Comments on: Yeah? OK? Or how to improve children’s understanding and behaviour. With help from Georgie Fame, Roxy Music and a talking sheep!

By: Julie Barton

Julie Barton — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 21:03:33 +0000

Michael,

In the U.S., teachers avoid saying “no” to young children. In fact, many parents specifically ask teachers not to say “no” to their children. So, we began saying “no,thank you” because it seemed a more polite and gentler way to communicate with young children. In my experience, the command worked briefly; however, the child usually repeated the behavior later in the day. At a training I attended recently, the presenter explained to us that a young child will interpret “no, thank you” as meaning “It’s okay to do it, just not right now.” What a revelation! I am trying to remove that phrase from my classroom vocabulary.

Julie

By: Michael Jones

Michael Jones — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 12:14:54 +0000

Thank you Elly
I know I am most aware of what words I use when I am tutoring children individually , and explaining things like maths ideas. I have a tendency to say, ‘yeh?’ a lot. Sometimes it means ‘do you understand’ and sometimes it means nothing! This can be confusing. Secondary teachers do this a lot when explaining things, but rather than use it as a way of pausing to check that everyone has understood, they just go marching on!
I’m not trying to make people paranoid, but it’s good to listen to ourselves sometimes when students/children are not understanding. people with Asperger’s get really confused by all the extra bits we add in to our language.
Best wishes
Michael
Hope you don’t give yourself too many bruises!

By: Elly Foster

Elly Foster — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 10:45:01 +0000

Hi Michael

That was so brilliant. I shall be noticing every word I say this week and kick myself under the desk when I hear myself saying the ‘wrong’ thing. I wonder how bruised my leg will be at the end of the week.

Elly