Yesterday we got a new student, this was a new experience for us as a class. My cooperating teacher found out on Friday that we were getting a new student on Monday who has no english language verbal communication ability, we think that the student can comprehend and understand what we are asking and saying but they have no way of communication back without a translator. We expected that the student was going to arrive in the morning before school hours had begun but the student didn't end up showing up until about half way through our first Readers Workshop groups. When the student entered the room my teacher introduced the new student to the class and the teacher helpers that were in the classroom. The they looked around for one of our students who they knew were fluent in the Somali language, this student happened to be in my group. It was very difficult experience working with a student with no english communication for the first time in my experiences. I would explain what I wanted my group to do during the Readers Workshop and then I would have my previous student explain to our new student what to so in Somali and then have him communicate any questions back to me. This was something that was challenging but still eye opening at the same time just to see how challenging it can be to introduce a new student into your classroom and especially how to difficult it can be to introduce a student who has no english language.
Have any of you had a new student introduced into your classroom? If so how was the experience for you guys? Did you face certain challenging like an language barrier?
My first thought is: How must that student feel? I couldn't imagine going into a brand new classroom, with new students and a teacher. (especially if I did not speak their native language). My second thought: How awesome of a student to help translate during your Readers Workshop. I think that is a teachable moment, because even in the most difficult of situations, one student made a difference. I have never experienced a language barrier in the classroom yet. I can only imagine how challenging it would be. Kendra, I think you handled this situation as appropriately as you could. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen we received a new student into the classroom I'm in it was a rather interesting experience. Each kid in the classroom had wanted to be his friend, wanting to work with him on everything. The new student spoke very little English, so all of the other students in the class that speak Somali would speak with him, so that is very helpful for not only myself but the CT. It has been a very fun and challenging experience with the new student but something to indeed prepare for the future.
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