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SPEAK ENGLISH!
I am a Kindergarden teacher that has a big group of hispanic students in the classroom. Many of them do not know how to speak English and thus makes it very complicated and frustrating to communicate. What is even worse, is that these students tend to speak Spanish when they are amongst themselves. Clearly, as a teacher I want them to be able to Participate, however, I am not sure whether or not I should separate them and forcé them to leave their native tongue at home. |
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Solution 1
Posted February 11, 2013 1:52 pm |
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I understand how frustrating it can be when you cannot communicate with another person, especially a kindergartener. My advice would be to not split up all of the Spanish speakers and to not ban Spanish from the classroom, but to embrace this new language! Speaking another language is a gift and I wouldn't want your ban on Spanish in the classroom to make those students feel ashamed of their native tongue. The thing with these students is that they are young and they will pick up English soon. In the meantime you could ask one of the Spanish speaking students to share some words with the class in Spanish. This could be such a great learning opportunity for the entire class to learn something in a different language. I would try and involve the Spanish speaking students as much as possible so they feel like a part of the class team. When these students feel like they belong in your classroom they will start opening up to you an making it easier for you to communicate with them. |
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I think that asking some students to share their language with the class is a great idea because young students find this very interesting. This situation could be turned into a wonderful learning opportunity for all the students in the class. |
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Posted on: October 21, 2013 7:16 pm
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I agree that this can be a frustrating situation. It will take careful planning and great execution to make this an environment where learning occurs for all. The language barrier is probably the toughest barrier to break, but it can be done without losing the cultural identities of your students. |
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Posted on: November 9, 2013 9:13 am
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What a great idea to encourage the Spanish speaking students to teach the other students some words in Spanish. That could be a great learning opportunity for all students! |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 8:11 pm
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I think that by letting the Spanish speaking students share their language, you will make them feel more accepted and valued as a member of your classroom. I think activity will spark the interests of the other students in the classroom and will have them wanting to interact with the ESL students on a more consistent basis. The ESL students will want to engage in classroom activities more frequently if they feel like they are truly a part of the class. I don't think that this will be achieved if you separate them and do not allow them to speak their native tongue at all while at school. You will basically take away from them the only thing they know. I do not think that they will be as successful making the transition from Spanish to English if this is done. |
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Posted on: November 14, 2013 2:47 pm
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Speaking another language is truly a gift. It is only that I am scared of, simply because it is a challenge! I commend any teacher who is willing to do that for his or her students. I want to add to what you said, though. If you chose to embrace this language, it would truly help to build a personal relationship with these students, and that is something that is priceless. Additionally, if you chose to embrace it and learn it, it might be fun to do it as a class. These students could help be your "teachers" and you would also being doing a service to the other students in your class. Of course, I would address it with the parents first. However, I believe that parents would fully support their children being able to learn the basics of another language. It is truly the direction our society is headed. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 3:36 pm
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In addition to letting the Spanish students share their language in the classroom environment, it may be beneficial for the teacher to at least learn some fundamental words, expressions, or phrases in Spanish. Because there is such a large number of Spanish speaking students in the class this year, it may be likely that the trend will continue into the next year. Having a solid background knowledge in Spanish would be advantageous to his current students as well as to students in the future. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 9:32 pm
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I understand that, as teachers, we need to embrace new cultures in the classroom. I agree with some of your statements, such as the learning the second language as a class. I recall, when I was in kindergarten, my teacher started teaching the class basic Spanish words, which really help me grow with the language by the time I got to middle school whereupon I had to take actual Spanish classes.
On another note, I disagree with embracing the foreign language fully. I say this because these students are more than likely attempting to learn the English language, and if they are not speaking it, then they are not practicing it. So, to some extent, there need to be some limits in the classroom regarding the language. |
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Posted on: November 3, 2014 4:13 pm
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Definitely have some of the students explain some of their language for the whole class! You could even have them translate something you have taught into Spanish and get the rest of the class to learn how to say it in Spanish and let your Spanish-speaking students teach everyone else! |
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Posted on: November 4, 2014 10:40 pm
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Your idea of encouraging students who are Spanish speakers to become class language teachers is great. Young children can learn new languages very quickly. I would take it one step further by encouraging English speakers to teach new words to Spanish speakers. In that way the whole class could teach each other their languages. That would develop the language skills of all the kids in the class. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2014 11:50 pm
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I agree that this is a great learning expereince for all students. It is also a great time to teach about other cultures and to let the students help teach the content. Students love to share personal experiences.
-Kayla |
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Posted on: November 10, 2014 9:57 pm
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I like your idea. I would not ban Spanish from the classroom. I would allow the child to use his language in the classroom. This would be a learning experience for the other students. This will help him feel included in the classroom. He will eventually pick up on the English language, but do not force him to stop his. It is quite intriguing for a student to know two languages.
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 6:06 pm
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I think your idea is great! The teacher should be no means separate the students or ban another language in the classroom. Instead embrace the differences in your students and take this learning opportunity and run with it. I still think that there should be some guidelines to an extent for all students to follow and setting those boundaries will help the teacher feel more confident and comfortable with the idea! |
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Posted on: November 17, 2014 1:27 am
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I agree that Spanish should not be banned competely from the classroom, but make it clear that during certain times of the lesson they will only be using English. This will help with communication in the long run. |
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Posted on: February 26, 2015 1:08 am
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I think that this is a great idea because it would serve as a great learning experience. When the spanish speaking students can share a few words with their classmates, it will create a unity among them all. Also, I would not feel the need to eliminate the use of Spanish in the classroom. Embracing it will help the ELL students. They are very young and Spanish is their main language. Try to find ways to incorporate it in the classroom. |
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Posted on: November 5, 2015 3:59 pm
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You raise a good point; the students must feel as if they "belong" to the classroom. Such a sense of classroom community will eventually promote more English as they assert their desire to communicate more with their other classmates. I would have each Spanish student to point to different shapes and items in the classroom and asked them "how do you say this in Spanish?" The students can lead the discussion successfully if they are guided with a teacher aid. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2015 9:14 pm
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I agree that students need to feel comfortable and feel as if they belong in the classroom. Once they feel like they belong, they will start opening up in class and make it easier for themselves and you to communicate. |
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Posted on: November 9, 2015 5:03 pm
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I like how you suggested to have the Spanish speaking students to teach the class some words in Spanish. That is a neat way to have the be a part of the class and to get other students to learn a new language. I also agree to not split up the students completely, but it would be good to split them into smaller groups and combine them with other non-Spanish speaking groups. This could help them learn English and communicate with others. |
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Posted on: November 15, 2015 11:00 pm
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I agree that banning Spanish from the classroom could have a negative impact on the students. It could make them feel unwelcomed and resent coming to school because they cannot express their culture. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2015 2:50 am
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Banning spanish would make students feel unwelcome. I agree with this |
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Posted on: October 7, 2019 9:19 pm
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Solution 2
Posted December 8, 2012 10:59 am |
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I don't recommend that you split them up permanently because this may cause them to go into the silent stage (where they won't speak in any language) It should be helpful if you pair the student with someone from a different language background. Also, you should consider a lot of group work where it is essential for every group member to contribute; place them with other children not just who they are comfortable with. Is there one student who speaks Spanish that actually attempts to speak English? If so, I recommend that you place that student with the group because he will encourage them to speak English. |
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That is an awesome way to look at it. Group work is a good idea if the students feel comfortable doing that. You may have students who come from a culture that feels more comfortable working alone. Just make sure you are trying to adapt to as many students as you can. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2013 10:33 pm
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Great idea to use group work. That encourages students to practice using both Spanish and English communication skills. The children will also be encouraged to learn together. They can help each other learn new skills or accomplish tasks together. By collaborating they will also develop friendships which teaches them essential social emotional skills. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2014 11:53 pm
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This is a great idea as a teacher should put an emphasis on student interaction through pair or group work to assist ELLs in developing their content and English proficiency. |
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Posted on: November 9, 2014 8:15 pm
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I agree that group work is a great way to help the students become more comfortable working with English. I also think it is important to allow them to speak in Spanish (as they need to) with their friends to help them feel more comfortable. Instead of creating a rigid structure, try to be flexible in allowing them to speak in Spanish when they need to, but encourage them to speak in English when they are able and comfortable with it. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2014 9:41 pm
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I think group work is awesome! Any time that students can get together and discuss ideas or problems creates many learning opportunities. This is another type of delivering information other than from the teacher. Students learn a lot from each other. Great post! |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 6:10 pm
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Great idea about incorporating group work into the classroom. This would allow the ELL students to work with students who speak English which would give the opportunity for the ELL student to learn from the English speaking student. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 8:54 pm
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Great idea about incorporating group work. This will help them to to feel more accepted in the classroom and will give them a change to interact with students who do not speak Spanish. |
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Posted on: December 1, 2014 6:11 pm
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I totally agree with your solution. Moving the students out of their comfort zones will be beneficial because once they see that English speakers are open to helping them learn the language, they'll be eager to learn the language more. |
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Posted on: December 3, 2014 1:33 pm
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I agree that grouping them with bilingual students can be beneficial. They can help translate for them and also teach them. |
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Posted on: November 2, 2015 5:09 pm
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I really like your idea of group work. I would suggest to make sure that all students are participating in the group work. This will allow the students to interact with each other and learn Spanish also. |
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Posted on: November 3, 2015 2:38 pm
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This is a great idea! I suggested splitting up the students (but not banning the language), but I hadn't thought of pairing each student with a native English speaker. I think this may work better, though, because students are working with one person instead of a whole group, and like you said, making the students feel isolated may only cause them to enter a silent stage, which would be even more detrimental.
I do think, though, that the students need to understand why they are being asked to learn and practice English and why there is a time/place for each language.
I think teaching each other is also a great idea. It builds a classroom culture and allows each student be able to share something unique. |
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Posted on: November 6, 2015 1:04 pm
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I like this, thanks for sharing. |
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Posted on: March 5, 2016 6:57 pm
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Solution 3
Posted December 8, 2012 11:36 am |
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You could make them feel more comfortable in the classroom environment by making some labels for classroom items and locations in English and Spanish. Since they're kindergartners,and probably can't read in Spanish, let alone English, you could add a simple bit of clip art to the label. I helped out in a classroom that had labels in both English and Spanish. I really enjoyed how the teacher incorporated both languages into her classroom.
I wouldn't recommend splitting them up or forcing them to "leave their native tongue at home." Their minds are like sponges right now, and this is the best time for them to learn a second language. They will pick up quickly. If you find a fun way to communicate with them, you'll notice progress. Try not to be negative about it, because the children can pick up on negativity, and that might discourage progress.
You can do it! There are lots of resources on the Internet (that will be beneficial to you and the students). Don't panic!!!!! :) |
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I like this idea of posting words around the room and pictures that match the words. You are very right about their minds being sponges right now, they will soak up this information, and they will be so curious! |
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Posted on: November 7, 2013 1:29 pm
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I like how you point out to not be negative. Students can definitely pick up on negative vibes, and if these students already feel out of sorts by being in and English-speaking classroom, a negative teacher will only make matters worse! |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 8:37 am
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At this age it is important that students feel they are important and a part of the classroom setting. Posting pictures and words around the room is a great start. The words must be simple (remember, they are in kindergarten). A twist to this idea is to ask students specific questions about favorite colors or foods, for example, and make it a class project. The students will feel more ownership in the words and may make more efforts in learning the language. |
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Posted on: November 14, 2013 9:41 pm
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I like this idea as well. In Pre-K we are required to do this if we have a student that comes to us not knowing the English language well. It also helps all students since none of them can read at such a young age. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2013 10:34 pm
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I agree students can sense the emotions of a room. Emotions are primarily universal. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 10:40 pm
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I also believe labels and pictures are fantastic for all kindergarteners, esp. the children whose first language is not English. It enhances and teaches the students words unknown when they see them daily. I also agree on not separating the children due to their native language. A teacher should be here to embrace these differences and explain to the students when is an appropriate time to use English or their native language. |
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Posted on: November 5, 2014 11:51 pm
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Picture and labels all around the room in both English and Spanish would be a great way for both group of students to learn the other language and have some way of communicating. You could even involve the students in creating the labels so they feel a part of the process. |
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Posted on: November 7, 2014 9:41 pm
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I agree that labels and the use of Spanish in the classroom would be a great way to incorporate more of the students culture in the classroom and make them feel comfortable. If the kids know that you care about their language and want to help, they will be more wiling to learn. Their minds are like sponges and it is crucial to ensure that their language development continues positively! |
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Posted on: November 13, 2014 1:00 am
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Great idea about having items labeled around the classroom in both languages! As young as they are it may be an opportunity for all students to learn some of two languages. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 10:45 pm
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I agree that students can sense negativity. It is important to stay positive in this situation so as not to make the students feel ashamed of the language that they speak. Posting words in both English and Spanish (along with depictions of the words) is a great ideas. It show the students that both languages are valuable. |
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Posted on: December 1, 2014 6:15 pm
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Your idea of posting words around the room with pictures that match them. I feel that the students will learn the language better that way. |
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Posted on: November 3, 2015 2:39 pm
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This is a really good and fun idea. It allows for both groups of students to learn about each other and different languages. It also shows both groups of students that you care about them and their culture. Your idea would also be a good quiz or test. Students could go around labeling different things in the room in both languages. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2015 7:50 pm
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This is a very fun and creative way. you could even get the children involved. |
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Posted on: November 11, 2015 2:02 am
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Posting words around the room in both languages is a great idea. Both could learn something from this exercise. Bringing in a translator would also be a good idea to teach the students that they need to communicate with everyone in the class and not just those that speak Spanish. |
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Posted on: November 12, 2015 2:16 am
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That is a great way to continue to allow them to use their native language. I also agree that splitting them up is a bad idea! |
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Posted on: November 15, 2015 10:56 pm
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I really like your suggestion of having pictures of things around the room and having the English and Spanish words for them with it. This can help all students see where certain things are located in the room and help them learn certain words they can use to help them communicate to the teacher or to the students. |
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Posted on: November 15, 2015 11:03 pm
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Solution 4
Posted December 9, 2012 1:12 pm |
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I don't think you should force these students to split up. I think it would be helpful for you to integrate group work into your lessons. I would always make sure that there was more than one of these children in the group, especially at first. It would be very helpful to utilize your native Spanish speakers who also speak English. I would encourage these students to help all of the students in the class to overcome the language barrier. You could spread the bilingual students throughout the room. If there are enough bilingual students in the class, I would make sure at least one of these students was at each group to help the children communicate. I would never discourage the students from speaking their native language. I would focus on encouraging encouraging them to work on their English, especially during group times. Also, it would be helpful for you to learn a little Spanish. You could teach your native English speakers some Spanish with the help of your native Spanish speakers. If the students see that everyone is participating in using a new language, they may be more motivated to learn. |
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That's a great idea to have the bilingual students as leaders in the classroom helping the ELL students! |
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Posted on: November 8, 2013 1:30 pm
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I think that pairing up weaker students with students who are more proficient is a great idea. That way they can help the weaker students understand the content and what it is you are teaching. They will have the opportunity to work with someone who they may feel more comfortable with. This may help them out of the 'silent stage' a bit faster. This can also free the teacher up to devote enough time to the entire classroom while ensuring that the students who need individual assistance are receiving the help they need when applicable. I think that it will only make everyone in your class a better student. Great post. |
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Posted on: November 13, 2013 5:58 pm
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Solution 5
Posted December 9, 2012 1:15 pm |
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One great way to handle this would be to put the students in groups with 2 Spanish speaking students and 2 English speaking students. This would be a great way to blend both languages into one setting. The Spanish speakers would need to practice their English to communicate with the English speakers but they still have the comfort of having another person who speaks Spanish in their group for any thing they may need. I would never say you can't speak Spanish but place these students in situations where they can practice their English. |
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I really like this suggestion. It blends the two cultures together and I feel every group member could benefit from it. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 9:56 am
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I really like this solution. You are not isolating the Spanish-speaking students by putting them in groups where they are the only non-English speaker, but they will need to start communicating with the other group members when they feel comfortable doing so. |
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Posted on: November 11, 2013 7:55 pm
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I really liked your idea of placing the ESL students in small groups of four during instructional time. I also think that you should have one ESL student who is not as proficient as the other so that the stronger one can assist him with understanding the content, vocabulary, and even to clarify directions. These students will both gain a great deal by being paired up with two students who speak English and will also feel safe as they will have each other to converse with when necessary. I do not think that the teacher should separate the students from one another totally, nor do I think that he/she should make them stop speaking in their native mother tongues. I believe that the students should be allowed to speak their native language when appropriate to allow them to further develop their skills in that language. Allowing them to speak Spanish will also benefit the students who do not speak the language. They will have the opportunity to hear and learn a second language just as like the ESL students are. This will give the English speaking students insight to just how hard it is to learn math, science, and social studies on top of an entirely new language. Great idea. |
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Posted on: November 14, 2013 2:42 pm
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I like the idea of trying to include both languages in the classroom setting. Allowing the students to speak their native tongue could help them feel more comfortable and lead to academic benefits. Learning both languages could be beneficial to you or your students. |
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Posted on: November 3, 2014 8:12 pm
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I like the idea of putting them in groups where both languages can be present. This gives everyone in the group an opportunity to communicate with English and Spanish speakers. It forces students of both backgrounds to work together, but in a constructive way. |
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Posted on: November 9, 2015 5:02 pm
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Solution 6
Posted December 8, 2012 11:01 am |
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You should not force your students to leave their native tongue at home. Instead you should learn Spanish or have a translator to communicate with them. You can also use Spanish translation on objects in the classroom and also with work assignments. |
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I agree with your solution. Working with another professional, whether it is a translator or an ESOL teacher, will benefit the students more than requiring them to just speak English in the learning environment. Labeling the vocabulary on objects around the classroom will give the students a sense of acceptance in a new place. Differentiating their assignments is another great teaching strategy that will develop their native language and the second language they are learning in a new country. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 8:45 pm
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I like the idea of Spanish translation on objects in the classroom and with work assignments. I do not think it would be a good idea to force students not to speak their native tongue. This might help the students feel more comfortable at school. |
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Posted on: October 26, 2015 11:04 pm
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Yes forcing the native tongue to stay home can be very dangerous and turn back really quick. I would also let him know that he can speak to administration about fixing this if it becomes a real issue. |
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Posted on: February 20, 2019 7:15 pm
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Solution 7
Posted February 11, 2013 12:54 pm |
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I would not fully split up your ELL students, nor would I have them completely abandon Spanish. Cultural Competence is a part of the teaching pedagogy that many teachers struggle with and that I believe applies here. While you should expect (over time) your ELL students to learn English and become a part of the classroom, you cannot expect them to give up all they know. As a teacher, you should be reaching out to them and helping them be proud of their own culture while giving them the opportunity to learn this new one. You cannot expect them to keep school and home life totally separate because for a child they are greatly intermixed.
To show them that you respect their culture, I would allow them to continue to work together; however, I would also integrate them in the class during more social activities such as group work. These social situations make it more natural for them to learn English and will allow them to feel as though they are a part of the classroom community. It might also help for you to label things, as others have suggested, and to learn basic words in Spanish that will be used often to help relay messages. |
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I totally agree with you, Taylor. I accidentally gave you the opposite rating of what your response deserves, so I just wanted to let you know that I agreed with you despite my rating. |
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Posted on: February 17, 2013 6:26 pm
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I agree that they should not separated. I think it is a great idea to have the students work together with ELL and English speaking students, this will allow students from both cultures to learn about each other while helping the ELL with their English skills. |
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Posted on: November 7, 2013 1:32 pm
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I think that you should move these students around, like you suggested. Allow them to work together, but also allow them to work with other students. This shows that you support their working together and are comfortable with them holding on to what is known to them, but it also allows some different interaction with other students, which can in turn make them see that English is the most common way to communicate with everyone within your classroom. Learning Spanish would be good, but really only to build a relationship with these students. This might help too, because it might be that later in the year you may want to address it to these students. Having a solid personal relationship with them would allow you to do just that. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 3:34 pm
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You and I have very similar solutions, and I think what you have proposed would not only be beneficial to the Spanish speaking students academically, but will help them become more a part of the classroom culture and environment. We should not expect nor advocate they completely abandon their native language, but we do need to encourage them to take up English to help with their academic progress. Helpful signs and working on basic conversational English will go a long way in this process. Also, allowing them to speak Spanish to their friends in class will create a more welcoming environment for them as they seek to transition to their new country and classroom. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2014 9:47 pm
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Solution 8
Posted November 17, 2013 6:03 pm |
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First, dismiss the idea of separating the students and forcing them to abandon their native tongue in school. I have learned that a child's native tongue is a part of their cultural identity; therefore, to deny them a very important aspect of their culture and means of communicating their inner world, would be forcing them toward a cultural discontinuity that may transcend into a rejection of the school's culture - and this can give you and the school a serious problem.
Next, the mere fact that your students are confident in their ability to speak their native tongue at school and among peers, I would use this to my advantage. That is, I would use their native tongue to support my teaching of the content. For example, I would identify the strongest bilingual student and use him or her as a translator.
Furthermore, to ease your frustrations, I would suggest implementing and applying the use of Spanish/English resources, particularly those with pictures to increase the students' access to the curriculum. Additionally, I would use flexible grouping at some point during the instruction to truly support the different English proficiency levels in the classroom.
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I thinking splitting the group of students up to prevent them from communicating with each other in a different language will harm their self-esteem. I applaud your idea that one of the students may be confident enough to speak both languages. Utilizing this fact will encourage many other students to learn both languages. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 8:50 pm
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Solution 9
Posted November 11, 2013 7:33 pm |
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I would not completely separate them so that they feel isolated. They need each other. However, I would not completely isolate them from their English-speaking classmates. I would allow them to remain in small groups dispersed throughout the rest of the students. All students learn better when stress is reduced so if they feel comfortable and less stressed with other Spanish-speaking students that is fine. They will begin speaking bits of English soon, when they are ready. |
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I agree with you. I think that you should not jerk them away from their friends who speak their native tongue. I think that by doing this you will potentially shut them down and turn them away from taking risks and acquiring the skills that are required to become proficient speakers of the English language. I believe that you should disperse them amongst the classroom in pairs. These pairs should consist of a weaker ESL student and one who is more proficient. That way the stronger of the two can assist with explaining content and assignments throughout the instructional day. This will provide the ESL students with a 'comfort blanket' and encourage them to take risks with their peer buddy. I really do not believe that they will be as successful if you disperse them and keep them from speaking their native tongue totally. There has to be instances where speaking Spanish is acceptable as some content and directions may require this. Great post. |
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Posted on: November 13, 2013 6:06 pm
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I like the idea of placing English speaking students in groups with Spanish speaking students. I feel that would allow the classroom to become more of a community instead of one group speaking to each other. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 9:50 pm
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Solution 10
Posted February 17, 2013 6:23 pm |
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There needs to be accommodations made in the classroom. Part of the reason they speak in Spanish frequently is because they are more comfortable in Spanish than in English. I do not think you should ban them from speaking Spanish. That might make the situation a lot worse. Coming from someone who speaks Spanish, I would place labeling cards around the room so they can see objects and their names in Spanish and English. Also, learning a little bit of Spanish will go a long with your students. Not only will you be able to pick up words and phrases of what they are saying, but you will be able to communicate with them easier as well. Unfortunately, you are going to have to teach them English because they are so far behind students who speak English as a first language. In terms of separating them, there is a time for that and a time where it would be inappropriate. If they are disrupting the class then of course you need to separate them. But if they are not-then just encourage them to try to speak English. Pair them with a student who speaks English well. Have short time periods during the day where they absolutely have to only speak in English, but when those periods are over they can go back to speaking Spanish or even Spanglish. If you forced them to leave their native tongue at home, then you would be implementing full immersion which is helpful to a certain extent, but because of their level they will have a hard time keeping up and become exhausted by the end of the day. Another suggestion is if you are doing activites to have the directions be in both Spanish and English. If they can easily understand what they need to do but then are told to do the work in English, then they might have greater success in participating in class. Eventually you would want to wean them away from relying on having instructions in their native tongue, but it would work great for the low-level English proficiency that they are at right now. |
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I agree that forcing students to stop speaking Spanish would make the situation worse, it would make them "shut down". Also, great idea about labeling things around the classroom. I teach a self-contained PK and K classroom and we have everything labeled! This helps so much with their vocabulary. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 8:56 pm
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Solution 11
Posted November 7, 2013 1:17 pm |
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This is definitely a tough and probably really stressful situation for the teacher. I'm not sure if separating them would be the best, because this might cause them to become defiant. They crave some kind of comfort and being with someone that speaks their language is comforting. I think as a teacher you could a little research and start working on a Spanish and the English word that matches it a day. This could help your students learn more about each other. |
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I think the SPanish/English word of the day would be a good idea. This would also benefit the English speakers in the class. They would probably learn it really quickly also being at that young age. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 9:58 am
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Solution 12
Posted February 11, 2013 2:54 pm |
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I recommend mixing the students up by grouping students that speak Spanish and English together. When doing group assignments the students will be forced to communicate without the teacher forcing them to talk. They will learn to communicate because they are involved in the learning process together. Students can find ways to adapt and learn depending on their needs. Since the students will need to communicate to work together, they will learn words from their classmates and use strategies to understand each other. The teacher will guide the students through lessons, while providing opportunities for the two languages to blend in the classroom. Things in the classroom could be labeled in Spanish and English. The teacher can also learn words in Spanish and use eye contact and other nonverbal communication of attention and responsiveness (forward lean, positive head nodding) in interaction (Good, T. & Brophy, J.) with all students. The teacher will not expect anything less from the Spanish-speaking students and he/she will motivate all students to participate during the lesson. Studies show that teachers' expectations are often an accurate assessment of student ability. (Good, T. & Brophy, J.)
(Good, T. & Brophy, J. (2008). Looking in classrooms (8th ed.). New York: Longman) |
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Mixing up the the students into groups is a good idea. Hopefully as the Spanish speakers interact with the English speakers they will become more motivated to speak English. Using the words posted around the room with visual representations of the meanings of the words will expose the Spanish speakers to the written language of English. I would add the words written in Spanish to the cards as well. I think it would be great for the English speakers to learn some Spanish as well. This interaction with both languages will also encourage socialization and friendships among the students. |
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Posted on: November 14, 2013 9:33 pm
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Solution 13
Posted February 18, 2013 4:37 pm |
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I would not force the students abandoned their native language. However, it may be best to group the students with other English speaking students to encourage them to learn the new language. I would try to find ways to help motivate the Hispanic students to want to communicate in English, like praising them we they do speak English. |
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I agree, you could have a buddy system where ELL students are partnered with an English speaking student. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2013 1:29 pm
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Solution 14
Posted November 14, 2013 9:20 pm |
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I do not feel you should separate these students. Keep in mind,they are very young and in a new environment. It seems they have made connections with one another and separating them may cause them to regress in their adjustments to a new culture. However, it may be helpful if you place the students in small groups with English speakers to encourage them to speak more English. Forbidding them to speak Spanish in the classroom may give them the impression you do not like them or their native tongue. In order to encourage them to speak English more often, you could designate certain times (or during certain activities)throughout the day in which they must speak English. You can also designate times in which they may speak their native tongue. Once the students get more comfortable, you can also ask them to translate what they are saying in Spanish so the English speakers can be included in their conversations. By creating the small groups and translating what they are saying not only builds their English speaking skills, it promotes socialization among the young students. |
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I like most of this idea. The only part that I have a problem with is designating a time for Spanish. I like the other ideas with grouping the students with English speaking students to influence their English language skills. |
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Posted on: October 19, 2014 9:36 pm
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I agree that the students should not be separated. They are very young in Kindergarten and it is their native language! I would try to find ways to incorporate it in the classroom. The students can learn from each other. When ELL students come in the classroom from another area, they need to feel welcome. Speaking Spanish to the other students is comforting to them. Telling them to stop speaking their native language would be disrespectful. |
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Posted on: November 5, 2015 4:01 pm
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Solution 15
Posted November 17, 2013 9:20 pm |
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In order to help your kindergarten students interact more fully with the rest of their classmates, I would suggest that all students in your classroom are given an ample opportunity to intermingle with their peers. For instance, when students are participating in learning centers, you can assign groups during those activities. These groups should consist of both English and Spanish speaking students. I do not suggest that you force the students to leave their native language at home. In order to help the students understand English more fully, you can focus on helping to build their vocabularies so that they will be able to communicate in English more fluently. This can be incorporated within your lessons by using the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), which incorporates reading, writing, speaking, and listening into the lesson plan and addresses learning the content and English vocabulary concurrently. |
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I think that the SIOP method is an excellent source to use in this case. It will implement different strategies in all arenas of the curriculum in order to produce better English Language speaking skills. Great idea. |
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Posted on: November 3, 2014 2:41 pm
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Solution 16
Posted November 3, 2014 1:24 pm |
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Because these students are in kindergarten, some classroom management skills need to be in play in this situation. Perhaps some classroom rules need to be set on when the children should be able to speak their own Native language. The reasoning behind this is if they do not practice speaking English, then they will not get any better at it. The teacher and students can compile a list of classroom rules together, then the teacher can send them home with the students. Also, the teacher can incorporate other activities during lessons where English words vs. Spanish words can be scaffolded. Tools such as Thinking Maps could work marvelously with the technique. If a teacher were to do this, then they could work in differentiation for both languages within the classroom. |
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Solution 17
Posted November 4, 2014 10:38 pm |
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I understand that this could be very frustrating, but I think it would be detrimental to the students if you told them to leave their "native tongue at home." I think you could start by dividing them up when you do group work or at their seats, and maybe have only two of the students sit together at a time, with a couple of non-Spanish speakers. This may make the kids feel more comfortable having someone who speaks their native language but at the same time, make them aware that there are students who do speak their language who they are expected to work with. |
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Solution 18
Posted November 16, 2015 2:46 am |
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I would not tell the students to stop speaking in their native tongue when they are amongst themselves. I think this allows the students to feel comfortable within the classroom setting. I would, however, explain to the students that there are certain times of the school day when they will be required to speak English. During that time they are only to speak English because it is important for them to learn the language. |
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Solution 19
Posted December 8, 2012 6:16 pm |
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They should remain in the class group, children learn alot from each other. As the teacher it would be good to talk with other teacher about thing you can try. Have someone come in to help you and them to learn to respond to each other,so they dont miss alot of their lesson. |
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You make a great point that the students should remain in the group because students learn so much from their peers. I also think that having another person come into the class room to help with communication would be good for everyone and a great learning experience for the teacher as well as all the students. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 3:24 pm
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Yes, I believe students learn a lot from their peers too. However, I wouldn't dare to take away their native tongue, but I would see if I am eligible to get some help with the students, so that the students and myself can learn together. |
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Posted on: October 19, 2014 12:25 pm
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I think you are right! Students sometimes tend to learn more from their peers than from us as the teacher! Leave them in the group, but maybe limit the group size. |
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Posted on: November 4, 2014 10:39 pm
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You are right. These students need an oppertunity to work with the English speaking studnets so that they get exposed to the language. I also think it is a good idea for the English speaking students so that they can exposed to another language.
-Kayla |
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Posted on: November 10, 2014 9:55 pm
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I agree that children learn a lot from each other. Especially at this age, it is so important for them to have the opportunity to communicate with one another regardless of what language it is in. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 8:53 pm
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I agree, keeping the group together can be beneficial for many reasons. Having someone come into the classroom is a great idea and much better than what I see many schools doing which is removing the children from the classroom. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 10:43 pm
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I think your solution is good. I think a teacher who can come in and help the communication is a great idea. However that may not be realistic in most school situations. I think the teacher should have the students help her learn Spanish along with her taking the time to learn the language. This can help her confidence with the student speaking the language in her classroom. But I agree to not break up the groups. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2014 1:25 am
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I agree that keeping the group in the classroom will be beneficial. However, I don't think the students should be allowed to solely work with each other because all of them speak the same native language. I think that by breaking the group up and allowing them to interact with other English speakers will allow the Non-English speaking students to become more familiar with the language. It will also move the students out of their comfort zones so they'll be more eager to learn when they realize that the English speaking students are opening to helping them learn the language. |
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Posted on: December 3, 2014 1:31 pm
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I think getting another teacher in the room would help. An ideal situation would be a teacher that knows Spanish. She/he could help translate conversations to the teacher. I would for sure not split them up completely. |
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Posted on: October 26, 2015 11:01 pm
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I agree they shouldn't be completley separated because they will learn a lot from their peers. |
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Posted on: November 11, 2015 2:01 am
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Solution 20
Posted November 9, 2013 9:07 am |
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I do think it would be beneficial to split the group up. At first, the Hispanic students would not be happy about the change, but it is important that they interact with English speaking people so that they can develop their language skills. There should be specific times scheduled into the lessons where these children can use their native language. We do not want to discourage them from embracing their culture, but it is our responsibility to ensure that they are able to be successful in schools where English is the primary language. |
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Yes I agree, as educators it's ours duties to implement and incorporate the students' prior knowledge and interests into the daily lesson. Throughout my reading emphasis has been placed on incorporate students' home environment in their school environment. I always wonder why Ebonics is prohibited in schools, being it's a linguistic language. |
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Posted on: November 14, 2013 8:47 am
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You make a valid point. while we do not want to stop the students from speaking their native language, we do want them to be successful in school. And, as you mentioned, schools are based in the English language. Separation might be an option, but only after other strategies have been tried.option, |
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Posted on: November 15, 2013 2:29 pm
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I agree that since English is the primary language used in schools today, they should be required to speak English. However, I personally would encourage them to use Spanish during the day as well. In our world today, being bilingual is so beneficial! |
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Posted on: November 13, 2014 12:57 am
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I agree that at times a separation would be beneficial for all the students just as at times having students speak in whatever language they choose would be beneficial. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 1:50 am
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I agree that students should be given allotted times in class where they can use their native language. It is necessary for students to learn English and be able to use it effectively in order to succeed in school where English is the primary language. |
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Posted on: November 2, 2015 5:08 pm
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Exactly. I don't think that the students should be discouraged from speaking their native language, but I feel as though it is important for them to understand why they are begin split in groups and why they need to learn and practice English. |
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Posted on: November 6, 2015 12:59 pm
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Agreed. These students need to work together to achieve their goals. Also, they can be used to teach others about their cultures just as the native English speakers will teach them about their American culture. |
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Posted on: November 6, 2015 10:05 pm
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Solution 21
Posted December 8, 2012 1:37 pm |
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I would suggest that you split them up for half of the time, whether it be half a day or a couple of days out of the week. I think by slowly allowing them to branch away from only speaking Spanish this may help them to be more open to the challenge. I do not think that you should jerk them away from their friends, but if you do it slowly it may be beneficial and help to solve the problem. |
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I like your idea of slowly separating them so they can adjust to being around other students and hopefully learn more English along the way. I hadn't even considered this. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 8:34 am
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I agree that slowly separating them may be beneficial. If given the choice, of course they may gravitate to the students they feel most comfortable with. As a teacher, facilitating small group activities with a diverse group of students would be beneficial to all students involved! |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 8:12 pm
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Solution 22
Posted November 10, 2013 6:32 pm |
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There was a teacher at my school in the same situation. She asked the Hispanic students to help teach Spanish to the students in the class. This made the Hispanic students feel more included. It also helped them learn English as well as taught the other students Spanish. It was a win-win for everybody. |
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I love this idea! You get them to start interacting with their English-speaking classmates but allow them to do so while speaking Spanish (which is what they are comfortable with). I think it will help them feel more welcome and at ease in the classroom and will make it easier for them to transition to speaking English when they feel ready. |
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Posted on: November 11, 2013 7:23 pm
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I like this idea. It definitely is a win-win situation for everyone. The Spanish speaking students will assist in teaching other students their native tongue, while the students who speak English can help teach your ESL students English. This will make everyone comfortable in the room and should encourage them to take risks and make them excited about teaching and learning language. That is a great idea. I wonder how this worked out. I am sure that this was a great solution to the problem. |
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Posted on: November 13, 2013 6:09 pm
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I think that allowing the Spanish speaking students to teach their language to the English speaking students is a great idea. I would allow students to get to know each other that might otherwise never speak and it gives the speakers of both language a feeling of importance because they are doing a very important job. |
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Posted on: November 7, 2014 9:36 pm
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This is a great idea! Empowering them to teach the others in the class Spanish would not only make them responsible and give them the feeling of acceptance but would help them to learn to communicate to others. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2014 11:22 pm
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This is a great idea. I think separating them without this would make them feel isolated and vulnerable. Now they will feel more empowered. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 11:22 pm
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@ udydyV-My only fear would be that the English speaking students would then grow frustrated with communication. One would not want to transfer that same frustration. My question would be when implementing this idea, what are the ages of the students in the class. If they are lower ages such as Kindergarten through 2nd, the students may not have the developmental skills themselves to lead a class discussion implementing language instruction. But I guess it is worth a try though. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2015 9:09 pm
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I think that this is a good idea. Students can learn a lot from each other and this may help the other students communicate more with the Spanish speaking students. The students could work in groups and complete multicultural activities together so that they both learning something. |
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Posted on: November 12, 2015 2:11 am
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I think that is a great idea! Have the Spanish speaking students teach other students one word a day that relates to their content. |
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Posted on: November 15, 2015 10:55 pm
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I think this is a great idea! I also think that you could possibly incorporate some Spanish into the lessons to get the students feeling more comfortable. For example, when introducing new vocabulary, you could have the students say the Spanish translation of the word. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2015 2:48 am
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Solution 23
Posted November 17, 2013 3:31 pm |
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This is a difficult situation. I think I would take the "middle road" here. I wouldn't move these students permanently, but I would move them around, just like I do all of my students, and allow them to work in different groups. I would also talk with their parents and just express your concern that you are having a hard time reaching them because they do speak another language. Ask the parents for advice--parents are usually very supportive when the teacher comes to them with a genuine concern for their child. I wouldn't separate them permanently because them being able to speak their native language, what is known to them, is what helps them be completely comfortable in your classroom. You don't want to lose that trust with them! |
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Solution 24
Posted November 10, 2013 8:33 am |
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Speak English: I would not separate the students. I'm sure that they feel much more comfortable around one another and need that to help them through the day. I would instead ask that they speak English during class time and then speak Spanish during lunch and recess times.
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I agree. I would not separate them, as they probably feel alienated already. I would, however, ask that they do speak English in class. I would allow them to speak Spanish at the end of instruction and they could teach other students in the class Spanish. This would help them to feel included. |
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Posted on: November 15, 2013 2:25 pm
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I agree that asking the students to speak English in class is appropriate and allow them to choose during recreational times. However, for those students that do not speak English I feel it would be appropriate to use a "buddy" to translate in class. |
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Posted on: November 3, 2014 8:10 pm
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Solution 25
Posted February 12, 2013 1:19 pm |
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Although it may be frustrating at times, I would not separate these students from the rest of the class. It is frustrating for these students as well so take your time and have patience when working with them. Group the students who do not speak English with students who can. This way they can both learn from one another. If the student who is learning English has trouble with a word, allow them to collaborate with their group for help. Another helpful tip would be to label as much as you can in the classroom with both their native language and English. If the English language learners are unaware of the word, take some time to work with them, then teach the rest of the class what that item means in their native language. This will give them a sense of pride and motivation to learn English. |
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Solution 26
Posted October 21, 2013 7:11 pm |
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This is a very complicated situation for you but i would not recommend separating the English speaking students from the Spanish speaking students. I would also not "force" them to speak English and leave their native tongue at home. I think that you could make this a learning opportunity for all of your students because communication between peers is important. You may want to start labeling various items in the classroom with the english and spanish words. you would want to go over the pronunciations of both words in each language. I think young students especially find new languages interesting and they love to find out how to say simple words in other languages. It will take time, but once you allow communication among the students in both languages you will find that their knowledge will be expanded. |
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I like your suggestion of integrating both languages in the classroom. I especially like you idea of labeling items in both languages. I feel that this will make your Spanish speaking students feel much more comfortable and accepted in the classroom. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2013 8:35 am
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I agree with placing labels on objects throughout the classroom. Students are always intrigued when they learn words from a different language. I also feel placing those labels on objects around the classroom will increase the class community due to the English speaking students being curious about the pronunciation of Spanish words. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 9:47 pm
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Solution 27
Posted November 8, 2013 8:32 am |
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First and furthermore evening thinking about forcing the students to leave their native tongue at home is ludicrous. I suggest you create an environment that is relatable to the entire classroom. Implement the different cultures in the classroom is essential. It is normal for a group of people that share similar cultures and background to stick together in an environment that is unfamiliar. These kids are very young and are in the beginning stages of learning the fundamentals of learning. I encourage implementing a variety of grouping instructions and peer-related strategies. |
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I could not agree with you more. I do not think forcing the students to leave their native language at home at this point in time would be a very good idea. They need to be integrated into the classroom as much as possible. You can achieve this through the use of a buddy system or small groups. The groups could consist of two English speaking students and two ESL students. One of the ESL students needs to be weaker than the other one so that the one with more proficiency can assist the other when needed during instructional time with things like content and academic vocabulary. The stronger ESL student can interpret the content during instructional time when needed. By doing this you will also be improving their ability to speak in their native tongues. Another benefit to doing this will be that the teacher will be free to assist all of the students in the classroom and ensure that everyone is receiving a free and appropriate public education. By placing these students in these groups, you will spark the interests of the both the English and Spanish speaking students. The teacher can encourage the Spanish speaking students to teach the other students in the group some words in Spanish. Conversely, the English speaking students can assist the ESL students in learning English. It is a win-win situation for both sides. These students will begin to form bonds and relationships with one another and your ESL students will feel like they language and culture are valued. They will feel accepted and will feel more comfortable in the classroom, thus taking more risks. Great post. Very insightful. |
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Posted on: November 14, 2013 3:03 pm
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I love the approach of creating small groups based on the students' weakness and strengthens. Creating small groups is a great idea, because as an educator you can review the students' portfolio and successful group the students by interests and level of academics. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 10:39 pm
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I agree that it would not be beneficial to students to force them to leave their native language at home, but I don't think that allowing them to speak Spanish whenever they want without boundaries would be good at all. To allow them to speak Spanish too often would fail to teach them the dominant language that they are growing up with and will one day be looking for jobs in. There would have to be a balance. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 2:01 am
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Solution 28
Posted November 10, 2013 9:55 am |
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For the purposes of the class I would have the students speak English anytime there is classroom discussions and lessons (to whatever extent Kindergarten has lessons.) I would however let them continue to speak spanish during free time. This way they can learn English and interact with the other English speaking students but keep them from feeling you dislike their culture. They are at a young age they won't be able to reason that you are trying to help them. Hopefully, over time they would decide to speak more English to each other as they become comfortable with it. |
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I would also add that it is important for the teacher to make every effort to seek out a bilingual paraprofessional or ESOL teacher for additional support. The students should be able to use their native tongue at any time during the school day. For many of the students, that is their means of communicating and learning. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 6:13 pm
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Since there are a large number of students that speak Spanish in the classroom and I am assuming that the lead teacher does not speak Spanish, it would be a good idea to have a bilingual paraprofessional in the classroom. This would help the teacher and the students be able to communicate more effectively. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 9:26 pm
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I also believe it is very important to not force the children to not use their native language. This is what makes them feel comfortable and esp. at such a young age in school they should be able to use this language to communicate. (It may also influence students who do not speak the language to pick up the language).The students should be able to know when it is okay to use this languge or when English is appropriate for discussion or speaking their ideas. |
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Posted on: November 5, 2014 11:49 pm
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Solution 29
Posted November 16, 2013 10:32 pm |
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I personally think it is very important to allow the students to speak their native language in the classroom. It helps them to feel comfortable with you. Maybe you can learn basic Spanish to relay to the students that you feel it is very important for them to try to learn the language of English so that they can grow and understand what you are saying. If you separate the students and force them to stop speaking their native language their is a large chance they will completely shut down and make it even harder on you. |
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Solution 30
Posted November 3, 2014 8:08 pm |
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I understand that it would be very frustrating not to be able to communicate with them but it would not be appropriate to ask them not to speak Spanish. I would suggest having some of the bilingual children teach you some of their language so you can learn to communicate with them in both languages. However, I would recommend using professional judgement as well as visual cues to determine if the group of students speaking in Spanish are using their language to be able to communicate about you or other students in a negative way. |
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Solution 31
Posted November 4, 2014 2:44 pm |
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This is a really tough situation. I would not split the children up completely because that could make them feel like they arein trouble when they're not. I would maybe split them up partially. Have a few in one area with English speaking children. That way the English speaking children can be an influence on the Spanish speaking children. If there are not English speaking children sitting near them it will be harder to pick up on the language. I would also consider putting labels around the room that are in English and spanish. That way all children are benefitting and learning the other language and how it relates to the classroom. I would not have them leave their native tongue at home however, I would encourage them to try using as much English as possible. I would also see if there was a Spanish teacher in the school. I would want to know their opinion on the matter. |
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Solution 32
Posted November 7, 2014 9:33 pm |
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No, I do not believe separating the students would be the right thing to do. They should be able to communicate amongst themselves in a manner that they feel the most comfortable. However, I do believe there needs to be some parameters created to ensure that English speakers are not left out and that there is also ample time for them to also speak English. There should be time set aside for free time and communication, but the majority of the time should be spent speaking the most prominent language of the class. They need to work to learn the English language and that cannot be done unless they are actively practicing. |
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Solution 33
Posted November 8, 2014 11:15 pm |
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Separating the students would end up causing more trouble than helping! Maybe you could change the dynamic of your lessons and add in the game mentality. Create lessons that make earning points by speaking English (or correctly saying Spanish words or phrases) and bring some fun into the atmosphere of your class. Children that age will do almost anything you ask if you make it fun. |
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Solution 34
Posted November 9, 2014 8:00 pm |
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It is not a good idea to force them to leave their native tongue at home. This would be offensive to the students and their families. You can conduct sheltered instruction in your lesson plans until your hispanic students reach the cognitive academic language proficiency level. You can use the SIOP framework to simultaneously teach lesson content effectively and support their English language development. A language standard is included with the content standard in a lesson plan so that the students grow in academic English and their vocabulary is developed. The framework has an observation tool included that will allow you to receive constructive feedback by a peer or administrator or to self evaluate. |
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I think your suggestion of using the SIOP method to promote English language learning is a great one. One benefit for these students is that they are in kindergarten, so they are likely to pick up English at a faster rate than older students. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2015 11:39 pm
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Solution 35
Posted November 10, 2014 1:51 am |
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I do not think you should make them speak English. This could lead them to a silent stage. I would allow them to speak Spanish and share words with the class. This could be a learning experience for the other students. Group work might help the students learn a little more English. They might be more apt to share their language in return for English. I find it fascinating that students can speak different languages. I feel like these students will eventually learn more English as they get older. Keep encouraging them to share out and be themselves. |
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Solution 36
Posted November 13, 2014 12:55 am |
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Wow, this must be tough. Personally, I think it is time for you to brush up on your Spanish speaking skills. Maybe you could turn it into a game. Perhaps you could speak a little Spanish to your students and they could speak English back to you. I know this seems like an extreme solution however, I think the students will respect you more if they see you are interested in their language as well. However, English is the language commonly used in schools today so it is crucial to help the students learn how to speak it fluently. I think that they should not be forced to leave their native tongue however, allow them to use both in the classroom. This will make them successful in life. |
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Solution 37
Posted November 16, 2014 1:48 am |
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This can be a very frustrating situation because you do not want the hispanic students in the class to feel like they have done anything wrong or shouldn't speak their own language, and their are several ways to incorporate the Spanish language into the classroom including labels around the room and using group work. However, I do think that, at times, students should all be on the same page and using the English language. I think that if the teacher allows Spanish to be spoken at anytime and does not find a balance, then it will alienate the students who only speak one language. |
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Solution 38
Posted November 16, 2014 8:41 pm |
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I can understand your frustration when communicating with this group of students; however, the students should be praised that they are continuing to speak their native language in a different environment. I do think that they should be encouraged to speak English in the classroom during their ESOL instruction. I would encourage them to use Spanish during other subjects, such as Social Studies. They can speak with their Hispanic peers during lunch and recess in their first language. As an educator, I would want to develop bilingual individuals that could succeed further in a global economy. |
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Solution 39
Posted November 16, 2014 8:52 pm |
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Although it may be very frustrating, I don't think it would be a good idea to force them to stop using their native language. They are kindergarten age students and communicating with peers, whether it be in English or Spanish, is so important for their development at this age. I would suggest reaching out to the ESOL teacher for advice. |
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Solution 40
Posted November 16, 2014 10:29 pm |
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While it may be frustrating for you try to imagine how difficult it would be for the students if you split them up and forced them to leave their language at home. I think it would be a good idea to encourage the students to teach their classmates some Spanish and then have their classmates teach them corresponding English words and phrases. You may also want to attempt to learn a bit of Spanish yourself so that you can communicate with the students in the language they are most comfortable using. As they see you and their classmates trying to make them more comfortable they may be more willing to break out of their comfort zones.
Additionally, I would suggest incorporating a lot of group work where the students will have plenty of opportunities to communicate verbally. I think it would be helpful to ensure that two of your Spanish speaking students are always together in a group with some of their English speaking peers. |
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I really like your suggestion to have them teach their English speaking peers Spanish words, and have their English speaking peers teach them English words. It will not only improve their vocabulary skills, but it will also help them build relationships with their English speaking peers which will hopefully encourage them to participate more during whole group instruction. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2014 1:45 am
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Solution 41
Posted November 16, 2014 10:42 pm |
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I wouldn't seperate them as this may cause them to shut downn. I would give the students words in Spanish and English and ask them to ask each other the different words or whatever the content is being taught using flash cards or some form to make it interesting and obtainable for them. If you don't want them together all the time you could put them in groups where there are a variety of cultures sometimes. However, I think it may be beneficial for you to utilize that they do have each other in activities and lessons. |
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Solution 42
Posted November 17, 2014 1:23 am |
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I completely understand your frustration. However I do not think banning a language and forcing the students to speak English is a great idea. That would fit right into a large portion of the United States wanting it to be a requirement for all immigrants to speak English. That is who they are. I would instead may a set of expectations from the students. I would give them opportunities to speak Spanish but they must be able to share those same ideas in English. If students want to communicate in Spanish while working then that is fine as long as they can produce a product in English. As a teacher in this situation I would work very hard to learn Spanish. I think you not knowing what the students are saying bothers you and this can be solved by learning to speak Spanish! This is also a great learning opportunity for the rest of the students in the classroom to learn a new language. The last thing that needs to happen is to make the students feel like their language does not matter and they should not be speaking it. |
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Solution 43
Posted December 1, 2014 6:26 pm |
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In this situation it is very important to stay positive because students can sense negativity. Do not separate them or ban Spanish from the classroom. You don't want them to feel ashamed of the language they speak because it could lead them to not speak at all. Right now Spanish is the only language that they know how to communicate in so use it to your advantage. Try having a word of the day in both Spanish and English or allow them to teach a word to the class. (Of course to be fair you would have to extend this opportunity to the students who only speak English also). Incorporate more group work in which you place English dominant students and Spanish dominant Students together. Another idea would be to create a buddy system in which English dominant students are paired with Spanish dominant students. Lastly, try having a read aloud using a bilingual Spanish-English book in which the students are able to take turns reading aloud. You want to let all of your students know that all languages are valuable. Kindergarten students are like sponges, they feed off of the energy you put out. |
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Solution 44
Posted December 1, 2014 6:32 pm |
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In this situation it is very important to stay positive because students can sense negativity. Do not separate them or ban Spanish from the classroom. You don't want them to feel ashamed of the language they speak because it could lead them to not speak at all. Right now Spanish is the only language that they know how to communicate in so use it to your advantage. Try having a word of the day in both Spanish and English or allow them to teach a word to the class. (Of course to be fair you would have to extend this opportunity to the students who only speak English also). Incorporate more group work in which you place English dominant students and Spanish dominant Students together. Another idea would be to create a buddy system in which English dominant students are paired with Spanish dominant students. Lastly, try having a read aloud using a bilingual Spanish-English book in which the students are able to take turns reading aloud. You want to let all of your students know that all languages are valuable. Kindergarten students are like sponges, they feed off of the energy you put out. |
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Solution 45
Posted February 17, 2015 1:24 am |
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It is important to relate to these students. Since the students are English Language Learners, it is important that teachers use multicultural material to teach with. This will help the students stay motivated to learn English. |
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Solution 46
Posted October 2, 2015 4:36 pm |
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Although you are frustrated it is important to remember that the students are only in kindergarten. They may only hear Spanish spoken at home which would make it difficult for them to change languages because they are at school. Be patient with them and incorporate more one on one or small group instruction to help the students practice English. |
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Solution 47
Posted October 18, 2015 9:04 pm |
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While it can be frustrating, it is simply not okay to separate the students and force them to speak English. Language is a part of identity and by forcing your students not to speak it you are implying that something is wrong with their culture. Instead you need to find ways to embrace the Spanish speaking in your classroom. We should be proud of our students can are on their way to being bilingual. That is a serious talent that you should be nuturing, not trying to kill. |
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Solution 48
Posted October 22, 2015 6:37 pm |
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I would not recommend that students are not allowed to speak Spanish. For these students, Spanish is the only language they know. I would schedule some time for these students to have to communicate with one another. It may be that they are trying to teach one another about how to manage in the classroom. It might be a goo idea to schedule a time in the day that they can get together, just for communication. |
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Solution 49
Posted October 26, 2015 10:59 pm |
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That does have to be frustrating. I would partner each of the Hispanic students with a non Hispanic student. This might give them a buddy to help with English. I would also let them have times during the day when they can share their language. I do not think it should be banned from school. I just think letting the students understand when to use it and when not to use it. |
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Solution 50
Posted November 2, 2015 5:06 pm |
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This can be a difficult and frustrating situation. I really would not know how to go about dealing with this. Our entire curriculum and educational system is based on the English language. Students must know how to speak English and how to write it in order to succeed in most schools. As a teacher you definitely do not want to force your students to abandon their native language and culture. We want them to be able to succeed in school and hold on to their heritage. I don't understand how, as English speaking teachers, we are supposed to be able to teach students that do not speak English at all. I would not force them to leave their native language at home, but I would encourage them to try to limit its use in the classroom in order to help them get a better grasp of English. |
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Solution 51
Posted November 3, 2015 2:35 pm |
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I can see how it would be frustrating not being able to communicate with your Spanish speaking students. I would not separate the students from each other. I would suggest having a lesson on speaking Spanish. You could have one of those students teach the class a new word or two a day. This would allow the other students to learn the Spanish language just like they are having to learn the English language. Once the students feel like they are a part of the class they will more than likely open up to you. |
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It is a good idea. If you have problems with parents you can explain to them that you are simply developing some second language skills since studies have shown that it is much easier to learn a new language the younger you are. You are in no way trying to replace English just develop other skills. It is also a good idea because you are showing the Spanish speaking students that you care about them and their culture. This can only help. |
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Posted on: November 8, 2015 7:42 pm
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Solution 52
Posted November 6, 2015 12:58 pm |
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I don't think that it is a bad thing, especially given their age, that they speak their native language when they are surrounded by peers who make them feel comfortable. I would, however, try to split everyone up (all students and do so periodically) to make sure that students are given time to learn and practice English. If they are not (for lack of a better word) forced to use English, they may not ever feel comfortable doing so. I would also speak with the group of students to explain why you may be placing them in different groups. I think they are probably just speaking their native language because that is what they feel most comfortable doing, and I doubt they realize that, by doing so, they may be hindering their English Language Learning. |
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Solution 53
Posted November 6, 2015 9:48 pm |
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In my opinion, the students' home language should be embraced within your classroom. I'm sure you have students that speak English, so why don't you use the Spanish speakers as an instructional tool? Also, use this as a challenge to yourself and don't just give up. This is a time you could go and learn the basics of the Spanish language or even make it a larger challenge to learn the language fluently. There are some great programs, such as Rosettastone and Duolingo, that can help you in this endeavor. |
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Solution 54
Posted November 8, 2015 5:47 pm |
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I mostly have this problem teaching Middle and High school, but for elementary children in Kindergarten I would not fully split them all apart. You can break up the bigger group, but leave some of them together so they can help each other in class. You need to teach English and Spanish in the class, so the students can understand each other and help you to understand and speak to all of your students. This can be a struggle at first, but if you keep at it and not let failure or discouragement affect you will be able to provide an environment for all students to be able to learn and communicate with each other and you. |
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Solution 55
Posted November 8, 2015 7:36 pm |
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You are in a very complicated situation. What I would recommend doing is to split the time between what groups both sets of students work with. Have the Spanish speaking students work with the non-Spanish speaking students for some lessons and then let the Spanish speaking students work together some as well. You do not want to just jump into splitting them up. You risk overwhelming all the students in the group or further alienating both groups since they can not communicate well each other all the time. The hope is to eventually allow both groups of students to work well enough with each other that you do not have to keep splitting both groups up. |
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Solution 56
Posted November 8, 2015 8:34 pm |
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I do not think your goal should be to prohibit them from speaking Spanish, but simply speaking more English. It may not be a good idea to separate the students completely from peers that make them feel comfortable and who they can identify with culturally. I would devote my energies to promoting English than eradicating Spanish. The important question should be what ways can you get the students to want to speak English more? I would recommend creating activities that forces them to interact with the other students in the class who may not have a Spanish background. This can happen with collaborative assignments, games, or even new assign seating. |
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I agree that separating the Spanish speaking students would not be beneficial. Intermingling the students would be best. If you have the technology to do so, I would recommend incorporating Spanish or Spanish/English speaking games on i-Pads during small group instruction. This would help everyone learn new words and help break down the communication barrier. Not to mention, it would be fun! |
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Posted on: November 15, 2015 5:29 am
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Solution 57
Posted November 9, 2015 4:57 pm |
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That is a very tough situation to be in. I understand that they need to participate with their classmates, but they also need to be able to communicate in English. I would say that an advantage that you have is having them in kindergarten. Since they are so young, they are able to learn languages fairly quickly. I would let the native speakers work together during some assignments, and then I would separate them for others. You do not want to discourage them from working together, but you also don't want them to be uncomfortable around English speakers. By allowing them to work with different groups, you are giving them an opportunity to work with a variety of students. |
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I think you proposed a great solution. I think this would be the same scenario for students who don't speak another language. All students tend to stick with the people they are most comfortable with (their friends). As a teacher, I think it's a great strategy to encourage students to work with and communicate with people who aren't in their social group. |
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Posted on: November 10, 2015 11:37 pm
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Solution 58
Posted November 10, 2015 11:41 pm |
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As a teacher, I would not recommend that this teacher tell these students that they are to only speak Spanish at home. I think that would make students feel that their home language is inferior and not valued at school. I think that this teacher can encourage the students to speak in English and help them access the curriculum in English. However, I also think it would be wonderful to capitalize on their ability to speak a second language. Wouldn't it be wonderful if these students could swap roles with the teacher and teach her and their classmates some Spanish words? They could have a dual-language classroom before they knew it! |
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I agree. A bilingual classroom would be awesome. Kindergarten aged students are like sponges! With technology being the wave of the future, I would recommend incorporating Spanish lessons wherever I could (SmartBoards, i-Pads, etc.). Recently, I have found more and more books that are written and recorded on CD's in Spanish. Scholastic's Reading Club even has a Reading Book order form just for Spanish books (Club Leo). I also love the books that are embedded with Spanish. I actually found one book at a book fair at our school that has embedded Spanish in it. The name of the book is Rubia and the Three Osos by Susan Middleton Elya. As you can probably tell from the title, it's a spin-off (with a cool twist at the end) of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I would certainly recommend it! |
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Posted on: November 15, 2015 5:45 am
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Solution 59
Posted November 15, 2015 5:21 am |
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As a Pre-K teacher and former Kindergarten teacher myself, I would not recommend making your Spanish speaking students speak English all the time. Nor would I separate them. I might would divide them up throughout the day in order to give them the opportunity to inner mingle with your English speaking students. Students at this age are such sponges. They will learn English in no time. Too, your English speaking students will, I'm sure, learn some Spanish. Throughout the years, there are two different ways that I have "opened the door of communication" with ELL's, all while introducing Spanish to my English speaking students. The first is the CD "Ole, Ole, Ole" by Dr. Jean found here: http://www.drjean.org/html/cds_f/cds_ole2.html. This CD has a variety of songs sung first in English and then in Spanish. I have also used the series "Salsa" found here: http://www.gpb.org/salsa. This series is awesome! Both really help children "understand" that there are different languages spoken by different people. It also helps children better relate to one another.
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Solution 60
Posted November 15, 2015 10:54 pm |
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While communicating with their peers is important, speaking English and learning it is important as well. I would give the students time period where Spanish is okay but others where they should only be speaking English. This will facilitate learning but still allow them to use their native language. |
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Solution 61
Posted October 3, 2016 8:21 pm |
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You have to give them time to learn |
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Solution 62
Posted October 7, 2016 7:11 pm |
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As a teacher, you need to be understanding of the ESOL students in your class. I would get ESOL certified if I was you. |
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Solution 63
Posted March 4, 2017 2:32 am |
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Never discourage them to speak their native language, instead find ways to encourage them to speak english more often. Use incentives to encourage that. |
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Solution 64
Posted October 9, 2019 12:05 pm |
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Please do not ban their native language in the classroom. Research how you can use home language to enhance your lessons and content instead of getting rid of it entirely. Label everything in the classroom using English words so students are learning even when you aren't teaching them. Separating students and banning their language will only cause their effective filter to raise and cause them to not want to work or participate. I know it is frustrating but it will help in the long run. You could designate a time for students to get their "wiggles and talksies" out before beginning the lesson. I really do believe that incorporating their home language will help them understand content and teach English speakers a little bit of Spanish too! |
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Solution 65
Posted November 10, 2013 8:09 pm |
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As a kindergarten teacher, this is a problem I encounter nearly every year with a large group of Hispanic students in my classroom. What I generally tell students is that the playground and lunch table is the time they may speak in Spanish. In any educational setting, English will be spoken. I would not try to separate them, just encourage them to speak English in the classroom. |
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I understand that your objective (and the school's) is to help the students increase their English proficiency, but I disagree in the manner in which you are going about it. A teacher has no right to limit a child's right to speak in their native tongue. A child's native tongue can be used to support the teacher's objectives. |
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Posted on: November 17, 2013 6:20 pm
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I do not agree with this post either. Yes, it is important for students who do not know English to learn English, but at the same time the students should not be limited to communicating with each other. A student still needs to be able to interact with other students. Just because Spanish is being spoken, does not mean that the students are not learning either. |
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Posted on: October 19, 2014 9:34 pm
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It is not a teacher's role to define when students will or won't speak in their native tongue. The problem in this scenario is that that students in the classroom do not know English and are not being offered an instructional opportunity to develop their English. The SIOP model was developed in order to help teachers effectively teach English Language Learners in their classroom. This type of model allows the student to develop their English while also learn the lesson content along side their English speaking peers. |
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Posted on: November 9, 2014 8:10 pm
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I feel they should be allowed to speak i Spanish, especially if they are in a group together. However, I would require them to speak to me in the best English they can, and English must be used for academic purposes. I also feel at this early stage in their educaiton they should be in a fully sheltered class learning English and school norms, but I know ELL students are not Federally protected like SPED so a lot of times the support isn't there at schools. Ideally there would be specialized academices set up to allow for greater integration and language skills before they are placed in general education. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 11:26 pm
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Solution 66
Posted February 14, 2013 11:52 pm |
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No, you should never force your students to leave their native tongue at home. Asking them to do so will probably decrease their motivation and respect for you. Students work much better in the classroom when they feel that they are welcomed and can be themselves. On the other hand, if they feel ostracized they'll be more likely to shut down. Instead of trying to force your students to neglect their culture, you should find ways to incorporate their cultures into your curriculum. You can either take up another language or find a translator for your classroom. You should also use their unique cultures as an excuse to do some research on your own and learn some things for yourself. Your english students, hispanic students, all students' parents, and you can all learn things from each other. Having diverse cultures in your classroom provides a great opportunity to diversify your students' learning. |
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i agree that forcing students to leave their native tongue at home can result in decreased motivation to learn and decreased respect for you as the teacher. you want them to feel that their culture and languages are important and that they are important individuals in the classroom. I think that using various strategies that incorporate their own language into lessons is a great start!
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Posted on: October 21, 2013 7:14 pm
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Solution 67
Posted November 8, 2013 1:28 pm |
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I'm assuming you don't speak Spanish either. Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine you are taking a class in a foreign country you just moved to. You have friends in the class that also speak English, but the professor does not allow you to talk to them in English but in that country's language. Granted, forcing you to speak the language might help you learn it; however, wouldn't speaking to your friend in English to recap what you've learned in that class also be helpful?
Perhaps you could try to start learning Spanish yourself so that you can teach in both Spanish and English. Maybe you could supplement your English lessons with Spanish texts. Talk to other teachers at your school and see if anyone can help out with this. Some research has shown that the longer English language learns receive instruction in a mix of their first language and English, the better their achievement in English. So this could actually be helping them learn the content of your class. Do not force them to leave their native tongue at home- use it to your classroom's advantage.
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Great point - there should be a mix of language used in the learning process. So the group should be split up sometimes. Forcing students out of their comfort zone early will pay off in the end. Theses students will feel comfortable speaking, writing, and reading any language. |
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Posted on: November 9, 2013 9:10 am
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I agree that the teacher should make an effort to learn some Spanish to more effectively communicate with the students. I also like your idea of mixing instruction in English and Spanish. Not only would the ELL benefit, I think the English speaking students would benefit as well as they are exposed to another language. Also, by mixing the language of instruction both the ELL and English speaking students will probably become more comfortable communicating with one another. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 10:37 pm
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Solution 68
Posted November 13, 2013 5:52 pm |
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It seems that your classroom is extremely diverse and it is important to remember that they are trying to learn English on top of trying to learn math, science, and history. I believe that one of the most important things you can do as a teacher at this point is to show them that you care. The first step in good teaching, in my opinion, is building a relationship. When the students know you care about their success and are willing to help them achieve it, they will be more motivated to put in the effort. ESL students like the ones in your class are no different. Learn their hobbies, reach out to their parents in their native language when possible, and make time to meet with them before or after school. Try to make time to work with those ESL students individually during class to provide supplemental instruction or clarification on assignment instructions and content. I think that it is also important to familiarize yourself with their culture. Too many times ESL students are excluded or feel put on the spot because of their deficiencies in English. Instead of doing this, make it your goal to learn more about their culture. When they come to class, say something in their native language, or ask them about a food you tried from their culture. Trying to learn more about them will go a long way. Learning about other cultures is wonderful for your other students, too. Not only will you be making headway with your ESL students, but your entire class will also be learning about tolerance and other cultures. I think that it is also important to remember that our students are one of our best tools in the classroom. You might want to make it a goal of your entire class to learn more about the Hispanic student's culture. Have students choose an area to study, complete with food, native dress, and music. I believe that the ESL students will jump at the chance to tell their classmates more about their heritage, but they are getting the chance to practice their language skills while they do it.
As far as letting them speak their native language in the classroom, I believe that that depends on what it is they are talking about. Most teachers will justifiably object to ESL students engaging in a general chat in their own language during lesson time. This excludes the teacher and other students, and switches the students off form the focus of the lesson. However, I believe that there are occasions where it can be quite acceptable for a student to speak his or her own language. Stronger students can quickly explain to less proficient students what the latter have not understood or what they have to do- this frees the teacher from constantly needing to check on the progress of the weaker student, allowing the teacher to devote enough attention to the other students in the class. It can be distracting to everyone, however, if an ESL student is trying to do a simultaneous translation of what you are saying while you are saying it. It is helpful, therefore, if the lesson contains a number of natural breaks in which less proficient students can be helped to understand the important points you have made or what they have to do next. In general, it is worth noting how important it is for students to be able to discuss their work in their own language. This not only helps to develop their understanding of the topic, but also serves to develop their mother tongue proficiency. Finally, it can also be very useful if you yourself speak the native language of an ESL student in your class. You can then use the language to facilitate or check the student's understanding of a task or explanation. It is good for the student's self-esteem to know that you have learned and value his/her language.
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Solution 69
Posted November 4, 2014 7:47 pm |
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It seems as though the most difficult part of your situation is the in ability to communicate effectively with your students. With students so young who are not able to speak English, asking them to abandon their language entirely will not work. As long as they are within their own group and are not trying to create a disruption, I say let them continue to speak Spanish (you will probably find them trying to help each other, figure out assignments, etc). I would encourage you to try and find the student who speaks and understands the most amount of English and use them as an interpreter to create a communication link. When it is appropriate, tell your students you would like for them to try and speak English. When doing group work, put your Spanish speaking students in groups with the English speaking students to help them improve their English speaking skills. In these groups, require the students try to speak English so they can work on improving their language proficiency. More than likely your English speaking students will start picking up on some basic Spanish to make communication more effective. After group work is over, allow the Spanish speaking students to move back into their groups and communicate in Spanish if necessary. Trying to work in a different language is difficult and tiring, and it will allow students a mental break and allow them to work on their school work in a language and context in which they are more familiar. |
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I like your suggestions on how to group students during different lessons and classroom activities. By mixing English and Spanish speaking students together they will have to work together and figure out how to communicate. English speaking students will probably begin to pick up on some Spanish, and vice versa. |
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Posted on: November 16, 2014 10:41 pm
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Solution 70
Posted November 5, 2014 11:46 pm |
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I believe pictures help EVERYTHING in kindergarten! I taught at a school that had a large population of Hispanics, at this point in the year we are trying to learn letters and letter sounds. It does help when parents are on board with a teacher's expectations. At the school I worked at with a large population we were able to have a translator at all meetings. This allows the parents to understand the expectaitons and to relay the information and expectations to the child. We as teachers, want to promote their background and culture and at the same time integrate standards to allow these children to meet or exceed by the end of the year. Having the children work with cchildren whose native language is English, but not forcing them to use their native language. Speaking to the children and having them understand that in the classroom to provide our own thoughts and ideas, English would need to be the language of choice. During stations or working with their peers, they could use what makes them comfortable. |
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Solution 71
Posted November 8, 2014 11:46 pm |
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Although it is challenging to try to communicate with very young children who have not learned English I think your should embrace the challenge. Try learning some basic Spanish phrases. That will demonstrate to students that their language is appreciated and valued at school. It would also help you with communicating your instructional desires to the students. I would also try a bilingual approach by presenting color words, days of the week and numbers in both Spanish and English. Displaying picture cards with spanish and English names of animals, plants or classroom items may also help children. Teaching bilingual songs would also help children pronounce unfamiliar words in a non-threatening fun way. Sharing bilingual books would also help children connect reading skills to both languages. Using a bilingual approach for at least basic concepts would help ELL students transition into English and it would help English only students learn a new language. You would also be benefited by learning more diverse teaching skills and learning a new language for yourself. |
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Solution 72
Posted November 10, 2014 9:54 pm |
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This is a very hard situation to deal with. I do not think that it is bad for the students to speak their common langauge among themselves. I think this makes them feel more comfortable in the classroom. I think one thing that would help this situation is to pair the students who speak little english with the students who do speak english. This should not be done all of the time but during interactive lessons. This will allow them to learn more english and feel more comforatble with the other students and not have the two groups seperate because they are not similar.
-Kayla |
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Solution 73
Posted November 16, 2014 11:19 pm |
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This is a challenging situation and one I have experienced. I would not force them to separate, this could back fire. I would group them together for support. They will require a different level of instruction. They will need more teacher time and support structures. clear procedures will also need to be established first, as they will tend to speak out of turn or speak amongst themselves when you need them to pay attention, because they just don;t understand what you are saying. For every lesson a substantial amount of time will be required to build background knowledge or establish clear procedures if it is a more interactive lesson. They will move at a slower pace, but that is why you should keep them grouped together, it will be easier to differentiate instruction. Separating them and forcing them to work with their English speaking peers will make them feel isolated and they will act out or shut down. |
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Solution 74
Posted November 17, 2014 1:43 am |
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I would encourage them to first spend at least one-fourth of the day speaking in English when doing activities and assignments. Then slowly move into them trying to communicate and write in English for at least half of the day. Then slowly move into three-fourths of the day until they eventually communicating in English for the majority of the day. I would not separate them right away, but over time, give them experiences working with each other and with their English speaking peers. |
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Solution 75
Posted December 3, 2014 1:28 pm |
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I definitely would not encourage you to stop the students from speaking their native language. What I would encourage you to do though is to invest in a English to Spanish translator so it would allow you to translate things the students may be saying or things you want to say to the students. I would also encourage you to use as many visuals as possible, so that the students can learn to put words with pictures. Using the SIOP teaching strategy would also assist you when it comes to teaching certain lessons. I would also create as many group projects as possible to allow the students to mingle with English speaking students, in hopes that they'll become familiar with the English language. |
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Solution 76
Posted February 21, 2015 10:18 pm |
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I wouldn't separate them, but use that knowledge to your advantage. If there are a few that speak better English then the rest, they would be my go to students and they can help translate to other students whose English is not as strong. By using this strategy, you can have the numbers working in your favor and it relieves the frustration by breaking down the communication barrier. |
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Solution 77
Posted November 5, 2015 4:10 pm |
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While I agree that it is frustrating to not understand the students, I would not ask them to stop speaking their native language. Since the students are very young, it is the language that they know the best. Telling the students to not speak Spanish would be disrespectful. As a teacher, I would seek ways that I can connect with my students. I would learn Spanish, so that I could communicate with my students. Also, I would have the students teach the other students a new Spanish would a week, possibly, to create a learning situation for all students. Forming new ways for the students to learn from each other will create a rich learning environment. Just because the students speak a different language does not mean that they cannot participate. |
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Solution 78
Posted November 12, 2015 2:06 am |
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Even though it may sound mean, I would separate some of the students. They are going to continue speaking their native tongue if you do not. You can leave some of them together so that they can still communicate with each other, but if they all stay together they are just going to continue speaking Spanish with each other and not necessarily participate with the other classmates in the room. It would be just like if you had a group of talkative students, you would separate them. You aren't forcing them to leave their native tongue at home, just modifying how much they use in the classroom. |
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Solution 79
Posted November 15, 2015 6:07 pm |
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I understand your frustration. As a kindergarten teacher I would not be threatened by them speaking their native tongue in your classroom. However, in high school that might be a different story. I am a high school teacher frequently in my school students speak their native tongue. Most of the time it does not matter, but there have been several cases where they begin to ask each other for sex and drugs in the middle of class in a language the teacher cannot understand. In that instance some other action may have to be taken. |
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Solution 80
Posted February 25, 2016 10:51 pm |
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From everything I have learned and witnessed regarding ESOL students, if you force a student to only use English, it can hinder their progress. I suggest setting the expectation that during instructional time, students do their best to answer in English, however, during social time or even working in groups, students be allowed to communicate in both English and their native language. It is important that students feel supported in your classroom. |
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Solution 81
Posted July 10, 2017 8:14 pm |
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I think speaking a second language is a gift. I don't think you should discourage them from speaking Spanish. Then they grow up and think that they are doing something wrong by speaking their native language. If they are in a small group talking in their own language why does it bother you so much? They are not talking to you. I Think you should let them be. It is important to embrace new cultures and slowly immerse them in our American Culture. |
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Solution 82
Posted February 21, 2018 6:30 pm |
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You should look into ways to communicate with them, even if it is through their primary language. We can't force students to speak English only, not only for academic reasons, but especially cultural reasons when dealing with ESOL students. Identify the language gap, then make a plan to bridge it. Maybe label basic items in spanish and english? I would avoid separating the students. |
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Solution 83
Posted February 23, 2018 11:57 pm |
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I would try to incorporate the students into small groups, divide the class up so that they are a couple spanish speakers in each group. That way it allows them to be more comfortable with their peers as well as pick up on some social english language that could better help them understand your teaching. Also be sure to alter lesson plans, to include their culture or their interests. |
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Solution 84
Posted November 4, 2022 12:36 am |
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Pairing them with English speaking students will help to develop their social language better and they can always play together during recess so they do not need to feel lonely if they are separated during lessons. |
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Solution 85
Posted November 13, 2022 2:40 pm |
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I can understand your dilemma. I wouldn't frown upon their language but I would encourage exploration within English and Spanish |
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Solution 86
Posted February 26, 2023 6:44 pm |
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I don’t think you should force them to leave their native language at home, instead encourage them to speak English in the classroom and to even teach you a few words so that they do not feel dissed and they feel more comfortable with speaking English in the classroom. |
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Solution 87
Posted November 11, 2015 1:59 am |
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I don't think it would be a good idea to completely separate these students. The students who don't speak english probably feel comfortable being able to communicate with someone. Maybe allow each student who doesn't speak any english to work with one student who is bilingual instead of as a whole group. having them exposed to english speakers will help them learn to speak it faster. |
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Solution 88
Posted November 7, 2015 6:29 pm |
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Since English language is the language used in the classroom. I will suggest you separate them, you can put some who does not speak at all with the ones that do speak so that the former can help the latter with interpretation and school work. I say this so that they will not be distractive. Separating them does not mean you have to neglect them, it simply means that for the one who do not have other students to interpret for them, you have to use other means of communication apart from verbal to communicate. They might still be able to do some subjects that can be done without the language. |
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