Many of my students' daily English language exposure is limited to the the eight hours they spend in our school. Every second of that short time should be filled with the beauty of the written (or in this case, spoken) word. Unfortunately, my voice isn't always the most melodic.
Thirty impassioned fifth graders greet me each morning in our New York City public school.
Almost all are learning English as a second or even third language. The rhythms of Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish fill their homes. Most come from lower income families that place a high value on education, but may not possess the resources or English language proficiency needed to promote achievement. Still, most of my boys are voracious readers of nonfiction--the grosser the topic, the better. My girls clamor for the latest book in their favorite series. Their motivation grows daily, as does their comprehension. Their spoken language, however, lacks the broader vocabulary, nuanced rhythms, and overall fluency of more experienced English speaking peers. Too often, they struggle for the right word to express a complex idea. Or lack the confidence to read aloud their written work. But they are eager listeners, sometimes adapting the linguistic stylings of their teacher into their own language.
My Project
However, I don't want my voice to be the only English language model for my students. A collection of grade-appropriate audiobooks can open up a world of new journeys, characters, words and voices for my students. Audiobooks will have the added benefit of further developing their reading and critical thinking skills, perhaps giving them access to titles that their present oral reading level might preclude. They will certainly serve as a motivation for some of my more reluctant readers who all light up at any audio-visual link I try to introduce into my lessons. I am also requesting headphones and a junction set to allow up to 8 listeners at a time, fostering positive book group conversations. A set of wireless headphones would facilitate easier book talks without the feeling of being tethered to a computer. I am fortunate to work in a collegial school community. Please know that your generous gift will be shared across several classrooms trying to tackle the same challenge.
My students are intelligent, motivated, critical thinkers.
The diversity and multilingualism of their homes should be celebrated, not seen as an impediment to true English proficiency. Your donation will greatly improve the quality of my students' receptive language, evening the playing field for them with more native English speakers. I myself recently discovered the transportive quality of audiobooks at the age of 34! I hope you'll help me provide a similarly magical escape for my students.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Carbone and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.