TA speaks in a different language to some of the parents

[bunchoftulipsanddaffs]

Some of the parents at school are grumbling that the TA in our class speaks to parents in her/their first language rather than English. I am confused about why they think this is wrong (except of course everyone can understand what she is saying when she is speaking English and most of us can’t when she is not).

Could I have your thoughts please? There is talk of making a complaint and I’d like to hear views.

That’s different. I would expect a TA to do well the work she is paid to do. But I also expect the same if the English native speaker teacher or nursery nurse who is unable to stop saying “we was” instead of “I was” or “we were”. That in my opinion is as damaging to my little one’s language and far more regularly found.

Once when she told parents that something was voluntary and it was not, it was a school rule. Another time when she corrected a child’s grammar incorrectly (to do with plurals)

In fairness communication at schools is shocking. The amount of mis information that comes home is unbelievable. Between multiple emails messages and even going through the child it would appear still that every parent has a different grasp of what's actually been said.

As for poor grammar etc well it shouldnt take long to search Mn for multiple accounts of spelling mistakes in news letters. Wrong answers in homework etc

I think that is symptomatic of alot of schools and extremely poor communication and staff not being properly briefed on whats going on.

Between texts , emails, Twitter, web site, etc never has ot been so easy to.reach patents. Yet never has it gone so bloody wrong..

Well they’d have a field day with one of my daughters in law. She’s a TA who speaks 5 languages.

The parents complaining about their child’s TA would have a complex if she worked with their children.

Why don’t you write a little bit of complimentary feedback about this to counter any complaint?

These complaining parents would probably complain if they were living abroad and school staff did not speak English to them...

EvaHarknessRose

This is why I’m gathering opinions 😊

It does bother me when teachers don’t have a perfect grasp of the English language, however I have found that people who speak English as a second language often have a better grasp of the language than native speakers!

I didn’t do nothing
I seen that
I done that

All phrases regularly uttered by my highly educated colleagues!!

What the complainers are really saying is that they want to be able to eavesdrop on private conversations, which they are, of course, wrong to want. I think some people can be paranoid about what others say behind their backs, or in front of their faces if they don't understand the language.

On speaking to parents, it is fantastic if the TA can communicate effectively with parents who speak English as well as parents who speak another language. The most important thing is that the parents understand what is going on with their child. I would find it very frightening not to be able to understand what was happening in my daughter’s world.

Ideally the parents would also be learning English to help their child with homework’s etc. But this isn’t not the schools responsibility.

There is a big difference between understanding grammar and the English language, and the local vernacular, some of which will not be "correct"

Bloody hell is this school in Royston Vasey?

The moaning parents sound unhinged.

No they don't. There is a grey area, away from middle class bubbles. There is a case for pointing out that if people choose to come to this country, they should be integrating with our customs and so on. That includes learning our language, not expecting people here to take on theirs. Otherwise it is no longer our country. We are getting people coming here demanding that we change our customs to suit theirs, and whole generations of 'traditional communities' are establishing themselves. It is proving particularly incompatible with women's rights in some cases for instance.

The one big issue I've always had with the EU is the emphasis on finding a common currency while insufficient attention has been paid to the need to have a common language that we can all learn and use in addition to our own.

There's always one - or more in this case. Are you always xenophobic OP?

Does anyone else here see a link between the twin calls of xenophobia and transphobia?

polarpig

I work at a school where parents are talking about complaining via me about the language of a TA and you say that makes me xenophobic.

You have made a complete fool of yourself! Well done 😂

My view? They'll be known as The Racist Parents all the way to Year 6/11/13, depending on what age range the school takes. And afterwards.

If the TA finds out about the complaint, she'll know that the lovely children in her class have awful parents.

There are never complaints made about a white English staff member being able to speak to parents in their home language/whatever language they are most fluent in for day to day stuff (we've been fortunate enough to have a number of multilingual staff members working here). It's apparently OK for them to speak in French/Spanish/Italian/Polish/Russian/Portuguese/Romanian/German/etc and shows how 'clever' they are.

I'd back away from the situation now. Let them show their true colours to the Head and other staff before they start complaining that their kids are learning about Islam during RE.

dangermouse Really?? You are going to try and make THIS thread into a trans one?

I think some people ought to read the thread. Or even the OP!

"Otherwise it is no longer our country"

Bloody hell, do people really still think like this?

MitziK

Very good point!

No, claire, my point was that name-calling is being used to shut down a debate in both areas. God forbid that anyone might want to try and think rather than conform to upper middle class ways of thinking. I find it interesting how those who are the most vocal about how others should see different perspectives are in fact remarkably slow to see or value those of poorer people born here.

At our (Ofsted outstanding), the head tries to make sure there is at least one member of staff who speaks any language represented in the student body.

This means any student who needs support can be sure they are properly heard. It also means the teachers can communicate with parents without having to get the children to interpret (which would often be inappropriate). It makes parents feel more able to approach the school with any concerns.

There is always strong competition to get staff places at the school - that means the head can increase standards.

Why would anyone object to this?

So some parents in your school are annoyed because other parents and a TA have private conversations in a language other than English? The mere use of another language within their earshot bothers them?

FFS. Brexiteers, I bet.

Pegsinarow, they really do! I have received quite a few racist comments when speaking Urdu, but never when speaking English. But then again racism and nationalism are they British customs.

I think a lot of it has to do with people being self-absorbed. So they think if people are speaking another language they must be talking about them or hiding something from them, when they are just doing it because it's easier and faster.