Getting Started: Surviving the First Days

The first step is preparing the class. Some strategies teachers have used include emphasizing how special it is to have a foreign student, mentioning and illustrating the language barrier and what it means, giving background information on the student's country, and asking that everyone cooperate to make this experience a good one. As with any new student, a "buddy" can help teach the routines of the day. The non-English speaking student, like everyone else, needs to feel important, safe and supported in his efforts to learn. Classmates should be discouraged from "babying", a common tendency among younger students.

The Orientation lessons in this handbook outline some techniques for teaching routines and survival English. During the day, any activities that keep the student productively occupied (copying, drawing, looking at picture books, etc.) can be used until time is available to set up an individualized program.

With few exceptions, immersion in a new cultural setting is traumatic. Students accustomed to success in school suddenly find themselves unable to compete because of the language barrier. They may feel insecure or shunned by peers. They may think others are talking about them. Values between home and school sometimes conflict. For example, American schools foster independence while the student's culture may emphasize obedience and obligation to family. Students are sometimes confused by the relatively informal relationship between students and teachers and have difficulty understanding what behaviors are acceptable because they are accustomed to a very different system (often much more strict and formal). Consistency in enforcing behavior codes helps the student learn what to expect. Also, as one classroom teacher advised, take nothing for granted. Often what seems most basic to you is new in the child's experience.

Talking to the Student

Although talking to a non-English speaking student before she fully understands is unavoidable, the following suggestions may help peers and teachers provide good models.

1. Natural speech is best. You may wish to slow down a little (not too slow), enunciate clearly and avoid figures of speech, but separating words or using unnatural stress is confusing and presents a poor model. Also, a normal tone--not too loud, not too soft--works best. Resist the temptation to repeat yourself more loudly. The communication problem is not due to poor hearing.
2. Too much "chit-chat" with the student can be frustrating, because she wants to understand but cannot. Try to use simple language structures and vocabulary, and/or demonstrate, draw or show what you mean. Peers should do the same. When teaching content areas, try to illustrate concepts as much as possible with pictures or experiences.
3. Overcorrection of errors after the student begins to speak English on her own can be very discouraging. If the student has been taught the correct way to say something and persists in making oral mistakes, try using a hand signal to alert her to it so she can remember and correct. Since students usually first speak on their own with peers outside the classroom, they may pick up incorrect grammar.

Helping the Student Feel at Home in the Classroom

Most teachers do a very good job of this, as it is the same for a non-English speaking child as for anyone else. Some ideas include:

1. Make a special effort to personally recognize the non-English speaking student every day. She need not understand your words to feel your meaning--she is special and wanted.
2. Possibly ask the child to teach you and/or the class some words or expressions in her native language. Later, when her English is better, encourage her to share information about her country, its culture and history, holidays, etc.
3. Acquire some poems, stories, songs or folklore in the child's native language and/or English translations. Teach or have the non-English speaking student teach them to the class.
4. Utilize record-keeping procedures that enable the student to see her progress charted.
5. Encourage students to become bilingual and bicultural. English is an addition to their language, not a replacement. Students almost always speak their native language at home and should be encouraged to maintain it.
6. Encourage American students to include non-English speaking students in their regular activities, using non-verbal communication to teach the rules of games, etc.
7. As a student gains fluency, teach her to be assertive in asking for clarification of words or phrases she doesn't understand. For some children, this will be difficult. Praise children for asking questions!