In a linguistically isolated household, no one over the age of 14 speaks English comfortably. In these households, the family mainly speaks in their native language.This post explains the force of linguistic isolation and how tutors may never be able to get their students to speak English at home.
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| From: http://www.co.shasta.ca.us/ |
In a so-called linguistically isolated household, the learner doesn't speak English at home. For example, the mother doesn't use English to discipline her children, talk to her spouse, etc. Often a spouse, or more unfortunately a child, translates when English is necessary: working with teachers at school, talking to doctors, paying bills, or going to the bank. As a result, those family members who don't speak English have a way to avoid having to speak it. They can communicate within the family just fine in their native language.
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| From: http://www.gograph.com/ |
Many students also find themselves in a sort of linguistic isolation within the community. I've spent a lot of time working and volunteering in Framingham, where there is a large Spanish speaking community. At the store I worked at, many customers only spoke Spanish and so we always had people on hand who could help translate. I had the same experience at the bilingual school I volunteered at - everyone working there could speak to parents in Spanish if they didn't know enough English. English learners in these communities are even more sheltered from having to speak in English, because they are also able to participate in a community outside of their immediate family without English.
Just because a student wants to learn English doesn't mean they will immediately work English into their everyday life. It is important to remember that a mother may never feel comfortable parenting her child in a language that isn't her own.
Understanding your learner's home situation will help you understand how best to tutor them. Since it may be difficult for your learner to practice English at home, take your student to coffee, a store, or the bank and have your student do the talking (read my next post to learn how to work this into your tutoring lessons).
Happy Tutoring!
Natalie Howard
Washington University in St. Louis, Class of 2017
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
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