(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Teachers Consider Different Ways to Teach Language, Communication Classes
How can teachers best lead language classes, special education classes, or communication classes while protecting themselves and their students? This fall, American teachers are considering that very question.
With some students coming back to school for classes, teachers have begun experimenting with unusual objects, special kinds of masks or face coverings, and even protective bubbles.
Stephanie Wanzer is a teacher who works with special education students in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Special education is a term for classes with students who have special needs because of physical or learning issues.
While teaching, Wanzer says she would like students to see her smile, so that they know she is happy. But they cannot see her face because of her mask. Instead, Wanzer uses an unusual object - a stick with an image of a smile. Wanzer recently described working with one student to the Associated Press.
"I try to be really expressive with my eyes," she said. "He's looking at me and I'm not sure if he thinks I'm mad or happy because you can't see my mouth smiling," she said. "So I actually have a smile on a stick, which is bizarre, but it's a smile like, 'Look, I'm smiling.'"
Jon Resendez is a teacher in Irvine, California. He teaches civics, the study of the rights and duties of citizens and of how government works.
His classes started online this year. But now that some students are returning to school, he worries about how masks will affect his classes.
"Part of what I do as a civics teacher is to teach people to engage in civic conversations," he said. A conversation is a discussion between two or more people.
Resendez said he likes to hear a small amount of sound in the class "because if the students are talking, they are thinking."
Jon Resendez added that an important part of communicating is seeing other people's facial expressions and body language.
Teaching is especially difficult for those who work with students with hearing difficulties or students who do not speak English as their first language.
Some sounds can become more difficult to hear when spoken through a mask.
Deborah Short is president of the TESOL International Association. The Virginia-based group connects teachers who teach English to speakers of other languages.
She said, "For one, the mask might muffle some sounds, making it harder for English learners to distinguish them, such as the sound for 'P' and the sound for 'B.'"
Short said teachers can reduce these problems by speaking loudly and clearly. They also can use videos and images to "show how sounds may be created," she explained.
Some schools have ordered clear plastic coverings so that students can see teachers' mouths.
Wanzer said one teacher wore such a mask while working with a student who has hearing difficulties. The student said the mask was unnecessary. The teacher was happy not to use it, she said, because the plastic material was so uncomfortable.
Still, teachers and schools are behind the increased demand for clear masks from companies like Baltimore-based ClearMask.
Allysa Dittmar is ClearMask's co-founder and president. The company began making clear masks after Dittmar, who is deaf, was unable to communicate well with a traditional mask while undergoing surgery.
"We see a large need for early childhood education to support young children's social, emotional, and language development, as well as specific programs for students," Dittmar said.
At the C.B. Jennings International Elementary Magnet School in New London, Connecticut, teachers get carts with protective windows. Carts are small wheeled tables that are pushed. Teachers can stand behind these carts as they move around the classroom.
But even while standing behind the carts, many teachers still keep their masks on, noted Elizabeth Sked. She added that expressive eyes help teachers connect with students.
Belinda Williams is a teacher at Webb Elementary School in Franklin, Indiana. She said she and her young students have become used to wearing masks, social distancing, and regular hand cleaning.
Williams put superhero images in her classroom. She tells students they have "special powers" when they are wearing face coverings.
"Do I wish we didn't have to wear a mask? Absolutely," she said. "But if it means teaching our children in person, then I will do what it takes."
I'm John Russell.
重点解析
重点讲解：
1. kinds of 各种各样的；不同种类；
Many kinds of animals have vanished from the earth.
许多动物已从地球上消失了。
2. try to 设法；试图；
Don't try to deceive me.
你别诳我。
3. be unable to 不会；不能做某事；
She seemed to be unable to rouse herself to do anything.
她似乎打不起精神去做任何事情。
4. have to 不得不；必须；
We have to resolve this matter once and for all.
我们必须彻底解决这一问题。
参考译文
教师考虑运用不同的教学方式教授语言和交往方面的课程
教师如何在保护自己和学生的同时，最好地引导语言班、特殊教育班或沟通类班级？今年秋天，美国教师就在考虑这个问题。
随着一些学生返回学校上课，老师们开始尝试使用一些不寻常的物品，特殊种类的口罩或面罩，甚至是防护圈。
斯蒂芬妮·万泽是康涅狄格州费尔菲尔德县特殊教育学生的教师，特殊教育是指为因身体或学习问题而存在特殊需求的学生上课的一个术语。
在教学过程中，万泽说她希望学生们看到她的微笑，这样他们就知道她很快乐。但是他们看不到她的脸，因为她带着口罩。万泽使用了一种不寻常的物体，一根带有微笑图案的棍子。万泽最近向美联社描述了与一名学生的教学情境。
“我试着用眼睛表达真情实感，”她说。“他看着我，我不确定他是否认为我是生气，还是高兴，因为看不到我的嘴在笑。于是，我就用了一根带有笑脸的棍子。这很奇怪，但它的微笑就像在说‘看，我在笑。’”
乔恩·雷森德斯是加利福尼亚州欧文市的一名教师，他教授公民学。这门课程研究公民的权利和义务，以及政府如何运作。
他今年开始在网上上课，但现在一些学生已经返校，他担心口罩会对课堂造成影响。
他说：“作为一名公民学教师，我所做的部分工作就是教人们参与公民对话。”。对话是两个或两个以上的人之间的讨论。
雷森德斯说，他喜欢在课堂上听到少量的声音，“因为如果学生在讨论，说明他们在思考。”
乔恩·雷森德斯补充说，交流的一个重要部分是看别人的面部表情和肢体语言。
对于那些教授听力有困难的学生或不以英语作为第一语言学生的人来说，教学尤其困难。
有些声音在通过口罩说话时，会更难听到。
黛博拉·肖特是TESOL国际协会主席。这个位于弗吉尼亚州的组织，把教英语的老师和说其他语言的人联系起来。
她说：“首先，口罩可能会掩盖一些声音，让英语学习者更难分辨，比如‘P’和‘B’的发音。”
肖特说，教师可以通过大声并清晰地说话来减少这些问题。她解释说，他们还可以使用视频和图像来“展示声音是如何产生的”。
一些学校已经订购了透明的塑料覆盖物，这样学生就能看到老师的嘴部。
万泽说，一位老师在和听力有困难的学生一起工作时，戴着这样的口罩。学生说，没必要戴这个口罩。老师很高兴不用戴它，因为塑料材料很不舒服。
不过，像巴尔的摩的ClearMask这样的公司出产的透明口罩，其需求不断增加，教师和学校是幕后推手。
伊利沙·底特马是ClearMask的联合创始人兼总裁。底特马是聋哑人，在接受手术时无法戴着传统口罩进行良好沟通后，该公司开始制作透明口罩。
底特马说：“我们看到了幼儿教育的巨大需求，以支持幼儿的社交、情感和语言发展，以及针对学生的具体项目。”。
在康涅狄格州新伦敦的C.B.Jennings国际小学磁石学校，老师们有装着防护窗的推车。推车是能手推的带小轮的桌子。在教室里走动时，教师可以站在推车后面。
但伊丽莎白·斯凯德指出，即使站在推车后面，许多老师仍然戴着口罩。她补充说，富有表现力的眼睛有助于教师与学生沟通。
贝琳达·威廉姆斯是印第安纳州富兰克林韦伯小学的教师。她说，她和年轻的学生已经习惯戴口罩、保持社交距离和经常洗手。
威廉姆斯把超级英雄形象放在她的教室里。她告诉学生们，他们戴着口罩时，就拥有“特殊能力”。
“希望我们不用戴口罩吗？当然，”她说。“但如果这意味着向孩子们面授，那么我会尽一切努力。”
约翰·拉塞尔报道。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
