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Module 1 Reflection: Philosophy of a Leader: Kelly Tintinalli     First and foremost, I believe that every leader must be a strong effective communicator, who is able to reach and relate to others.  They must be well versed and knowledgeable in their discipline.  They must be able to motivate and inspire those around them. Leaders must also have a vision of what they would like to accomplish and a plan by which to carry out that vision. Strong leaders are enthusiastic listeners, yet value collaboration as much as direction.  They must lead by example. I once read a quote that said “leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation.”ESL/ELD leaders should have all of the above attributes, combined with a thorough understanding of the challenges of being a newcomer. They must be strong advocates and take the role of the voice for their students and their parents. Leaders must understand the struggles associated with new language acquisition and be able to support their students. I believe that leaders must lead by example.  This ties in nicely with Skinner’s Behaviourism Theory.  Our students will develop their second language through “a process that involves input, imitation and habit formation through repetition.” (Adding English, Coelho, p.142). Patience is also extremely important when understanding the development and stresses of a Newcomer learning a second language.  Leaders must realize that an adjustment period may be lengthy and that language development is just a step in the acclimation of our student’s and their families.  Understanding the whole picture will only benefit our students and their families but will help in providing a well rounded instruction, while ensuring that our students language acquisition needs are being met.  

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Module 1 Reflection: Philosophy of a Leader: Kelly Tintinalli     First and foremost, I believe that every leader must be a strong effective communicator, who is able to reach and relate to others.  They must be well versed and knowledgeable in their discipline.  They must be able to motivate and inspire those around them. Leaders must also have a vision of what they would like to accomplish and a plan by which to carry out that vision. Strong leaders are enthusiastic listeners, yet value collaboration as much as direction.  They must lead by example. I once read a quote that said “leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation.”ESL/ELD leaders should have all of the above attributes, combined with a thorough understanding of the challenges of being a newcomer. They must be strong advocates and take the role of the voice for their students and their parents. Leaders must understand the struggles associated with new language acquisition and be able to support their students. I believe that leaders must lead by example.  This ties in nicely with Skinner’s Behaviourism Theory.  Our students will develop their second language through “a process that involves input, imitation and habit formation through repetition.” (Adding English, Coelho, p.142). Patience is also extremely important when understanding the development and stresses of a Newcomer learning a second language.  Leaders must realize that an adjustment period may be lengthy and that language development is just a step in the acclimation of our student’s and their families.  Understanding the whole picture will only benefit our students and their families but will help in providing a well rounded instruction, while ensuring that our students language acquisition needs are being met.  

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Franca Abate-PozzuoliAn effective leader who engages ELL and ESL learners recognizes immediately that our task is not one that fits into any “one size fits all” framework.  Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, and these backgrounds factor greatly into their ability to acquire proficiency in English.  Furthermore, there is a sense of powerlessness that many students feel about being a newcomer, which educators must recognize: “Most children and adolescents are not directly involved in the decision to emigrate and probably would not have chosen this path for themselves” (Coelho 8). For this reason, one pillar in my philosophy would have to be the maintenance of a high degree of sensitivity to the realities of most ELL and ESL students , who find themselves in situations that are largely beyond their control. 	An effective or successful leader would also have to be cognizant of the many stages of the immigrant experience as it relates to what Coelho refers to as the “adjustment process.”  While all of us desire to play a part in the successful integration of our ELL and ESL students, we must remember that this is a lengthy process that might not always follow a linear pattern of hardship to success.  How does one address, for example, difficulties relating to culture shock, something which affects even the strongest of adults in many challenging ways (Coelho 11). A successful leader understands that she is in a role that requires a long-term perspective, for the challenges and issues that the ELL and ESL communities experience are quite complex and require patience and time to be resolved.	Perhaps the only criterion for judging character that seems to transcend all cultures, eras, and situations is the practice of doing right by others, even when no one is looking, even when acknowledgement is absent, and even when doing so entails personal costs, in time and/or money. A person of character is selfless, which is precisely what makes character incredibly difficult.  In our situation, an ELL/ESL teacher of character serves as an advocate, someone who speaks out and defends the best interests of our ELL and ESL students and their communities.	The biggest test to my leadership ability probably stems from the ignorance one often experiences during conversations about Canada’s experiences with immigrants and refugees. For example, much has been made recently about whether refugees entering Canada are entering “criminally” or “unusually.”  The political connotations behind the terminology is not lost on anyone, but what is especially saddening is the fact that many individuals fail to appreciate how such discourse can contaminate the many positive experiences that children can have in schools. A leader today will always have to challenge ignorance, but this one in particular, especially in a land of immigrants, is truly a difficult one, and something that every ELL/ESL teacher will have to grapple with at some point in their careers.   

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Franca Abate-PozzuoliAn effective leader who engages ELL and ESL learners recognizes immediately that our task is not one that fits into any “one size fits all” framework.  Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, and these backgrounds factor greatly into their ability to acquire proficiency in English.  Furthermore, there is a sense of powerlessness that many students feel about being a newcomer, which educators must recognize: “Most children and adolescents are not directly involved in the decision to emigrate and probably would not have chosen this path for themselves” (Coelho 8). For this reason, one pillar in my philosophy would have to be the maintenance of a high degree of sensitivity to the realities of most ELL and ESL students , who find themselves in situations that are largely beyond their control. 	An effective or successful leader would also have to be cognizant of the many stages of the immigrant experience as it relates to what Coelho refers to as the “adjustment process.”  While all of us desire to play a part in the successful integration of our ELL and ESL students, we must remember that this is a lengthy process that might not always follow a linear pattern of hardship to success.  How does one address, for example, difficulties relating to culture shock, something which affects even the strongest of adults in many challenging ways (Coelho 11). A successful leader understands that she is in a role that requires a long-term perspective, for the challenges and issues that the ELL and ESL communities experience are quite complex and require patience and time to be resolved.	Perhaps the only criterion for judging character that seems to transcend all cultures, eras, and situations is the practice of doing right by others, even when no one is looking, even when acknowledgement is absent, and even when doing so entails personal costs, in time and/or money. A person of character is selfless, which is precisely what makes character incredibly difficult.  In our situation, an ELL/ESL teacher of character serves as an advocate, someone who speaks out and defends the best interests of our ELL and ESL students and their communities.	The biggest test to my leadership ability probably stems from the ignorance one often experiences during conversations about Canada’s experiences with immigrants and refugees. For example, much has been made recently about whether refugees entering Canada are entering “criminally” or “unusually.”  The political connotations behind the terminology is not lost on anyone, but what is especially saddening is the fact that many individuals fail to appreciate how such discourse can contaminate the many positive experiences that children can have in schools. A leader today will always have to challenge ignorance, but this one in particular, especially in a land of immigrants, is truly a difficult one, and something that every ELL/ESL teacher will have to grapple with at some point in their careers.   

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Leadership is a powerful word and of course, at times during our teaching career we are compelled to either take the lead or unfortunately become the perfect bystander. Core leadership calls for the seven most powerful qualities that must be embodied in a human being to reach the full potential, whether you are a teacher, a department head or even part of the administrative team. Confidence, Integrity, Initiative, Observant, Persuasive, Decisive and by far the most important one, Self-awareness.
Self-awareness by far, as previously mentioned, it is the most important but at the same time based on my life experience is the most difficult one to improve. Humans innately can see others easier than seeing themselves.
Teaching ELLs, we constantly have to deal with other members of the staff, administrators and office support staff. They all have different views, values and perspectives. To be able to be an effective leader and achieve better support for our newcomers, we need to hold a mirror up to ourselves, understand our weaknesses, our beliefs so we can lead by example, gain their support and at the same time help our English language learners.
Initiative is also another important quality an ESL/ELD leader must embodied. Right from the start, we should come up with every possible idea to connect our students with the very many free government and community programs. We should also make available extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports and recreational activities where student can settle in the new community and increase their sense of belonging. Furthermore, we should make available every possible opportunity to connect with parents (parent network).  Every year in my school we provide a Parent/student Pathway night where newcomer parents and students are aware of the career paths available and make an inform decision. A lot of these parents work long hours and may have 2 jobs. At times, it becomes difficult for them to participate in their children lives since they work long hours or hold a second job. Creating an inclusive learning environment is key to success.
Persuasion is also a strong pillar a good leader should encompass. In many occasions we make decisions we know in our hearts are the right things to do to help our newcomers. Unfortunately, along the process we hit a lot of roadblocks with people around the school or while dealing with admin, especially when more funding is involved. Only persuasion and perseverance will be able to help us accomplish our goal. As Douglas MacArthur stated, a true a leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. —Douglas MacArthur
By, John Rivas-Gonzalez.

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Module 1: Task 2An Effective LeaderAs I write my own philosophy I keep in mind Shakespeare’s famous line, “There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy Horatio.” (Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5)  My philosophy of an effective leader would be a leader that works from the heart, someone who is truly passionate about their role, someone who treats their “job” as a vocation. An effective leader is someone who is in power and assertive but also inclusive and collaborative; delegates tasks for others.  This type of leader ensures their group that their leader is confident but also trustworthy.  When teachers have a good leader, they feel comfortable in doing their job, without fearing judgment or failure.  This is the same for students with a good teacher.   	On the Edugains website it is stated that a school leader “sets directions, builds relationships, is organized, accountable, and always finding ways to improve.”  This is all true because when a leader works closely with their colleagues more tasks can be done, and strong relationships can be built when everyone has a common goal. When administration and teachers all work together, it makes a huge impact on the students’ growth and development, both socially and academically. 	Furthermore, when a leader provides a co-operative environment, this ensures the success of tasks and goals being met. According to Philosopher Lee Vygotsky, “What a child can do in co-operation today, he can do alone tomorrow.”  This statement is so true, and I see it come to life in the school environment as well as in my home with my own children. A good leader presents an idea but allows for others to use their creative mind to learn and explore the concept. Lee Vygotsky emphasizes that “children are able to stretch their cognitive ability in and understanding new concepts or ideas without even realizing they are being taught”.  I remember teaching my grade 9’s how to write a thesis. I used a scaffolding method, by allowing them to work in groups to create an argument to a topic I proposed, closely related to the text we were studying in the course.  They presented their arguments to the class and everyone shared their opinions. The next day I taught them the components of a thesis, and how to write one.  They developed the skill with their peers first, and so when it was time to write a thesis it was less challenging.  	Internationalist theorist, Jerome Brunner, believed that children attained language through collaborative and ritualized exchanges that occurred in the pre-verbal stages of their life.  If true, this means that children learn how to speak because their parents/guardians, siblings and peers all spoke to them, and they in turn learned how to talk. I always play with my son who is 11 months old, and countdown to 3 when I’m doing something fun with him.  He recently just surprised me when I said “1, 2 …” He said “ttrrreeeeeee”.  Of course mispronounced, but it proved to me that he’s picking up the words I commonly use with him. This is just one example of a word that he’s learned.  However, I believe this philosophy is true to an extent, because some kids have speech delay even though their parents encourage them to speak on a daily basis. But the point is that a good leader provides the opportunities for success by being mindful and co-operative in their activities. On the other hand, Noam Chomsky believed that every child has a Language Acquisition Device that enables them to hear and extrapolate their language.  This means that the brain is always at work. Whether or not the child can speak fluently or not is besides the point, because that child is still building comprehension skills, like Genie, who learned sign language after never having any interaction with language during her “critical period” according to Lenneburg. In my opinion, all these theories prove one thing; when a good leader provides a collaborative environment, success happens.  I love the following quote: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winston Churchill. Moreover, a good leader is someone who is passionate about their community and always works on making improvements but never penalizes mistakes.  When this type of leader is present, peers feel comfortable to contribute, to trial and error, and that’s when the magic happens! 

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Module 1: Task 2An Effective LeaderAs I write my own philosophy I keep in mind Shakespeare’s famous line, “There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy Horatio.” (Hamlet Act 1 Scene 5)  My philosophy of an effective leader would be a leader that works from the heart, someone who is truly passionate about their role, someone who treats their “job” as a vocation. An effective leader is someone who is in power and assertive but also inclusive and collaborative; delegates tasks for others.  This type of leader ensures their group that their leader is confident but also trustworthy.  When teachers have a good leader, they feel comfortable in doing their job, without fearing judgment or failure.  This is the same for students with a good teacher.   	On the Edugains website it is stated that a school leader “sets directions, builds relationships, is organized, accountable, and always finding ways to improve.”  This is all true because when a leader works closely with their colleagues more tasks can be done, and strong relationships can be built when everyone has a common goal. When administration and teachers all work together, it makes a huge impact on the students’ growth and development, both socially and academically. 	Furthermore, when a leader provides a co-operative environment, this ensures the success of tasks and goals being met. According to Philosopher Lee Vygotsky, “What a child can do in co-operation today, he can do alone tomorrow.”  This statement is so true, and I see it come to life in the school environment as well as in my home with my own children. A good leader presents an idea but allows for others to use their creative mind to learn and explore the concept. Lee Vygotsky emphasizes that “children are able to stretch their cognitive ability in and understanding new concepts or ideas without even realizing they are being taught”.  I remember teaching my grade 9’s how to write a thesis. I used a scaffolding method, by allowing them to work in groups to create an argument to a topic I proposed, closely related to the text we were studying in the course.  They presented their arguments to the class and everyone shared their opinions. The next day I taught them the components of a thesis, and how to write one.  They developed the skill with their peers first, and so when it was time to write a thesis it was less challenging.  	Internationalist theorist, Jerome Brunner, believed that children attained language through collaborative and ritualized exchanges that occurred in the pre-verbal stages of their life.  If true, this means that children learn how to speak because their parents/guardians, siblings and peers all spoke to them, and they in turn learned how to talk. I always play with my son who is 11 months old, and countdown to 3 when I’m doing something fun with him.  He recently just surprised me when I said “1, 2 …” He said “ttrrreeeeeee”.  Of course mispronounced, but it proved to me that he’s picking up the words I commonly use with him. This is just one example of a word that he’s learned.  However, I believe this philosophy is true to an extent, because some kids have speech delay even though their parents encourage them to speak on a daily basis. But the point is that a good leader provides the opportunities for success by being mindful and co-operative in their activities. On the other hand, Noam Chomsky believed that every child has a Language Acquisition Device that enables them to hear and extrapolate their language.  This means that the brain is always at work. Whether or not the child can speak fluently or not is besides the point, because that child is still building comprehension skills, like Genie, who learned sign language after never having any interaction with language during her “critical period” according to Lenneburg. In my opinion, all these theories prove one thing; when a good leader provides a collaborative environment, success happens.  I love the following quote: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winston Churchill. Moreover, a good leader is someone who is passionate about their community and always works on making improvements but never penalizes mistakes.  When this type of leader is present, peers feel comfortable to contribute, to trial and error, and that’s when the magic happens! 

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Written by: Heba Awad

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Diana Notarianni

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What makes an Effective Leader - Stacy Marconato-Oresti

When I think about leadership, I often consider the differences between what I consider the qualities of an effective leader are, verses a manager. Even if I call someone a leader, it evokes a stronger sense of power, rather than to be called a manager. Both are important in their own right, however to be called a leader, I believe you should have some important qualities.

When thinking of leadership as an ELL educator, whether as an administrator or teacher, qualities such as team builder, coach, delegate, visionary, and compassion come to mind. They unify and find the strengths of staff, to utilize them in the most effective manner in a culture of acceptance and personal growth.

In the research paper, ELL Students Speak for Themselves: Identity Texts and Literacy Engagement in Multilingual Classrooms [1] Jim Cummins, University of Toronto Vicki Bismilla, York Region District School Board Patricia Chow, Peel District School Board Sarah Cohen, University of Toronto Frances Giampapa, University of Toronto Lisa Leoni, York Region District School Board Perminder Sandhu, York Region District School Board Padma Sastri, Peel District School Board, they argue that ELL students’ cultural knowledge and language abilities are important resources in enabling academic engagement. Also, ELL students will engage academically to the extent that instruction affirms their identities and enables them to invest their identities in learning. These theories are extremely important to consider when administrators lead staff and students. The leaders need to be consciously aware that ELLs need to feel as if their culture and background knowledge is valued and if it isn’t it can directly impede their learning.
It is critical for leaders of schools and school systems to promote staff development, create a culture of respect and diversity. They need to use instructional strategies to include their ELLs in purposeful, targeted lessons.

Cummins, 2001, stated that engagement between teachers and students and other people in the learning community need to value and create an interpersonal space where knowledge is generated and personal identities are negotiated. Only then will learning be optimized for students.

Leaders are usually inspirational people who are admired by others and who others want to emulate. If strong leaders represent our ELL population, then students will feel respected and will work to their potential. Staff will want to continue their own personal growth as well. Leaders are advocates for others and an ESL teacher needs to be an advocate for their ELLs, to achieve a fair and equitable education as well.

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1.2 Reading these articles brought to mind a number of interrelated thoughts around the acquisition of authentic and practical language skills. First, I thought of the kindergarten class in which I taught about 25 years ago.  i found that as long as the children had a path to follow, (it was a gated yard), I led most effectively from the back of the line because I could catch those who fell out of step with the crowd...In the classroom I think  of leadership more as effective orchestration, like a symphony of learning...though it sounds more like a cacophony of noise sometimes.  

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1.2 Reading these articles brought to mind a number of interrelated thoughts around the acquisition of authentic and practical language skills. First, I thought of the kindergarten class in which I taught about 25 years ago.  i found that as long as the children had a path to follow, (it was a gated yard), I led most effectively from the back of the line because I could catch those who fell out of step with the crowd...In the classroom I think  of leadership more as effective orchestration, like a symphony of learning...though it sounds more like a cacophony of noise sometimes.  

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As for the theorists, they've been around for a while now, and I believe it it to their credit that B.F.Skinner's work is still considered among the the great thinkers on this topic of the acquisition of learning. I don't entirely agree with im, I admit, as I have always found his perspective reductionist. Like DesCartes, upon whom he tends to lean too heavily, Skinner holds that learning a language is inevitable simply because we have an innate propensity to it. i disagree. It is true that we have an innate propensity to it, and it is true that we benefit by it (thus supporting the behaviourists' dependence on the concept of adaptation in evolution) but I would argue against his mechanistic paradigm. Living creatures benefit by communication, we tend towards it, but it is not inevitable.  Communication is also a choice.  A series of choices.  Speak or don't.  Both options are on the emotional communication spectrum of every living creature to various degrees.  Animals are not machines, nor are we, and our mechanistic abilities to communicate
make communication possible, and how we communicate is also a choice.  What , when, why.
I like Chompsky.  And Vygotsky and Piaget.  I think between the four of these great thinkers, we can produce a faiely accurate and elequent paradigm of the learning model that really works.
Piaget lends us the view that learning occurs in fairly predictable stages and Vygotsky  agrees with this notion.   I would sum their perspective this way:
human language is a part of a continuum of communication in the living world, but it is unique from that of other animals because we are separated from the rest of creation in our communication abilities by the presence of the unique faculties of the human condition. Consider that not all animals can make tools (lacking the posaible thumb). To offer an example, chimpanzees and other primate species can use a stick to dig for ants or grubs etc. This is an legitimate tool. But they cannot fashion another tool from this tool, whereas we can. So it's a matter of complexity of thought that actually separates us, and the physical/intellectual capacity for language that defines us as a species. It is our ability to refine our thoughts and pinpoint our meaning and articulate our deepest longings etc. authentically, true to ous spirits, that is what defines us. So the ELL must be allowed to express themselves in this manner. Slowly, and precisely. Not useless chatter, but refining a thought to bring fruition to the spirit of the individual. Really guiding them, patients listening, offing support to allow the person to finally say what they really mean and feel.  Not at all mechanistic.  It is nurtured.  It is the expression of a soul, not a robot.  Consider language as the total sum of the five faculties of the soul according to traditional Catholic teachings:
Teach to the will, the intellect, the memory, the understanding and the imagination.  Then, you have taught to the whole person.  Leadership lies in the ability to authentically engage all that and find a soul willing to engage back. Now that's communicaiton. ;)

yvonne

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1.2 Theories of Second Language Acquisition         (Leadership)                       In order to be a respected leader, I believe that it is important to be a positive, influential person who will build relationships with students and create a positive learning environment within the classroom. A leader is not one who will “tell” what to do but “show” what to do. Building relationships and creating a positive learning environment will give students the desire to learn and build a feeling of safety. Just as Lenneburg uses the example of “‘Genie’-a child who was 'found' in 1970 and who had never had any positive interaction to develop language acquisition.  Forced to keep quiet, she never developed the ability to vocalise langauge properly.” (Theories and Theorists) Without the opportunity to socialize and build relationships with people, ‘Genie’ was unable to build her language acquisition and “passed the 'critical period' of activation and input.” (Theories and Theorists) This just demonstrates how important the power of relationships and the ability to learn is. Building positive relationships with the students in your class and encouraging positive relationship building among the students themselves is an extremely important factor in the learning process for all students but even more so for ELL’s. This allows the students to feel comfortable and safe in their environment and encourages learning. Giving students jobs within the classroom is another great way to build relationships and comfortability within the classroom. Not only does it help them to feel important but gives them a sense of belonging and responsibility which in turn will make them want to learn more. It is important to make children feel as though they are cared about and so learning more about them in regards to their hobbies and interests will help them engage in conversation and allow them the opportunity to share and learn. The more opportunity they have to share stories or events that pertain to themselves or interests they may have will also help with language acquisition.As leaders, it important to model and ‘show’ our students what learning is rather than ‘telling’ what to do. Leaders are the great role models that teach and help our students to be the most productive learners within the classroom.        Created by Susan DeSantis-Romanelli

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1.2 Theories of Second Language Acquisition         (Leadership)                       In order to be a respected leader, I believe that it is important to be a positive, influential person who will build relationships with students and create a positive learning environment within the classroom. A leader is not one who will “tell” what to do but “show” what to do. Building relationships and creating a positive learning environment will give students the desire to learn and build a feeling of safety. Just as Lenneburg uses the example of “‘Genie’-a child who was 'found' in 1970 and who had never had any positive interaction to develop language acquisition.  Forced to keep quiet, she never developed the ability to vocalise langauge properly.” (Theories and Theorists) Without the opportunity to socialize and build relationships with people, ‘Genie’ was unable to build her language acquisition and “passed the 'critical period' of activation and input.” (Theories and Theorists) This just demonstrates how important the power of relationships and the ability to learn is. Building positive relationships with the students in your class and encouraging positive relationship building among the students themselves is an extremely important factor in the learning process for all students but even more so for ELL’s. This allows the students to feel comfortable and safe in their environment and encourages learning. Giving students jobs within the classroom is another great way to build relationships and comfortability within the classroom. Not only does it help them to feel important but gives them a sense of belonging and responsibility which in turn will make them want to learn more. It is important to make children feel as though they are cared about and so learning more about them in regards to their hobbies and interests will help them engage in conversation and allow them the opportunity to share and learn. The more opportunity they have to share stories or events that pertain to themselves or interests they may have will also help with language acquisition.As leaders, it important to model and ‘show’ our students what learning is rather than ‘telling’ what to do. Leaders are the great role models that teach and help our students to be the most productive learners within the classroom.        Created by Susan DeSantis-Romanelli

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As leaders in our classroom it is imperative that we are creating a positive working environment where students feel safe and are willing to take risks without any fears. Students who are willing to take chances, and interact with their peers on a regular basis are more likely to succeed both academically and socially. Just as Lenneburg mentions in our course readings, a girl named Genie, who was “found” in 1970 never “had any positive interaction to develop language acquisition” and because of this “she passed a crucial period of activation and input”. With Genie not having these positive interactions she was unable to develop like those who are able to have these interactions. It is crucial that as teachers we understand why Genie was suffering and what we can do differently in our classrooms. The first thing that I have done to create this positive working environment which will allow for these social interactions, is by giving everyone in the classroom jobs and responsibilities. By giving students jobs and responsibilities students are able to take ownership of the classroom, and begin to understand that the classroom isn’t the teacher’s classroom, but everyone’s classroom. Jobs that I have in my classroom are: attendance leader, doors and lights leader and handout leader, to name a few. Another way I work towards creating a positive working environment in my classroom is my providing positive encouragement. If I model to the student’s positive encouragement to all of my students, they too will start providing positive encouragement to their classmates, which will create a positive environment for all. Students should be filling people’s buckets with positive encouragement, instead of emptying someone’s bucket with putdowns. This is an analogy that I am constantly referencing and it helps create that positive environment in the classroom.  Every time I mark a task that my students handed in, I always do 3 stars and 1 wish. It is important that we show our students that all of their work has some good aspects in it, and it is important we identify these and celebrate them. This will continue giving students the positive encouragement that they need in order to be successful and will ensure no students gives up. Finally, it is important that as the teacher we are bringing out everyone’s unique talents instead of keeping those talents hidden. It is important that we create a collaborative environment, where students are willing to share these talents with others and willing to teach others these special talents. Once students see that others are sharing their talents, and willing to take those chances, they too will begin to share those talents. As teachers we must be encouraging and supporting our students for showing off their talents by giving students many opportunities throughout the day to shine and show off these talents. In conclusion, it is really important that as a leader, that we are not only talking about ways to be a productive member of the classroom, but modelling this for our students. This is what makes someone a successful leader. As a leader, we don’t just want people following our lead, but instead modeling for our students which in turn will allow them to become leaders themselves.

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1.2 Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Leadership)

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1.2 Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Leadership)

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As teachers, leaders are present in all aspects of our careers. We see people in leadership roles as our administrators, colleagues as well as students within our classrooms. As an observer of the leaders around us, it is easy to identify the qualities, which make strong leaders for which you want to work with, as well as leaders for which you would rather keep your distance.

Over the years I have noted that the most respected leaders are those who work together with others, notice and acknowledge the talents of those around them and allow those talents to flourish, rather than being threatened by others who are more successful in specific areas. One person is not able to be wonderful in all aspects of life. Therefore, allowing talents to flourish and using those talents in conjunction with other talents leads to the building of a positive environment.

In the classroom a teacher must look for the talents of the students. All students have talents, even the quite ones. Building on those talents and allowing students to express something important to them allows them to have ownership and feel empowered. It allows them to shine in a way that they feel comfortable and is non-threatening. Together, all these talents will create a positive and welcoming environment. Everyone displaying their own individual talents will welcome the uniqueness of those in the class. Together they will create a team of their own which is unique to them as a group. This collaborative interaction supports the social interaction theorists such as Skinner, Brunner and Snow who believe that the collaborative and almost ritualized exchanges, aid the child development. (English Language: Child Language – The Theories and Theorists)

A strong leader is also a positive role model. A leader must not only express what is expected and required but also be a role model for others. Leaders must also do what they expect others to do. This also includes exchanges of social interactions among a group of people. If a leader wants to be heard, that leader must listen to the voice of those with whom he or she is working. When people feel like they are being heard, they are more likely to perform for a leader. A leader needs to make people want to work for them. In the classroom, if students feel like they have a voice and are heard, they will be more inclined to complete the work and want to succeed for the teacher, as they do not want to disappoint the teacher.

Lastly, a successful leader is one who is not afraid to create other leaders. In a classroom, the teacher should allow students to take on leadership roles in order to foster leadership qualities within the class so that in turn, these young students can one day become adult leaders.

In conclusion, a leader should not stand above, but rather among those he or she is leading.

Created by Lisa Perino