Today I’m going to talk about an aspect of practicing languages that I find really irritating. If you teach abroad, and you have some knowledge of the foreign language, you'll experience this and so will your students.
One of the hardest parts of studying a language is listening. Listening involves comprehension. But even if you can comprehend, trying to hear is what makes listening hard. If you can’t hear, you can’t listen. Unless you have a hearing impairment, the hearing problem can be solved very easily-- that's why it's more annoying when it isn't solved.
Let's use Japanese as an example. Japanese people in general, speak softly and monotoneously. And most of the time, they don’t realize this. (Women, mostly.) So, unless you’re in a quiet area speaking one-on-one with someone, it can be tough. The annoying part is when I let someone know that I can not hear them clearly, and they still don’t talk loudly or repeat for me. And when it’s an English teacher who’s talking to you in Japanese, (who should understand this basic struggle of foreign language learners) it can simply drive you up the wall.
For example, my recent conversation, with a JTE talking to me diagonally from my desk:
JTE: “mutter, mutter, mutter.”
ALT: “Oh, I can’t hear you, what did you say?” (You were talking so quietly, I couldn’t hear you.)
JTE: “金曜日.” (Friday)
ALT: “No, I did not hear your sentence. The first part, what did you say?”
JTE: “先週末のパーティ.” (Last weekend’s party.)
ALT: “I could not hear your WHOLE sentence. 何を言っていましたか.” (...I understand you, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you asking me a question? What are you trying to tell me?)
JTE: “Thank you for coming to the party last week. On Friday.”
My internal reaction. “Well why the heck didn’t you say that sentence louder instead of telling me in English!” Now this was a better case. She probably didn't understand that I wanted her to speak loudly or repeat the whole sentence. At least this teacher repeated parts of her sentence.
Other internal reactions in differet scenarios:
If you’re interested in teaching abroad one day, don’t do that to your students. Please try multiple strategies. Anything else would be undermining their ability or disabling them.
Fortunately, not all teacher-conversationalists are disablers. I would say it's split down the middle between J-teachers who use many strategies, and J-teachers who don't try or misunderstand. I’ve had great conversations with people (I’d recommend people who have loud voices such as older men, gym teachers, lol, JTEs who have a clue, and Japanese friends outside of school.)
I really appreciate it when someone is talking, stops, and asks me, do you understand (this word)? YES, I DO, THANKYOOOU! That's the most basic of pedagogy, "checking for understanding." lol.
Usually when I speak to students, (and there's no time constraints) it goes like this:
Me: English sentence.
Student: Huh?
Me: English sentence, slowly, loudly. (Very American of me, but this works!)
Student: Huh?
Me: Similar-meaning English sentence, slowly, loudly. (Maybe includes hand gestures)
Student: Huh?
Me: Repeat sentence.
Student: Huh?
Me: Considers saying it differently or in Japanese instead.
Most of the time, when students just stop, watch, and listen, we don't resort to Japanese because they would eventually figure it out or their classmate would jump in and support them. That gives them so much satisfaction. Unfortunately, you’ll find that there are many students who run straight to a JTE for a direct translation instead of listening for a little longer. And some teachers don’t enable them by translating without making them listen and think first. Then, they do this to you, too. But you know better than to do this to students, right? Stop this vicious cycle!
Ofcourse, you should only go through multiple strategies accordingly and during an appropriate time or class will never end. I understand that sometimes students will simply not understand. Some can hear but can't listen or understand. But as an ESL teacher, shouldn't you always try multiple strategies because there is a chance they will? Repeat, talk loudly and clearly, or say it differently.
It's so simple. And I guess it's just clearer to me now since I'm learning another language.
Thank you teachers who still keep up the basics and treat learners like they’re learners.
One of the hardest parts of studying a language is listening. Listening involves comprehension. But even if you can comprehend, trying to hear is what makes listening hard. If you can’t hear, you can’t listen. Unless you have a hearing impairment, the hearing problem can be solved very easily-- that's why it's more annoying when it isn't solved.
Let's use Japanese as an example. Japanese people in general, speak softly and monotoneously. And most of the time, they don’t realize this. (Women, mostly.) So, unless you’re in a quiet area speaking one-on-one with someone, it can be tough. The annoying part is when I let someone know that I can not hear them clearly, and they still don’t talk loudly or repeat for me. And when it’s an English teacher who’s talking to you in Japanese, (who should understand this basic struggle of foreign language learners) it can simply drive you up the wall.
For example, my recent conversation, with a JTE talking to me diagonally from my desk:
JTE: “mutter, mutter, mutter.”
ALT: “Oh, I can’t hear you, what did you say?” (You were talking so quietly, I couldn’t hear you.)
JTE: “金曜日.” (Friday)
ALT: “No, I did not hear your sentence. The first part, what did you say?”
JTE: “先週末のパーティ.” (Last weekend’s party.)
ALT: “I could not hear your WHOLE sentence. 何を言っていましたか.” (...I understand you, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Are you asking me a question? What are you trying to tell me?)
JTE: “Thank you for coming to the party last week. On Friday.”
My internal reaction. “Well why the heck didn’t you say that sentence louder instead of telling me in English!” Now this was a better case. She probably didn't understand that I wanted her to speak loudly or repeat the whole sentence. At least this teacher repeated parts of her sentence.
Other internal reactions in differet scenarios:
- "Why the heck didn’t you just say that in English in the first place. Aren’t you a JTE who’s supposed to be talking to me only in English?”
- “Why the heck didn’t you say that sentence louder instead of asking an English teacher to translate?!”
- “Why the heck didn’t you say that sentence again instead of running away? Come back!”
If you’re interested in teaching abroad one day, don’t do that to your students. Please try multiple strategies. Anything else would be undermining their ability or disabling them.
Fortunately, not all teacher-conversationalists are disablers. I would say it's split down the middle between J-teachers who use many strategies, and J-teachers who don't try or misunderstand. I’ve had great conversations with people (I’d recommend people who have loud voices such as older men, gym teachers, lol, JTEs who have a clue, and Japanese friends outside of school.)
I really appreciate it when someone is talking, stops, and asks me, do you understand (this word)? YES, I DO, THANKYOOOU! That's the most basic of pedagogy, "checking for understanding." lol.
Usually when I speak to students, (and there's no time constraints) it goes like this:
Me: English sentence.
Student: Huh?
Me: English sentence, slowly, loudly. (Very American of me, but this works!)
Student: Huh?
Me: Similar-meaning English sentence, slowly, loudly. (Maybe includes hand gestures)
Student: Huh?
Me: Repeat sentence.
Student: Huh?
Me: Considers saying it differently or in Japanese instead.
Most of the time, when students just stop, watch, and listen, we don't resort to Japanese because they would eventually figure it out or their classmate would jump in and support them. That gives them so much satisfaction. Unfortunately, you’ll find that there are many students who run straight to a JTE for a direct translation instead of listening for a little longer. And some teachers don’t enable them by translating without making them listen and think first. Then, they do this to you, too. But you know better than to do this to students, right? Stop this vicious cycle!
Ofcourse, you should only go through multiple strategies accordingly and during an appropriate time or class will never end. I understand that sometimes students will simply not understand. Some can hear but can't listen or understand. But as an ESL teacher, shouldn't you always try multiple strategies because there is a chance they will? Repeat, talk loudly and clearly, or say it differently.
It's so simple. And I guess it's just clearer to me now since I'm learning another language.
Thank you teachers who still keep up the basics and treat learners like they’re learners.