Breaking through the language barrier

Breaking through the language barrier: the power of the incomprehensible

For the past three years I have taught 4 to14-year-olds in Beijing. Teaching literacy to students who have English as a second language can be pretty baffling. To meet the challenge of using English texts we plan all our literacy lessons around a key piece of literature so that phonics, spelling and grammar all stem from a story book. This helps create consistency amongst subjects and allows for fewer distractions, also avoiding an overload of information. The language of the children does not alter our choice when selecting texts. In fact we deliberately do not choose Chinese based language texts. For our younger students we might choose a text that contains only illustrations such as The Snowman, while our older students are given more challenging texts such as Kensuke’s Kingdom or Goodnight Mr Tom. At the heart of the choice is interest and mystery.

No matter what your first language is, if there is something intriguing going on, young minds will pay attention. Occasionally we have tricky words that the class might need to investigate, so we save these in a word bank and find out their meaning later. The priority is to enjoy the story first. Having multiple copies of the text helps enormously. Providing students with time to explore the book creates an extended association; the familiar becomes less foreign.

Likewise, we use digital copies of the book, or film versions of the book. The premise here is repetition from multiple sources. Asking children to build the story by using images from the text or film or sourcing complementary images from magazines or the internet can also help. This worked to great effect when we taught 8-year-olds about Romeo and Juliet. Once the story becomes familiar then it becomes possible to add actions to the story, to step into the story and start taking further ownership over it. This develops confidence as students speak English in role rather than generate their own speech. Photographing them in character with speech bubbles to later write in, extends the character from the imaginative into the visual and physical.

The role of parents to enable language progression outside of the classroom should not be overlooked. Most of our parents do not speak English but when we launch a new text, teachers take the time to host a small introduction to parents explaining the text. Resource materials such as word and picture cards, copies of the text and sometimes even audio copies of the book are often handed to parents to take home. If a version of the text can be found in their language we try our best to source a copy. While this might seem extreme, parents appreciate the extra step taken to involve them in their child’s learning. Any disconnect between parent and child only hinders the attempt of the school in breaking down language barriers. Equally the child’s first language should not be ignored and we strive to embrace and teach other students the words of their country. The ethos of community and sharing helps the individual feel more connected with the learning in the classroom. This might mean labelling characters or key vocabulary in both languages to assist with understanding. First language labels can then slowly be removed. Resources such as language translation picture dictionaries or even translation applications on mobile devices can be useful.

A child who can write and express their ideas in their own language is going to be connected to a story. We allow time to use a translation application so that thoughts and feelings are valued regardless of a student’s control of English.

Spoken language only equates to a small proportion of how we communicate. Understanding the variety of ways that we can express ourselves opens doors for the children that we teach. Working in China but not speaking the language, I have at times felt confused and frustrated but this has forced me to develop my ability to communicate in other ways. Losing your tongue does not mean you cannot tell a story, it just means that

Top tips

-Choose your text for the interest level, regardless of the language.

-Build in time to introduce tricky words but don't make this the focus.

-Use multiple copies of the book, also in various digital formats.

-Source images to support new vocabulary.

-Introduce actions or role play so that students own the text.

-Involve the parents and break down the barrier of fear.

-Embrace and use first languages as support.

-Allow students time to communicate in any way, shape

or form.