The Problem of Using the Mother Tongue as a Medium of Instruction when

Teaching -by Khalid Al-Seghayer, Ph.D.

Summary : About using L1 in ESL/EFL classroom.

Introduction

Teaching of English in EFL context faces numerous problems, among which is

the matter of language instruction; more precisely, the use of mother tongue as a
medium of instruction in English classroom. The question is whether or not teachers
should use the mother tongue as a medium of instruction in the English classroom. If we
consider the classroom as a microcosm of a larger society reflecting the larger forces of
society, then the use of the native language should be avoided. The English classroom
should be designed to be a natural or an authentic environment for learning a language.
In addition, students need to be trained to understand the learned language without
outside aid and need to be encouraged and forced to use and think in the target language.
A number of related issues will be discussed including theneed to place learners in a real
life environment, the consequences of using native language as the medium of
instruction, the need to place learners in a real life environment, the importance of only
using English as the medium of instruction, and the perspectives of students, teachers,
and language educators of using native language as a medium of instruction in English
classroom.

At advanced levels, where students have mastery over the language, nothing
other than the learned language should be allowed. Students need a natural setting to
help them acquire the language more effectively. They need the kind of environment
where they hear, are exposed to, and interact with the target language properly. As a
result, when students are out of class, they will encounter the same or similar
experiences as they had in the classroom. In contrast, if a teacher tends to teach by
relying on the native language, this means students are learning in a less effective
environment because most students view classrooms as a very real and authentic place.
They expect to go to class to hear and use the language in a meaningful way.

The Consequences of Using Native Language as the Medium of Instruction

By using the native language as the medium of instruction in the foreign/second

language classroom, we are not encouraging students to use and think in the target
language. In other words, permitting the use of a language other than the target language
during instruction will encourage less motivated students to rely on their first language
to convey the messages they want to deliver because their teachers do not build up their
confidence in using the target language. Also, by doing so we are getting the students in
the habit of translating from the first language into the second language. By introducing
the target language through the native language, we are not giving full attention to
training students to understand the target language without seeking outside aid. We are
not creating opportunities for them to learn. Furthermore, students who experience such
instruction are not trained to thinking in the learned language. Thinking in the target
language is a substantial point in the process of learning a language. Helping students to
reach that stage, means removing the need for translation and assisting them in
becoming better students.
The Importance of Only Using English as The Medium of Instruction

The importance of this issue is emphasized by the fact that many teachers
throughout the world teach English through using their mother tongues. They may be the
only source of English as the learned language. Thus, to achieve a better result, they
must provide sound and structure patterns from the target language, i.e., English. The
more the target language is used as the medium of instruction the more such
opportunities will arise. Common sense tells us that to learn a foreign/second language
one must be exposed to it. Although it is possible to learn a foreign/second language
through the medium of the mother tongue, such teaching does not generally prepare
students to face-to-face communication. The ultimate goal is to make the classroom a
more feasible place for students to acquire the language more effectively. The teachers’
concern should be creating an environment that enables students to be exposed to the
language in question and gives them more opportunities to use the target language. No
one can learn a language without using it. In working with students who are acquiring
English, it is important to encourage their participation and to provide a stress-free,
trusting environment for learning. Reducing anxiety is critical since a low anxiety level
is conductive to second language acquisition, the more students are encouraged to use
their second language in a positive environment, the more conformable they will feel
doing so. It is very crucial to make the language classroom as natural as possible with no
connection to translation or use of the mother tongue. Motivation is much higher when
the students see the need of the target language in reaching a goal which is meaningful
to them. The target language is the medium which helps them achieve and experience
enjoyment and fulfillment.

The perspectives of students, teachers, and language educators Toward Using Native
Language as a Medium of Instruction

Teachers tend to take the easiest way and use the mother tongue as medium of
instruction. They apparently have what they feel are valid reasons for doing this, such as
the students’ level of proficiency is not sufficient enough, it is easy to get the message
across in the mother tongue, and the like. Students, on the other hand, especially those
who have spent three to six years as students in foreign language classes, frequently
complain that, during these classes, they neither spoke nor heard the language in
question.

Most teachers, in most circumstances, believe that teaching in the target language is
simply too tall an order; they do not consider it feasible and are not agreeable to
persuasion. Among the most common reason for this position is that the ability of each
student in the class differs. There is also the constant need to be efficient, to save time,
and to be understood by all students, etc. Consequently, the majority of teachers view
some mix of the mother tongue and the foreign language as more appropriate.

Language educators hold strong beliefs that suggest it is extremely important that
the medium of instruction in the language classroom be the target language and that
teachers and students alike should always use the target language while their. After
consulting several sources, I found that language educators discussed this issue from
several points of view, including theoretically rationale, feasibility, and desirability.
There appears to be widespread assumption among teachers that, theoretically, the case
for 100% target language use is quite simply proven. This is generally agreed upon by
theoreticians. Researchers such argue that if the classroom focuses entirely on
acquisition, then the 100% direct method would be appropriate. In addition, if the
teacher uses the communicative approach, 100% use of the target language should be
insisted upon. Students should engage in activities which mirror the things which people
do with language outside the classroom in real situations. Nevertheless, if theory cannot
provide use with all the answers on this issue, then probably we must arrive at a position
on the basis of the teacher’s experience in order to decide whether a particular approach
should be used in the classroom. As advocated by the teacher, we need to see whether
such use in practicable and desirable.

Two points raised disfavoring the desirability of 100% method using the target
language as medium of instruction are sociocultural and methodological. The
sociocultural, comes into play when the mother tongue is banned from the classroom.
Such teaching leads to the alienation of the students, depriving theme of their cultural
identity, and leading to acculturation rather than increased intercultural communicative
competence. The methodological point comes form the argument that teachers raise, i.e.,
it is hard to guarantee a 100% method because some types of activates are relatively
easy to conduct in the target language, others are impossible.

Conclusion

What has been proposed above is notwithstanding. However, we must note that
lack of use of the target language in the classroom is one of the major methodological
reasons for poor achievement levels in language learning. Regardless of the points made
earlier, the use of the target language, as the normal means of communication is
possible. This requires a planned approach not only in terms of the choice of language,
but also in terms of teaching activities themselves. Taking into account what is said by
the teacher, if instructions are systematically given in English, the texts and the recorded
materials used, the exploitation of these materials and what students say to each other in
various speaking activities, the use of English can only became dominated and normal
and the use for the mother tongue accidental in comparison. When this is achieved, the
teacher can feel confident that students are receiving a proper chance to acquire the
target language under classroom conditions.

About Author
Khalid Al-Seghayer has earned his Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from the University of
Pittsburgh in 2003. His research interests include Computer-Assisted Language
Learning and second language reading. He has taught English in the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia and the United States of America. He has published in TESOL Quarterly,
Language Learning and Technology, CALL Journal, Internet TESL Journal, CALICO
Journal, CALL-EJ Online, and the APA News. He has served as the chair-elect (2002-
2003) of the EFL Interest Section in TESOL and the editor of the Newsletter in TESOL
(2002-2004). He also served as the Chair-Elect of the Non-Native English Speakers
(NNEST) in TESOL (2003-2004) and the editor of the CALL Media Software of
Reading Matrix Journal (2003-2007). He has serviced as the Chair of the English
Department at Imam University. Currently, he is serving as a reviewer for a number of
journals, including Reading Matrix, TESOL Journal, CALLICO Journal, and Foreign
Language Annuals Journal .
Teaching Strategies -by Ann Henshall
Summary : There are different things to think about in the classroom when it comes to
developing wellbeing for everyone. Since this concept is becoming increasingly relevant
to many of the governments agendas; particularly...

Teaching strategies for developing wellbeing

There are different things to think about in the classroom when it comes to developing
wellbeing for everyone. Since this concept is becoming increasingly relevant to many of
the governments agendas; particularly those for Every Child Matters and No Child Left
Behind it is a good time to be considering just how we build wellbeing everyday in the
way we teach. Wellbeing usually means the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
state of each person. Obviously the intent is that this is strong and positive for everyone
but as we know well this isn't the case in any group of people. there will be some who
are having a dip on at least one of these aspects and some who will be low on all of
them. Interestingly wellbeing can be improved by having, not only improvements in
physical conditions and the general quality of life, but also by increasing the number of
opportunities for personal growth. This is an area where teaching strategies can be
utilised easily as most topics and teaching styles can include a small amount of time
spent on considering what this means to a child personally and what they might want to
do about it if it is something they feel passionate about. This self reflection is an
excellent way to develop personal strengths ad awareness.

There are three main areas to be checking out

The class climate or culture

Our own wellbeing

The physical environment

The class climate is how cooperative and cohesive the group are as a whole - which of
course includes the teacher and any other adults in the class as well. How well do people
get on, is the attitude in the group positive and encouraging without being scared of
challenge. In short it is to do with how pessimistic or optimistic everyone is and how
well they live out the values that are embedded in the class. Typically these include
things like respect for self and others, sharing, honesty etc. Teaching strategies that
encourage all of this include:

Group work, circle time, expressive arts included in delivering some topics, specific
teaching of communication and negotiation skills to the group, games that are not
competitive.

Our own wellbeing is a given. If we are not feeling on top of our game, or at least near
the top we will send out subtle vibes that say 'don't wind me up, I can't take it today', or
'i am too fragile at the moment, be careful with me.' At an energetic level we will be
sending out messages of anger, distress, anxiety or frustration which will not help things
in the great mix of energies that make up the group. It is really important that we take
our wellbeing seriously and make sure we are rested, relaxed and having fun in our lives
and our classrooms so that our own inner resilience, optimism and strength come across
in any teaching strategy we might use.

Finally the physical environment does make a big difference to wellbeing as obviously a
small, poky, dirty and unpleasant room will bring people's spirits down. Doing what you
can to make sure that there are different areas for different activities or styles of learning
can help, even in circumstances that are less than ideal. Making a reading place, a
movement place and creating the option for some learners to be working near natural
light whilst others can work in dimmer lighting. Differentiating the environment in this
way is another way to think about delivering an inclusive curriculum for your group and
improving wellbeing too.

Tools to baseline wellbeing in the classroom and school are available online and can be
useful starting points to making this a focus in any school where this has been written
into the development plans.

About Author
Ann Henshall is a psychologist and expert of the Psychology of Behaviour and Positive
Attitude Change in children and staff groups. She works with a team of expert
professionals in mental health and wellbeing and spends many hours each week helping
client
Tips on Using Reflective Learning Logs -by Dorit Sasson
Summary : When teachers collaborate, they do so with the goal of investigating
additional ways to support their students' literacy development. It is even more helpful
and beneficial to collaboration if each teacher...

When teachers collaborate, they do so with the goal of investigating additional ways to
support their students' literacy development. It is even more helpful and beneficial to
collaboration if each teacher brings information about their classroom success and needs
to the dialogue once they've experimented with reflective learning logs. Teachers can
use such journals to document students' progress, explore questions and issues related to
meeting students' academic needs, evaluate what works with their students, and plan for
further instruction and assessment. These reflective writings provide a rich foundation
for effective collaboration to take place.

Reflective Learning Logs

Teachers add to their professional growth by observing and reflecting on what goes on
in their classrooms, and can then share their insights with other teachers through the
process of collaboration. This acquired knowledge enables teachers to be more informed
and to incorporate working theories that potentially match the instructional needs of
their ELLs. Typically, reflective writing is an ongoing process whereby teachers rethink
what happened in class, what worked and didn't work to meet their instructional goals,
and how their teaching behaviors can change or improve.

Reflective Writing Techniques Promote Successful Collaboration

Reflective writing journals help enhance the process of collaboration by providing

unique perspectives for ESL and ELL teachers as they endeavor to close the gaps in
their students' reading proficiency levels in both smaller and larger general educational
settings.

As teachers document student performance and related factors, they then have
information to further reflect and plan how to meet student needs. Reflective learning
may take an inquiry-based format, in which teachers ask themselves questions and then
seek answers through collaboration with other teachers or experimenting with various
instructional strategies and methods. The process of journal writing is not intended for
quick and easy solutions, but rather to explore a reflective process of thinking.
Reflective writing also allows teachers to make connections between issues they observe
in the classroom and what they have learned through various professional development
opportunities, such as in-service sessions.

All teachers can start using reflective learning logs in order to ask questions and isolate
the issues facing their struggling readers. Once ELL teachers know how the issues
influence their instruction, they can then begin the process of adapting the curriculum to
meet the needs of ELLs.
Reflective Journals Helps Teachers Learn what Works

As teachers use their reflective writing to pinpoint areas of success in their day-to-day
teaching, they can then use the reflective learning process as they plan and develop
subsequent instruction to help their students close the gaps in reading proficiency.
Important areas such as planning and development slowly became clearer for us when
we presented ourselves with questions that were specific and geared to a certain content
or practical area which needed additional clarification.

Teachers need to reevaluate their instruction and assessment and spend some time after
lessons thinking more deeper about how to adapt the curriculum to carefully suit the
needs of their struggling ELLs. Using specific subjects to help guide them in their
thinking, teachers can more effectively evaluate the quality of their teaching and
assessment. As the center of the inquiry process, reflective learning works similarly to
an action research concept. Using Wallace's practice model of professional
education/development, reflective teaching "can have a specific and immediate outcome
which can be directly related to practice in the teacher's own context" (bibliographic
information: Wallace, M. 1991. Training Foreign Language Teachers: A reflective
approach. Cambridge University Press.)

In this respect, all teachers can benefit using reflective learning logs in order to begin to
ask questions and focus on the issues facing their struggling readers. Once ELL teachers
know how these issues influence their instruction, they can then begin the process of
adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of ELLs.

Teachers can ask themselves questions about key areas such as specific aspects of lesson
planning which will result in effective teaching, classroom management, and
assessment, and use their reflective learning logs as a foundation for identifying
instructional objectives and establishing goals.

Make Your Teaching Sparkle. Teach for Success. Make a difference in the classroom.
Subscribe to receive your FREE e-zine and e-book, "Taking Charge in the Classroom"
when you visit the New Teacher Resource Center at http://www.newteachersignup.com.
Purchase your ebook of classroom tested tips - "Tips and Tricks for Surviving and
Thriving in the Classroom," at: http://www.MakeYourTeachingSparkle.com and you'll
receive a FREE ebooklet, "Yes! You Can Teach K-12 English language learners
Successfully!" Dorit Sasson is a freelance writer, speaker, educator and founder of the
New Teacher Resource Center.

About Author
Dorit Sasson
10 Steps To Developing A Quality Lesson Plan -by Gerri Stone
Summary : This guide is not meant to be the one and only way to develop a lesson plan;
however, it is going to provide you with at least some good methods to start with.

This guide is not meant to be the one and only way to develop a lesson plan; however, it
is going to provide you with at least some good methods to start with. A general
overview highlights the key points of creating a useful and working lesson plan.

Below is a list of the steps that are usually involved in developing a quality lesson plan
as well as a description of what each component should be. They will be listed in 10 of
the best points.

1. The first thing that you will have to consider, obviously, is what you want to teach.
This should be developed based upon your state or local school standards. You also need
to be aware of what grade level you are developing the lesson plan for. Record a time
estimate for your lesson plan to help you to better budget your time.

Once you have chosen your topic, you can begin choosing how you want to teach the
topic in general. If you didn't use the state standards to help in developing your topic,
you will want to refer to them now to see what specific standards your lesson plan can
fulfill.

Having your lesson plan properly set up with state standards, helps to prove its
worthiness and necessity later. It also helps to assuring that your students are being
taught what the state requires.

If you are able to blend your lesson plan with the local school standards, record links to
those standards in your lesson plan in writing for reference later. If you are however,
writing this lesson plan for a website, you will want to be sure that you include a title
that properly reflects your topic.

2. Develop clear, specific objectives to be sure that your lesson plan will teach exactly
what you want it to. You must note that these objectives should not be activities that will
be used in the lesson plan. Rather, they should be the learning outcomes of those
activities.
As an example, if you wanted to teach your class how to add 1 + 3, the objective may be
that “the students will know how to add 1 + 3” or more specifically “the students will
demonstrate how to add 1 + 3.”

Your objectives should also be directly measurable. What this means is that you need to
make sure that you will be able to tell whether these objectives were met or not. You can
certainly have more than one objective for a lesson plan if you feel that this would be
more useful.

In order for you to be able to make objectives more meaningful, you may want to
include both wide and narrow objectives. The wide objectives would be more like
ambitions and they would include the overall goal of the lesson plan, for example, in
order for you to gain familiarity with adding two numbers together.

The specific objectives would be more like the one listed above, in such a manner, as
“the students will demonstrate how to add the numbers 2 and 3 together.”

3. You would probably find out exactly what materials you are going to use later,
however, they should be shown early in your lesson plan. This way if someone else
decided to start using your lesson plan, they would know in advance what materials
would be required.

4. You may also want to write out an Anticipatory Set, which would be a great way to
lead into the lesson plan and develop the students' interest in learning what you are
getting ready to teach. A good example deals with a lesson on fractions. The teacher
could start by asking the students how they would divide a pizza to make sure each of
their 3 friends got an equal amount of pie, and tell them that they can do this if they
know how to work with fractions.

5. At this point you need to write the systematic procedures that will be performed to
reach each of the above mentioned objectives. These don't have to involve every little
thing that the teacher will say and do, but they should list the relevant actions that the
teacher needs in order to perform them. For the adding 1 + 3 lesson, you may have
procedures such as:

A. The teacher will give each child 2 cubes.

B. The teacher will ask the kids to write down how many cubes they have.

C. The students should then write a + sign below the number 2.

D. The teacher will now pass out 3 more cubes to each student.

E. The students will be asked to write down how many cubes they were handed. They
should write this number below the number 2 that they just wrote,
F. Students should now be told to draw a line under their 3.

G. Now the students need to count how many cubes they have and write this number just
below the 3

H. Ask students how many cubes they had to start with, how many they were given to
add to that, and how many they have after the teacher gave them the 3 cubes.

6. After these procedures have been completed, you may want to provide your students
with time for independent practice. For the example of above, students could have some
time to add different numbers of cubes together that a partner would provide them with.

7. Just before you start moving on to the assessment phase, you should be prepared to
create some sort of closure for the lesson plan. A good idea for this is to return to your
anticipatory set, for example, you can ask students how they would divide that pie now
that they know how to work with fractions (check step 4).

8. Now you want to write your assessment/evaluation. Many lesson plans don't really
need them, but most of them should have some sort of evaluation of whether or not the
objectives were met. The key to doing this is to make sure that the assessment
specifically measures whether the objectives were reached or not.

Because of this, there should be a direct correlation between the objectives and the
assessments. This is of course, assuming that the objective were able to add two single
digit numbers together, an example would be to have students approach the teacher and
add two single digit numbers on paper using cubes as a guide.

9. You should make different directions for students with learning disabilities and
extensions for others. Examples of this would be adding 1 cube to 1 cube for students
with learning disabilities and adding 9 cubes to 13 cubes for the more advanced students
and somewhere in between for everyone else.

This is most effective when you use specific adaptations for specific students and take
into account their individual differences.
10. It's a good idea for you to include a “Connections” section, which really shows how
the lesson plan could be integrated with other subjects. An example of this would be to
have students paint 2 oranges, then 3 more oranges below them, etc. so that they can
learn how to integrate Art into the lesson plan.

A better way to do this would involve creating 2 or 3 different types of textures on those
oranges for example using newspaper with different textures. Putting a lot of work into
this can really help to develop complete thematic units that would integrate related
topics into many different subjects.

That's really all there is to creating a lesson plan! If you followed all the instructions
above, you've successfully written a very thorough lesson plan that will be useful for any
other teachers wanting to teach a subject like math or whatever.

One of the most helpful tips in writing your first lesson plans would be for you to look at
lesson plans that are already completely developed to get a better idea of what needs to
be in the lesson plan.

About Author
Gerri Stone publishes a resouce site for parents who home school. For a sample lesson
plan, and more information visit Discover Home Schooling.
http://www.discoverhomeschooling.com/
Multiple Intelligences in Your Local School -by Ronald Fitzgerald, D.Ed.
Summary : Are you aware of this reality? - - "95% of all that has ever been known
about the physiological workings of the brain has been discovered in the last ten years."
- International Brain Dominance Review; Vol. 7, No. 1, 1990.
Are you aware of this reality? - - "95% of all that has ever been known about the
physiological workings of the brain has been discovered in the last ten years." - -
International Brain Dominance Review; Vol. 7, No. 1, 1990

Unfortunately, more than 18 years after the above observation, all colleges and school
systems have not yet helped their teachers and parents to use powerful new research on
how students learn. If this is the case in your school, you can become more informed and
help correct the situation to give the benefit of a much more effective learning
environment.

One of the areas of research involves ways of thinking or "talents." After a student
receives information with one or more learning styles (auditory, visual, or somatic for
example), he or she begins to process or think about and perhaps use the information
with one or more intelligences. Many schools now pay attention to different learning
styles by presenting information in different ways. Unfortunately, many have not yet
taken the second step of allowing students to select different ways of processing or using
the information they have gained. This article focuses primarily on different
intelligences or ways of processing and using information.

When many of today's parents attended school, "intelligence" tests were often used to
measure what many assumed was "potential for learning." On the basis of research, we
now know that there are many different kinds of intelligence or talent. We know that
each of these kinds of intelligence or talent can be useful in both learning and problem
solving. For example, Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University defines these nine
intelligences:

1. Linguistic - - concerned with words, sounds, reading, and language. Journalists and
lawyers use this intelligence.

2. Logical--Mathematical - - concerned with numbers and logic. Accountants and

computer programmers use this talent. NOTE: The two talents described above are the
only two measured by many old-fashioned intelligence tests.

3. Spatial or Visual - - concerned with pictures, patterns and images. Artists, designers,
and photographers function with this talent. Also visualization talent is helpful in nearly
every field. For example, a great baseball hitter often "sees" or imagines what he is
going to do before he does it. Some successful entrepreneurs can imagine the outcome
of a particular plan before they pursue it. Some of our greatest scientists, like Albert
Einstein, visualized their theories before working on the mathematical details.
4. Musical - - concerned with rhythms and melodies. The right type of music can be very
helpful in certain language learning.

5. Bodily--Kinesthetic - - concerned with body movements and handling objects.

Mechanics, surgeons, craftspeople, athletes, and dancers function with this talent.

6. Interpersonal - - concerned with understanding and working effectively with other

people. Social workers, teachers, and negotiators need this talent to be most effective.

7. Intrapersonal - - concerned with self-understanding. Theologians and self-employed

business people who prefer to work alone on their goals often depend on this talent.

8. Naturalistic - - concerned with observing, classifying, and understanding the parts of

the physical environment.

9 Philosophical - ethical - - concerned with sensitivity to different cultural environments

and to moral and ethical issues.

Each of us has all nine intelligences, or more. However, most people have one or two
dominant intelligences or talents. Also, it is possible to develop or increase an
intelligence or talent area.

The implications for learning and thinking are tremendous. If a child in elementary
school is immersed in only a phonics (sound-based) reading program when he or she is a
visual processor, the child is apt to fall behind in reading development and might even
be labeled as needing "special education" when, in reality, normal or even accelerated
reading development could occur of the child was taught the way he or she learns best.
Teachers in your school should be equipped to discover how a youngster learns best and
should adjust teaching activities accordingly, especially if the youngster encounters
difficulty in learning.

Also, the different areas of intelligences are related to each other. It is possible to
increase intelligence in one area by developing it in another because many problems can
be addressed or solved in more than one way. For example, one third-grade teacher
found her students' scores on a math test (logical-mathematical) nearly doubled after
giving them training in visual skills with a microcomputer program. Consider this
finding from researchers at the University of California, Irvine - - "Early music training
(for 3-year olds) prepares young brains for spatial and abstract reasoning skills crucial to
engineers, scientists, and mathematicians." An enriched environment that helps a very
young child develop each area of talent or intelligence is one of the best possible
investments in his or her future.

Here are some basic standards with which you can evaluate and/or encourage proper use
of brain research in your local school system; seek positive responses with local in-
service professional development programs as necessary:

1. Does the school system provide classes or other assistance to new parents to help
them enrich their child's environment for developing multiple intelligences?

2. Has the school system provided all of its teachers with training in proper use of
research on multiple intelligences as well as on learning styles?

3. Does the reading program in elementary schools give special attention to each child's
unique thinking processes and learning styles (avoiding the destructive practice of
teaching reading one way)?

4. Do middle school and secondary school teachers clearly pay attention to individual
thinking preferences; in other words, do they help students express thier learning in
different ways and not always just in one way? Do they help students to know and use
their individual talents with specific counseling?

5. Does the school provide learning task options that encourage the use of different
talents or intelligences?

6. Does each teacher help each youngster discover and use his or her preferred talents
and also strengthen any weaker or less preferred talents?

You can get a quick clue to a schools degree of attention to different talents by checking
on your youngster's project homework. If every student in a class always has to do
exactly the same project in the same way, different talents are not being given attention.
If your youngster often (not always) reports that he or she had the opportunity to choose
from alternative ways of demonstrating use of learning (for example an oral report or
building a model or designing an experiment), then attention is being given to different
talents or intelligences. The latter is a sign of "sharp" teaching.

About Author
This article is one of many free resources available on the site
http://www.SuccessInTeaching.info as produced and maintained by Ronald Fitzgerald,
D.Ed.
More ways to make sure students in your classes understand you -by Alex Case

Summary : From making it longer to making it shorter, these techniques will help avoid
misunderstanding in your classes

1. Stick to the textbook lesson plan

This will cut down on your preparation time and therefore allow you to concentrate on
preparing what you are going to say, provide you with suggested explanation language
in the teacher’s book and/ or mean that the class has a simple and familiar format that
students can easily cope with even if your language is a little complicated.

2. Concentrate on that factor of your teaching

For example, add boxes to the top of your lesson plan for language you are going to use
and language you are going to try and avoid, plan which games you are going to use
over the term by how complicated they will be to explain, or even plan the whole
syllabus around things you are going to want to explain and language they are going to
need to understand it.

3. Make it longer

Being too concise can sometimes make understanding more difficult by, for example,
tying several ideas together in one sentence, leaving out assumed knowledge that is best
restated, or having the important information too close together without lots of “padding
language” that the students can ignore while they are trying to process the last important
thing they heard. If the sentences you write up on the board to illustrate grammar points
often have to have words added to them to make them clear or if you are a two word
answer person in your communications outside the classroom, this might be a point
worth looking at. Another example of shortness not always being clarity is one word and
short answers when the lack of context means that students cannot tell which of several
homophones or similar sounding words you are saying, or cannot tell which of several
meanings of one word you mean.

4. Make it shorter

Conversely, sometimes length can be a problem. For example, if you have the kind of
students who still try to understand every word they hear, their understanding might be
lagging behind your speech halfway through the first sentence. Alternatively, the length
of the sentence might be a sign that you have put in words and structures to link the
ideas together that they don’t know yet, such as relative clauses, pronouns like “one” or
expressions like “the latter”. Quite often simplifying in this way is not a case of
eliminating language so much as turning a long sentence into two or more shorter ones.
If you are a wordy person naturally or if you often run out of whiteboard space, this is
probably something you could work on.
5. Ask them to do something familiar

This could mean something they are used to in your classroom, something they are used
to from earlier English classes (e.g. something all secondary schools in their country do),
or things they are familiar with from other parts of their life such as games that are
common in their country (to play or on TV game shows). This will mean that they can
put all their concentration powers into understanding the language rather than the new
rules etc, and that they can understand and remember the language from its familiar
context.

6. Plan for two explanations/ have a plan B

For example, have your own explanation and the teachers’ book one as a back up, or
take a monolingual and bilingual dictionary into the classroom (you can just show the
latter to students if you want to avoid speaking languages other than English in class
yourself).

7. Check their comprehension more often

For example, stop after each sentence and check they are following you or (better) ask a
question that will check their comprehension, e.g. “You need a counter, such as an
eraser or a paper clip. Take a counter now and hold it up.” or “The Present Perfect
connects the past and present. If the past is yesterday, the present is…?” Think of it as
something like taking both parts in an infomercial for a kitchen cleaning product (!)

8. Speak slower/ pause

Sometimes all students need is time for their comprehension to catch up with what you
are saying. You can practice and prepare for pausing by putting the pauses into what you
have written on your lesson plan, e.g. with forward slashes in the instruction sentences.

9. Volunteer for an even lower level class

This method might seem like sacrificing the lower level class’s learning and just using
them as an intensive training course for yourself, but in fact grading your language with
a class you assume understands almost nothing is easier than trying to get your language
somewhere in the intermediate zone.
10. Conversation exchanges

I still don’t really understand why, but I found doing conversation exchanges while I
was learning Spanish to be better training for regulating my speaking speed than
teaching was. One theory I have is that it was because I didn’t have to worry about
organising pairwork etc and so could concentrate on regulating the level of my language.
Other possibilities are that my conversation exchange partners were more willing to say
when they didn’t understand than my students were, or that it was easier because there
was no mix of levels so which level I was aiming for was easier to work out.

11. One to one classes

Probably for some of the same reasons as I have stated in Conversation Exchanges
above, having one student is better practice for speaking with language that they can
understand than having a group class. Choosing to teach at least a couple of one to one
classes, even if it is as extra private lessons in your free time, can therefore be intensive
training for you and have a better effect on your future graded language in your group
classes than just specialising in group classes would have had.

12. Record/ video yourself

You can then watch or listen to the class looking for misunderstandings and potential
misunderstandings and the reasons for them (having something to concentrate on will
also make listening to your own voice less embarrassing!)

13. Get the students involved in game instructions

For example, “Has anyone ever played dominoes before? Yes? Can you explain the
rules of the game to the class? I will then explain how this English language version is
different”

14. Explain the non-TEFL version first

For example, play Snap with a pack of playing cards before doing the same with the
vowel sounds version or do a few rounds of coin tossing before showing them how they
can use that to move around the speaking board game.

15. Get the students to rank you/ get feedback on this point

For example, “Which of the games we played this week did you find most difficult to
understand?” or “Why do you think the second grammar explanation was clearer to you
than the first one?” This works best if you have good records of the lessons to look back
on or have kept a recording of your lessons on tape or video.

http://edition.tefl.net/articles/classroom-solutions/helping-students-understand-you/

About Author
Alex Case is TEFL.net Reviews Editor and author of the popular blog TEFLtastic:
http://www.tefl.net/alexcase/
Gestures and Knowledge -by H. Bernard Wechsler

New Research: How Kids Triple Their Math Skills

Remember the expression, It is All Greek to Me? Algebra is comparable to Chinese to

3rd and 4th grade American students. But wait, there is more.

A new study published July ???07 in the Journal Cognition, led by University of
Rochester scientist, Susan Wagner Cook, offers evidence hand gestures can 3x math
learning.

Start Pointing

First, stop telling students it is impolite to point, because pointing at an Algebraic

equation is exactly what triples their learning skills. Hand gestures appear to help
students take in abstruse concepts by adding a physical component to their cognitive
one.

Teachers know Math is a left-brain (hemispheric) skill using logical analysis and
reasoning. Now imagine adding the synaptic brainpower of their right-hemisphere to
solving the math challenge.

Pointing at the algebraic problem triggers your right-brain attributes of pattern-

recognition and spatial organizing. For brilliant stars who need to know, you bring on
the neuronal stage your brainstem, thalamus, and basal ganglia, to complement the left-
brain activation of your PFC PreFrontal Cortex.

Integrating left and right hemispheric skills triples (3x) math learning and student long-
term memory, according to scientist Cook. Ninety percent of the students in the study
who learned by gesture remembered the algebraic concepts taught three weeks later.

Compare this to students who did not gesture (point). Only thirty-three percent of the
non-pointers could recall what they had been taught (the algebraic principles) three-
weeks later.

Cook said, my intuition is that gestures enhance learning because they capitalize on the
human experience of acting in the world. She is referring to our capacity for learning
from the environment by changing our behaviors as required.

Gestures as a direct form of communication led to a team effort by our ancestors on the
hunt. Hand gestures made Homo sapiens the leading predator, one who brought home
the bacon. It had survival value in pre-history and still does in learning.

Reading

Pointing at the sentences while reading has been used by the ancient Hebrews for a
couple of thousand years. The pointer is called a Yad, translated as hand because of the
shape of its tip or cursor.

When reading the Torah (the written law) left-to-right today, the Yad is still used to
focus the eyes on comprehending and reading aloud each sentence of the manuscript.
Pacing

When a student uses a pen, laser instrument or the cursor of the computer mouse, to
underline the sentences on the page, it acts like a pacer. The act of Pointing forces the
eye to play catch-up with the moving object moving horizontally across the page.

It is a human instinct for our eyes to automatically follow a moving (pacer) object. It is
the basis of speed learning as discovered by Evelyn Wood (1909-1995), a Utah
schoolteacher. The result of this moving hand gesture is to help triple reading speed of
students and adults while maintaining equivalent or better comprehension.

Question: in both math and reading, is using hand gestures responsible for extra
information and responsible for tripling their learning?

Weird

Human language began with gesturing. An article by a linguistics professor at Emery

University published in May ???07 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences declared, bonobos and chimpanzees use manual gestures of their hands more
than facial and vocalization expressions to communicate.

Sophisticated Folks

If I held my hand palm up, would you recognize the gesture as Stop?

If Hilary Clinton was trying to get your vote by telling you she was in favor more
nuclear plants to replace Arab oil, and held her right hand across her heart, would you
associated that gesture with - Believe-Me and My-Hand-to-God?

By the way, the U.S. government research over the past thirty-years proves beyond a
reasonable doubt nuclear plants are 100% safe.

You are knowledgeable about dozens of gestures ??? how about thumb and index finger
circled in an OK sign?

What about your thumb-up for right-on, and thumb-down for squash the sucker?

Each country has its own set of hand gestures, first and foremost are Italians.

Did you know that nodding (up-and-down) is not universally associated with yes, I
agree? In Bulgaria, Sri Lanka and some Greek Islands, it signifies, no with a capital
nyet. It is speculated nodding originated from the ancient form of bowing to the nobility
and evolved to an affirmation of agreement.

Endwords

Some teachers have become symbols of the status-quo, our comfort-zone and stubborn
resistance to academic change. We commend their status as guardians of the Knowledge
Economy by advancing learning in math, language and science.

We suggest the Three-Rs is not all-wrong, nor new academic approaches all-right. Each
teacher is a scientific experimenter with each of her classes. The basis of this article is to
investigate new scholarship to improve how teachers successfully deliver information.
We owe to the profession of education and to our own sense of identify.

Many of us are familiar with the Butterfly Effect: small changes lead to massive
reactions. Edward Lorenz, MIT. He also asked the question, Predictability: Does the flap
of a butterfly???s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?

We end with three seminal comments from A. Einstein and one by Napoleon Hill.

a) Experiencing is knowledge. Everything else is information.

b) Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted
??? counts.

c) Imagination is more important than information. One fades into insignificance in five-
years or so, the other connects us to the Cosmos.

d) Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. (N.Hill)
About Author
Author of Speed Learning for Professionals, published by Barron's; partner of Evelyn
Wood, creator of speed reading, graduating two million, including the White House
staffs of four U.S. Presidents.

Interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and fortune Magazine for major articles.

http://www.speedlearning.org
 QUALITIES OF A GOOD TEACHER

The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we
miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.
Michelangelo

Empathy
You have the ability to bond with your students, to understand and resonate with
their feelings and emotions. To communicate on their level. To be compassionate
with them when they are down and to celebrate with them when they are up.

Positive Mental Attitude

You are able to think more on the positive and a little less on the negative. To keep
a smile on your face when things get tough. To see the bright side of things. To
seek to find the positives in every negative situation. To be philosophical.

Open to Change
You are able to acknowledge that the only real constant in life is change. You know
there is a place for tradition but there is also a place for new ways, new ideas, new
systems, and new approaches. You don't put obstacles in your way by being
blinkered and are always open and willing to listen to others' ideas.

Role Model
You are the window through which many young people will see their future. Be a
fine role model.

Creative
You are able to motivate your students by using creative and inspirational methods
of teaching. You are different in your approach and that makes you stand out from
the crowd. Hence the reason why students enjoy your classes and seek you out for
new ideas.

Sense of Humour
You know that a great sense of humour reduces barriers and lightens the
atmosphere especially during heavy periods. An ability to make your students laugh
will carry you far and gain you more respect. It also increases your popularity.

Presentation Skills
You know that your students are visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learners. You are
adept at creating presentation styles for all three. Your body language is your main
communicator and you keep it positive at all times. Like a great orator you are
passionate when you speak. But at the same time you know that discussion and not
lecturing stimulates greater feedback.

Calmness
You know that the aggression, negative attitudes and behaviours that you see in
some of your students have a root cause. You know that they are really scared
young people who have come through some bad experiences in life. This keeps you
calm and in control of you, of them and the situation. You are good at helping your
students de-stress.

Respectful
You know that no one is more important in the world than anyone else. You know
that everyone has a place in the world. You respect your peers and your students.
Having that respect for others gets you the respect back from others.
Inspirational
You know that you can change a young person's life by helping them to realise their
potential, helping them to grow, helping them to find their talents, skills and
abilities.

Passion
You are passionate about what you do. Teaching young people is your true vocation
in life. Your purpose in life is to make a difference.

Willing to Learn
You are willing to learn from other teachers AND your students. Although
knowledgeable in your subject you know that you never stop learning.

Source: http://www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-
courses.com/goodteacher.html
“Potential for Genius is Carried Inside Everyone”
Posted by: Heather Durnin
http://heatherdurnin.com

As I was getting ready for school this past week, I pulled out my “1st day of math” folder.
Tucked inside is an article I read to my gr. 7/8 students in our first math class of the year. It’s
not your usual “tips for math success” or “review of long division”. It’s a copy of an article
published in 2007 in our provincial farm paper, The Ontario Farmer. “Potential for Genius is
Carried Inside Everyone”, was written by Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot, a local writer who farms in
Huron County with her husband and children. It’s a beautiful piece with a powerful message for
our students. When I read it, I always have to catch myself before my voice begins to crack. I
found it just as emotional this year. As usual, the room became very quiet as I moved through
the story. However, what was different this year was the response from my students. When I
finished reading, one of my gr. 8 boys starting clapping. Slowly, quietly, sincerely. Soon others
joined in. And before long, the entire class was smiling as they connected with their inner
genius.

After receiving that reaction, I wanted this story to be shared with other teachers, so I
contacted Lisa through Facebook to see if it was posted anywhere online. It wasn’t, but
after some searching, Lisa found and sent me the copy stored on her computer.

“Potential for Genius is Carried Inside Everyone” by Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot, November

01/07

Once there were four sisters who grew up on a dairy farm in Huron County. They loved
their dad and worked hard beside him milking cows and bringing in the hay. When
talking about his daughters, the father would say with pride, “They’re hard workers!”

Not surprisingly, all four girls grew up to be just that.

One of those four girls struggled with mathematics at school. She told her parents about
it and they told her not to worry about it. “Just try and pass.” They weren’t overly
negative but neither were they very encouraging and her whole life, she believed she
was dense when it came to arithmetic. She never got good grades in the subject and to
this day, freezes up when she has to do a difficult calculation.

The farm girl married and had daughters of her own. Believing she was ‘bad at math’
she knew she’d never be able to help her daughters with their math homework so she
told her daughters something different than what she heard growing up.

She told her daughters they were geniuses at math.

The girls believed it. They come home with ‘A’ grades on their math tests. When asked
what her favourite subject is, her older daughter will answer: math.

The mother knows that they really aren’t geniuses but that doesn’t matter. The girls
believe they are. When they come across a difficult problem they don’t get frustrated
and quit, believing they are incapable of answering the problem. Instead, her girls
believe they have the brainpower to figure it out. So they do.
This story came to me after hearing a blurb from Canadian Writer Alberto Manguel who
was speaking on CBC radio about how our culture makes kids stupid. He suggested that
we are born intelligent, fully capable of successfully living in the world. However,
today’s culture seems intent on making us believe we are stupid.

I did it just today! Facing a shortage of feed since there wasn’t enough haylage to top
the silo, Farmer Freddy decided to pasture the heifers on the alfalfa fields. He
purchased more steel fence posts, shock wire and strung a temporary fence around the
field. The heifers were introduced to their new grassland and happily started munching
down the rich forage. Each day they are out saves Farmer Freddy feeding one large
square hay bale. The system worked so well, he decided to give the milk cows a field too
and feed them less TMR (Total Mixed Ration). This, of course, disrupts the whole TMR
concept where cows receive a carefully calculated ration with each foodstuff
meticulously weighed and delivered to the cows.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” I questioned him, my voice laden with
doubt.

Farmer Freddy just looked at me and said he’d been feeding cows for a long time. He
knew what he was doing.

I felt a little bit ashamed, for I was doing the very thing Alberto Manguel warned
about—I was being negative; promoting ‘stupid’ instead of encouraging intelligence;
tearing down instead of building up.

Truth is that since we bought this dairy farm 10 years ago, Farmer Freddy has
successfully managed this farm, raising healthy cows and increasing profitability year
after year. Perhaps it’s time I told Farmer Freddy he is a ‘farming genius.’ Who knows
what that might lead to?

Personally, I think we should always treat each other like we treat babies. From the
minute a baby is born, we are teaching them new things in the shelter of our loving
embraces. We let them know with our gentle hands, our smiling faces and our loving
words that they are amazing creatures as they learn to eat, walk, talk, read and write. A
first step is greeted with loud cheers. A first word is met with huge smiles and big hugs.

When do we start telling our children that: “math is too hard” or “that book is too long
to read” or “that’s too far to run?” Why not tell them they were born with great brains
to figure out that math problem and healthy legs to run the distance?

When God knit us together in our mother’s womb, He gave each one of us special gifts
and abilities to fulfill His purpose for us in this life. We didn’t all receive the same gifts
in the same measure. Yet by the very nature of forming us, the Creator of the World
believed we were worth making.

It’s our universal role, then, to believe in the intelligence and the inherent value of
others. And tell them so.

Lisa shares a powerful message that would resonate with any student, urban or rural. I’ll
end this post just as Lisa ended her Facebook post to me, “Wishing you wisdom and
patience as you start another school year!”
Learning styles and teaching
Submitted by TE Editor on 8 September, 2010 - 09:52

Your students will be more successful if you match your teaching style to their learning
styles.

 What is a learning style?

 Where do learning styles come from?

 Why should teachers know about learning styles?

 What types of learning styles are there?

 What teaching methods and activities suit different learning styles?

What is a learning style?

Ellis (1985) described a learning style as the more or less consistent way in which a
person perceives, conceptualizes, organizes and recalls information.

Where do learning styles come from?

Your students' learning styles will be influenced by their genetic make-up, their previous
learning experiences, their culture and the society they live in.

Why should teachers know about learning styles?

Sue Davidoff and Owen van den Berg (1990) suggest four steps: plan, teach / act,
observe and reflect. Here are some guidelines for each step.

 Students learn better and more quickly if the teaching methods used match their
preferred learning styles.
 As learning improves, so too does self esteem. This has a further positive effect
on learning.
 Students who have become bored with learning may become interested once
again.
 The student-teacher relationship can improve because the student is more
successful and is more interested in learning.

What types of learning styles are there?

There are many ways of looking at learning styles. Here are some of the classification
systems that researchers have developed.

 The four modalities

(originates from the work of Dr's Bandler, R. and Grinder, J. in the Field of
Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
Students may prefer a visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), kinaesthetic (moving)
or tactile (touching) way of learning.
o Those who prefer a visual learning style...
 ...look at the teacher's face intently
 ...like looking at wall displays, books etc.
 ...often recognize words by sight
  ...use lists to organize their thoughts
 ...recall information by remembering how it was set out on a page
o Those who prefer an auditory learning style...
 ...like the teacher to provide verbal instructions
 ...like dialogues, discussions and plays
 ...solve problems by talking about them
 ...use rhythm and sound as memory aids
o Those who prefer a kinaesthetic learning style...
 ...learn best when they are involved or active
 ...find it difficult to sit still for long periods
 ...use movement as a memory aid
o Those who prefer a tactile way of learning...
 ...use writing and drawing as memory aids
 ...learn well in hands-on activities like projects and
demonstrations

 Field-independent vs. Field-dependent

o Field-independent students
 They can easily separate important from a complex or confusing
background. They tend to rely on themselves and their own
thought-system when solving problems. They are not so skilled in
interpersonal relationships.

o Field-dependent students
 They find it more difficult to see the parts in a complex whole.
 They rely on others' ideas when solving problems and are good at
interpersonal relationships.

 Left-brain dominated vs. right-brain dominated

o Students who are left-brain dominated...
 ...are intellectual
 ...process information in a linear way
 ...tend to be objective
 ...prefer established, certain information
 ...rely on language in thinking and remembering

o Those who are right-brain dominated...

 ...are intuitive
 ...process information in a holistic way
 ...tend to be subjective
 ...prefer elusive, uncertain information
 ...rely on drawing and manipulating to help them think and learn

 McCarthy's four learning styles

McCarthy (1980) described students as innovative learners, analytic learners,
common sense learners or dynamic learners
 o Innovative learners...
 ...look for personal meaning while learning
 ...draw on their values while learning
 ...enjoy social interaction
 ... are cooperative
 ...want to make the world a better place
o Analytic learners...
 ...want to develop intellectually while learning
 ...draw on facts while learning
 ...are patient and reflective
 ...want to know " important things" and to add to the world's
knowledge
o Common sense learners...
 ...want to find solutions
 ... value things if they are useful
 ...are kinaesthetic
 ...are practical and straightforward
 ... want to make things happen
o Dynamic learners...
 ...look for hidden possibilities
 ...judge things by gut reactions
 ...synthesize information from different sources
 ...are enthusiastic and adventurous

What teaching methods and activities suit different learning styles?

 The Four Modalities

o Visual
 Use many visuals in the classroom. For example, wall displays
posters, realia, flash cards, graphic organizers etc.
o Auditory
 Use audio tapes and videos, storytelling, songs, jazz chants,
memorization and drills
 Allow learners to work in pairs and small groups regularly.
o Kinaesthetic
 Use physical activities, competitions, board games, role plays etc.
 Intersperse activities which require students to sit quietly with
activities that allow them to move around and be active
o Tactile
 Use board and card games, demonstrations, projects, role plays
etc.
 Use while-listening and reading activities. For example, ask
students to fill in a table while listening to a talk, or to label a
diagram while reading

 Field-independent vs. field-dependent

o Field-independent
 Let students work on some activities on their own
o Field-dependent
 Let students work on some activities in pairs and small groups

 Left-brain vs. right-brain dominated

 o Left-brain dominated
 Give verbal instructions and explanations
 Set some closed tasks to which students can discover the "right"
answer

o Right-brained dominated
 Write instructions as well as giving them verbally
 Demonstrate what you would like students to do
 Give students clear guidelines, a structure, for tasks
 Set some open-ended tasks for which there is no "right" answer
 Use realia and other things that students can manipulate while
learning
 Sometimes allow students to respond by drawing

 McCarthy's four learning styles

o Innovative learners
 Use cooperative learning activities and activities in which
students must make value judgements
 Ask students to discuss their opinions and beliefs
o Analytic learners
 Teach students the facts
o Common sense learners
 Use problem-solving activities
o Dynamic learners
 Ask students about their feelings
 Use a variety of challenging activities

If you vary the activities that you use in your lessons, you are sure to cater for learners
with different learning styles at least some of the time.
Tips for Teaching Values in the Primary Classroom
By Susan Banman Sileci

Teachers play an important role in a child’s awareness of politeness, kindness, sharing

etc. Susan Banman Sileci, co-author of the new Primary course, Everybody Up, shares
some of her ideas on how to bring values into the classroom.

Every year, I hear more and more about teaching values in the classroom. Some
governments suggest that teachers do it. Some schools enroll students by telling parents
that its teachers do it. Some parents specifically ask teachers to help them out by
teaching values.

It might seem like you’re being asked to do too much when, on top of teaching English,
you have to teach students to be kind, helpful, fair, polite and careful while learning
about recycling, caring for the environment and respecting the world around them. You
might shake your head and say, “It just can’t be done.”

I suggest it can, and, chances are, you’re already doing it!

As a teacher, one of the most important things you can do is lead by example. There’s
no point in asking our students to be helpful and polite when we don’t hold the door
open for others or we don’t say “Please” and “Thank you.” Being nice, kind and fair is
something most of us do naturally (because someone else, years ago, taught us to do it!)
but it’s important to remember, especially for teachers of young children, that our
students are watching our every move. They are learning important lessons about how
the world works by what they see.

As a mother and teacher myself, I know that setting an example isn’t enough. My
teenage daughters will sit on the sofa and watch me clean the house around them
without offering to help. I’m always surprised that seeing me dust and sweep doesn’t
make them think it might be time to help, but it’s clear that my example isn’t enough.
They need specific instructions.

So I know I can’t walk into a classroom at the beginning of the year and say, “This year
I expect you all to be fair, kind, honest, careful, friendly, helpful and on time.” It won’t
happen. But I can set specific, small goals and ask my students – and myself – to try to
stick to them.

For example, have ‘Please and Thank You Week’. During this week (or month,
depending on your schedule), suggest that everyone remember to say ‘please’ and ‘thank
you’. In the classroom, they can do this in English. And they can do it in their native
language outside the classroom – in other classes, in their communities and at home. To
wrap up, spend a few minutes practicing the different situations where students might
say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

For children, learning explicit values can be lots of fun. They enjoy helping each other
remember the week’s value and really enjoy seeing me, the teacher, occasionally forget
to use it. (We’re all learning together!) At the beginning of the next class, I can ask
students if they used their polite words the previous day. Did they use them with other
teachers, or friends or their families? I’d ask students to volunteer success stories and
ask the class to act out that story in English. We might even make a poster and at the end
of the week, we can celebrate by drawing a big star to show that we’ve mastered
‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

By breaking values into small, meaningful chunks, stating our expectations, following
up during the week and rewarding students for good behavior, teaching values becomes
not only manageable, but incredibly helpful to your image as a teacher. Imagine being a
mother whose child suddenly starts saying ‘please’ or sharing with his little sister? If
that mother finds out it’s because his English teacher suggested it (and she will), you’re
a star!

So here’s a challenge: Besides ‘Please and Thank You Week’, what other “values
weeks” could we plan? I’ve made a poster, stuck it to the wall beside my computer and
will write your suggestions on it. Get yourself a star and share your ideas!