Shortest Pencils, First-Gen Students and English: Teaching in Kathmandu

Every Friday for the last two years, I have been teaching English as a language rather than a subject that needs to be studied in a public school in Kathmandu.

But if you were to ask me, “Can they speak English fluently now?”

My answer would be, “Not really. But they are trying their best and so am I.”

A majority of students in public schools are first-generation students. Globally, first-generation students are those whose parents didn’t complete a four-year college or university degree. In Nepal, first-generation students are those whose parents haven’t completed high school or even attended school at all.

I am a first-generation student and so are my students.

My students come from the lowest income families and their parents make a living for their entire households through daily wages: working at construction sites, driving rickshaws, and selling vegetables among others. The parents understand the importance of education and send their children to school.

Sending children to school definitely comes with a price for these parents. While the monthly tuition fees are taken care for by the government, the recurring cost of pencils, erasers, and copies definitely adds up.

Many times, students come to school with pencils shorter than the palm of their tiny hands.

Yet they still show up with the same energy to learn and play every single day.

Learning isn’t always exciting. Especially when you move from big, colorful pictures to tiny repetitive texts with a few pictures here and there. So, when I teach I try to make it as fun as possible.

More importantly, I listen. Listening has helped me the most.

I listen to what my students want to do and adjust accordingly. It largely depends on their interests and energy levels for the day. With the bigger goal of learning in mind, the daily plans aren’t as rigid.

Of all the things I have tried: charades, and word games work like magic. Spellings are learned more easily and charades keep the students talking. With charades too, we started with shy mumbles, then a few words, and then came full sentences.

Jumbled words are a hit. But, the showstopper? It has to be rhymes! Even the quietest students smile brightly and sing at the top of their lungs. They act them out too. I believe their favorite one is, “Five little ducks”.

When it comes to introductions, I’d say, it’s a work in progress. While some can introduce themselves very well, others are still figuring out their subject, verbs, and objects.

On the other hand, learning English through drama is a little chaotic. Everyone wants a role, and everyone wants to act. All at the same time! So, managing a class of 26-30 students gets a little dramatic.

But we manage.

So, if you were to ask me, “Can your students speak English fluently now?” I’d say, “Not really.”

But, I’d also add, “They show up, with the shortest pencils you’ve seen and with the courage to try again and again.”