Teaching: correcting a colleague's English

LegacyUser

I know many people will recoil at this criticism, but from where I'm sitting this should be a simple matter of professionalism. The Teaching forum on Boards doesn't allow anonymous posting so hopefully somebody here might be able to help. I'm a senior teacher in an academic school. Having good English is very important in this subject.

A new, younger teacher has been hired whose English is noticeably poor. This teacher got their degree through one of the access programmes to university for students from a deprived area. Fair enough. No problems there; I actually think it's great.

However, there seems to have been zero evolution in their ability to speak good English as a result of university education. More specifically, the recurrent "I seen...", "He done...", '...them people', and so on. As both a role model for the students and as a representative of the subject and school this makes me cringe each time. They're supposed to be setting a high standard for the students but they're speaking like somebody who is either not educated enough or who is too lazy to learn how to speak basic English properly.
Because they're unaware that their grammar is awful, they don't realise that everybody else here is seeing them "differently" - as in, 'How did they get through the interview process?'. I wouldn't mind in the slightest if they were working in a factory or something but as an educator in an English-dependent subject, I don't think this is an acceptable standard in this specific environment.

I'd like to discreetly help this person sharpen this aspect of their presentation by giving gentle corrections when we're discussing things together (I'd never do it if somebody else were there). I'm a born teacher so I'd relish explaining, in a respectful manner of course, why certain things are incorrect. They would look much better professionally by improving on this issue, and everybody would save face. I think most of us can privately acknowledge that.

Is it possible to help this native speaker of English improve their English without causing offence? I don't even know if there would be a CPD covering this sort of thing that the school could pay for. Or should I just say nothing and let this travesty continue in ignorance?

username idea

This is an old thread I know.
I know you are writing from a place of honesty can't help but feel very sorry for your colleague. It's not nice to think that people would view them negatively based on the way they speak, especially if it's linked to where they are from. There are so many aspects to being a good teacher apart from grammar. Also, the world is full of different types of people. Is it not better that the students meet people of differing accents?
I don't think it's your place to correct them. How would you know that this was how others viewed your colleague? Perhaps it's only your private opinion.
My advice would be to keep this judgement to yourself.

ELM327

Teachers should speak correct English, otherwise what is the point.
One would question how that person received a post, and if they should retain said post.

username idea

ELM327 wrote: »

Teachers should speak correct English, otherwise what is the point.
One would question how that person received a post, and if they should retain said post.

I just feel that it could ruin this teacher's confidence to be corrected and, apart from that, I don't think the OP will come across well in correcting them- even in a one to one situation. It could be perceived badly by the colleague being corrected.
Also, not everybody has had the advantage of growing up in certain areas as regards accents and language use so to take up a teacher on their grammar might be slightly elitist. There are a lot of different aspects to being a good communicator which have little to do with grammar.

antix80

It's not op's place.

Mrs OBumble

The head of department should be addressing the problem.

splinter65

username idea wrote: »

This is an old thread I know.
I know you are writing from a place of honesty can't help but feel very sorry for your colleague. It's not nice to think that people would view them negatively based on the way they speak, especially if it's linked to where they are from. There are so many aspects to being a good teacher apart from grammar. Also, the world is full of different types of people. Is it not better that the students meet people of differing accents?
I don't think it's your place to correct them. How would you know that this was how others viewed your colleague? Perhaps it's only your private opinion.
My advice would be to keep this judgement to yourself.

A high standard of grammar, good vocabulary and good diction, a good awareness of general knowledge and current affairs.
These are the very basics a teacher needs. I would have thought it was a given?

username idea

Yes perhaps, I just feel that the poor colleague who is considered to have bad grammar would be quite hurt and offended, should they be taken up on the issue. I can understand that their role has certain requirements but it is nevertheless a very hard situation.

leitrim4life

What's an "academic school"?

Postgrad10

I’ve never heard of an Access programme awarding a degree. More than likely they got a degree from a University or College just like you did. I doubt it’s your intention but this reeks of snobbery.

To answer your question, the only thing you should be focusing on is your own teaching. The interview panel heard the teachers English at interview and they had no problems in hiring the professional for the teaching position.

sabat

Postgrad10 wrote: »

I’ve never heard of an Access programme awarding a degree. More than likely they got a degree from a University or College just like you did. I doubt it’s your intention but this reeks of snobbery.

http://www.ancosan.ie/higher-education.php

Postgrad10

leitrim4life wrote: »

What's an "academic school"?

Supposedly a more academically focused school.

I don’t agree with that. All schools are academic schools, wanting their students to reach their full potential.

Postgrad10

sabat wrote: »

Postgrad10 wrote: »

I’ve never heard of an Access programme awarding a degree. More than likely they got a degree from a University or College just like you did. I doubt it’s your intention but this reeks of snobbery.

http://www.ancosan.ie/higher-education.php

Fully aware of what the Access programme is. They are not an awarding body.

Hobosan

The students ability to speak 'correctly' will not be effected.

People's accent and diction generally crystallise at a very young age. From there, independent reading/writing and peer group will determine their style and standard.

That a teacher hasn't noticed this ubiquitous process is astounding.

If the teacher is incompetent, that's another matter, and nothing you've said indicates this.

Approaching an adult (a teacher of an 'academic' school no less) to offer English lessons is a terrible idea. In fact, I believe that people with such poor ideas will be detrimental to the students they're teaching... I'd be happy to teach you how to think correctly in order to produce good ideas! Do you see what I'm getting at here?

username idea

Hobosan wrote: »

The students ability to speak 'correctly' will not be effected.

People's accent and diction generally crystallise at a very young age. From there, independent reading/writing and peer group will determine their style and standard.

That a teacher hasn't noticed this ubiquitous process is astounding.

If the teacher is incompetent, that's another matter, and nothing you've said indicates this.

Approaching an adult (a teacher of an 'academic' school no less) to offer English lessons is a terrible idea. In fact, I believe that people with such poor ideas will be detrimental to the students they're teaching... I'd be happy to teach you how to think correctly in order to produce good ideas! Do you see what I'm getting at here?

This is basically exactly what I think but failed to express as clearly. I can't help but think of this poor teacher being treated like Eliza Doolittle ... taught to enunciate properly to fit into their surroundings...

rock22

Hobosan wrote: »

The students ability to speak 'correctly' will not be effected.

or even affected

charlietheminxx

It would be entirely inappropriate to correct them. Also, their diction can be completely different from their written English (I know mine is), which is the subject they are teaching.