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[Pencil]

Hi,

Here is something that is happening in my professional life:

Situation:

I teach ESL to non-native student. I was told by 2 of my co-teachers that our students are complaining about me speaking too fast in class. Apparently, 2 students dropped out because of this. I thought about it and mentioned it to my director with a suggestion about improving my teaching skills. I felt bad about this. I will speak to my peers (Foreigners) of course, to see if they speak normal speed or slow speed and to see how much talking they do in class. I suspect that it's my small talk the main problem..that is, that I speak too much and I ought to speak very simply and in a short time. That way, I'll avoid the image of being a fast speaker. I'll let my students speak more. They never tell me the truth. Instead, they tell it to my co-teachers who are of the same nationality as them.

Do you have any better ideas to fix this? What other strategies can I use to improve the speediness? What is your "gut feeling" about this as teachers?

Thanks,
Pencil

[nandz238]

Ehh, what subject do you teach? Grade? By non-native students you mean hispanic kids? They speak spanish?

Anyways, you could write everything you say on the board at the same time you are saying it, that way they will be able to read what you are saying, like captions.

[Chef Dave]

Non-native students need the opportunity to read, write, and speak.

Remember that you are a model. If you are speaking too quickly, non-native speakers may have difficulty with following you. Slow your speech down. Use simple sentences. Pause between sentences. Enunciate.

In terms of helping your students:

1) Identify new vocabulary relevant to your day's lesson. Post this vocabulary on the board.

2) Integrate discussion of this vocabulary with your lesson.

3) Make sure your students have the opportunity to exercise use of this vocabulary in complete sentences. You may do this through short discussions. You may also break students into small discussion groups.

4) Give students the opportunity to use this vocabulary in their writing.

5) When interacting with students, prompt responses as needed. Don't fill in the blanks for them. Avoid "giving up" on a student to call on someone else.

6) Build on prior vocabulary.

7) Provide hand-outs the include the vocabulary being covered for the day. Encourage students to keep these handouts in a binder as a convenient reference.

8) Illustrate your lessons as needed.

9) Remember that like everyone else, non-native speakers need encouragement. Smile. Use verbal praise. Banter or joke before class. Ask students about their personal lives. Tell them about your life. Make connections. If you build a rapport with your students, your students will feel more at ease in your class. They will also develop more confidence and/or be more willing to take risks as English language learners.

[Pencil]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies. Teaching ESL is quite a challenge!

Pencil