499. Very communicative people


From www.teachingenglish.org.uk , British Council – BBC website. valentina02 asked a question and I replied. For this entry of my blog I have corrected some mistakes. / Photo from: breakfasttiffanys gothamist com



Teaching English


Submitted by valentina02 on 9 November, 2010 - 21:11

Is it advised to use L1 when teaching English? What do you think?


Hello valentina02,

I would have to get to know your case to offer something really useful. However, I'm telling you what I do. Sorry for referring to myself, but hopefully it might help you out.

I do not use any L1, namely Spanish. All I say in the class is in English, absolutely everything, although my students beg me to use Spanish, ‘un poquito’.

My students are false-beginners and have nearly no capability to speak in English. Well, "It's own their business": they have got to say something, for me to "understand them". I pretend I know no Spanish at all; they know I'm Spanish like them, but at the class-time, all through it, the only language used is English. It's fun. It's like a treat and they accept it. A sort of English-speaking atmosphere is created among us all.

I think it is very important, first of all, that they would listen to me speaking, massively, so that they hear the more-or-less new language.

I give them prompts to respond something in English. If they cannot say anything, I tell them not to worry, helping my message with gestures and making faces.

This is the beginning of real communication, this is already communication, in a wide but authentic sense.

Thus I'd tell you this suggestion, if you let me so: all in English. Little by little they can even hold some conversation, with the help of the grammar and vocabulary they are learning. I'm firm at this resolution: only L2.

If they don't understand me, I'll try several other ways. They appreciate this interest from you.

Finally, I’d say I congratulate them whenever they say one word in English, whenever they struggle to make themselves be understood by me.

More ideas on post nº 492 from my blog. Sorry again for quoting myself; I owe a lot to other fellow-teachers.

Best wishes!

Fernando

Teacher of English and teacher trainer. Granada (Spain)

http://fernandoexperiences.blogspot.com

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