Written Thursday, 17 July 2008
I re-started my English class when I got back from Guinea, with two new students: the village teacher and the park ranger, who are both Wolof speakers from Thies and are easily the most educated people in my village. Then today someone new asked to join: a Gambian man who knows some English ("I speak English small-small," he told me) but doesn't know French and is completely illiterate. So the total now is: two educated French/Wolof speakers, one semi-educated Mandinka/French speaker, one illiterate Pulaar speaker, and one illiterate Bambara/English speaker. To top it off, the Gambian man speaks really fast and mumbles, so I can barely understand his English (and I don't understand his Bambara at all, although he usually understands my Mandinka).
How in the world am I supposed to teach this class? I don't even know what language to teach it in anymore, to say nothing of coming up with lessons that are appropriate for everyone.
I re-started my English class when I got back from Guinea, with two new students: the village teacher and the park ranger, who are both Wolof speakers from Thies and are easily the most educated people in my village. Then today someone new asked to join: a Gambian man who knows some English ("I speak English small-small," he told me) but doesn't know French and is completely illiterate. So the total now is: two educated French/Wolof speakers, one semi-educated Mandinka/French speaker, one illiterate Pulaar speaker, and one illiterate Bambara/English speaker. To top it off, the Gambian man speaks really fast and mumbles, so I can barely understand his English (and I don't understand his Bambara at all, although he usually understands my Mandinka).
How in the world am I supposed to teach this class? I don't even know what language to teach it in anymore, to say nothing of coming up with lessons that are appropriate for everyone.
2 comments:
Does it make sense to teach the same lessons to everyone in small segments? For example, could you teach a couple students a new concept and have them practice speaking/writing for each other, while moving on to teach the same new concept to the next group? I am thinking of teaching musical instruments to a group of mixed instruments (clarinets in class with saxophone and oboe) and this is what I might try to do. Just a thought.
I spent 9 years in Velingara. Would any of your Senegalese friends like free copies of a paper in Pulaar? See http://soon.org.uk/fulani/free-papers.php
We mail them free of charge if specifically requested.
Thanks, Jane
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