How to Speak ESL:
Communicating Clearly with ESL Students
University of California, Irvine Extension
English & Certificates for Internationals
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Introduction
While you’re working at ECI, you may be asked to talk to groups of
ESL students. This could include giving Statement of Understanding
or Intention Form talks, or perhaps giving instructions or explaining
procedures during registration.
It is extremely important for students to understand the information
that you give them in these situations. However, this information
does not always come through clearly and accurately. After all, many
students’ English ability is at a low level. (That’s why they’re here!)
Even students whose English is at a higher level overall may not have
strong listening skills, and they will probably be unfamiliar with
many features of casual, spoken English.
The purpose of this presentation is to share tips about how to
communicate understandably to an audience of ESL students,
particularly those at lower levels.
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Overview
We’re going to look at:
•Effective use of language
• Vocabulary
• Idioms and slang
•Grammatical structures
•Effective delivery
• Volume, speed and pauses
• Body language
• Pronunciation
• Helping students understand
•Learning to think like a teacher
• Giving instructions effectively
• Checking for understanding
Click on any of the titles above to jump to that topic.
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Effective use of language
First, you need to be aware of the language that you use. Vocabulary,
idioms, grammar, pronunciation—these are things we don’t pay
attention to most of the time. We don’t need to. They’re automatic.
But as you talk to ESL students, you have a responsibility to use
language that is as understandable as possible. The first step in
doing this is to become aware of the way you speak. This awareness
will help you adjust the language you use so you can be understood
more easily.
Let’s look at:
• Vocabulary
• Idioms and slang
• Grammatical structures
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Vocabulary
Naturally, we want to use “easy” words that students are likely to
understand. Sometimes it’s obvious which are the easier words—
“big” is easier than “enormous”; “talkative” is easier than
“loquacious.” But sometimes what’s easiest for you is not easy for
students.
Most students are more familiar with “textbook vocabulary”—the
standard, somewhat formal words found in typical English books.
They’ll be less familiar with words that are used mostly in casual
speech, like “you guys” or “stuff.”
Be careful of words that have multiple meanings. For example, “It’s
hard” may seem simpler than “It’s difficult” because the word is
shorter, but for an ESL student, “difficult” may be easier to
understand because it’s not ambiguous.
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Vocabulary
Be careful of terms that are used in odd ways at ECI. Often new
students are told to go “upstairs” to get from the ESL Office to the
classrooms. This leads to some confusion when students see only
one-story buildings around them. “Up the hill” may also be confusing
if students don’t know which hill you’re talking about or how to get
there. If you find yourself using these terms, make sure students
understand what they mean; explain them if necessary.
It’s helpful to write key vocabulary on the board. Spoken words are
gone in a fraction of a second; written words stay put so students can
take a good, long look, copy them down, and look them up in a
dictionary if necessary.
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Vocabulary
Sometimes we can’t avoid using words that might be unfamiliar to
students. When you need to use unfamiliar words, be aware of these
and explain their meaning by paraphrasing and giving examples.
For example, Statement of Understanding talks include a warning
against plagiarism–definitely a “hard” word. But students will
understand better if you write “plagiarism” on the board and explain
that it means copying someone else’s work or copying words from a
book or the Internet. You could illustrate further by acting–pretend
to be someone copying from someone else’s paper or looking at a
computer screen and then writing down the words.
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Idioms and slang
In the same way, avoid idioms and slang that are usually unfamiliar to
ESL students. The meanings of many idioms are impossible to
predict, even if a student knows each of the simple words that make
them up. For example, if students hear “It’s a piece of cake,” they may
imagine dessert rather than something that’s very easy. Similarly,
students can’t guess the meaning of “It’s up to you” from the
meanings of its parts. “You can decide” has a better chance of getting
the idea across.
Two-word verbs (get up, fill out, turn in, etc.) can also be hard to
understand. Be aware of these and rephrase or demonstrate their
meaning. “Give your paper to me” is easier to understand than “Turn
in your paper.”
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Grammatical structures
Try to simplify the grammatical structures that you use. Avoid long
or grammatically complex sentences. You should still use complete
sentences; just make sure they fit the range of language most ESL
students have learned.
For example, “Now look at page 2” is very simple, but “Now, what I
want you to do next is I want you to turn over the paper and look at
the back side” is unnecessarily complicated.
Think of this as “pruning” your speech. Gardeners prune out weaker,
unnecessary branches to make a tree stronger: in the same way, you
should cut out unnecessary words and tangled structures to make
your speech simple and strong.
(If you’d like guidance on which grammatical structures are the
“trouble-makers,” feel free to ask any of the ESL teachers.)
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Effective delivery
Next, you need to think about how you deliver your message. The
way you speak, the way you stand, even the way you write on the
board–all these are very important in keeping students’ attention
and making your message understandable.
Let’s look at:
• Volume, speed and pauses
• Pronunciation
• Body language
• Helping students understand
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Volume, speed and pauses
Your voice can be a powerful communication tool. Learn to use it
consciously and effectively. Slow down a bit, even if it seems unnatural
at first. Speak more clearly than you would in ordinary conversation.
Talk loudly enough to be heard easily, but don’t shout.
Use pauses and variations in speed and intonation to make important
points stand out. Pausing for a few seconds between important points
helps listeners realize that you’re moving on to a new point. It also
gives them a chance to “catch up” and process what they’ve heard. This
is especially important for lower level students.
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Pronunciation
Most ESL students who are new to the U.S. are not used to typical,
casual American pronunciation. Depending on where they learned
English, they may not have heard much spoken English at all, or only
the careful, slow speech in the recordings that went along with their
textbooks.
To help students understand what you’re saying, use more careful
and distinct pronunciation than usual. It may feel unnatural to you,
but it will help get your message through.
Avoid using overly contracted forms. For example, “Whatcha doin’?” is
much harder to understand than “What are you doing?”
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Body language
Your eyes and facial expression are also powerful communication
tools. Strong eye contact helps keep students’ attention focused on
you. Look at each person in the room for a few seconds at a time. Be
sure you make contact with every student. Smile.
Positive body language also helps keep students’ attention. Stand up
straight, and don’t lean on the whiteboard or a chair. Be aware of the
gestures you’re using. They should support your message, not detract
from it. Your body language should convey confidence.
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Help students understand.
Spoken words tend to go in one ear and out the other. To help
students catch your meaning, write key words and information on the
whiteboard. If students really need to know and remember
something, write it on the board, even if the information is also on a
handout.
Write neatly, preferably in printing. For ESL students whose native
language doesn’t use the Roman alphabet, variations in handwriting
can be hard to decipher. Arrange your notes logically on the board.
Avoid using abbreviations that students may not be familiar with. It’s
better to write out complete words, even if it takes longer.
Use gestures, facial expressions, diagrams, and actions to support
students’ understanding of what you’re telling them.
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Think like a teacher.
When you stand in front of a class, you’re not just a student anymore;
you assume a role of authority. Here are some “teacher tips” to help
you in that role.
Get the attention of everyone in the class before you start talking.
Think ahead of time about how you’ll get attention. What will you say?
What will you do if students don’t immediately pay attention? It really
pays to take a few extra seconds and get everyone to look at you before
you start to talk.
When you’re explaining important information, if you find yourself
shouting to be heard over students’ talking, stop and get attention
before you go on. It is not OK for students to talk while you’re
explaining something important to them.
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Give instructions effectively.
Give instructions simply and clearly. Think ahead of time about what
students need to do, and plan how you can explain this in easy steps.
Give instructions one step at a time. Give students time to do one thing
before you explain the next.
Don’t assume that students already know what to do or that they can
figure it out on their own. Nobody can read your mind. You need to tell
them clearly and specifically what to do, even if it seems obvious to
you.
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Check for understanding.
When you ask students if they have any questions, wait a long time for
an answer. (Counting to ten is good.) Watch students’ faces for puzzled
or blank looks. Even if they nod and say they understand, it doesn’t
necessarily mean they do. Check their understanding by asking them
questions about what you’ve said and by watching to make sure that
they’re doing what they should.
You may sometimes think, “Of course they know this. I just told them.”
But the sad truth is that explaining something often doesn’t mean that
the message got through. If students seem confused, repeat the main
points patiently. Rephrase them more simply.
If someone asks a question that you’ve just answered for someone
else, don’t get upset. This happens every time, guaranteed. Just repeat
the information patiently without making the student feel foolish.
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Practice makes perfect.
For practice…
• Record yourself giving instructions or explanations and listen
to the recording. How would it sound to you if you were an ESL
student?
• Ask a friend to be the audience for your practice presentation.
It helps to have a second pair of ears.
• To become more aware of the grammar and vocabulary that
you use, record and transcribe your presentation. Share the
recording or the transcription with an ESL teacher if you’d like
comments or advice.
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Thank you for your attention!
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