I teach Literacy and CLB 1. Pictures can help students understand, but I have found that having a speaker and audio version of the students’ language is also very useful. So, I purchased a portable speaker a few months ago. It’s about the size of your hand, and I use it in the classroom. I connect to it using the Bluetooth on my iPhone. I use Google Translate and for words that students don’t understand, I translate them into their language and play them through the speaker. When they hear it in their language they smile, because now they understand.
At the beginning of the school year, I note what language the students speak, and I search in Google Translate to make sure I can find it. I think it’s a way to connect with students and keep them engaged. It also to better serve all the students in the class. For example, I understand Italian which means I can also understand some Spanish, and I may do better teaching Spanish students because I recognize their words. However, I don’t have this advantage with other languages. So, this gives me a way to connect with diverse learners.
The nice thing about the portable speaker is that the students can put it on their desk so they can hear their language more clearly. It also works in reverse. For example, when I am teaching a new word or phrase in English, I type it into Google Translate and play it through the speaker. The nice thing about Google Translate is when you play words or phrases a second time, it slows down the speech. Also, with the portable speaker it is so small that they can pick it up and put it close to their ear to really hear each sound. As teachers, we speak all day and yes, we can repeat the word or phrase, however this feature allows students to hear a different voice. Technology can support both teachers and students in the classroom.
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