An ‘English Only!’ classroom

• why use English only?

• 'what if my students don't understand?'

• when is it OK to use 1^st language?

• creating an English Language environment in your classroom
  

   

Classroom Language

Discussion: mother tongue or English in the classroom

a. What's the situation at present?

b. Why is the mother tongue used?

(it's easy

students & teacher don't want to lose face

students de-motivated by a teacher who always corrects their English

students want express themselves 'properly' and remain shy until they are confident enough to do so

English is not 'in')

c. When is it OK to use mother tongue?

(short-cut

concept check

keep the lesson moving along

inject humour)

d. How can we persuade people to use English instead of the mother tongue in the classroom?

(discuss why English is important

respond positively to every effort by students to speak English

don't tell students off for using mothe tongue, but keep using English yourself

only 'hear' English - ignore everything else

do a lot of fluency work without correction to build confidence

use lots of pair or small group work, so students can use English without losing face in front of the class

try to create an English environment - pics, words, etc.

be patient!)

Creating an English Language Environment

Discussion: How can we create an English environment for the students?

It is important to create an environment that supports the English language learner resources

One way to help learners is to include rebus/picture charts, graphs, bulletin board items, planning boards and daily routine charts with pictures that demonstrate the action the children need to perform in the classroom.  For instance, the task of washing hands on the daily schedule could have a picture of children washing their hands.

When selecting books, begin with the books that children can relate to in someway. Connect the book with something that the children are familiar with in their own lives and culture.

The classroom should have a wide variety of materials available for children to explore, both for psychomotor and perceptual reasons, so that the children gain familiarity with a diversity of objects in the world and become comfortable with.

Children are able to learn about the world and how it works.
Throughout the classroom, use visual labels with the names of objects to aid the children in under standing and learning the language necessary for succeeding in the school.

- pics, maps, big words on coloured paper

- English in the classroom

- give a little English cultural input - royal family, facts about London, sport, etc

- etc

- etc