BABEL tabs

In an effort to stymie the student's usage of Spanish, we now give out BABEL tabs. Many of the students come to our school to get a solid English-language education. Last year, they frequently would speak Spanish in class or to each other, and so they did not really improve their English that much. If you're going to improve in any language, you have to be immersed in it, and go through those uncomfortable times. The students would get full tabs for speaking in the "incorrect" language sometimes, but that punishment was a little harsh. So for this year, we came up with BABEL tabs. Thank Jenn for the great name.

If they get 3 BABEL tabs, they have to miss their fun social lunch time and write an English composition in a classroom amidst silence while lunching. We've only had 3 days of school, and there are already a lot of students who have accumulated three BABEL tabs. It's a hard habit for them to change, but I think they're catching on. They're getting there. And with it their English will improve.