I am teaching at a private school in South America. I teach children 4-7 years old and find that when I try to provide instruction that is disciplinary in nature (sit down, listen, be quiet,etc.), the children opt to tune out and ignore me. Even if I attempt to say the same thing in their native language, they act as if they don't hear me. How common is it for students to disregard foreign teachers just because they are foreign? The native teachers do not have nearly the same problems.