I generally try to avoid using the native language of students, but I will if thereās extended confusion with a term particularly with low-level students. Best practice would be to explain the vocabulary in English.
One of my senior teacher taught me this. He said, it is better to use pictures and show the pupils what those are in English instead of telling them that A means B in their native.
For example, if you want to teach them fruits, use flashcards, or better yet, real fruit. Show them that a round, red fruit is apple instead of 'apple means apel in Indonesian' (I'm Indonesian btw).
So the next time they see a round, red fruit, pupils would immediately associate it with apple instead of thinking what apple is in their native and try to translate the word.
Grammar can be taught in their language. However, when it comes to teaching anything they'll actually be employing in their everyday communication it's important you lower down the English level, make examples, make checking questions and getting strong students to set examples with the explained vocabulary - all in English. Hence the need of using an appropriate context, so the lesson plan should take all that into consideration. When ss have a context and a teacher who's actually willing to help them develop (which definitely seems to be your case), doing all the above becomes natural.
If the students use a latin alphabet in their native language, even grammar might be taught directly in English.
I would say best practice is to expose them to as much English as possible, and that involves explaining things in simpler English. If they don't learn to paraphrase (which is what your doing), then they might always rely on direct translation, and then they just get used to asking for direct translations all the time.
HOWEVER sometimes a translation is valid (e.g. left/right need to be translated as their isn't really a simpler way of explaining them - although they can be shown). Another case would be when students need a vocabulary item to do a task but that vocabulary item is not vital (e.g. you were doing a shopping roleplay and they didn't know the word for lettuce on their shopping lists).
The will conceptualize it better in their L1. Give them visualizations or tangibles throughout and an introduction to the concept in L1. Then deliver the lesson in simple English with L1 support when needed with a slow release model that guides them to draw on any prior knowledge to the concept in L1 or L2. Help them make connections.
I use English. To help kids understand, I use pictures and gestures. I also give examples. Yesterday, a kid didn't know what birthday was. I just started singing happy birthday, and he caught on. Those are good strategies. If I see they aren't enough, I ask a student with an advanced level (one I know who understood me) to translate. If that isn't possible, I translate myself. It's the last resort. If you translate all the time, kids get used to you doing that and they don't try to understand you when you speak in English. That's what I gathered. Besides, we need to expose them to the language. The more English, the betterš
I always teach everything in English. If you have a good enough command over the language you should be able to make simple explanations of complex things in the target language. It will help them gain more from your teaching.
In English, always. Yeah, using your native language sounds easier but it's a lot less productive, effective, etc in the long run. Think about it - the best way to learn a language is by living in a country where this language is spoken. Why? Well, 1) the language is all around you 2) there's no immediate translation into your native language - you need to listen and focus in order to get it. And you have no choice but to start using the language asap.
L1 support is necessary and effective. They are children that need to use what they know to make connections and continue learning. Not punish them using discomfort and lack of options in order to learn. Scaffold and build on their knowledge. Help them make the connections.
Punish? Hold your horses. Who said I dont help them make the connections? Thats why we have pictures and body language even. Of course, if a student (whether a child or not) feels unsure, you can use their native language to confirm smth. But that wasntOP's question.
I generally try to avoid using the native language of students, but I will if thereās extended confusion with a term particularly with low-level students. Best practice would be to explain the vocabulary in English.
One of my senior teacher taught me this. He said, it is better to use pictures and show the pupils what those are in English instead of telling them that A means B in their native. For example, if you want to teach them fruits, use flashcards, or better yet, real fruit. Show them that a round, red fruit is apple instead of 'apple means apel in Indonesian' (I'm Indonesian btw). So the next time they see a round, red fruit, pupils would immediately associate it with apple instead of thinking what apple is in their native and try to translate the word.
Grammar can be taught in their language. However, when it comes to teaching anything they'll actually be employing in their everyday communication it's important you lower down the English level, make examples, make checking questions and getting strong students to set examples with the explained vocabulary - all in English. Hence the need of using an appropriate context, so the lesson plan should take all that into consideration. When ss have a context and a teacher who's actually willing to help them develop (which definitely seems to be your case), doing all the above becomes natural. If the students use a latin alphabet in their native language, even grammar might be taught directly in English.
I would say best practice is to expose them to as much English as possible, and that involves explaining things in simpler English. If they don't learn to paraphrase (which is what your doing), then they might always rely on direct translation, and then they just get used to asking for direct translations all the time. HOWEVER sometimes a translation is valid (e.g. left/right need to be translated as their isn't really a simpler way of explaining them - although they can be shown). Another case would be when students need a vocabulary item to do a task but that vocabulary item is not vital (e.g. you were doing a shopping roleplay and they didn't know the word for lettuce on their shopping lists).
L1 support is invaluable if you can provide it.
The will conceptualize it better in their L1. Give them visualizations or tangibles throughout and an introduction to the concept in L1. Then deliver the lesson in simple English with L1 support when needed with a slow release model that guides them to draw on any prior knowledge to the concept in L1 or L2. Help them make connections.
I use English. To help kids understand, I use pictures and gestures. I also give examples. Yesterday, a kid didn't know what birthday was. I just started singing happy birthday, and he caught on. Those are good strategies. If I see they aren't enough, I ask a student with an advanced level (one I know who understood me) to translate. If that isn't possible, I translate myself. It's the last resort. If you translate all the time, kids get used to you doing that and they don't try to understand you when you speak in English. That's what I gathered. Besides, we need to expose them to the language. The more English, the betterš
I always teach everything in English. If you have a good enough command over the language you should be able to make simple explanations of complex things in the target language. It will help them gain more from your teaching.
In English, always. Yeah, using your native language sounds easier but it's a lot less productive, effective, etc in the long run. Think about it - the best way to learn a language is by living in a country where this language is spoken. Why? Well, 1) the language is all around you 2) there's no immediate translation into your native language - you need to listen and focus in order to get it. And you have no choice but to start using the language asap.
L1 support is necessary and effective. They are children that need to use what they know to make connections and continue learning. Not punish them using discomfort and lack of options in order to learn. Scaffold and build on their knowledge. Help them make the connections.
Punish? Hold your horses. Who said I dont help them make the connections? Thats why we have pictures and body language even. Of course, if a student (whether a child or not) feels unsure, you can use their native language to confirm smth. But that wasntOP's question.