Interview with a colleague
Interview Prep:
Questions:
- How is your experience teaching in multilingual classroom?
- What are the main aspects of the course that you think the students are struggling the most?
- Are there any concerns and worries you have teaching in a multilingual classroom mainly students that English is not their first language?
- Ho do you manage with communication and understanding within class?
- How do you support students that are struggling with language and understanding?
- Any other observations?
After interview observations:
This was a really interesting interview as it felt more like a conversation which gave me a different perspective. I have to note that the participant’s first language is English.
When I asked the first question the answer was a straightforward ‘Challenging’. The main points were around expectations we have from the students and that the language we use in class might not accessible.
There’s an expectation that students coming to study in HE already know and understand concepts such as independent study and reflective writing. The participant mentioned that we need to consider their learning backgrounds and how they come from educational systems that might not allowed them to explore the creative practice and the process and development of a creative project.
Another interesting point mentioned in the interview is that we have to adapt and rethink the language that we use and avoid phrases and colloquialisms that students from different backgrounds might not understand or even take something literally instead of metaphorical.
The participant mentioned at the end that the way that we teach and the language that we use needs to be flexible and adaptable to individual student. We also need to understand that a lot of the students are leaving the home for the first time, travelling far away from home which will affect their confidence and worry more about what they say and how.
My observation is that language as such as is not the main problem but more the circumstances and environments that put barriers. Students need to have a safe space and a sense of belonging to be able to flourish and feel comfortable to explore with no judgement.