Imagine being in your student's shoes... moving to a foreign land, not
knowing the language! YIKES! This is what our ESL students are
facing. Here are ideas to help you in the first few days:
1. Make sure that you know how to pronounce your newcomer's name.
Point to yourself and say, "My name is..." Then point to your new student
and say, "What's your name?" See your ESL teacher for assistance with
pronunciation.
2. Pair your newcomer with a native-English speaking buddy. This will
help the language acquisition process along. This will help the ESL
student to get to know other students and will be a great motivator for
the student to begin to use English.
3. Don't be suprised if your newcomer doesn't speak at all for a while.
This is perfectly NORMAL. This is what we refer to as the "silent period."
4. Remember, your newcomer may experience some kind of a culture
shock. Hopefully, the transition will be easy for the student. The
acculturation process may be difficult for newcomers because they may
feel as though they are losing their identity. Remember, language is a
very important part of who we are!
5. Communicate friendliness, patience, and warmth with body
language and a smile.
6. Give your student a picture of your whole class labled with the
students' names. New students will begin to put names with faces and
will begin a foundation for socializing.
7. Remember to slow down your speech. If you are a "fast talker", try to
be mindful of this!
8. Another thing about body language- use it to supplement speech.
For example, gesture toward the chair where the student should sit
while you are asking the student to sit.
9. Remember that parents are legally entitiled to have information about
their child's schooling delivered in a form they can understand.
10. Have confidence! You can do this! It can be very scary having a
non-English speaking student in your class, especially for new
teachers. I am here to help you. PLEASE
communicate your needs to me! No question is a stupid question!