Teacher Discussion Forums

My name is Natt, I am from Thailand and I am about to start a part-time job as an ESL intervention specialist in Ohio, United States. I have no experience in teaching Spanish-speaking children and this ESL program is totally new to the school district that I am going to work with. I am very very excited and nervous.

The director of the program needs me to go visit the kids' families and find out about the children. But what should I look for when I go visit them? Please anyone who has experience about going visiting the students' families, please give me some guidance. They are planning to send somebody who knows the families and speak Spanish with me. Again, what should I to look or ask for?

I know all about the theories and books but I am not at all familiar with the Spanish-speaking community.

I am really looking forward to hearing from you all soon.

Hi Natt,

The best advice I can give you is be friendly and keep your eyes pealed. You'll be experiencing a new culture, which I imagine will seem very strange at first. I think the school is offering to a chance to get to know, and understand better the community from which the children come. This should help you deal with the children when you start teaching them.

Buena Suerte. (Good Luck)
Iain

Dear Iain,

Thank you so much for your reply. You have no idea how much your response has helped me emotionally. I had met and discussed the date and time for the visit with the Program director and the interpreter. I also had a chance to look at the children's assessment scores and their actual exam papers. I will hopefully work with all 13 of them. It was a little sad that 2 of the students had already moved out of the country.

I noted how each student did their exams. And I will have to group them into different sections according to their performance. Do you have any advice on grouping the students?

Again, I really appreciate your reply.

Natt