Friday, September 4, 2015

What's in a Name?

Imagine two different scenarios. 1) You’re new to your job, and your boss keeps butchering your name. You finally give up correcting him and just answer anytime he says anything close to your name. 2) Your unique name isn’t easy to spell, and sometimes people pronounce it wrong, too. However, your new neighbor keeps asking repeatedly until she gets it right. The next time she sees you, it takes her a minute, but she remembers how to say your name correctly. Which situation makes you feel more welcomed and accepted?

While it’s true that many English Learners (ELs) have names that are difficult for native English speakers to pronounce, that doesn’t mean teachers shouldn’t put effort into learning how to say their names. Take for example a program at the University of Iowa’s College of Business where professors are being taught how to pronounce the names of their Chinese students. (Scroll all the way down in the site for some audio clips demonstrating proper pronunciation of Chinese names.) How much more welcoming and engaging is a classroom where the teacher knows how to say a student’s name correctly? Or consider the situation of one Burmese student whose name was incorrectly recorded on her documents, effectively changing her name and altering her identity.

Sometimes ELs are uncomfortable correcting teachers who mispronounce their names, so be diligent in asking if you’re saying it correctly. See the tips in Teachers' Strategies for Pronouncing and Remembering Students' Names Correctly for some practical advice (and also research about why it matters). Another common problem occurs when teachers are not aware of which name (or part of the name) to use for a student. Sometimes teachers ask about a student and confusion arises because different names are being used in different classes for the same student. ESL teachers can often help you with which name to use and how to pronounce it.

Some ELs will elect to use an American nickname. While we should honor the family’s decision about what name to use, we can certainly encourage greater understanding about names and their cultural significance in our classrooms. Consider this sample lesson for elementary students. For more information about naming traditions in different cultures, read Judie Haynes’ blog post, 7 Naming Customs from Around the World
. And of course, you can always ask students (and their parents) to tell about what their names mean. They often appreciate you taking the time to ask!

For resources about honoring students' names, take the My Name, My Identity pledge and check out REL Northwest's reference guide, Getting It Right. Hear Names is another site where you can search for the pronunciation of names by gender and origin (e.g. Vietnamese boy names, girl names, and surnames). Colorin Colorado's post about NameCoach is another great resource.

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