One Sentence Can Make All The Difference !

Learning a new language is not always easy.

As you know, once a week, Bob and I are having English conversation classes with the local children. We don't teach them per say, but just speak with them, and only in English. It sounds deceptively easy... Yet it is not.

Imagine that you had to explain the rules of a new game to your little child, but all in French / Russian / Danish, a language that they do not know or understand ! Of course at the same time, you need to keep their attention focused on a task that they are not quite sure how to do.
One of the important points is that we don't speak any German with the children but the use of mimics and gestures is invaluable at times.

Each week, we do a lot of the same things, with a little new ' bit ' thrown in. We all like to have a feeling of success in our lives, and Bob and I think, that by doing a few games over and over, the children will start to understand and most importantly have a sense of personal achievement, when they do. It would not be nice, if each week we play and speak a whole new lot of English, which they would not understand.

It always amazes me, how intelligent the children are and we never underestimate them ! Just playing a game of Bingo ( Kids version ) with them yesterday, it was great to hear them start to use the odd English word in their conversations. They did not realize that they were doing it... Of course, they are highly amused by their names being pronounced the English way !

Let's get back to the sentence, that started me along this train of thought. As we were finishing off yesterday, I asked the children to help put the cards away. One of the girls turned to me and said, " This sentence I don't understand. "
Wow, I was pleased as punch. She sort of told me, with that little sentence, that she normally understands what I say, but only this time she didn't !

It was a great feedback to get. Like anything else worthwhile, it takes time to do it properly. At the moment, most of the parents will hear a lot of ' Hello, yes, no and various colours ' repeated at home. Don't despair, soon it will progress to, " Mum, please will you buy a toy for me ".

Biggi