Inclusion of English Language Learners

Faughey, D. (2020). "I Got This!" visual methods as restorative practices. English Journal, 110(2), 77-84.

Faughey’s article documents their process to include visual methods for instruction and assessment in a tenth-grade English Language Arts (ELA) and English as a New Language (ENL) class. She analyses the use of multiliteracies and transmediation for student comprehension of texts and videos in class.  In this instructional research, students created graphic essays to best represent their understanding of the course material, and to eliminate the boundaries of language-based responses.

The author provides strong evidence that this restorative approach addresses the academic and social isolation that many students in her class faced, and notably (for this research), that of being an English Language Learner (ELL). As Faughey writes, “[a student] is able to understand the novel and the English language, thereby debunking the labels …mistak[ing] her multilingualism for a deficiency” (2021, p. 79). Using transformative and restorative justice theorists such as Maisha Winn, Meredith Sinclair, and Weltsek & Koontz, the author makes a strong argument for using graphic novels and representations to confront systems of oppression.  However, this article uses the term ‘restorative practices’ to explain the class instruction and this may not be purely accurate. While it is restorative in that it gives ownership of their understanding of the work, the author does not demonstrate the more holistic methods that are being used to ensure restorative justice education.

While this source focuses on ELA class and does not express the use of restorative justice pedagogy or the use of talking circles in class, it is relatable to EAL learners in the context in which I am learning. I will use this source to examine visual methods for representing high-context ideas for ELLs. It will prove useful for recognizing curricular areas that could be understood and assessed in ways that do not depend on English writing to demonstrate comprehension. This will be especially relevant when deciding how to share complex ideas in sharing circles.

Ogilvie, G., & Fuller, D. (2016). Restorative Justice Pedagogy in the ESL Classroom: Creating a Caring Environment to Support Refugee Students. TESL Canada Journal/Revue TESL Du Canada, 33(10), 86-96. doi:http://dx.doi.org/1018806/tesl.v33i0.1246

The purpose of this article is to address how restorative justice (RJ) pedagogy could be utilized in a refugee-centred ESL classroom, addressing three main points. First, they review the history and origins of the RJ movement in the criminal justice system and how these methods have been transferred to school-based discipline. Further, the authors discuss the potential for RJ principles to be incorporated into the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom to hear authentic student voices and build community and healing among refugee students. Thirdly, the article discusses a pragmatic method for incorporating RJE into ESL pedagogy.

The authors acknowledge the Indigenous ideologies as the foundation of RJE, making direct connections between the interconnectedness of all to a healthy state of well-being, and how this may be transferred to a trauma-informed learning environment for refugee and other ESL students. Using research from key authors in the field and drawing upon the origins of the RJ movement, this article makes an undeniable claim for the importance of community and relationships for refugee students. Furthermore, they demonstrate the conflict of building relationships for learning within an authoritarian and discipline-focused school setting.  The article provides valuable research to recognize the deficit-driven approach used when teaching newcomer students, and how we can change this mode of thinking.  

This work is important as I examine RJ pedagogy to create Circles that are inclusive of all language levels, backgrounds, and experiences.  It provides both evidence-based materials and pragmatic uses of ESL engagement in RJE. The authors do an excellent job of showing how RJ pedagogy is an authentic practice to draw out knowledge from refugee students who have experienced a rich non-formal education. Furthermore, using RJ practices with refugee youth creates a community with others who have similar life experiences, and this informs how I will create these Circles.

 Nov 16, 2023

Restorative justice is increasingly applied in schools worldwide to manage classrooms and create inclusive, socially connected, and supportive learning environments for every student. Restorative practices help students develop self-advocacy and social-emotional skills and address conflict at the same time they are building academic competencies. This experiential webinar will help participants explore the needs of diverse learners including students with disabilities and English language learners, identify restorative applications for supporting these students and their families, and accommodate differences when circle-keeping. Attendees will learn methods for removing barriers to participation for students with disabilities that are beneficial for all. During this session, facilitators will also demonstrate how facilitation and training of restorative practices in bilingual classrooms support the social emotional needs of students and staff by recognizing the diversity of languages spoken and taught in the school community, developing positive relationships through languages and deepening cultural competency.

This information sheet uses comprehensive approaches for reaching a diversity of learners, including ELLs. For beginners in this area- EAL teachers new to rje, or rje practitioners workign to reach ELLs, this material provides valuable information.