Teachers...I need you!!!!

[KarenB]

I have a new student coming to my class that speaks no English. Do you have any good websites he can use to practice very basic skills? He will have access to a laptop when needed. I can get him started, but must continue teaching the rest of the class. I am looking for letter recognition, phonics, etc. They need to be websites, not a purchased program. He speaks Chinese only. This is an upper elementary grade.

Thanks!
Karen

 

[Cindy B]

I can't get you information until tomorrow, but I have a Tawainese coworker that may have some information for you.

Please check back tomorrow.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What grade?

Starfall.com is a good resource. (basic reading stories)


I'm posting though to share the experience of someone I know who adopted a 7yo russian girl who knew no English. When I met her, she pretty much knew nothing and her mother provided us Russian words for her. (she was newly adopted at this point.)

When I saw her 6 months later, it was an amazing transformation. Younger children are amazing sponges and pick up the langauge surprisingly quickly. One thing she did though was to go ahead and enroll her in Kindergarten. Due to her life of living in an orphanage and some issues as a result of that, her maturity was more in line with that grade level (plus I believe she might have lacked education anyway.)

Will he do speech or anything? When I was little, we had a Vietnamese Boy in our class and during that year, he was pulled out for that in order to get some one on one language lessons.

 

[Val]

Can you pair him up with a language "buddy"- a friend who will help him with lunch, getting the correct book out, etc? Be sure and point and label- when you take a book out, point and say "book"......help him learn the names for common objects in the classroom. Help him with "critical" statements- I need to use the restroom; I need help; I am hungry; etc......point to words on the screen as you use the overhead/whiteboard. Lots of repetition and he will quickly make connections. In a way "immersion" works best (although it is kinda trial by fire!).

If he feels safe, learns the routine, and has a buddy he will learn quickly. The routine is critical because that way he can begin to expect "what comes next" and won't feel bad if he does the wrong thing/gets ready for the wrong subject. He mustn't feel too embarrassed, must feel at ease (which will be hard for all of you!), and must be willing to take risks. If he feels comfortable he will learn faster and quickly adapt.

I am guessing he has been in school someplace else, and is probably ahead in areas like math- let him shine where he can, and in nonverbal ways. Also- let him teach you and the class some words in Chinese- it can be a cultural exchange and will help make him proud of this ethnic heritage and his language....and you can all learn to speak Chinese.

Good luck.....it will be an adventure! Hopefully you and your class will learn as much from him as he will learn from you.

 

[KarenB]

Thanks for your replies. The day was great....trying at times but great!!