Wednesday, June 6, 2012
In the posts above, the authors discuss their own experiences as multilinguals. Questions that they address include, but are not limited to: What are the challenges of using a language other than your mother tongue? What are the benefits? What do you hope to learn/perfect about your own English language use? What do you hope to learn/perfect about using English in a language classroom?
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ENGLISH FOR TEACHING ENGLISH FOR INTERNATIONAL PURPOSES
ReplyDeleteInstructor: Tamara Warhol, Ph.D.
Written by: Alex Hernandez Date: 06-06-2012
I live in a very touristic town, for this reason it is necessary to study the language the most of the people use. My Mather runs a Hotel. I have made many friends all around the world, guiding them around and welcoming them at the hotel.
I find things easy on the media. Sometimes I get confused, because I have to think both languages. I am making an effort every day to express my ideas with fluency; every day is an adventure as I am in USA. I can’t stop learning new vocabulary, and expressions. In my opinion as a teacher, I should avoid translating things, I have to find out the way how to thing in English easily.
There are barriers between countries all around the world. Some writers classify countries according to their high level education, economic status, and Ecuador belongs to the third world line. A fact that we are categorized like this, is due to people doesn’t speak two languages in these countries. The other important thing is that English speakers are learning Spanish, instead of us learn English. This remark the space between developed countries and us. So, if we start teaching English and encouraging our students seriously about not being conformist, we as teachers could make the difference, and change for better.
I hope to improve my pronunciation and my ability to read. After this summer I would like to perform a complete class in English, without the need of translating things to make students understand the instructions.
There will be more and better opportunities to those who speak more than two languages, so as a teacher is my responsibility to work on it, and give back through the education system all that my government had invested on me.
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ReplyDeleteI have always considered interesting the way people learn languages, and working as a foreign language teacher, has helped me to discover important and curious things, about the way people acquire skills, in order to communicate in a different tongue.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking in other language, which of course, is not our native tongue, represents certain challenges, at the moment of teaching in class. One of the most common challenges, in my personal opinion, is the use of first language, asked by students, to clarify something, they could not understand, in English language during the class. Should we completely prohibit the use of first language in class? Should I ask their questions again in English? (When even I commit some mistakes speaking in English) These and many other situations come to my mind, when I think about the challenges, of Speaking and working, in other language which is not my mother tongue.
I have always heard, that easy things does not help you so much in life, and sometimes, difficult things help you to be a better person, and maybe, this is something we should apply in different contexts, in our lives. One of the benefits to face any challenge is to prove ourselves that yes, we can handle it, and if we cannot, we must have enough engagement to be persistent, in order to obtain our goals.
Refine or improve our English language level, will always be a positive aim, for any teacher of English as foreign language, and practice it abroad, in a native English speaker country, is an amazing experience that will be reflected when we return to our jobs in our country.
LEARNING TO LEARN
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I consider myself as a lucky person because I have had the opportunity to learn and teach English, which is one of the most important languages around the world. Although, it has been totally challenging to learn it, since it demands lots of practice, dedication, and effort, I have taken advantage of all the knowledge I have acquired in order to improve my language skills.
Speaking English has been rewarding in my life, because it makes me integrate and communicate with different communities, and also to understand many cultural backgrounds. Nevertheles, being able of expanding my horizons due to English, has been one of the most important benefits I could have had.
Also, to point out something relevant, I can say that being a teacher is not as easy as many people think, because these professionals need to be in constant training in order to learn all the new methodologies and techniques that can enhance the improvement of the teaching-learning process of English. As a teacher, I am interested in learning everything related to the language use in order to get the required excellence and accuracy when teaching.
The current goverment of Ecuador is making a big effort in matters of Education, and as part of this plan, it has taken into account the teaching of the second language as a necessary subject to be taught in all the educational institutions, especially the public ones. Fortunalety, I have the opportunity to be in this important project , and I do believe that I will be able to contribute with the success and improvement of it, by making my students learn English better.
Ma. Belen Sanchez