Q: How can I communicate with a child who doesn't speak any English?

A:  Use hand gestures and facial expressions  to communicate, you will be surprised at how much you can convey with these alone.  Just like any other young child, ESL students will also pick up on your body language so be relaxed and confident, smile often, and give the thumbs up sign when things are going well.   Speak clearly, enunciate your words, and avoid use of regional slang or colloquialisms.  

Q: Is there anything else I can do to help my ESL student(s) understand what I am saying?

A: I try to provide visuals and props whenever possible to help my ESL students better understand a concept.  For example, our class rules are made with pictures (see picture above).  Whenever we sing a song I also try to have a prop or puppet, for example if we sing the song five green speckled frogs I try to have five frog props (either made of paper and laminated or stuffed animal type) to help my ESL students.  I also provide a thematic word wall for each of our units of study with pictures of each word (see thematic word wall idea below) and lots of hands on learning with manipulatives whenever possible to strengthen understanding. 

Q: Do I have to speak the student's native language to be an ESL teacher?

A: No, this is a common misconception.   An ESL teacher is an English teacher, ESL teachers do not need to speak the student's native language to teach English.   Students will actually learn English more quickly if the teacher does not know how to speak their native language (it's the "sink or swim" theory).  As an ESL teacher I often have students who speak several different languages in my classroom at the same time and there is no way I could master all those languages in order to teach them English. 

Q: Help!  My ESL students never talk, I don't think they're learning, what should I do?

A: Don't worry, nothing is wrong :)  Most ESL students will go through a "silent period" that lasts anywhere from six weeks to three months.  During this time the ESL student(s) are absorbing their new language and are often afraid of speaking and making a mistake.  It's very important that the teacher or peers do not force ESL students to speak during this time or punish them for not speaking, however lots of praise and encouragement often works wonders.  I entice my ESL students into speaking through the use of props and music.  What four year old doesn't love speaking into a microphone and hearing his own voice or singing along to a song with big alligator puppet?   By making English less scary and more fun my ESL students are often talking a blue streak by the end of the year.

Q: I have several ESL students who all speak the same language and they are always talking to each other in their native language, is this bad?  Should I put a stop to it?  How can they learn if they don't speak English in my class?

A: I never discourage using the native language in the classroom or at home.  Often ESL students will discuss concepts they are learning in your classroom in their native language- thus helping them gain comprehension.  We don't want English to replace their native language, we want them to learn English as a Second Language.   Banning their native language in the classroom will force ESL students to lose their identity and feel "bad" for speaking their native language- thus feeling bad about themselves and their culture.  Sometimes parents mistakenly think that they are helping their children by banning their native language in the home, forcing them to speak English only.  However, this only results in children who have no native language or cultural identity which can lead to problems later in life.

Q: My ESL students are extremely shy and never interact with any of their peers, what can I do? 

A:  I prefer the buddy system.  Whenever I get a new ESL student I immediately buddy him or her up with an English speaking classmate.  The native English speaker acts as a shadow and a helper so I don't have to worry about the new student getting lost on the way to the bathroom or wandering away during recess etc.  Of course, you have to choose your native English speaker "buddy" carefully :)

Q: What's the difference between a bilingual and an ESL teacher/classroom?

A: A bilingual teacher is one who speaks the native language of the students and teaches in that native language and in English too- how much English depends on the program.  An ESL teacher is one who speaks English and teaches the students in English only.  In Texas a bilingual classroom refers to Spanish speaking students and teachers, however in other parts of the country it is common to have bilingual classes for Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and many other languages as well.   Research shows that it is better to learn in ones native language if possible. 

Q: How can I communicate with the parents of my ESL students?  They don't speak English!

A: I feel that it's as important to communicate with the parents of my ESL students as it is to communicate with the students themselves.  In my weekly newsletter I make sure to use lots of clipart for visuals and break the info up into small bites (see sample newsletter below in resources section).  I also provide lots of real visuals at parent orientation and conferences.  For example, to demonstrate what the school uniform looks like I use a stuffed bear dressed in the actual uniform (see picture above).  To explain that a backpack is required I hold up an actual backpack and for our "no flip-flop" policy I hold up a pair of real flip-flops and shake my head in the no motion and show a thumbs down sign. 

Valentine's Day is a perfect example, this is always a holiday that causes great stress and grief in my classroom as it's a holiday that most other countries don't celebrate and the concept of little boxes of school Valentine cards is completely foreign.   I stand outside the classroom door beginning a week or two before Valentine's Day and hold up sample boxes of school Valentine cards.  I also Xerox the front and back of several boxes as examples and send a short note home telling parents where to buy the cards and how to address them.   I strongly suggest buying several boxes of school Valentine cards at the after Valentine's Day sales each year because there are always a few families who still don't get it.   Also, be prepared for students who bring in packages of cards for baby showers, bah mitzvah's, or birthday invitations because their parents just don't understand the concept no matter how hard you tried :)  I save these cards and put them in my art center the following year rather than send them home and embarrass the family. 

Word Whacker & Thematic Word Walls:

Mini Thematic Word Walls:

Pass the Microphone:

Color Game: