Dear English teachers, I'm in bad need of your help.?

Question

I am an Egyptian English teacher. I teach English as a foreign language to high school students in Egypt. As you know that our native language is Arabic. My question is: is it necessary to explain the whole lessons in English? Am I allowed to use Arabic during the explanation to clarify some points? Keeping in mind that if I explained the lesson 100% in English, many students would miss some points during the class, so what is the right thing to do?

Answer 1

I am a teacher, and I would do both. I do that with my class...most of my students are learning English as a second language, and I will speak Spanish to them, if I think they need more explanation, or use the Spanish term to help them understand the English word.

Though I would check on what your school wants you to do. Some schools do not want any native language to be spoken during the foreign language time - a program called Immersion.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

If your goal is to maximize student understanding, I would switch back and forth between English and Arabic. I would maybe say it in English, then it Arabic, then repeat it in English so the students are hearing the connection between the languages, but you're not helping them to speak only in English if they don't get it. Even in English with native English speakers, I often have to repeat and rephrase what I'm trying to teach until I've found the words to make it "click" with everyone in the class.

Go with your instincts. If your instinct says to use some Arabic, do it. Your students will benefit.

Answer 3

I teach English as a second language in my elementary school. I do not explain the whole lesson in either language. I use both languages in order for them to understand the concepts correctly. Personally, I would only teach 100% of the language if they were advanced level students. I show them many movies with subtitles in them so they can grasp the different speech patterns. What sounds normal to one person may sound "backwards" to another person. I am Greek and American so understanding the "backwards" pronounciation is second nature to me.

Answer 4

Well, if nobody is going to understand a word you say when you speak in English, you explain in Arabic, obviously. But you must gradually reduce the use of Arabic in class.

Answer 5

You explain it in the best way you can so they understand it. If that means explaining in Arabic thats what you do.

Answer 6

i am not a teacher.. but i think that it is best that you explain the points you are making in english in their language otherwise they wont fully understand

Answer 7

I've the same problem .and I tried to find the answer to it .what I do in my classes is to see what the context is and what the authorities expect me to do .Just comfort to the rules of learning enviroment.