THE Importance of English Nowadays

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Harry Smith

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Yes it seems that English has earned its place not only in its native origins but along with the movement of globalization... A lot of implications, if one knows how to communicate in English, there is a greater chance to survive in this world. And English draws the line from the schooled and out of school. Most of our learning materials are in English and most of the media (music, movies, major news network, etc.) are in this medium... That's reality, right?

Last week, I had the chance to be an audience for this conference in Chicago and it seems that we seem to have a thin line distinguishing which English is really the one we are using... (American, British...etc) It seems pretty passive of us but it is still notable that there are sociological implications that we sometimes take for granted. So there is more meaning if we also go beyond the grammar exercises and also give our selves the "deeper" stuff..

Today half a billion people speak English as their mother tongue. Correct me if I'm mistaken. I just think so. Also everywhere in the world English is the most spoken language.;-)
 

Morpheus

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Now I am thinking how to organise it. There is one way, i.e the traditional examinations. Any ideas on this matter?:-D

Are you free to examine them in any way you like?

Well, then... I think the form of the exam should reflect the aims that you set when you began teaching them, i.e. if you wanted to teach them to discuss a certain number of subjects spontaneously then you can make the exam in the form of a discussion or dialogues. If you mainly developed their ability to make monologues, then it would be logical to give them a text and ask them to give an outline of it and discuss it.

I wonder what you have decided on ;)
 

Morpheus

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One thing that I hate about high school examinations are topics which they copy from the internet, learn by heart and reproduce like parrots :lol:
 

Omar!

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Hi , :cool:

I was interesting while reading these replays and different opinions . I mean their opinions in English language . No doubt that it`s very very important to learn it nowadays which is the main language of all sciences and different field . You can use this language and available all over the world not only in the native English countries . Moreover , It`s so sweet to use it .
So , please accept me with ya in this forum . loooooooooooool :-D
My best regard;-)
 

Harry Smith

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Hi , :cool:

I was interesting while reading these replays and different opinions . I mean their opinions in English language . No doubt that it`s very very important to learn it nowadays which is the main language of all sciences and different field . You can use this language and available all over the world not only in the native English countries . Moreover , It`s so sweet to use it .
So , please accept me with ya in this forum . loooooooooooool :-D
My best regard;-)

You are very very welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;-)
 

Harry Smith

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One thing that I hate about high school examinations are topics which they copy from the internet, learn by heart and reproduce like parrots :lol:

I hate topics learnt by heart too. Here we have the same approach. That's why they are working on projects which they can present at the exam. :-D
 

Seagull

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I quite agree with you, Harry Smith. I think it's unfair to say that no student in Portugal likes to learn English. The problem is that, in my opinion, you either like it and are "language talented" or you're not. Then, if you meet a teacher who thinks you don't do better because you don't study or aren't eager to learn, you just get frustrated. Well, I´m just a teacher who tries to understand those students who are not good at English, no matter how hard they try. I'm sure many of them do their best, but they simply don't "have a bent towards English". I must say I've had many bad students at English, who tried their best but didn't succeed. Was it their fault or mine? I don't know. But some of them still visit me today, and we are good friends. Do you believe too, that you need to "have a bent towards languages"? I think so!
 

Harry Smith

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I quite agree with you, Harry Smith. I think it's unfair to say that no student in Portugal likes to learn English. The problem is that, in my opinion, you either like it and are "language talented" or you're not. Then, if you meet a teacher who thinks you don't do better because you don't study or aren't eager to learn, you just get frustrated. Well, I´m just a teacher who tries to understand those students who are not good at English, no matter how hard they try. I'm sure many of them do their best, but they simply don't "have a bent towards English". I must say I've had many bad students at English, who tried their best but didn't succeed. Was it their fault or mine? I don't know. But some of them still visit me today, and we are good friends. Do you believe too, that you need to "have a bent towards languages"? I think so!

Yes, sure. For many of my students it's very easy to learn English. They even don't work hard but they succeed in it. They have " a bent towards languages" as you said. But I believe that we can develop language learning abilities in most students. First of all you should make them realise the importance of English nowadays, how urgent it is. After this it becomes much easier to teach them.:-D
 

Seagull

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Hi, Harry!
Could you give me some hints on how to do it? I mean, from your own experience as an English teacher?
Regards
Manela Rocha
 

Harry Smith

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Hi, Harry!
Could you give me some hints on how to do it? I mean, from your own experience as an English teacher?
Regards
Manela Rocha

I'll try. First of all I have a talk with my students on the importance of learning English. I never start teaching without doing it. And I continue it during the whole course of English. One day I tell them an interesting story by an English writer and advise them to read it in English. Another day I bring a magazine with intersting articles and advise them to read. Once I come to my class with a foreigner who speaks only English to them and tell them to speak to him. And as they don't know English well they always have difficulties in speaking. At last I feel that my students are really interested in English. But I don't stop. I always keep on telling them that English is very easy to learn. And I always praise them when they read, write or speak English. It is very important to tell them how well they speak English. They must see the result. Otherwise it will be very difficult to teach them. And never say that it's difficult to learn English even if it really is.:)
 
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I teach English in Korea. When I arrived four years ago, I can say for certain there were days when the students didn't want to participate in the lesson. I think this is natural- even for some adult students.

In regards to young learners, the spectrum is wide from one student to the next. John is outgoing but craves attention. He may give wrong answers to make his classmates laugh. Jane is shy. She may be terrified of what her peers think of her. The point is, there must be a fun and interesting activity that encompasses all students in a safe environment. By safe, we are talking about a lack of inhibitions and an eagerness to participate meaningfully.

Now, all my classes are taught from computer screens or projectors (3 x 3 meter screens) connected via computers. I use flash files with an abundance of visual imagery. Lesson pace is fast. There is a Q and A game at the end (the last 10-20 minutes) that reviews lesson content. The material engages the students as a group. There are many personalities (albeit developing ones) joined together in an activity that most of them like.

Some students really despise English (for any number of reasons) while others can't get enough of it. I believe this is universal. You can say the same thing about math. I would encourage teachers to find the medium- the material and a comfortable atmosphere where all students have the opportunity to participate. In some cases this is a gargantuan task.

Please see The Language Works profile if you want a link to the flash files I use. Good Luck to all teachers and especially those with difficult students.
 

Tdol

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With the students who despise English, is it just this subject or part of a wider dislike of the education system? ;-)
 
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There are several reasons students may despise English. I can perhaps offer a few I've observed. One of the most unfortunate cases is when a student had had a teacher in the past whom he or she despised. I've seen this in both young learners and adults. Take a student with exaggerated expectations and a short attention span and combine with a teacher with no experience and a short temper, and you have a recipe for catastrophe.

Another reason could be undiagnosed dyslexia, which I suspect in many cases here in Korea:

"Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that mainly affects reading and spelling. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties in processing word-sounds and by weaknesses in short-term verbal memory; its effects may be seen in spoken language as well as written language."

Dyslexic students may be able to "slide by" undiagnosed in some cases. It is estimated that 10% of the population suffers from it. Their first exposure to a second language must be a terrifying one.

More on dyslexia here:
Dyslexia

Yet another reason may be a negative stereotype of the country from which the target language originates. Usually parents and sometimes a culture or subculture reinforce these stereotypes. Perhaps I don't need to give examples...

I imagine there are many more reasons, some having to do with education itself.
 

Tdol

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I hAve read that dyslexia is unknown in Japan, but also read that many dispute this, so it's interesting to see the problem recognised with a non-Roman script.
 
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When it comes to Chinese and Japanese students, early learning experiences reduce the number of dyslexics in the population considerably. Presumably, since Japanese students must learn two phonetic alphabets (hiragana and katakana) many potentially dyslexic students "learn past" the disorder in much the same way a western student being treated for dyslexia would.

Chinese students use ideograms which are not phonetic. This apparently reduces the frequency of the learning disorder to about 4 or 5%.

Korean students, on the other hand, use just one phonetic alphabet and have very little exposure to Chinese ideograms when the condition first manifests- when they first begin to read. Compound this fact with very little public awareness of dyslexia and you have probably 10% of the young student population in a very bad way indeed.

From Time Asia, September 1, 2003:

Japan's Uno, who in addition to his research currently teaches remedial learning techniques to 22 dyslexic kids, agrees. "Most children who visit me speak in a small voice and keep their heads down. The older children I see are punks: they come into my office and sit so low they're practically lying down in their chair." Dyslexia, in effect, has made them permanent outcasts. "They have been teased and told they are stupid. They have learned that no matter how hard they try in school, they will not be rewarded for their efforts."

Korea is a society with a strong Cunfucian background. Students that lag behind are certainly outcasts. Families tend to sweep embarrassments under the carpet and a student with poor grades is no small matter. I haven't done research nor have I seen any here in Korea on this topic; nevertheless, I am sure there is a wider problem than is currently recognized. I hope someone from the academic community here will rise to the occaision.
 

Harry Smith

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I have had students from European countries, but I have never had a student from Asia. Though I tooked a stodent who is Korean. I haven't started my classes yet and I'd like to know if they have difficulties in pronunciation. :?:
 
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Hello Harry

Yes, Korean students have some difficulty with pronunciation. Here are a few examples:

1) Their phonology does not allow for about half of the single consonants. Consonants are often combined with vowels:

dish becomes dishee: at the end of words "sh" is almost always followed by a long "e."

It's becomes Itsa: other consonants (here, "s") are followed by a short "a" or short "u" sound.

2) The "th" (as in thing) is not represented as aren't "r," "f" and "v."

Thing becomes ding or ting.
Lane becomes rain.
Very becomes berry.
Four becomes pour.

3) Diphthongs (two vowel sounds together-"gliding vowel") are more pronounced:

same=sa-im (with a long "a.")

"I think it's fish" can become...
"I dink it'sa fishee."

Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
A four of fish and finger pies...

How about:

Penny rain isa in ma-ee eels anda in ma-ee eyesa
A pole oba pishee anda pingle pa-ees...

In fact, Beatles lyrics may be a good place to start...

The good news is that Korean students are very diligent. If they think your pronunciation is acceptable, they will work hard as you correct them.

The bad news is that they are usually experts when it comes to grammar. If you are weak in this area, you probably won't see them in the second lesson.
 
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Harry Smith

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Hello Harry

Yes, Korean students have some difficulty with pronunciation. Here are a few examples:

1) Their phonology does not allow for about half of the single consonants. Consonants are often combined with vowels:

dish becomes dishee: at the end of words "sh" is almost always followed by a long "e."

It's becomes Itsa: other consonants (here, "s") are followed by a short "a" or short "u" sound.

2) The "th" (as in thing) is not represented as aren't "r," "f" and "v."

Thing becomes ding or ting.
Lane becomes rain.
Very becomes berry.
Four becomes pour.

3) Diphthongs (two vowel sounds together-"gliding vowel") are more pronounced:

same=sa-im (with a long "a.")

"I think it's fish" can become...
"I dink it'sa fishee."

Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.
A four of fish and finger pies...

How about:

Penny rain isa in ma-ee eels anda in ma-ee eyesa
A pole oba pishee anda pingle pa-ees...

In fact, Beatles lyrics may be a good place to start...

The good news is that Korean students are very diligent. If they think your pronunciation is acceptable, they will work hard as you correct them.

The bad news is that they are usually experts when it comes to grammar. If you are weak in this area, you probably won't see them in the second lesson.
Thanks very much for the information. I appreciate it much. I hope mr student won't have all these difficulties as she has been living in Russia since her childhood.:up:
 
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Pronunciation- younger versus older students

...she has been living in Russia since her childhood.

I imagine you know this already: simply put, the younger a student is when acquiring a new language, the more accurate her/his pronunciation will be in the target language (ESL=English).

"Studies examining students' pronunciation after more than five years of exposure to the second language consistently find that the large majority of adults retain their accent when the second language is acquired after puberty, whereas children initiating second language acquisition before puberty have little or no foreign accent."

More on the subject here:
The Effect of Age on Acquisition of a Second Language for School

According to researchers, this has to do with brain "plasticity." This doesn't mean our brains slowly turn to a hard, dull plastic up to the point of senile dementia; on the contrary, it suggests that the human brain has the ability to change and develop (adapt) over time in relation to new information. The focus is on "neuronal circuits that respond to diverse stimuli and process information." In most cases, young learners have more plasticity:

"...in early second language acquisition (L2) beginning at between approximately age five or six, children often achieve native-like pronunciation and syntax within a relatively short period of a year or two. The ability of young children to achieve native-like proficiency in a foreign language in a rather short time is a reflection of a type of neural plasticity, and it appears to be related to the distinct characteristics of the young brain."

More here:
Neural Plasticity and the Issue of Mimicry Tasks in L2 Pronunciation Studies

If your student is a Korean native who acquired Russian as a child, she will most likely acquire English pronunciation in the same way a Russian adult would. On the other hand, if she hadn't been able to assimilate the Russian accent, perhaps then she will be coming to the lesson with pronunciation characteristic of a native Korean speaker.

Good Luck!
 
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