Dear Teachers,
At All Right, we follow a full English immersion approach. This means we aim to conduct lessons completely in English — even with beginners — using visuals, gestures, modeling, and guided discovery instead of translation.
This article explains why immersion is essential, why switching to L1 does not help, and how to teach effectively without translation.
🌟 Why We Teach Fully in English
Children — and even teens — learn a language through exposure, context, and use, not through translations.
✔ They understand English through visuals, gestures, modeling, and repetition
✔ They learn grammar through Guided Discovery, not explanations
✔ They become confident when they hear English continuously in real situations
Switching to L1 breaks this process.
When students hear something in English and immediately hear the translation, their brain switches off — because it doesn’t need to understand the English input anymore.
❌ Why Using L1 During Lessons Doesn’t Work
Even though teachers often switch to L1 with good intentions (to help quickly), it creates long-term problems:
Students stop trying to understand English
If they expect translation, they stop listening actively.Grammar explanations in L1 don’t help students use grammar
They memorize a rule but cannot apply it.Young learners get confused
They cannot process definitions or rules in any language.Teens become dependent on translation
They understand the rule but not the usage.It reduces speaking time
More teacher talk = less student practice.
✔️ When L1 Is Acceptable (very rare)
We do not use L1 for teaching.
But L1 may be used in practical, non-teaching situations:
A very young child is upset and needs emotional reassurance
A safety issue (“Stop, please.” “Be careful.”)
A parent asks an administrative question in the chat
This should never be used for:
vocabulary, grammar, instructions, explanations, or feedback.
🧡 When Parents Request L1 — How to Handle It Professionally
Some parents may ask you to use L1 because they believe it will help their child understand better. In these situations, we aim to build trust, educate gently, and stay aligned with our methodology.
Here’s how:
🌟 1. Acknowledge their concern
Parents want to be heard.
“I understand your concern and I want your child to feel comfortable. Let me explain why immersion works best.”
This creates cooperation.
🌟 2. Explain gently why immersion is more effective
A simple explanation works best:
“Children learn faster when they hear English in real situations, with pictures and examples. If we use L1, the brain stops trying to understand English, so progress becomes slower.”
🌟 3. Reassure them that understanding everything is not required
Parents often worry their child is “lost.”
“It’s okay if the child doesn’t understand every word. They understand through gestures, visuals, and repetition. This is how they learn naturally.”
🌟 4. Offer a trial approach
Show flexibility while remaining methodological:
“Let’s try full English immersion for 2–3 lessons and observe the progress. If we need to adjust, we can do it together.”
🌟 5. If L1 must be used, use it minimally
For rare situations when a parent insists:
✔ use it briefly
✔ only for clarification
✔ never for grammar or vocabulary
✔ return to English immediately
You can say:
“If we ever use L1, we’ll keep it very short and only when it truly helps. English will remain the main language of the lesson.”
🌟 6. Reinforce long-term benefits
Parents appreciate clear goals.
“Students who learn through immersion speak more, progress faster, and feel more confident.”
🧠 How to Teach Clearly Without L1
These methods replace translation and keep lessons 100% immersive:
✔ Guided Discovery
✔ Visuals and context
✔ Modeling and gesture
✔ Short instructions
✔ Repetition
✔ Personalization
✔ Guided self-correction
💬 Practical Table: What to Do Instead of Using L1
Situation | Don’t do (L1 example) | Do instead (English immersion) |
Student doesn’t understand a word | Translate | Show a picture or gesture |
Student makes a mistake | Explain rule | Model the correct sentence |
Student looks confused | Switch to L1 | Use simpler English + gesture |
Giving instructions | Translate instructions | Use short, clear English commands |
Grammar support | Explain theory | Use context + noticing questions |
📘 Follow Teacher’s Notes — They Already Do the Work
All Right presentations and teacher’s notes are designed to support full immersion.
They already include:
modeling prompts
guided discovery questions
examples in context
simple instructions
visuals that carry meaning
If you follow the slides and notes step by step, you will never need L1.
Problems start when teachers add extra explanations, rules, or translations.
👶 Teaching Without L1 — Age-Specific Tips
Young Learners (4–6)
They learn by doing, not by understanding rules.
Use gestures, pictures, short phrases, songs, and imitation.
Primary (7–9)
Perfect age for Guided Discovery.
Use context, short noticing questions, and games.
Pre-Teens (10–12)
They enjoy spotting patterns.
Use guided rule formation + personalization.
Teens (13+)
They need relevance and personal connection.
Use real-life examples, reflective questions, and self-correction.
🟣 Quick Summary
✔ Teach in 100% English
✔ Avoid translation — it blocks learning
✔ Use context, modeling, visuals, and Guided Discovery
✔ Follow teacher’s notes — they support immersion
✔ Adapt methods to the child’s age
✔ Use L1 only in non-teaching emergencies
💜 Final Thought
Full immersion isn’t harder — it’s smarter.
It helps students learn naturally, confidently, and joyfully.
Let’s make every lesson a fully English experience! 💜
AllRight Team