Thread: Classroom phrases for a six year old... (long post - sorry)

Just started volunteering at the elementary school and am trying to help a six y/o boy from Russia (3 weeks in the US) to begin assimilating. Problem - been 20 years since I studied Russian - its coming back toooo slowly. We're working on basics - colors, shapes, foods etc.. but could use a few simle phrases I can anglicise for the teacher to assist when he is expected to do something but doesn't understand. Any assistance is appreciated - gotta be scary as hell to be six and not understand word one of what you're being told. Could use (in kind phrases - not my stiff military textbook style) "Please sit on your bottom" "Please stop talking" "Play together nicely" "Are you finished" "You must try" "Hands in your lap" "Do all your work and then wash your hands" & any other phrases you think can be of value. Thanks a million!

"Please sit on your bottom" - пожалуйста сядь на попу
"Please stop talking" - замолчи пожалуста
"Play together nicely" - играйте вместе и не ссорьтесь
"Are you finished" - ты готов, ты закончил
"You must try" - ты должен постараться (or попробовать)
"Hands in your lap" - положи руки на колени
"Do all your work and then wash your hands" - сделай всю свою работу, а потом вымой руки or just всё сделай, а потом вымой руки

He is a great little kid and this should help erase some of the confusion. I appreciate your fast response!

Hey I guess I would hardly appreciate being told "замолчи пожалуйста" (#2) at the age of six That sounds a bit angry, IMHO, like you once told him to be quiet and he did not obey and you tell him again, this time more rudely...
Guess that saying "не болтай!" or just "тихо!" would be more appropriate, IMHO

Would "заткнись, урод" have the same effect?

Seriously, I agree with Katerinka, that is what the teachers used when I was in Russia (give, I am not six either, but anyway)

You won't need to use Russian for too long, 6 year olds have the knack to absorb new languages as a lightning rod would.

And this little kid will forget his native tongue soon.

Originally Posted by Friendy

"Please sit on your bottom" - пожалуйста сядь на попу

Может лучше сказать:
Сядь на место пожалуйста!

His English is moving in leaps and bounds. I think that his English is already much better than my Russian! I'm supposed to be helping him with conversational english (the teacher handles the formal education) but I wonder how much confusion in caused by the English-only immersion. There are worksheets that have a picture and the English word (example - a picture of a glass of milk and the word milk) - but how clear is it that the intent was the milk, and that the word "milk" he repeats dutifully doesn't mean 'glass', 'drink', or simply 'white'. He'd much rather play with the other little kids than sit with an old man "studying" - he seems to communicate with them just fine without English or Russian!