[Idiom] Idioms to ESL students

[Maliha Ismi]

Should we or should not we teach English idioms and their meaning to ESL students?

 

[Tdol]

I see no reason to force idioms down learners' throats, but we do use them, so covering some idioms makes sense.

 

[Skrej]

I think a better question is "Why wouldn't you teach idioms to ESL (or any language) students?"

If you ever hope to become fluent in a language, you're going to need to speak and think idiomatically in that language.

 

[Maliha Ismi]

OK thanks!

 

[MikeNewYork]

Skrej, I agree with what you wrote. But I don't think "idiomatically" necessarily refers to the use of idioms.

 

[GoesStation]

If you don't teach your students idioms, you aren't teaching them English.

 

[MikeNewYork]

First things first.

 

[emsr2d2]

I wouldn't necessarily teach them to beginners but I would explain what they are (perhaps giving examples in their own language) and, whenever you stumble across one during something like listening/reading comprehension, I would explain it in full.

 

[Fredenglish]

Hello everyone,

In my humble opinion, idioms are important to learn like any other aspects of English. This is because they'r used in very day conversations, media, and so on which make them a matter of necessity than choice. Thank you for reading.

 

[Tdol]

They are, though other idiomatic things like phrasal verbs are used more.