English Only

1. English Only

2. What is English Only • A style of immersion • In the Korean Context • All classroom instruction takes place in English • All response takes place in English • All work is completed in English • All English all the time.

3. What Does that Mean • The teacher speaks English all the time • Students communicate with the teacher in English • Activities need to encourage the use of English as a communicative act • Communication should be encouraged not punished or limited

4. Is English Only the Best • Every environment is different • Assess your classroom • Do students spend more then 20% of the class time in groups or doing group work? • Do students spend more then 20% of the time engaging each other in conversation? • Does the content being learned easily lend itself to group activities that would involve students speaking in English? • If the answers are yes, English Only may be right for you.

5. English Only: When Not to… • There are times when English Only may not be necessary, consider the following: • Do students spend more then 50% of class time on a regular basis on work that requires little or no interaction with the teacher or with peers? • Do students focus primarily on silent writing and reading exercises? • Do students have little peer to peer interaction? • If the answer is yes, English Only may not be right for you.

6. Going English Only • You choose an English Only classroom. What do you need? • Policy • It must apply to everyone who enters the classroom. • It should be published and accessible by everyone who participates in the classroom • All teachers should adhere to the policy in your classroom • Be consistent, make sure all student understand the policy

7. Considerations • With an English only possible, think about how and when it is okay to break the rules • Are there times that students need to speak Korean? • What are acceptable uses of Korean? • How can Korean be limited but respected as a part of the classroom? • The learner is the most important person in the classroom. • Does an English only policy truly support you learner?

8. English Only Classroom Strategies

9. Teaching Practice • Effective English only classrooms requires supportive language teaching practices: • Presentation: • Providing a context for language • Introducing vocabulary, structures, and share language to learners • Providing scaffolding for successful lessons • Using share language • Using consistent, redundant and repetitive instructions to engage learners

10. Support English Only • Using a language teaching framework that supports English Only • Consider the framework • Consider student learning • Optimize your classroom to build language use and support learners who are trying to use English

11. Using Share Language • Depending on the activity and level of student ability, consider the use of share language: • Supports Discussion • Encourages English use • Provides Scaffolding for studnets

12. Provide Language • Don’t assume students will speak English just because it’s the policy. • Make language posters to make language access able • Provide students with scripts on worksheets or index cards • Use the white board for language reinforcement

13. Time • Time is precious for teachers and making posters and cards takes time. Don’t do it yourself! • You have a classroom full of helpers • Have students make poster, cards, signs, and worksheets once a week or once a month • Encourages student ownership of the policy • It’s fun break from routine

14. Sample Language • Here are some sample stems that might be excellent for posters in your environment:

15. Positive Reinforcement • Praise don’t punish • Negative reinforcements turns students away from English • Positive Environments encourage speaking • Distribute verbal praise for all attempts to speak English, even when it might not be perfect • Model correct English to promote language production, rather then correcting misuse of Korean

16. Teaching Strategies • Be prepared to teach English only • Find strategies and activities that all students can do in English • Graduate the difficulty of classroom activities to promote student success • Provide language necessary for specific tasks to allow all students to be successful • Make sure students understand how English is the focus of the activity

17. Other Policy Supporters • Don’t keep the policy in your classroom only • Put up signs outside the classroom • Reminds everyone your space is an English Space • Request acceptance from colleagues • Get colleagues on board with policy • Tell Administration • Let administration know about the policy.

18. English Only Final thoughts

19. English Only • There is no best practice for you classroom, your classroom practice the best for you! • Choose what works and be consistent • If it’s your policy, stick to it all the time • Support your students • Give them tools to be successful • Be creative • Find ways that make it work for you • A creative and flexible English classroom will always be more successful then on that is to rigid

20. Questions • sldavila@gmail.com • Visit Online: http://www.saradavila.com • Copy of this presentation and others at: http://www.saradavila.com/english

21. Points System • Use a points system to encourage English • Incorporates natural competitiveness in a positive way • Only provide points for speaking in English • Do not take away points for speaking Korean • Reward points loudly and noticeably • Have students keep track of points on a long term basis • Provide rewards for points over time, not immediately • Remember, at some time everyone should be a winner