Teaching Latino Students

Author: Maria Brown

Do you think that all students learn the same way? Do you think that white students and Latino students have the same learning needs? What makes learning different for Latino students, and how can we teachers prepare to teach them? About 10 percent of students in the United States are Latino, and this number is rising.

Celedonia is a Latina student who immigrated to the United States in 2009, when she was four years old. She is seventeen years old now and a junior in high school. I asked her some questions about how learning English was hard for her.

Interview

In this lesson, I will discuss some of what is distinctive about teaching Latino students. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to...

Name two reasons why education is important to Latino students.
Identify two methods of engaging Latino students.
Give two ways teachers need to prepare for teaching Latino students.

“Why is it important to teach Latino students?”

Teaching Latino students is a great way to experience and learn from them. Also, having international students in the classroom is good. Education is important to be successful in life. Hispanic students may not have a complete grasp of the English language, making it difficult for them to participate in class discussions. Most Latino parents think education is important so their kids could go to college after high school. Teachers who take time to learn how to teach Latino students are the best because it is not easy to teach someone who does not speak English.

“How to engage with Latino Students”

Ideal teachers designed their classes to help students to make sense of the material in the classroom by drawing on their personal experiences. The teachers utilized the children's responses to enhance the children's knowledge of the teachings. The children introduced themes that originated from their home or community experiences, and the teacher used their comments to expand the children's understanding of the lessons ( Moll, 1988). Having books by Latino authors for early elementary schools would be a great way Latino students could experience reading.

“Why do teachers need to prepare for Latino Students?”

Those who work with Latino students and those who prepare teachers for Latino children and teens are primarily concerned with teaching English. Hispanic kids who come from diverse cultures and are frequently trying to learn a new language must have their issues addressed properly in the classroom (Padrón, Waxman, & Rivera, 2002). Many international students are scared to ask questions in class because they are afraid of seeming dumb in front of their classmates. Explaining to students how to use office hours can encourage students to utilize one-on-one time with their teachers. Teachers letting students do some hands-on activities is another great way for them to learn. Teachers should expose students to as much of the target language as possible so that they can begin using it as soon as possible.

Conclusion

I arrived as a nine-year-old in the United States with almost no English. In those first years of education, some teachers tried their best to help me with my schoolwork and understood my situation while other teachers barely paid attention or tried to help me. Those teachers who reached me where I was made a significant difference in my education.

Pop Quiz

What are reasons why hands-on learning and one-on-one learning are important to Latino students:

A. Better way to learn and retain information

B. English can be hard for native Spanish speakers

C. Latino students can be afraid to ask questions in class

D. All of the above

If you have a conference with a parent of a new Latina student in your fifth-grade class, what reasons might you give for the importance of education?

A. To go to college

B. To find a career

C. To learn English

D. All of the above

Answers:

References

Padrón, Y., Waxman, H., & Rivera, H. (2002). Educating Hispanic Students: Effective Instructional Practices. UC Berkeley: Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence.

Téllez, K. (2004-2005). Preparing Teachers for Latino Children and Youth: Policies and Practice. University of North Carolina Press, 88(2), 43-54.

Rich, M. (2012). For Young Latino Readers, an Image Is Missing. The New York Times.

Moll, L. (1988). Some Key Issues in Teaching Latino Students. National Council of Teachers of English, 65(5), 465-472.

Brown, C. (2022, February 19). Personal interview.

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