Table of Contents
Introduction
Language is a necessary instrument for expressing feelings and explaining facts in a structured manner. It is a gift that aids in the opening of our minds to the knowledge that surrounds us, allowing us to comprehend, evaluate, and analyze data. Words, gestures, symbols, signs, and even noises are used to express ideas and thoughts from one person to another. The phrase “language barrier” refers to the difficulties that a person or a group encounters when communicating. It’s also known as a linguistic barrier since it occurs when individuals speak different dialects or languages.
In the lack of a common language, the phrase “language barrier” refers to the inability of two or more individuals to communicate with one another.
There are many languages spoken across the world, and some are particularly popular, such as English, Chinese, Urdu, French, and Hindi. English is a widespread language that is spoken and understood by many people throughout the world. Languages are used by speakers to share important information that will be useful in their personal and professional lives.
7 Tips for Teachers When a New Student Has Language Barriers
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Assign a pupil to a knowledgeable friend:
Being a new student in school might be isolating. Being unable to locate anything may be unpleasant or embarrassing, even if you just know a few individuals. These difficulties are amplified for children who struggle with English.
As new ELL students begin school, match them with pals who are familiar with the campus. Buddy students should ideally (but not necessarily) be more competent or former ELL students. They can not only work as tour guides, but they can also act as mentors amid the inevitable hardships that each new student would face.
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Learn and demonstrate how to pronounce the student’s name correctly:
Our names are the key to gaining entry to the community and feeling a sense of belonging. Because the new student may have come from an area where everyone knew how to pronounce their name by heart, mispronouncing it serves as another further message that they are an outsider.
English learners are frequently ready to accept their classmates’ pronunciation of their name, generally with the phrase “near enough.” That attitude must not be tolerated. Place the new student in front of you and have them teach you how to pronounce their name until you’ve mastered it. Then, for the rest of the class, model that pronunciation. It may take some time, especially for younger students, but the effort will be off once the new student feels welcomed into the group.
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Visual aids aren’t simply for classroom use:
For good reason, visuals are a key component of ELL programs. The difficulty is that teachers forget about those tactics when discussing other areas of their classroom, such as lunch protocols, dismissal processes, pencil-sharpening procedures, and so on. If ELL children arrive in the middle of the year, after you’ve spent the first week or two modelling them for the other students, these aspects of classroom culture are much more difficult for them to grasp.
Instead, begin the year with visual posters that explain appropriate classroom processes and customs to pupils. That way, if an ELL kid arrives in the middle of the year, they will be able to blend in with the rest of the class.
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Allow them time to educate the rest of us:
Everyone who comes into touch with ELL kids gains access to a wealth of cultural information. However, being swamped with inquiries might put them under a lot of stress. Instead, let the student know that they are welcome to give a presentation to the class on their language, culture, and customs when they are ready. It can help you avoid a lot of unpleasant question-and-answer situations.
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Make a linguistic inventory of the employees:
This ELL inflow, as noted in the introduction, is affecting every state in the country. A school’s faculty, on the other hand, consists of dozens (if not hundreds) of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Conduct a staff inventory to identify all of the varied foreign language proficiency levels that exist on campus. Everyone, including housekeeping and catering staff, should be surveyed. During student or parent contacts, even poor or rusty language abilities might be useful for translation. Some of these employees will prove to be game-changers for students as mentors.
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Don’t wait for the pupil to request assistance:
Language barriers may make anybody hesitant, but this is especially true for pupils seeking to establish a connection with their instructor (s). Add in the fact that instructors in some Spanish-speaking societies are revered in ways that American teachers aren’t used to, and you’ve got a recipe for pupils sitting quietly—even if they’re suffering.
That implies the instructor is the one who must contact the student. Don’t wait for him or her to request assistance. Check-in on a regular basis. Or, even better, have the student sit beside you for the first few weeks so you can monitor their development without bothering them.
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Bilingually label the things in the room:
Labelling classroom items, on the other hand, may save an ELL student a lot of stress and shame. They might just refer to the thing instead of searching for a “pencil sharpener.” This not only helps students understand classroom processes, but it may also help them improve their communication skills.
Language Barriers in Different Forms
People speaking languages native to different places have already been given the most obvious example of a language barrier. There are, however, more subtle forms of linguistic obstacles. Your industry or skill set, for example, may use a lot of jargon or technical terminology. A lot might be lost in translation when you’re communicating with folks outside your business, or even outside your department.
Dialects are another example of a linguistic barrier. Although people may speak the same language, dialectical differences can lead to misunderstandings and communication barriers. India, for example, has over 720 dialects and over 22 main languages written in 13 distinct scripts. There’s a lot of space for language blunders here!
Language difficulties are the last example to be mindful of. Many people struggle with physical language barriers including stuttering, dysphonia, and hearing loss. These have no impact on a person’s capacity to comprehend and perform their work, but they might make communication more difficult.
Also read: Tips to Improve Vocabulary
FAQs
Question 1: How can teachers assist students who are experiencing linguistic barriers?
Answer 1: Slowly and clearly speak. Allow time for the students to process what has been spoken. Allow lots of “wait time” before and after asking questions, as well as while waiting for responses. Wherever possible, use specific examples.
Question 2: How could you, as a student, overcome communication barriers?
Answer 2: Out of fear or humiliation, students frequently shut down and isolate themselves. Individual education plans for difficult kids, as well as consultations with special education instructors, parents, and counsellors, may often breakthrough this communication barrier.
Question 3: What are the difficulties in learning a language?
Answer 3: There are five major issues that arise while attempting to learn a language, regardless of your circumstances in life. Grammar, vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and diction are just a few of the hurdles.
Question 4: Why is language such a stumbling block to efficient communication?
Answer 4: When several words have many meanings and a sender and receiver try to communicate in a language that they do not comprehend, linguistic or semantic obstacles occur. As a result, communication is not always effective.
