By Ittiporn Chuatrisorn, PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Resident at the
University of Maryland Medical Center
The non-native
English speaking adult population in the United States is large and diverse. Educational programs serve learners from very different backgrounds and
with very different needs.1,2 From my experience as an international
student, I have found some teachers to be more understandable and have more
effective techniques for teaching non-native English speakers (NNES) than
others. This blog essay has been assembled as a resource for you - the instructors and preceptors who are encountering more and more NNES students. I hope to provide you with some ideas on how
to teach lectures and lead small groups in a manner that improves listening
comprehension for NNES and ways to get your non-native speakers more involved
in class discussions.
Monitor how you speak and what you say.2-6
Pause for a couple of extra beats
between sentences. By reducing the speed
of your speaking, even just alittle, you are giving the audience (NNES and
English speakers alike) a chance to absorb what you say. You do not have to cut your rate of speech in half;
simply become aware of your speech and slow down! When a professor speaks slowly
and clearly this helps NNES understand the concepts and, later, they do not
have spent extra hours trying to find the concept in the textbooks or other
resources.
Avoid idiomatic
expressions and slang.3-6 If you use idioms, slang, or long series
of adjectives, define them and repeat the concept in more formal terms. For example, one professor, when explaining
how to approach a job interview, said “Do not shake hands like a wet fish when you greet the interviewer.” I had absolutely
no idea what the professor meant until the idiomatic expression was explained
to me!
Clarify examples
that refer to cultural events or norms that may be unfamiliar to people from
another country.6-7 Some professors use “Ameri-centric” examples to
explain concepts (e.g. references to U.S. history or popular culture). NNES who
are unfamiliar with the examples may not understand the concept. You should
take a few minutes to provide brief background information. During one lecture regarding drug therapy
reimbursement, for example, a professor talked about Blue Cross and Blue
Shield, Aetna, and Humana. I had no idea that these were health insurance
companies! At the end of that lecture, I did not understand anything. What may
seem everyday and commonplace to the lecturer may be alien to the NNES
student. Of course, this is not unique
to NNES students. English speakers who
are not from the US would have similar difficulties – but NNES students likely
face even greater challenges when Ameri-centric examples are used.
Use visual aids. Write key words on the board, slides, or
otherwise provide visual cues to help NNES process meaning more readily. This can include gestures, pictures, and
concrete objects.2-4 I think it is better to start early with visual
cues in the class. When the professor
repeated key terms, wrote key terms on the board, and prepared a handouts in
advance, this really helped me follow the lecture. One of my pharmacy professors had a section of
the blackboard site set aside for key terms and an outline of the day’s lesson
plan. He posted this information on
board prior class. This gave me a refer to if I lost the thread of the
discussion.
Provide written instructions about
homework assignments and examinations.2,6 Asking if everyone understands the assignment
or knows when it is due may not be enough. NNES may be too embarrassed to speak
up or may not even understand that you are discussing an assignment.7-8
When I studied in pharmacy school, the professor asked if everyone understood
the assignment, no one said a word. However, a Chinese colleague, who had only
been in the country for 2 months, did not understand. She misunderstood and presented a wrong topic.
As you can imagine, she was very embarrassed!
Thus, oral explanations, without written support, could create problems
for NNES.
Allow NNES students to record lectures.2
They can listen as often as necessary to fill in their notes. Moreover, they
can concentrate solely on trying to understand what the professor is saying
during class, knowing that they can make notes later from the recording. In my
first semester of school, I was shocked to discover that the professor did not
begin at chapter one and continued through the textbook in a step-wise manner,
chapter by chapter. And they use a lot
of materials outside the textbook. This can create confusion and obstacles for NNESstudents.
Access to notes, class recordings, and a list of helpful outside sources helps NNES
keep up the class.
Provide NNES students more opportunities
to talk about the material. Give NNES time
to reflect before asking them to speak.7-8 Many Americans think
aloud, but people from many other cultures do not. What this means is that NNES
rarely have time to reflect and respond before a native English speaking
student (or, worse, the professor) has answered the question and taken over the
conversation. In some parts of the
world, students are taught to be deferential, never challenging the teacher’s
point of view or offering innovative ideas.8 For example, many Asian
student would prefer to conform to tradition without trying to present novel
ideas. Furthermore, you may experience difficulty-eliciting opinions from
Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Thailand, and other students who come from
educational systems where rote learning is the rule. Thus, you should give NNES
a few minutes to write in response to a question before asking students to
participate in the discussion.
Some NNES are very self-conscious about
their imperfect English.7,8 They may be frustrated by not being able
to accurately articulate their complex thoughts. They may be concerned that
their native English-speaking peers will think less highly of them. If the
response is slightly off, try to do something positive with it. You should
rephrase the response but don’t point out grammatical errors.2 Ask clarifying questions and elaborate on
their response.
To summarize,
NNES students are just as smart as native English speakers and will learn from
you if you employ a few simple techniques. These students face many challenges navigating
a new academic setting with different expectations, studying in a new language,
and adapting to a new culture. These
techniques will help you to make your lectures and small group discussions more
accessible to them, improve their listening comprehension, and enhance the
learning experience for everyone.
Check out these
additional resources:
1) Responding to
non-native speakers of English (University of Minnesota)
2) Teaching
Nonnative Speakers (Baruch College)
3) ESL Instructional
Resources (University of Washington)
References
1. National Center for Education Statistics.
Participation of adults in
English as a second language classes: 1994-1995. Washington DC. Assessed 1
December 2013.
2. Stevens LP, Jefferies J, Brisk ME,
Kaczmarek S. Linguistics and Science Learning for Diverse Population: An Agenda
for Teacher Education. In: Bruna KR and Gomez K, editors. The Work of Language
in Multicultural Classrooms – Talking Science, Writing Science. 2nd
ed. New York: Taylor and Francis Publishers; 2009. p291.
3. Wright WE. Foundations for Teaching
English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. 1st
ed. Philadelphia. Caslon Inc. Publisher; 2010.
4. Common Classroom Practices for All
English Language Learner Educators. In: Wagner S, King T. Implementing
Effective Instruction for English Language Learners: 12 Key Practices for
Administrators, Teachers, and Leadership Teams. Philadelphia. 1st
ed. Caslon Inc. Publisher; 2012. p107.
5. Tapia AT. Non-Native
English Speakers Setting New Standard. New America Media Commentary. Assessed
1 December 2013.
6. Lee DS. What Teachers Can Do to Relieve
Problems Identified by International Students. New Directions for Teaching and
Learning. 1997; 70: 40-51.
7. Nelson GL. How Culture Differences affect
Written and Oral Communication; The Case of Peer Response Groups. New
Directions for Teaching and Learning. 1997; 70: 77-84.
8. Hodne BD. Please Speak Up: Asian Immigrant
Students in American College Classrooms. New Directions for Teaching and
Learning. 1997; 70: 85-92.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment to the Educational Theory and Practice blog. It will be submitted for review and approval. Only those comments that substantially enhance the value of the blog site will be released and posted.