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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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 Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:15 am Post subject: Monoglossia in TEFLers |
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| How many TEFLers have achieved competence in at least one foreign language ? |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| I'd be more curious about competence in English : ) |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:22 am Post subject: |
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I'm reasonably competent in both English and my second language   |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd be more curious about competence in English : ) |
Yeah, from some of the posts on here........I hope these people don't talk like they write. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
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Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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I hope they don't TEACH what they write!!
Last edited by spiral78 on Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
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Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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Incoherently, you mean?  |
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vabeckele
Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 439
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Puhutko Suomea?
I have picked up another Northern European language with origins that are debatable. Some say the Finnish to be of Asiatic origin.
Finnish is a lot like Latin and took a long while to learn. I am at B2 level.
In regards to English, I am envious of a couple of people on this board as they have quite evidently gone to good schools and it shows in their writing.
Last edited by vabeckele on Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:52 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, I mean, like it's cool, innit ? It was like awesome man. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
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Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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kpjf
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 385
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| Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:57 am Post subject: Re: Monoglossia in TEFLers |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| How many TEFLers have achieved competence in at least one foreign language ? |
I have. I think it's quite useful because some people who teach simply don't understand how difficult it can be to become proficient in another language. Being at the other side of the desk makes you more aware of issues or problems learners face.
I learnt basic German through the "Direct Method", for example, and it was good to be taught that way because it was a little frustrating at times so now I know what it can be like for students with a low level to be taught through this method instead of just wondering why the students don't "get it" when I....speak....in...English...all...the...time.
It's so easy to be a monolingual teacher and complain about the level of your students and how bad they are - let's see those monoglossics (does this word exist?) get C2 in a foreign language. I worked my socks off to pass the C2 exam in Spanish and it wasn't easy.
So, what languages are people here proficient in? Nobody has really mentioned anything (apart from Finnish). Has anyone here become proficient in any Asian languages? When I say proficient I don't mean you can order a beer and have a conversation about the weather! Obviously, you'd imagine the amount of people becoming fluent would be a lot lower compared to European languages and you'd probably have to have lived there for a long time to attain a certain level. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 10:15 am Post subject: |
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Monoglots is the word, I'd guess.
As to language ability , I wouldn't claim high a level of Russian. I can get by, but most of my intermediate students run comparative rings round me. Yet, I have a basic level in about half a dozen languages, and could function fairly well socially in a few of them, though with some severe limitations. So, I am not sure one needs to actually master a foreign language in order to really be able to teach English. All one needs is to at least be trying to learn, or have tried, so as to gain some insight into and sympathy for English language learners.
Failure in our own learning can sometimes teach us as much as successful learning, especially in terms of learning some humility. At least that is my defence, and I'm sticking to it : ) |
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kpjf
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Posts: 385
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| Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Sashadroogie wrote: |
| Monoglots is the word, I'd guess. |
Thanks 
| Sashadroogie wrote: |
As to language ability , I wouldn't claim high a level of Russian. I can get by, but most of my intermediate students run comparative rings round me. Yet, I have a basic level in about half a dozen languages, and could function fairly well socially in a few of them, though with some severe limitations. So, I am not sure one needs to actually master a foreign language in order to really be able to teach English. All one needs is to at least be trying to learn, or have tried, so as to gain some insight into and sympathy for English language learners.
Failure in our own learning can sometimes teach us as much as successful learning, especially in terms of learning some humility. At least that is my defence, and I'm sticking to it : ) |
I agree. I don't think you really need to master any language to teach English per se, just that I think going through the process of learning a foreign language can be useful giving you an insight into both 'sides'. Also, if you learn the L1 of the students who you are going to teach you can understand why they make certain mistakes; such as why French people use the present perfect instead of the simple past because the simple past/present perfect in English translate as the same thing in French.
However, of course, you could speak 3 foreign languages fluently and still suck at teaching English!
Like you mention failure, it can be just as (if not more) useful from a teacher's point of view giving you an insight into the pitfalls and difficulties in attempting to reach a certain level. |
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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| Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Yesterday an Australian race car driver in the Panamerican race complemented me on my English while I was taking my kids picture with him. He heard me speaking to a crew chief in Spanish and assumed I was Mexican. So I think I do okay in my second langauge. |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 7:17 am Post subject: Re: Monoglossia in TEFLers |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| How many TEFLers have achieved competence in at least one foreign language ? |
[raising hand]
Warm regards,
fat_chris |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea
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| Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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Me!
The bilingual anglophone. We are a rare breed, aren't we?
As the actress says in Inglorious Basterds, "I know this is a silly question before I ask it, but can you Americans speak any other language besides English?" |
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