Creativity in the classroom is very important . Teachers mut be creative and innovator in creating an alive atmosphere in the class room. Considering student's interests in choosing teaching materials also lead to better class management and excellent

Dear colleague  

Hello We have this problem in Iran when we want to teach English to new Persian learners but the following ideas will help us not to explain English materials in Persian.

1 The materials chosen should be at the same level of difficulty that students are in that level. Here choosing the materials are very important and may be some part of the materials are above the level of students and needs revising.

2 photos / clips / related to the materials help a lot. If we prepare enough pictures of difficult words (upon possibility), we can show them the pictures or a video clips instead of explaining them in their mother tongues.

3 Art of drawing is sometimes necessary and works better than explaining.

4 Sometimes we must use their mother tongue for explanation when the words are really difficult, slangs, or new to them.

5 we should try to use as easy words as possible. For this point I suggest using different (Introductory, intermediate, advanced) dictionaries Learners

Best wishes

A Mazinanian

Hi - I have the same problem in my groups !

You didn't specify what you meant by "complex things" - are you talking about administrative questions (test dates, what is required for an assignment ?) or grammar points ? Are you trying to indicate the meaning of vocabulary like "breadsticks" or concepts like "subprime mortgages" ?  Do you speak French to explain what students need to do during an activity ?

Here are somethings I've used to get around breaking into French :

- review classroom English at the beginning of the year ("open your books, get into groups, read the instructions"

- give visual instructions for activities (written or drawn on the board, with the steps they must take, ex. 1. Sit with a partner 2. Make a list with your partner 3. Compare your lists with another group... etc. ).  Break any complex activity into short steps, much like a kitchen recipe.

- ask students to reformulate things you tell them, either in pairs (if they are a bit shy) or for the benefit of the class...

- hand out any administrative information (deadlines etc) in written form and ask them to read it at home BEFORE you talk about it in class.

- use specific "Yes /No" questions or multiple-choice questions to check understanding ("Do we say "I make a party"?" "Can you use 'for' + 1980 or "since 1980" ) ; avoid broad questions like "Do you understand ?"

-negotiate a "French time" at the end of the hour if necessary to take questions or talk in French.  This can help students feel like they CAN speak in French at some time but doesn't break the "flow" of English during the English time.

- if you find the students are constantly steering you back to French because they feel they "can't" work in English, you can tell them that you are going to keep track of the time they speak only English.  Try to do 15 minutes without speaking French, gradually going up to 20, 30, 40, and trying to establish a "class record". 

Good luck with the class.

Hi Slate,

I think the above comments are useful, in particular Mr Pleasespeakup.

Having said that, I do most of my lessons in Japanese. I use turn to page x, sit down, be quiet, listen carefully, and such daily cues in English, but with the range of abilities in each class, I translate detailed explanations and the actual learning subject; I even translate other students' answers. Without using Japanese it is very hard to keep all students logged in to the lesson. And because I believe in keeping a high pace with lots to learn and experience in the lesson, I do not want to draw or mime continuously.

How much does this hurt my students?

Do they log off and wait for the translations? No. I have impressed on them that anticipation and guess work while listening is essential to their improvement. As I teach these students for two or three years, they speak to other students of mine, their homeroom teachers support me, they are very open to advice, and they will have to resit the year if they fail my subject, they trust this advice.

Would it be better to allow peers to explain? Often I encourage this, but again there is the question of pace. I can play a CD, translate, play the CD again, move onto a similar recording, translate, listen again, move on... the pace is fast. The students hear lots of variants. They all can understand well.

Don't I get into bad habits and continue using their home language at times when it would be better to speak in English? Yes, I do. Oops.

To put the above points in perspective,  I teach at a high school where many students have developed a very negative attitude to English before they enter the school. I use Japanese foremost to establish rapport with the students. Slate, you were interested in hearing from teachers who could not speak their students' language. Well, at my school, over the past five years, there have been five of us foreign teachers, working different durations; two spoke Japanese and three didn't. The two japanese speakers liked the students and the teachers, enjoyed working there and fostered a positive atttitude towards English and "Abroad." The three who didn't speak Japanese had a handful of disciples and fostered ill-will and contempt in many others, and hated working at the school.

I think the situation is very important.

Good luck, and do what works best...

Nick. 

high school teacher, Japan