How do you remember student names that are hard to pronounce?
How do you remember student names that are hard to pronounce?
I never hesitate to have the student repeat it to me and remind them they have a unique name and it may take me a few times to remember. I make a positive constructive comment about the uniqueness of their name or if it is actually a nice name I make sure to let them know.
Such a thought provoking post! I have a very difficult name to pronounce. My parents were immigrants from the Middle East. And then I also kept my husband's name. So my name is hyphenated. I feel that I am extremely sensitive to the need of making a sincere effort to pronounce names correctly. I know firsthand that it is hurtful when someone makes inappropriate comments such as "There is no way I can figure out this name". A more personal approach in my opinion is to ask the person, "I would like to pronounce your name correctly, Can you help me out"? It demonstrates compassion and interest in the person as a human being. Rather than labeling someone by their name it also shows that the individual has patience and is culturally competent.
Mae Qushair-Sakhel MSN BSN ADN RN
MQushair-Sakhel@westcoastuniversity.edu
mqushair@gmail.com
I write them phonetically so they are easier. We used this tool at graduation. The students would write their name phonetically to be read as they walked across the stage instead of the correct spelling.
If the student had a prior class, ask the previous instructor how to pronounce the students name.
The first day of class go around the class and have the students say their first and last names. In addition, have them answer a question
that is fun such as "what was the last movie you watched" "book you read".
I am from the south and i usually turn it around and blame it on my southern/country accent and how we have a tendency to say words differently. I value a person's name and often tell them that I like to call them what their momma's named them. a name is more precious that gold--Right.
This is a great question. I always make it a point to learn all the names in the first class meeting. By the end of the class, as I present a previewof what the next session will be about, I say something like "It has been my pleasure to welcome all of you to my class" and then I say everybody's name. I always bring a seating chart to the first class, one that would allow me to assign names to each spot. As I ask each student to introduce themselves, I write their names on their place in the seating chart. During the class, I check the seating chart as I address the students. During the brake, I make sure to go over the names again and again in my memory. Usually, at the end of the class, I'm ready to remember them all. Granted, my classes are ususally not that big, 25 students max.
As to the pronunciation, I ask each student how they want their names to be pronounced, even if it's a fairly common name. It is their name, it is a marker of their identity, and as such it should be respected by all, especially the instructor. (The example of Colombian soccer player James comes to mind).
