The odds have to be astronomical.  In fact, it almost sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but I can guarantee you it’s not.  Out of the 18 students I went through 12 years of school with, there were 2 named Charles, 2 named Robin, and 2 named David.  I had the uninspired privilege of being one of those Robins.  So what you say?  It meant that on the day I walked into first grade, my name changed from Robin to Robin Sue. It may not seem like a big deal to most people, but I want to ask you to consider this – How much time do parents spend choosing the perfect name for their newborn?  In some cultures the process of naming a child is considered so important it is postponed until the parents have had a chance to get to know their child.

Obviously, a name isn’t going to change a child’s personality.  In fact, I was the same person after people started calling me Robin Sue that I was before; however,  my perception of myself changed. Changing my name set me apart from everyone else and at least made me feel different.  Not special, mind you, but very different.

I think that’s why I cringe every time one of my EL students asks me how to say their name in English or inform me they can’t tell me their new baby brother or sister’s name because they only know it in their first language.  Your name is your name is your name in any language.

Too often, however, because we don’t know how to pronounce names from other cultures, we inadvertently say them wrong.  Unfortunately, adults, and especially educators, hold a place of authority over children so that most of the time they will not correct these mispronunciations.  They simply learn to answer to their “new name” – their “English name” they call it.  It is not intentional by any stretch of the imagination; however, it is not long before the student begins to introduce themselves incorrectly.

Perhaps it’s because of my background of being “renamed”, but this hurts my heart.

We can lose a lot of things in this world, but we should not lose our name.  Our name represents who we are.  When we rename our students, we are, in a sense, setting them apart, sending them the signal that they are not important enough the way they came to us so we must fix them.  

For a student who is learning school culture and new expectations as well as a new language, this can be damaging.  Will they ever tell us?  No, because they want to please us.  They want to fit in, and if changing their identity is necessary to achieve that end, they will change.

But at what cost?  Some may not believe this is significant.  Personally, I can tell you as soon I left for college, I changed my name back to Robin, but I have never lost the feeling that I don’t belong.  ESL students have many, many reasons to feel like they don’t fit in.  Here are some simple suggestions for help guard against this happening in your classroom.

1. Remember they may or may not already feel they have been renamed so just asking them what their name is may not be enough.  They will probably tell you what they have heard and believe to be their “English name”.  Ask instead what their mother calls them.
2. Rely on your ESL teacher and/or translator to help you learn how to pronounce your students’ names.
3. Remember to check your students’ birth certificates to make sure you have the correct spelling and order of names.  Different cultures have different traditions it is important to know.  Again, your ESL teacher or translator will be able to explain this to you.  i.e. Latino children will have two last names – the first from the father and the second from the mother.  Unless the parents have indicated it is ok, it is offensive to drop either one.
4. You don’t have to be fluent in a language, if you just learn the sounds the letters make you will soon be able to decipher most names on your own.
5. Finally, very gently and being careful not to embarrass the student, make sure the other students learn the correct pronunciation.

With just a little time and attention to detail, (which I know is a valuable commodity to all educators), we can make our ELs feel like important members of our classroom.  This not only helps them be more successful students, it can change their personal perception of themselves.