Urgent: How can we teach english to speakers of other languages using english without a translator?

Question

No I dont have time to do a esol course etc just need ideas on how to train some adults in spoken english in a limited context.Perhaps even inspire them to take up more serious courses.

Answer 1

Picture cards perhaps? Pictures of objects or animals...like of apples, cows, etc...are pretty much universal. If you get the big flashcard style ones that are made for kids learning to speak they should have big pictures on them with the english word written above or below the picture. Maybe that'll help.

If you choose to make your own, you could do them on the computer and print them on card stock. If you're willing to invest the money in it, you could split the class into pairs and give each pair a set of these cards so they can practice with eachother.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Try to take a crash course in the basics of the first language of the people you will be working with if they all speak the same language. Give them the building blocks and the important phrases. Teach them colors, question words, please and thank-you, how to order food, how to ask for directions, how to describe people (tall, short, man, woman, numbers for ages, etc.) and how to ask where the restrooms are. Stick to concrete things that the students can see a visual of; you can't teach conceptual ideas to someone who can't understand 80% of what you're saying.

Answer 3

The hardest thing is learning to speak english yourself before you start. I have seen many people try to teach someone without having any idea what they sound like themselves.

Americans are described as sounding like "flowing water". All vowels with no spaces. Americans tend to chop off the first consonant and the last consonant of every word, then string them together saying the sentence like its one long melted word.

Answer 4

Probably the same way you teach a child to speak. Start with objects. Point to objects, and say their names. Over time, the edges will be smoothed out as they hear people speak the language naturally.

Answer 5

You might try using picture dictionaries that are used with small children that can't read. Try to make sure they know the most important words. Once they know the ones that have a visual representation, then try short sentences to include the small words that don't have pictures.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Hmmm.

It depends on your situation....

I work in a warehouse so i get this often.

The universal language is body language, Keep your hand below your waste and palms open as a sign of kindness and show them the task at hand.

Answer 8

Go Find for a CD called "Phonics". Start from there.
(It also have instructions in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Chinese and Japanese for non-native speakers)

Answer 9

only speak English to them unless in emergency. If you stick yourself in a country of one language, that's the fastest wayt to learn

Answer 10

you can start with the basic one, like abc/1234 something like that and show them some pictures of an object with the name of it.