[noriko]

Karen,

You're right. I speak my students' first language. I just said "Being kind and helpful is better than being number one (with a smiling face)," in Japanese. But I believe, even without words, if you model good behavior and relate to them in kindness and consideration, the children will taste for themselves what is good and what is badin you. And some will start to imitate you, even the little ones like the pre-schoolers.

The problem with being able to speak their first language is they can act before me like they would before their mother. Or if it is with older ones, they can start treating me as one of their friends and I have to pay extra efforts to ditch out a line to keep my position as a teacher, if I am not careful.

I have another class whose students are first grader boys and they were really unruly at first. One time, I couldn't just be kind and considerate, but had to show a strong displeasure for their particular behavior (it was their contemptuousness). I did it in the way obvious enough to make my point, and it wasn't words, but my attitude, that communicated to them. So, now, they won't act contemptuously at least in my class for anything. Actions speak louder than words, sometimes. Don't worry about what kind of language you use. There are many ways to communicate, right?

Mark,

You wrote, in your message #11,
"These can be literally races with everyone racing to one side of the room to get the cards. Then coming back and saying or asking something using the card. Then the next person would head off for the next card."

Are there any specific games you are mentioning here besides the timed flash card game? It sounds that way....

Thank you for sharing with me your activities. I hope I can share mine with you, too, soon.

Noriko