Teaching+in+the+target+language

Your consistent use of Arabic can do more than anything else to give your students the confidence they need to understand and begin to communicate.

** Make Arabic Your Language of Communication **

 * 1. Commit to use Arabic in class whenever possible. **
 * The expectation that Arabic will be the language of communication needs to be set in concrete from the beginning.
 * Don't wait until they have "learned enough to be able to handle it".


 * 2. Establish rules for using English and Arabic in the classroom. **
 * Discuss the rules with the class
 * Post them in the room or give a copy to the students.


 * 3. Create a way to __physically__ indicate the change from one language to the other. ** Different teachers use different techniques to manage their classes in the foreign language. Below are some practices that have been effective for many language teachers.

• Post a “No English” light or “No English” sign. • Wear a hat, necklace, scarf, etc when speaking English • Make an “English box” area in your classroom or create an “English stick” that limits where or when English can be used


 * 4. Expect the students to follow the rules. **
 * If you make a rule, hold them to it.
 * Be consistent or they will quickly learn to ignore the rule and speak English

As a teacher, you need to follow the rules too. (ie. “When this light is on, NO ONE speaks English, not even me.”)
 * 5. Set the example **.

** Help and encourage students to use the target language. **

 * 1. Provide them with the tools they will need to succeed. ** Below are some practices that have been effective for language teachers. Click on links for more information or samples.

Actively teach students basic listening comprehension techniques Make a Coping Card Post helpful or useful phrases on cards around the room or on a bulletin board Teach and practice emergency or survival phrases Provide a "way out" for difficult situations or struggling students ( English box, tokens they can trade for a chance to speak English, etc.)


 * 2. Consider rewards for speaking Arabic **

Classroom money system Points on the board or a chart to earn a class party. Post end of class “free time” minutes on board and erase them when students speak English.

• Throughout the year, if you see use of the target language slipping, give the kids (and yourself) a pep talk on the importance of using Arabic in class. Review the rules. Come up with new rewards if you need to.
 * 3. Give frequent reminders **

• Use seating charts. • Change partners and groups often for communicative activities. • Carefully plan groupings to encourage collaboration. See Collaboration page in this wiki.
 * 4. Mix students around ** . Don’t let them sit next to their best friend every day and talk English.

Start each class entirely in Arabic. This beginning of the period is ideal time to develop listening comprehension while at the same time get the class listening and thinking in Arabic. Techniques can include: > everyone’s tongues warmed up and brains thinking in Arabic. • Using Arabic Names can help in your efforts to use Arabic in the classroom.
 * 5. Establish routines that promote the use of Arabic in class. **
 * teacher monologues,
 * class welcomes (b egin each day with a student doing a class welcome in Arabic. This could include a greeting, announcements, weather, birthdays, etc.)
 * short audio/video clips
 * songs
 * a class chant ( come up with your own, or better yet, have the students help you make it up. Use it every Monday morning to get things going)
 * a warm-up – (a fast-paced (5 min) review of vocabulary or phrases to get

TEACHER TIPS: Be careful not to slow your speech. The tendency is to slow down so they can understand, but students can depend too much in it. Use normal speech tempo to encourage them to learn to sort out rapid speech. At the beginning, you may need to pronounce very clearly and choose words you know they will understand but eventually you will need move away from this and give your students frequent exposure to "non-teacher" Arabic.