I’ve been asked to teach a once a week private to a guy from China who doesn’t speak English. He’s also brand new to bjj.
He’s very keen to learn and a good athlete, so it’s a good start.
I did our first session the other day, and just tried to teach him some movement drills and basic terms like guard, mount, and half guard so he’d recognize those things in the regular classes. That was different and a little challenging. He miss understood posture for pasta and thinks I was talking about noodles.
He says he knows what a bear is, but I don’t think he does.
I went and bought a white board so I can write the words down and he can look them up later to translate, but I’m at a bit of a loss for how to communicate with him.
Anyone have any tips? The sessions are only a half hour, so there’s that.
My advice- from teaching and having my own academy for over 6 years.
Be polite, concise and clear with your teachings…and make sure he can see what you are doing. Additionally, during technique time, make sure you help correct him by helping him move his hands, feet, etc to where they need to go.
However, that is all that needs to be done- I would not recommend spending any extra time or extra attention to just one student, at the detriment of all your other paying students, that also need your attention.
I’ve made that mistake more than once, and the person oftentimes doesnt even come back again- and then you’ve annoyed your loyal students for someone that isnt even training anymore.
PS- I’m Chinese too, and I wouldn’t even offer much more than I have already suggested.
One of the best BJJ teachers I have ever encountered didn’t speak a word of English. Communication may have been a problem at times, but learning certainly wasn’t.
He taught me GREAT moves, like:
*The How is your Car Sweep
*Lost Baby Jelly Entanglement
*Milk the Shy Elephant Choke
*Many Carpet Ghost Shoulder Encryption
– plus so many more! Communications isn’t a problem unless you let it be one.
He’s working hard to learn. He didn’t have a clue about what bear crawl, shrimping or monkey walk waslast week.
Yesterday he’d think for a second and then do the movement with hardly any reminder.
We worked on the Americana from crossbody because we’ve been doing crossbody in class this week. His shoulders are so tight he was tapping before I could apply the lock. That made it a little difficult to show him, but he figured it out.
Google translate on your phone, or as gusto suggests, bring a bisexual friend
google translate on your phone is phenomenal, but it’s just a little too slow for classroom pace, however if you write out the common sticking points ahead of time it flows perfectly.
We’re figuring out how to communicate with each other. It’s getting easier every session. It’s an interesting challenge, but I think he’s starting to get it.
I can’t figure out how to convey to him to relax and stop flexing all the time. Right now that’s the hump I’m trying to get over.