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ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

It's a question of motivation and exposure.

In Korea, for example, immigrants from coutries like Uzbekistan and Pakistan learn Korean much faster than foreign English teachers. The Uzbeks really need to communicate with their bosses in the factories and farms where they work.

Learning Arabic in the Gulf is difficult, also, because social opportunities with Gulf Arabs are no doubt limited by cultural norms.

Also, the fact that most educated Gulf residents speak decent English does not help.

Ghost

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

A lot ESOL teachers are not good language learners. I think learning (or attempting to learn) a second or third language is part of our ongoing professional development. Even for those who struggle, contining to attempt language learning provides a teacher with ongoing ideas to help inspire his/her own students. After all, lots of our students aren't good language learners themselves.

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject:

Does anyone know what sr is on about? I PMed s/he, but there hasn't been a reply yet. I'm confused!!!

NCTBA

007 · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject:

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 7:00 pm Post subject:

Fair enuf. Let's get this thread back on topic, but return my PM as to why you posted. As 007 intimated, you may not agree with my English usage, but how does that NOT make me a native speaker in control of my language. Just because Americans/Canadians live on a street and not in it, does that make either not in control? Again, bewildered and confused as to the post!

NCTBA

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 3:20 am Post subject:

You've devolved, sr...complete the process. Also, be respectful enuf to return PMs when people give you the respect to NOT publicly call you to task. Even a "native-speaker" knows that much!

NCTBA

Cleopatra · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 7:33 am Post subject:

007 · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 8:53 am Post subject:

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 10:28 am Post subject:

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

A good teacher shouldn't need to have any knowledge of his/her students' native tongue to be able to teach them English- that is ,if said teacher has had proper training and isn't just on the 'backpacker TEFL trip oh I think I'll 'teach' English that might be fun no skills required '......

That said, it is useful to understand that when your Year 9 is standing in front of you and says ,''Ziga yahmarrah'' you are able to put them into detention immediately because you know it is not some quaint Arabic term of endearment.

Regional accents in the EFL classroom? Mmm a difficult one. No one would advocate RP lessons ( after all, is it 3% of the UK population that actually use it?). I used to tell my students who wanted to learn 'BBC English' that as soon as they arrived in Heathrow and 1) asked directions 2) ordered a coffee 3) got into a taxi , the chances were that the person with whom they were conversing would probably be 1) Bangladeshi 2) Eastern European or 3) Indian so....being aware of a variety of accents would do them no harm.

On our PG Dip TEFL many years ago however, a charming Glaswegian failed inevitably, not because his skills / work was below par, but because in all of his teaching practices the kids couldn't understand a bloody word he was saying. And I must admit , I was a little annoyed when my five year old picked up the phrase 'so and so is feeling POORLY' from her KG teacher last year.....UNWELL UNWELL ILL ILL SICK....poorly is an adverb surely?

Hi SR- pour me a sangria -it's getting hot. Laughing