students.' Then I replied, 'I understand their situation. I had a kind of same background'. ... I remembered one article, which was about the cultural differences of learning styles. Asian students tended to study by listening to the explanation, memorizing stuff, and practicing repetitively. On the other hand, Americans studied through interactions. So if Asian students were educated in their own country, they would have a hard time adjusting the learning style to American."

A female Chinese student expressed her views about appropriate teaching techniques, stating: "I read some articles about learning disabilities in adult ESL. Some techniques and principles for teaching students who have learning disabilities seems appropriate for the beginning-low learners. For example: explain information in a precise way; never make assumptions about what the learner knows. Break down learning into small, sequential tasks. Present directions one step at a time, using both oral and written demonstrations. Provide intensive instruction until the material is mastered."

Another female Chinese student had some comments on learning styles: "Different learners have different styles. For example, Spanish learners who have good oral ability but grammar knowledge, they may prefer grammar practice. In other way, Chinese learners who do not have oral ability, they may need spend more time in conversation practice or segment the sentence to little part during practice. Teaching multiple-level class is a high challenge. The instructor may need [to] spend time to understand what the learners need."

The value of "needs assessment" is captured in the following comments made by a female Chinese student: "Chinese learners indicate that they want to learn more common dialect for regular life. What I can do is to ask them writing down what they want to learn and bring to me next time, then I could teach them what the need. This phenomenon has been mentioned in Auerbach' textbook [one of the required texts] about the Interns (instructors) 'they spent a great deal of time working on syllables and words with no connection to material from students' lives.' Auerbach suggests that the Interns should draw material from students' lives, using pictures, stories, and contextualized texts "

Yet another student (Korean female) applied some views expressed by the author of one of the prescribed texts in her service learning volunteering: "My [learners] also asked me to teach them some sound patterns. But major problems in teaching rules of pronunciation were that so many rules for the English language have exceptions and that they knew nothing about English. In this regard, as Morrow (required text) mentioned in Chapter Eight, I believed that we should teach fewer rather than more rules because the ability to apply them was so limited for non-native speakers with no schooling even though they were adults. So I taught some sound patterns that rarely have exceptions."

2. Empowerment and Enrichment

As expressed by students in their reflective journals, community service learning was an empowering and enriching experience. Most of the students recorded that they approached the assignment initially with concerns and doubts as to whether they would be of real help to the learners. Upon completion of their assignment, all the students indicated that as a result of community service learning, they believed they made some difference in the learners' lives. The only regret they had was that they thought the learners needed more assistance than they (the students) had time to give. One of the students (Korean female) wrote: "If it weren't for my night class on Tuesdays, I would not mind staying longer, because I really would like these children to do their homework and know the value of it." Another student (Turkish female) remarked that she felt the look of gratitude she saw in the eyes of the child she was assisting was gratifying enough.

The students who volunteered at the Long Beach Public Libraries especially enjoyed working one-on-one with the children, and they felt that they developed a bond with the children they assisted. The female Korean student remarked: "On my way out, [the assigned learner] asked me if this experience was helping me with my class work and I told her I started to realize that it was helping me. ... Helping [the learner] was a fun and interesting experience." Later she wrote: "[The learner] needed help with Math. He said he did not understand his homework. He really did not know anything, so I explained the homework to him. ... He said he did not get the 'bonus' part. ... I explained the bonus to him and then gave him some bonus questions I made up. Once I felt like he understood, I went into his homework again. He did better once he knew how to do the bonuses. I felt so rewarded."

For a male Chinese student, community service learning created an opportunity to use his second language knowledge to help others. He wrote: "I thought, however, this was going to be my first attempt to tutor someone in a language which was a second language for both me and the learners. I was looking forward to this new challenge and precious opportunity that was about to take place."

A female Spanish student realized that as a result of community service learning, she was evolving into an instructor. She stated: "I know I have a challenge ahead of me. But to be honest I thought--how the heck did they make it through K-3 grades without knowing what a noun is? Don't they have ELD [English Language Development] time? I felt frustrated and sad at the same time. After today I realized that I am not a study buddy or a tutor--I am a literacy instructor. ... I am accountable to show growth/progress in the students ELD."

3. Non-Native English Speaking Instructors Using L1 as Resource

In a number of classes in linguistics, student teachers have been told that their non-English primary languages could be used as a resource in the classroom in assisting learners with a similar linguistic background. This was quite evident in the community service learning volunteering of the students. A female Chinese student remarked: "Two Chinese students are glad to see me here to help, because they are very, very, very beginning learners. They indicate that they never understand what teacher talks in the class. They need to improve their vocabulary capability first"

Another student (a Korean female) wrote: "They didn't know that these words meant places and even though they couldn't find these words in their dictionaries, they tried to translate them into Korean. So I explained to them what proper nouns could be by comparing ones in Korean ..." She later added: "So in my opinion, each beginning class should have someone, beside a teacher, who can translate and explain what they are confused with in their native language."

A female Spanish student commented: "I don't think these students have any English at home and have found a nitch of Spanish speaking friend[s] both in and out of school" This comment was made in reference to the fact that the Spanish-speaking children she was assisting received no help from parents or family members in reading English texts at home. My interpretation of her comments was that the children considered her someone who could not only help with their reading in English but could also explain things in Spanish should the need arise.

4. Awareness of Linguistic and Cultural Diversity

A final benefit of community service learning, as articulated in their reflective journals, was a greater awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity. One of the female Korean students wrote: "[The learner] just needed three pictures of any Mayan culture and three of Aztecs…. One good thing was that [the learner] was familiar with Spanish so when we got into this website with Spanish only, [the learner] helped me with the translation. Although I spent my whole volunteer hour helping [the learner] ... I actually got to learn about Mayan culture and Aztec culture I was not aware of." Another student (Chinese female) added: "Furthermore, I learn some Spanish and Korean from learners. Be willing to learn their language make the learners' affect filter lower, because I am not 'too high' for them"

VI. CONCLUDING REMARKS

Community service learning was a learning experience for the students in many respects. The prospect of being involved in community service learning as a non-native English-speaking student could be intimidating initially. Students had strong feelings of doubt and inadequacy at the start. Once they got involved, however, feelings of doubt and inadequacy were replaced by feelings of empowerment and enrichment. They realized that their primary language was not a major liability but could become an additional resource in helping students that shared a similar linguistic and cultural background and who had lower competence in English. They became confident in their ability to make a difference in the students' lives. Service learning also presented an opportunity for students to apply theoretical models in real-life, practical contexts. It gave them the opportunity to apply different theories in different contexts in a non-pressure situation. This helped empower them as current teachers, or prepared them for a future career in teaching. This was especially important for non-native English-speaking students, who previously had doubts about their ability to become effective ESL teachers. Students further interacted with learners from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and this led them to have a greater awareness of and sensitivity toward linguistic and cultural diversity. Finally, the university students were able to make a difference in the lives of the learners, who, for the most part, were disadvantaged or underprivileged members of the community.

Community service learning was indeed beneficial to all involved. All the students did express feelings of satisfaction and considered the experience very rewarding. They felt appreciated by the learners as well as the community partners. Professionally, community service learning created the opportunity for me to make the graduate course more meaningful to the students. It provided an opportunity for students to apply theories of literacy and literacy development in practical, real-life situations. Personally, service learning created the opportunity for me to make a difference in the lives of both university students and disadvantaged and underprivileged children in the community.

VII. APPENDIX

Academic Exchange Extra invites reader responses to any writings in this issue--especially articles advancing the scholarly debate of issues raised.

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