Job Discussion Forums

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

Justin is dead on. It's learning as an adult that makes the difference. I've had the same experience with native bilinguals.

It only works with younger kids, but my little ones K-2nd graders believe that I can't speak Russian. I go through an elaborate dance to make sure they believe it. I deliberately misunderstand them using vocabulary they know that sounds a little like the Russian they spoke (this can work with adults, too) and will not even talk to the parents in front of the children. I play stupid. If the students (kids or adults) insist, I'm just more stubborn than they are and they eventually give up. By their third year of study they've begun to figure out that maybe I do speak their language, but by that time they've gotten used to trying to express themselves in English. My 4th graders know for sure, but when I insist they snap back into English without a fuss.

With adults this is admittedly more difficult.

jonniboy · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:46 am Post subject:

I've seen it from both sides. I taught in Spain and knew the language there and I was forever berating my countrymen who'd been there for X number of years and hadn't managed anything more than gracias. Now I guess it's karma time as I find myself in the same situ of living in Latvia with only rudimentary language skills.

What I would add is that not speaking the language doesn't mean you are unfamiliar with L1 interference issues. I know exactly how Latvian works structurally and can thus anticipate problems including the old chestnut of articles. I'd also know most of the word pairs that cause confusion for students watch/clock, kitchen/cooking, pillow/cushion etc etc. I speak considerably more Russian but have normally played dumb when they speak that.

billybuzz · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 219 Location: turkey

I can remember my first interview in Turkey ,the boss said his main purpose for hiring me was that I did'nt know or speak L1 therefore the kids were not going to be able to use Turkish on me .He went on to say that he regularly dismissed teachers who used the Turkish in the classroom and those who spoke Turkish outside the classroom were just as guility. Furthermore he said native turkish teachers were a dime a dozen ,he did'nt want anymore .
I take on board the point that if we as teachers ourselves are learning a language we appreciate the difficulities that the students have.At the moment I'm heavily involved in Italian, nothing to do with the job ,I just love the sound of the language. My Turkish is pretty basic but I get by and the kids generally know that using Turkish with me is a waste of time . Therefore I think a monoligual teachers has their advantages .Too many of my native speaker collegues are part of the problem ,not the solution .

guty · Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 365 Location: on holiday

Do you have to be an athlete to coach sports?

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

John Hall · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject:

movinaround · Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 202

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

John Hall · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 11:24 pm Post subject:

mondrian

Mike_2003 · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 344 Location: Bucharest, Romania

1. I often have to deal with admin staff (negotiating contracts, setting schedules, payment details, etc) who aren't students and who don't speak English so well, so knowing Romanian is a huge plus. I've never felt the urge or the need to take 'Business Romanian' lessons though.

2. Knowing the language helps me to predict exactly what my students will and will not understand. Some area of grammar are very similar and thus won't need so much work, others are completely new. There are many false friends in Romanian, and again knowing the language helps me understand exactly what Ion wants to say when he says he is nervous because his colleague is too sensible.

3. Mostly I teach 1-2-1 so I make sure I take a few private lessons myself from time to time. I examine the teacher's behaviour and identify the aspect I dislike (too much TTT, personal habits, balance of materials, etc) and try to make sure I don't do the same in my lessons. A very useful exercise.

So, in my opinion, a teacher can only benefit from learning a language, and even more so if it is the local language.

Mike

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

I think that it doesn't matter whether the teacher speaks another language or not. I've met great TEFL teachers who are monolingual and lousy TEFL teachers with multiple languages, and vice versa. I think they are two unrelated things.

When I taught in Mexico, I had more than time to learn the language. In Asia, with a family, forget it. You speak English with your students all day, you come home, you put in quality family time and that means making sure your kids are learning English as well as the local language.