Teacher telling 4 year old her work is *No good

[Itiswhatitisamilliontimes]

We live abroad, Dh and I are British but speak the language we reside in now, I’m not great, Dh speaks fluently.
Dd is 4 and has been at Pre school since September, she speaks a small amount, but not fluently yet.
Majority of people where we are speak English also, her teacher doesn’t really (obviously don’t expect her to speak English at all)
Dd came home upset today, she said she had painted her picture wrong and painted inside a heart instead of around it, but that she didn’t know. She said her teacher said to her it was No good and moved it out of the way, she said she didn’t shout it at her but didn’t let her do another etc. I asked my Dd what she did and she said she just sat there. She then said that she also did a picture of people wrong as she painted their faces black and the teacher also moved it and said it was *No good. Dd then said she drew the boy with a striped t-shirt and that it was okay and that wasn’t wrong.
From what I can gather, having seen todays display on the wall, it was a heart with a picture of your family inside, I guess Dd wasn’t meant to paint inside the heart as the picture was meant to be there and I’m guessing her painting the faces black was wrong, because we don’t have black skin.
Dd didn’t understand what to do, I realise it’s not the teachers fault she doesn’t speak English, but is saying that her pictures are no good and moving them the correct thing to do? Am I being over sensitive in feeling sad for Dd?
Also in her reports it’s says that Dd needs a lot of extra assistance with her work and can’t do things independently (at home she’s so good, really bright, confident and independent) I asked the teacher about it and I asked wasn’t that because she doesn’t speak the language fully yet, she looked embarrassed and said yes and now always writes this on her report.
Aibu to also expect her to be shown how to do things and to have help being taught her new language?

That does make sense, thanks for the explanation

I still think the OP is being harsh on the teacher though - by her own admission her DD barely speaks a word of Portuguese and the teacher doesn't speak English - of course things are going to get lost in translation and it must be very scary to be 4yo in a classroom where most people don't understand you (and you can't h understand them).

I think you are projecting expectations around a UK school system onto a foreign one. When I went to school abroad, I remember my maths teacher handing me a colouring book because I couldn't follow the lesson. I had to repeat the year because I failed my exams because i didn't have the language skills to cope. Within about 2 years I could speak the language fluently but it wasn't up to the school to teach me, I had tuition, read loads in the second lesson, spoke only the second language at home and primarily played with native kids, not ex pat kids

Do get extra tuition to help because the school type of language is not the same as play date kids etc. It would improve DC confidence and also if such work with detail instructions given would it be for the day or over a few days? Maybe get teacher to explain what is about to happen to your DH or tutor so they explain beforehand? Also, maybe get play date/buddy from the school so they can see what other kids are doing and follow.

Also, cultural education may be different. In some countries, no good or wrong is said quite freely. So to the teacher it is not an issue. UK primary education and nursery instruction is very carefully and caring, not the case in some places.

What are you doing to support her?

Depending on the school and country the teacher may not have come across a child who doesn't speak the local language.

In the UK there are a lot of resources because, in some places, it is really common to have children arriving at school with no English.

Could you make a vocab list? I realise your DD may not be reading yet, but a list of things the teacher might ask your DD to do, preferably with a picture.

So

Sit down / on the floor/ with X Y
Draw
Paint
Inside
Outside

Also to be fair tot he teacher she is probably using words she knows you DD understand so it might come across as off hand.

The teacher has obviously told the children what to do and your DD has not done it. It is not her (DD's fault she doesn't understand) but it must be frustrating for the teacher.

I also agree with getting a tutor. I've taught children who are fluent in English but don't speak English at home, they often only have one 'register' so they speak to teachers the same way they do to their friends.

Oh, and don't underestimate tv! What language does she watch tv/films in? Switch to 30 mins local kids tv a day. Don't tell her it's so she can learn the language, it's a treat she wan watch tv because she tidied her toys away nicely or something. Sit and watch films with her, it will help you improve too.

Don't worry if she wants to watch the same over and over, repetition is good for language learning and with each subsequent time she will pick up something else and she improve her comprehension without realising.

Maybe she said. No. Good!

Absolutely. I'm a language teacher and can hear the difference in pronunciation and intonation with the kids who watch things in the L2 and their range of vocab is impressive. And it's fun! It also makes the language acquisition part of the brain kick in rather than the much more linear language learning part.

Yep, saw that. Still stand by what I said. Re different values...I would expect early years educators who value and understand early years development would understand the OPs upset.

I could have written this. I had similar experiences with various teachers throughout primary school. Despite achieving very high grades in reading and writing and doing fairly well in Maths I was picked on consistently by teachers for my poor skills in colouring neatly and lack of ability in craft work, drawing etc . I was later diagnosed (as an adult) with dyspraxia.

I agree this may be a case of something being lost in translation or a child not fully remembering what was said but if it’s deliberate - and it may be - definitely speak about it. I still remember my primary one teacher telling me my drawing was rubbish.
These things stay with kids.

I also think it's good practice to learn some basic vocabulary in the child's own language in order to be inclusive. I have a range of at least seven different languages in my setting (Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish, French, Italian and Spanish) and I make sure I learn the basics in their language in order to make them feel settled and welcome.

This. It sounds like it's just a mistranslation of "not right". As in, they were learning about families and were asked to draw their families but your DC didn't do that. In the native language the teacher might have said "that's a lovely picture but not quite what I'm looking for". Or it might just be they are blunter as a culture and tell children when something is not right.

I also think it's good practice to learn some basic vocabulary in the child's own language in order to be inclusive.

I teach a child whose native language is Urdu. I can say Assalamu Alaikum but not explain how to do a task or what to say if they've done it wrong!

This is bonkers. In DS's school year; children who have a different main language: Albanian, Ukrainian, Czech, Polish, French, Hindi, Arabic. So you suggest teachers ought to just quickly learn seven languages in order to teach reception!

Whoops - missed Bulgarian and Italian. 9.

Dd started school only learning Greek. I would have found it totally batshit if her teacher had spent her personal time, or the time she should be planning her lessons, to learn a very complex language for a child who a) should be learning English; and b) she would only have in her class for 1 year. It is not good practice, when the child starts school in a new country, the onus is on the family to help the child settle, not on the teacher. And I say that as someone who went to school in a foreign country and as a parent of a child in a new country. When you decide to start a life in a new country, one of the considerations is your dc will inevitably struggle when they first arrive, but you can't give other people extra work and time away from their families for that decision.

*only speaking (not learning)

It's not up to the teacher to teach your child the native language of the country you have chosen to raise your child in....that's your job and responsibility and especially your husband as he speaks fluently? I find it bizarre that you are now upset about this when it was in your gift to avoid a lot of this by raising her bilingual and if it's not in your capabilities then to send her to an English speaking school?

I said 'basic language' not learn a whole language... Because that really would be bonkers. It's very easy to get a message across with basic language, signs and good old Google translate.

Totally disagree. It is good good practice. The onus is on both. It takes very little time to look up the basics in a language and the impact is huge on how a child settles and feel welcome... To even just say 'hello' in a child's first language can make them feel just that little bit less alone. I always think about the fact if I landed somewhere where I didn't have a clue what people were saying then the fact that someone said'hello' in my language would be a big deal... The fact that someone was making an effort to reach out rather than just leaving me to work out it myself. Especially at four years old.

It's not about pandering or being precious about children, it's about the basic art of communicating and making connections.

Btw, blipblapblooplala was previously blueblue72... But I've locked myself out of that account because I can't reset my password because of a defunct email address.

And yes, oh my gosh, Greek is hard!

"I don’t think the language or lack of a language matters. Who in their right mind tells a 4 year old their picture is not good? That is crap teaching in any culture. Your daughter must have felt crushed"

🤣 come on

I tell my kids when they do good and when they do bad.

Saying "not good "is not the same As Saying this drawing is hideous and i hate it

Ok. Given it's so easy. Pop off and for the 9 languages I listed, come back and tell us how to say a few light basics: Hello, how are you, draw a picture, very good, are you ok, sit here, do you need the toilet, look at the story, move your arms like this, what do you like to play with, the sandpit is over there, the cars are here, jigsaws are over there, here is a ball, bikes are in the garden, wash your hands, use soap, your dress is wet let me change it, mummy will come in half an hour, lunch is in one hour, would you like some fruit or milk, drink some water. Also make sure you have responses you'll need to understand: I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I need a wee, I need a poo, I need help wiping my bum, Charlie hit me, I miss mummy, Katy took all the dolls.
Tell us how long it takes you to memorize the day one normal interactions in those 9 languages. Thanks!

Whoops. I forgot please, thank you, stop that, give it to me, etc.