Chickens!!

My wife and I decided to try and raise some chickens.  We have both decided to try and become a little more Earth friendly and this is one of the ideas we came up with.  How does this pertain to teaching ELL students?  I am glad the question is in your mind as you read this post.

One of the biggest challenges an instructor faces in a multicultural classroom is making the initial connection to one's students.  It can be a huge impediment to learning.  I would suggest that many Americans, in general, have little knowledge of life in the rest of the world.  Sure, there is Europe and some parts of Asia that most Americans could be comfortable residing in for a period.  But, how do you relate to a student from a third-world country; chickens!

Chickens are ubiquitous in most poorer countries.  I can't even remember the number of places I have visited where chickens were underfoot and everywhere.  Now that I am raising chickens myself, I have a perfect place from which to open up a discussion.  I would be shocked if in a class of ELL students I wouldn't find someone who had chickens around at some point in their lives.  There is a wealth of material in just this one simple connection.

There is all manner of vocabulary just about food; eating chicken for a meal or eggs.  What are some good recipes for chicken?  What do chickens themselves eat?  From there one could talk about raising chickens or raising animals in general.  Did anyone have a pet or have to do work related to chickens or other animals.  The list of potential topic is as endless as one's imagination.

The point is that making that initial connection is key to getting a class moving in the right direction and stimulating participation and conversation ... so, don't discount chickens when it comes to ELL learners.