Understanding and being understood by Danish pupils...

During my practice here in Denmark, I had to face a real problem for teachers: I was unable to communicate with the pupils...

Why? My level in Danish is very poor, and the pupils, 7 years old, could not speak english yet.

We could communicate, but very briefly and very basically.

Unfortunately, the lessons at UCSyd did not help much as the level was too basic and out of the theme of the class and school. So, I did use the basics we learned in Aabenraa.

The sentences I said the most must be "Jeg forstår det ikke" (I don't understand) and "Undskyld, jeg taler ikke Dansk" (Sorry, I don't speak Danish).

For the mathematics lessons, I could help some children because I knew how to say the numbers, plus and minus.

I had to use a lot of face and body expression to be understood when I wanted to communicate with the pupils, and it actually was very interesting, but really annoying also sometimes when I could not understand the questions of the pupils...

But another point was my understanding of the language. Because of the lessons in Aabenraa, and because I have been hearing Danish for four months now, I could understand what was happening in the class and sometimes understand the conversations. This made me very happy!

Meet the Danes!

If you are interested in Denmark and/or in the danish population, these are a few things to know:

- What to do when you meet somebody?

You shake hands or, if it is a close friend, hug. No kiss, no bow in Denmark.

- You enter a place for lunch or diner, and you see a flag on the table. What does it mean?

It is somebody's birthday!

- You have an appointment with a dane. When do you arrive?

You'd better be right on time! The danes are very precise...

- There is a way of behaving in Denmark that everybody respects. You know it?

Never brag about your success or wealth. A phrase says "Don't think that you are better than anybody else". So even if you are proud of something, don't go and shout it in the streets...

- Somebody asks you water during a meal without saying "please"... How do you react?

In several languages, saying "please" is a mark of politeness and respect. In Danish, the word "please" doesn't exist, and so people don't usually use it when speaking english. Don't get angry, it is not a lack of respect for them; and anyway, from what I know, they usually say "thank you"...