Making lessons not in your mother tongue...

[macula]

I'm happy to say there are several foreigner students in my classes, but some of them do not speak or understand italian very well. Anyway they are learning too, both italian and bellydance basics and I explain movements in English too. But sometimes I find it difficult since it is not my mother tongue and I do not know all the English names of the movements.
Can someone help me, maybe linking a list of names'movements?
Or, tell me if you had similar experiences and how did you manage them.
Thank you a lot!

 

[Nath]

I hope this link helps. Venus - Bellydance Movement Vocabulary

 

[Kashmir]

For the first few years I did workshops with Egyptian teachers they had practically no English. They would dance and we would follow. Sometimes they would stop and point to a body part and say something we could not understand. Occasionally they would point and do the same move over and over. The only other verbal cue was to indicate the start of a phrase or accent in a choreography. Although this is extreme, you often do not need to speak to teach. You can point. You can demonstrate. You can place your hands on the student and move their body etc.

Certainly there is no need to have "named" moves. The only time I really use named moves is when I write up a choreography. Names vary between teachers and are really only indicators. Even something as simple as cross, step, touch has numerous variations let alone something like the "jewel".

 

[Lydia]

i teach in half english, arabic sometime german and a bit italien ? I have many nationalties in class so i have to manage.. all the language i just mentioned are not mine,but its going ok...i never feel people dont undertsand what i mean....but i realy look at everybody in class and make sure they did understand if not i take everybody in a line next to eachother in the front next to me...thats is like 20 or 30 persons,then i go very slow and break down the movement by very simple words not long sentence and it always go,s ok....never hade a problem with it....but i do tell them with a smile on my face that i was never payd to be a language teacher but a dancer,they always laughing it off and i never feel that somebody did not understand....sometimes after class people ask ,,sorry can you explain that again, i did not realy get that? so i do i take them to the side and explain again....

 

[macula]

Dear girls,
As Lydia wisely says, I go very slow too while explaining new movements, and break down the movement by very simple words (italian and english).
They do understand - last friday I used Nath's link (by the way, thanks a lot!) and it was very helpful.
I taught to teach with my teacher. Her beginner's method is break down new movements and talk a lot while explaining them. She uses both body and voice and I am used to do like her.
Furthermore I am loquacious by nature

On 28th of March we will have our Spring show and we will dedicate these lesson to study and repeat the choreography - very simple one.
Anyway I will try with your suggestions and let you know