Do u use ur native langauge in English classes ?

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ESL forum > Message board > Do u use ur native langauge in English classes ?

Do u use ur native langauge in English classes ?

miss noor

Thank you for ur replying.

For me, I usually use simple words not a whole sentence in my native language to explain what they don �t understand.

And the supervisor ask us never to use Arabic, my native language in the class.

Really, pictures , powerpoints and gestures are very helpful aids in teaching English.

Have a nice day ,

Noor

25 Jun 2009

I watched a programme which was made in my country which discussed why many students do not speak English after completing about 900 hours of English during their schooling. The outcome of this programme was that some French teachers tend to use their native tongue during the class . It showed that it became a habit and the students would often revert to their native tongue in their class, therefore, losing valuable time which should have been used in teaching English. It stated that some of the teacher �s found it easier communicating in their own language.

I know different teachers have different methods but, I myself tend to use as much English as possible. I avoid speaking in another language unless I am explaining a grammar point.

26 Jun 2009

susiebelle

After teaching in Saudi Arabia for many years, I personally have found that students speak English much more fluently and quickly if they are not taught using their native language as a crutch-especially in the lower levels. I don �t speak Arabic so I can not "fall back" on Arabic to help me get through difficult areas. The students taught English in a classroom that did not use their native tongue usually test out at least 30-40% better in overall Language skills, especially conversation.

26 Jun 2009

alien boy

I believe that if native language is used appropriately in the classroom it can improve a student�s English ability. Many of the language acquisition studies I have been reading over the last couple of years support this as a theory too.

A person �s ability in their native language will be superior to their English ability. As students require explanation of more complex aspects of language or have more complex questions to ask about English then using their native language is an important tool in teaching support. The key is to ensure the native language is used appropriately & not constantly. It is essential to have the students speaking, reading & writing in English as much as possible - so if it�s necessary for the teacher to use another language (as appropriate) to facilitate their English usage then it will actually improve their understanding & knowledge of English.

i.e. if the language being used falls within the realms of the students� knowledge then use English. If it doesn�t then their native language is important as an adjunct to their understanding & learning.

When it comes down to teaching results a lot depends on what is measured & how often it �s re -tested. In the case of Saudi Arabia (& I �m not trying to pick on anyone here) the research papers I�ve reviewed indicate that the testing method leaves a lot to be desired for accuracy & the longevity of language transmission is minimal. edit: and it is the case even more so in Japan. The main reason for this (& I suspect it applies to most countries where EFL as distinct from ESL is actually the case) is not necessarily due to the teaching method but due to social factors. If you learn a language but don�t use it then you won�t be able to use it confidently or accurately. You will also forget it fairly quickly!

Time permitting I will locate a few references re this - but not until July or August, I�m sorry, as all my study stuff is not here in Japan & I�ll have to check my back up data to find the specifics.

Cheers,
AB

26 Jun 2009

I will be repeating myself.
In my context, teaching adults - not children - using L1 should be the last resort, when a point, be it a grammatical or a lexical one, is not at all clear
Ans I would I �d preferably have a brilliant student -there is always one - say it. Otherwise it � s simply facility
I am very grateful to my Morroccan teachers who taught using English only: we do learn better when faced with difficulty
BRAHIM

26 Jun 2009

alien boy

Question for you Brahim (& it really is more a semantic point) - you describe using native language as a last resort. Surely that implies that native languages should be used in a manner that assists a student �s understanding & therefore use of English (or whichever language is being studied)?

I agree that the target language should be the prime language used - but only if the vocabulary the students have is enough for them to use as a base for expression. The need for challenge to expand their knowledge goes without saying!

Cheers,
AB

26 Jun 2009

Jayho

I don �t have a choice - I only speak English and I have about ten different languages in each of my classes.

Out students are not allowed to speak their own language in class. As we are nearing the end of the 20 week programme the students that have not progressed have, as one of ther observations of reasons why, is that they rely on their own langauge and do not take risks in experimenting with English.

26 Jun 2009

Lana.

Yes, this interests me greatly, too...

Good it has been brought up for discussion.

Amazing to find so many different opinions, each supported by the author �s experience.

I don �t speak my students � languages (Creole/French and Portugues, and recently Spanish).

(Although I have some knowledge of French, and I generally pick up languages easily, I can �t help understanding what Brazilians are talking about only from the few words that are common for Latinic languages and their intonation.)

As said above, it does depend on many factors.

We should differentiate perhaps between two main situations:

one in which the teacher knows the students � language

and

two in which the teacher doesn �t know the students � language.

As I said, I don �t speak their languages, but yet I like them to make a bridge between their language and English and thus dive into a more linguistic view of what they are studying.

I sometimes give them translation activities, in which they speak in their language for a few minutes during the class. I allow them to explain things to each other, but only the things taht are the concern of the class topic.

We translate grammar explanations, and I always have good feedback, students say that points become clearer, for instance we were covering the Passive the other day, and both Brazilians and Mauritians told me that in their languages it was impossible to make a passive sentence with a human object. I was happy that they made this observation, because I believe that really knowing English is possible only once the students knows his/her language. My weaker students appreciate this, too, I see genuine interest in their eyes and I see that they understand what important grammar points I want them to understand.

When we have vocabulary test, I often ask hem to translate the word and then make a sentence in English, thus I ensure that they really do understand.

In the break time they compensate by chatting amongst themselves in... guess what? ... yes, in English! :)

Apart from that, they come across English on daily basis in their lives, they hear it, they read it, they speak it, so I suppose learning a language in English-speaking country carries less risks than perhaps learning it in the country where they are from. (If I taught English in their country I think I would be very strict with the amount of time that English is spoken during the class.)

I believe that making a connection between the two languages helps students to appreciate their language, appreciate English, appreciate their own intelligence and wits, make them feel good about their language and thus about their cultures and countries (often poorer and less developed than Ireland), and about the study process, too.

27 Jun 2009

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