410. This cuisinier-monitor has patience and humor



Here is a comment about teaching Roman handwriting to Arabic children. Basically (sorry to summarize the problem) Sandy Millin has some Arabic children aged around 9 years, plus other children who use Roman characters. For the former ones is so tough to learn our characters, and may become demotivated. Both posts, Sandy’s and mine, have been published on the web site of British Council – BBC (link at the right column). I have corrected some mistakes.


Hello Sandy,


I've studied Arabic myself, so I can see the problem... from the other side. Well, I learnt very little, anyway.


I'm trying some advice. If any helpful. First, utilise TPR, I'd say. It's so motivating when the kids can see their progress!


Make one student stand up; the others just watching. Miming here is crucial, believe me. Give him or her instructions, perhaps by using gestures more than words. Better said, show him/her what you demand from the kid, and say the instruction in simple terms, and with gentle repetition. "Aadel, take this paper bin and put it on Tahsin's desk." And you lead the operation, at the beginnings. Or one eager kid: for granted some of them are eager to give a hand, even they'll try to carry out the operation themselves. No, no, no, just you, Aadel.


Later on, and they love this, one child utters the instruction, regardless if not accurate grammar, by now.


Work out about "paper bin", over and over, repeat this word. Play up with the object - not for too long! And then you slowly write the word on the blackboard with clear simple letters, as if moulding the word.


Oh, something which is relinquishing for chidren. You, or someone else, write the Roman alphabet on the BB, clear characters. In short clear rows. Teach them the pronunciation of each letter. The non-Arabic children help you out with the pronunciation. Afterwards, point at random letters, and they chorus the pointed letter. They will make mistakes, funny ones, and also you'll have fun; tip on the wrong pronunciation of a letter, repeatedly, until they self-correct from each other. Funny especially: pronunciation of a, e, i. And, at least in Spain, b and v. And g and j.


I'm finishing. Play hangman after the game of the alphabet. You can begin with "paper bin" and proceed with other objects round the classroom. Give the clue that the object is INSIDE this classroom, and look round, as if looking for the "object". They will follow your scanning look.


Little by little. To be honest it's the first time I encounter a problem this kind. In Spain we have more and more Arabic children in our classrooms. I can assure you there is integration among them, they get themselves more and more integrated, amazing! One link? Football: they play together, Bolivians, Moroccians, Equatorians, people somewhere from Africa.


And girls? Sorry, I can tell you very little, but I suppose in somehow similar ways, or not? Women are different.


All the best


Fernando Díez Gallego


Teacher of English. Teacher-trainer


Granada (!), Spain


http://fernandoexperiences.blogspot.com



Photo from Denver Post

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