The new school year stared on the first of March. I knew things were going to change, especially in Kindy, but I wasn’t prepared for quite how much.
On the second of March I walked into kindy expecting the number of students to have depreciated by four due to Pink class graduating. But instead I found an additional four students in (the new) pink class and three more students in (the new) blue class, none of which had ever spoken a word of English before!! Oh the joy.
Later that day I was thrown into teaching two classes of complete beginners mixed with students who’d been at the school for quite some time. I had just forty minutes notice and zero time for preparation. After all, why would it be necessary to inform me earlier that seven new students, with no English what so ever, would be starting. It’s not like their lack of English skills would effect they way I taught the class. Obviously once they’d set eyes on me they would have picked up everything they needed to know: sit down, be quiet, read, write, listen etc… by a process of osmosis!
Shortly before I entered the first class I’d been told to teach both classes; my name is …… and; I am ….. years old. Basic questions, but most of the new kids had heard the word ‘Hello’ for the first time today and had only been given their English names an hour ago! Was the five minute break as the Korean teachers ushered them into classroom and sat them down enough time for me to find a way of teaching them something?
The day began with pink class. Being older some of the kids have pretty good English and were able to explain to the new kids what I was asking. Before the end of the lesson each kid had said my name is Steven, Sabrina, Sophie… and most of them had managed to mutter something along the lines of: “I am seven years old.” Whether or not they understood what they were saying was another matter. At that point my sole goal was to make them say it. I then asked them to: “stand up,” waited for them all to stand up then said: “sit down,” after a few times this just about aroused a giggle and it was time to end the lesson.
My next class wasn’t to be so easy. I began with: “what is you name?” To which seven blank faces stared back at me. I managed to coax a: “My name is Brian, Irene, Jinny, Eric…” out of the kids who’d been there a while. But no matter what I did the new kids just stared vacantly at me. They had absolutely no idea what I asking. Nobody had bothered to tell me their English names so I was stuck in a vicious circle. I couldn’t help them unless they told me their name but they didn’t know what I was asking! Great, what happens now? I don’t speak Korean, they haven’t a clue what I’m on about, I don’t know their names, and they haven’t taken the hint from the other kids. It was time to surrender and find reinforcements in the shape of one of the Korean teachers.
Once I’d explained to the Korean teacher that the kids had no idea what I was saying and wouldn’t even answer me in Korean she came into the class and told me their names. It was at this point I discovered that asking: “What is you name?” had been a fruitless question anyway because the kids themselves didn’t know their names!
After a shaky start the lesson proceeded OK and by the end most had repeated “My name is Tina, Lucy, Tiffany… It was a start even if they didn’t know what they were saying!
After a week the kids had settled in and picked up most of the important phrases: sit down, be quite, listen… even if, most of the time, they chose not to obey them.
Since the fist lesson their English skills, if not their obedience, have improved massively. From not having a clue what the question: “What is your name?” meant three weeks ago they are now more than capable of understanding and answering that question as well as telling me how old they are. Even if most if the time I have to ask them to sit down ten times, then repeatedly tell them to be quiet before I can even ask the question!
My name is … Lucy.
Lucy – Blue class.
Report Card: Pretty good kid. One of the slower ones but usually tries hard. Usually pays attention and finishes her work – which is always good.
My name is … Tiffany.
Tiffany – Blue class.
Report card: Very good kid. Has picked up a lot very quickly. Is usually one of the first to finish the work.
My name is … Tina.
Tina – Blue class
Report card: Good kid, sometimes is staring in the wrong direction but has picked up a fair amount pretty quickly. Usually gets her work done.
My name is … Amanda.
Amanda – Pink class.
Report card: Very loud but pretty bright. Has been picked on a bit by some of the other girls but most of the time isn’t bothered by it. Works hard but you often have to repeat yourself six times before she does as she’s told!
My name is … Sabrina.
Sabrina – Pink class.
Report card: Seems to be pretty bright despite seeming like she is in another world most of the time. She is always the last to line up at the end of lesson and often doesn’t finish her work.
My name is … Sophie.
Sophie – Pink class.
Report card: I think she is brighter than she lets on. Often does the work well but can be very quiet in lessons.
My name is … Steven.
Steven – Pink class.
Report card: Can be quite slow but he tries very, very hard.
* Posted by j150vsc on 24/03/2007.
Leave a Reply