ESL Lesson Plan

Carol,

One of my classes in China is young children, around 7-8 years old, and they are almost complete beginners. I agree that speaking their native language too much is bad for learning, but I have to say, being able to speak Chinese has been a lifesaver in many situations during this class - sometimes for communication obstacles, but most of all, for classroom control.

I'd also have to say that as an "almost amateur" TEFL teacher (I did a two day i-2-i course), if I were put in front of a group of complete beginners here and couldn't speak Chinese, I wouldn't know where to begin.

Sure, technically speaking, a true professional should be able to teach a complete beginner class completely in English, but I'm not one, and don't intend to become one (well, business and industry-specific english training, maybe, but childrens' english, definitely not); so, I think me being able to speak Chinese in class allows more people in China to learn English (I'm sure you know that there aren't nearly enough English teachers in China, let alone properly qualified ones), and therefore, it is a good thing.

Hi Benson,

Thanks for your comment. While I personally believe that it's possible to use English only in ESL classrooms, I recognize the fact that everyone has their own preferences. Furthermore, depending on your students and contexts, what works for me might not work for you.

As teachers, I think we often wonder about the perfect methodology, the perfect way to teach a grammar point, the perfect way to teach anything, really. The fact is, there are no perfect answers. Even experts disagree.

I think the important thing is for teachers to think about WHY they do what they do and to think and how their beliefs and actions affect their students.

Carol
Writer, ESL Lesson Plan

This is my first year of teaching adult ESL classes to native Spanish speakers. I've had two classes of low beginners, and I've found it useful to use some Spanish (although I try to limit it) for my students. Part of it is their comfort level as adults. Some of the students have been here for as long as 7 years, yet this is their first attempt to learn English. Sometimes I function as a quick dictionary. Sometimes I reveal my own struggles with Spanish. They know that they can clarify anything with me in their native tongue. What I've been surprised about is the amount of repetition they need before they truly grasp something, so I try to present each concept in a number of different ways. Like much that I've experienced first hand in language teaching, it seems that everyone on all sides of the issue have valid points.

I'd be willing to bet money that any real linguistic research into the matter proves that (hard-core, no mercy, no exceptions) Total Immersion is overly stressful for the learners.

The concept has its merits, but as with anything, there can be no absolutes. The rules must be bent sometimes. Like when a student is on the verge of tears because he/she has NO clue what you are asking him/her to do. In those cases, it is amazing what ONE word in the L1 language can do! You can just see the stress and feeling of being stupid just melt off of the kid's face.

Also, for classroom control issues of course... If the students are getting out of their seats and not paying attention to you as it is, do you think they'll take the time to try to understand you when you tell them -- in a foreign language -- what they have to do and why they have to behave?

I suspect that many of the more hard-core proponents of Total Immersion as native English speakers who have never undergone such treatment themselves; and if they tried it, they might not fare as well as they are expecting their poor students to!

Total Immersion is a better idea for (1) students who have SOME experience already and want to become more fluent or (2) older learners, who will not get upset like small children might.

And/or, of course, it should only be attempted by expert ESL teachers who know how to do it successfully. The problem is probably that a lot of us are self-admittedly NOT experts in ESL, yet they put us in front of classrooms of learners who speak NO English!

Nothing in life is simple. Of COURSE there are times when we can speak the L1!

I go along with Jude above, and add that adult learners can benefit from comparing the languages - they have a level of education and (I teach Spanish also) showing the similarities in derivatives from latin forces them along...also tek language is either similar or the same.

I suspect many schools use the "we just speak Eng. in classrooms" disinguenuously as it is very difficult for Latin American language schools to find bilingual native English speakers.

Good points. I agree that adults can benefit from comparison and that children need the comfort of their L1. When I was in a total immersion class learning Japanese I often times waited till after class to ask questions in English. A student shouldn't have to do that. I find that for me all English blocks of class time are the best. The students know that it is temporary and if they can't understand or have questions they only have to wait till the end of the block. The temporary nature of it also helps them to motivate each other and when you have 10 students monitoring each other classroom management becomes much easier as well.

I think complete immersion in the target language is too cruel a method of teaching at times. I fully agree that some amount of mother tongue or L1 usage in the class does help in facilitating the process of learning a new langauge. But I don't think so that I would be a very beneficial thing in case you are faced with a multilingual class where students from different communities come to study together, for example, In India where we have different regions and every region has its own mother-tongue, it is difficult to use L1 in the classroom. You need a common language that is understood and used by all in order to be comprehensible to each other.

I'd just like to say that the goal is to have complete immersion, but in the case of a lower level class, some students may have prior experience to English and therefore a modle for other students to learn from. The key is for them to have fun and relatively at a simple but not to easy pase - no matter what age or level the students are at. If it's complete imersion, the students may get lost and want to just drop the course altogether. I do believe that if a teacher takes interest in the students language and uses that at the absolute dier point in a lesson then it's ok. The important thing is what the students think because they re the ones paying for the course. Complaints are to be avoided but still happen, but thats how the teacher learns from the students needs and wants. Total immersion is good but not in every situation.

Hi everyone,

Thanks to all of you who have been adding to this discussion.

Let me throw out another question to you:

Should there be a different goal with English-only in the classroom for monolingual classes or multilingual classes? How about for students who are in an English-speaking country and for those who are not?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Carol
Writer, ESL Lesson Plan

I've been teaching ESL in Korea for more than 4 years, but have picked up maybe 10 words of Korean (which I don't pronounce very well!). I sympathize with ESL teachers who would like to be able to use some of the students' L1 -- there are times it would be great for me, too. I think a scheduled break time when they can use L1 is fine, but for me in the classroom, English Is It.

What about problems in understanding? With older students, what I often do (when I find the class Just Doesn't Get It) is to focus on a student who I think will get it, then wait until I see that beam of understanding cross his or her face, and ask this student to translate quickly into L1 for the class. I've never had this system "abused" by students (upper elementary thru uni; they just translate and that's the end of L1 for the time being) - and it makes the lesson go smoothly again.

But I agree - if I had some fluency in students' L1, there are plenty of times I could be a more effective teacher. Even on the uni level, I find that language problems persist in translation. A whackload of English words just don't translate easily into Korean... so I will discuss the variety (or narrowness) of our meanings and keep fingers crossed that it's clear enough.

Having been on the other side of the desk (learning Spanish as an adult), it would be nearly impossible, as an absolute beginner, to learn from a teacher who could not speak any English at all. I agree that once the student reaches a high beginner stage, English only in the classroom is the best policy, but until then, the teacher needs to be able to communicate with the student in a meaningful way. I have also worked as an esl tutor for 9 years, so have experience from both points of view.