-Kaylynne
Active Engagement in Learning!
Role playing, storytelling, drama
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Using the first language and the target language in the classroom
Only having the target language spoken in a second language classroom, I think, could be too overwhelming for students. However, just speaking completely in the students' first language might not be much better. I think a mix of the two should be used. A teacher should modify their speech so when they do speak in the target language, they say words that the students know and have studied. If a word has to be spoken that the students do not know, then the teacher should provide the students a translation of the word. Although the below video is on the subject of a game, the teacher mostly speaks in English to his Japanese students. However, he then says it in Japanese if they don't understand. For example, the first question he asks is, 'What day is today?'. When none of the students answer he say in Japanese, '今日は何曜日ですか？' , which is 'What day is today?'( Although he doesn't say the particle は in the video.) That way the students can hear the question in English first and then the question in Japanese.
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The beginning of the school year, I was a substitute teacher at the community school on my Island. I taught reading and language to 6th, 7th and 8th graders. These students don't speak the target language at all. All the materials, the textbooks, worksheets and everything were in English (target) language but everything was taught to these children in their first language. If they were given an assignment from the textbook the teacher had to translate the instructions in to their first language. By doing this, these students will never get to practice the target language to improve their skills.
ReplyDeleteMy first week was very challenging but I didn't quit. The reason it was challenging for me was because all of my instructions were in the target language (English) so all the students were having a difficult time comprehending the lessons taught to them. After one week I realized that I had to use both languages (L1 and L2)with my instructions. While doing, I noticed that there was a big difference in the students work.
So Kaylynne I agree with you. To mix both languages when using them in the classroom is much better. The teacher has to modify his/her speech in the target language.
When I was teaching English in Burma, I used both English and Burmese. Even for the converstion classes, if there is an abstract noun that can be translated closely, I just say the Burmese words. (just speaking of the use of L1 in class; I also explained the word in some simple english words). I did not want the shortcomings of the use of dictionary get in the way of the flow of the class. But, my question is "Do ESL teachers need to speak the languages of the students?" I know some Japanese words and they have been helping. However, what if I were to teach a class of linguistically diverse students?
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