Lynchburg City Schools

Dear Classroom Teacher:

CONGRATULATIONS!
You have a foreign language student in your class. This is a great opportunity for you to experience a different culture on a personal level. Have no fear, the student is probably more nervous about the situation than you are. The information on this LCS web site is for you and should help you deal with an LEP (Low English Proficiency) student in your classroom. I hope you will find this information and resources useful through out the year.

Quick “rules of thumb” to follow:

Be Patient

Don’t be afraid to give the student plenty of time to respond. It will take longer depending on what level he/she has reached in English. The student may have to translate everything you say in his/her head. So give the student time.

Be Careful how you Interpret Body Language

Try to keep in mind this child comes from another part of the world. He/She might do things differently. The student does not know the meaning of American hand gestures and may use them without knowing the implications. Don’t excuse disruptive behavior but be aware that it might be a cultural difference not disrespect. Eye contact and laughter are forms of body language that vary between cultures.

Treat the Student Like Everyone Else

Try to treat the student like the rest of the class. He/She may not always understand procedure but will often mimic the behavior of fellow classmates. The LEP student is very aware of his/her difference. Whatever you can do to get the fellow classmates to appreciate the cultural differences is great, but if you repeat directions for the LEP student repeat them for all the students.

Hopefully you will find the following helpful. If you have any questions feel free to contact the ESL staff. Together, we can help the ESL students of Lynchburg learn English.