Case Study: How We Taught English Without Using English

It was the first day of school at HTE’s newest learning center in rural Nepal. The classroom buzzed with excitement—but not a single word of English had been spoken.

The students, aged 6–8, came from homes where Nepali or local dialects were spoken exclusively. None of them had ever heard English before. They looked around curiously, waiting for instructions—only to realize their teacher wasn’t speaking their language either.

What happened next surprised even the most experienced educators:

Over the course of just four weeks, these children went from silence to saying simple sentences like “I see blue,” “This is my book,” and “I can jump.” All without being taught a single English word directly.

This case study explores how an HTE teacher introduced English to beginners using no English speech at all during the early lessons , relying instead on visuals, gestures, native language prompts, and gentle immersion strategies —and why this method proved so effective.

The Challenge: No Common Language

When your students don’t speak English—and you don’t speak their home language—how do you begin?

That was the challenge facing Ms. Rina, the newly assigned HTE classroom facilitator in a mountain village with limited access to formal education. Most students had never been to school before. Some didn’t know how to hold a pencil.

Her mission? Introduce English as part of a broader literacy program focused on emotional safety, engagement, and foundational communication skills.

But she faced a major hurdle: no common spoken language between teacher and students .

The Approach: Immersion Without Words

Instead of trying to translate everything or force English speech too soon, Ms. Rina followed HTE’s foundational principle:

Language begins with understanding—not production.

She designed her lessons to be what we call “English by experience” —a way of teaching that lets children absorb language through context, action, and observation, rather than direct instruction.

Here’s how she did it.

Week 1: Building Trust and Establishing Routines

During the first week, Ms. Rina spoke only in visuals, gestures, and occasional prompts in Nepali (with the help of a community volunteer). Her goal was not to teach words, but to build comfort.

• She pointed to herself and wrote her name on the board.

• She used flashcards showing emotions—happy, sad, tired—and mimed each one.

• She played music, danced, and smiled constantly—creating a joyful atmosphere where students felt safe.

Students responded slowly at first. But by the end of the week, they were lining up when she raised her hand, sitting quietly when she pointed to the floor, and even copying her expressions.

They understood more than anyone expected—without needing translations.

Week 2: Visual Vocabulary and Total Physical Response (TPR)

In week two, Ms. Rina began introducing basic vocabulary—colors, body parts, actions—entirely through Total Physical Response (TPR) and visual aids.

For example:

• She held up a red card and said nothing, but touched her head and said “red” clearly.

• Then she pointed to a student’s shirt and said “red” , smiling.

• When they repeated the sound—even if it was unclear—she clapped.

She then asked them to point to colors, touch their heads, raise their hands—all while playing upbeat background music to keep energy high.

No translation was needed. Students learned through context and movement .

By Friday, every child could identify five colors and three body parts in English—just by watching, doing, and imitating.

Week 3: Games That Teach Without Talking

Ms. Rina knew that motivation comes through play. So she introduced games that required participation—not speech.

One favorite was the “Point & Do” game:

• She would say a word like “jump” and jump.

• Then she’d point to a student, and they’d have to copy.

• If someone guessed wrong, she’d gently show the correct motion—no scolding, no frustration.

Another game involved cards labeled with numbers or shapes. She’d hold up a card without speaking, then count aloud in English while pointing to her fingers. Students began nodding along, then whispering the numbers themselves.

These games were low-pressure and high-engagement. Mistakes were met with laughter and encouragement—not correction.

By the end of the week, students were responding to English commands without thinking twice.

Week 4: First Words Emerge Naturally

Only in Week 4 did students begin to speak English voluntarily.

It started with one girl named Maya, who pointed to a picture of a dog and whispered “dog?” Ms. Rina nodded, gave a thumbs-up, and said “Yes! Dog!”

From there, it snowballed.

Children began repeating words after lessons. Some combined them into short phrases:

• “I see cat.”

• “My name Lalu.”

• “Blue ball.”

There were grammatical errors, of course—but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that the language was now flowing naturally , emerging from real comprehension and need—not memorization.

Why This Method Works

At HTE, we believe that language acquisition happens best through immersion that is gentle, meaningful, and emotionally safe .

Here are the key principles behind this approach:

1. Comprehensible Input Before Production

Based on Stephen Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, learners acquire language best when they understand messages slightly above their current level. In this case, visuals and gestures made the input understandable—even without speech.

2. Emotional Safety Encourages Risk-Taking

When students feel relaxed and accepted, they’re more willing to try new sounds and words—without fear of failure.

3. Movement and Emotion Aid Memory

Physical response and emotional connection create stronger memory retention. That’s why TPR works so well with young learners.

4. Natural Language Emerges Over Time

Instead of forcing speech too early, this method allows language to develop organically—as students move from understanding to imitation to spontaneous use.

Real Impact: Beyond the Classroom

After six weeks, the results were undeniable:

• Students could follow English instructions with minimal gestures.

• Many were experimenting with sentence combinations.

• Attendance increased—students wanted to come back every day.

• Parents reported hearing English words at home.

Perhaps most importantly, students showed confidence and joy in learning—a foundation far more valuable than vocabulary lists.

Lessons for Educators and Parents

If you're teaching or supporting young English learners—especially those with no prior exposure—here’s what this case study teaches us:

• You don’t need to speak the same language to communicate effectively.

• Visuals, gestures, and emotion can carry meaning better than translations.

• Let understanding come before speech.

• Play and movement make learning stick.

• Celebrate small steps—the first word is worth celebrating like a first step.

Final Thoughts: Language Grows Where Comfort Comes First

Teaching English without using English might sound impossible—but in this HTE classroom, it was not only possible—it was powerful.

By focusing on experience over explanation, understanding over correction, and joy over pressure, Ms. Rina helped her students take their first steps into English without ever feeling lost.

And that’s the heart of HTE’s philosophy:

Language isn’t about rules. It’s about connection.

And sometimes, that connection starts not with words—but with a smile, a gesture, and a shared moment of discovery.