Job Discussion Forums

[Chancellor]

[santi84]

My second language is French (lower-intermediate). I learned it formally in university and informally at home (I have a mouthy French husband). It really gave me a great perspective, whether it be tips for memorizing vocabulary, classroom management, or even how hard it is to transition between formal and casual language. Since I teach in an ESL (not EFL) environment, a lot of my students have trouble with the differences between formal English (often learned in Korea or Taiwan) and the English spoken on the streets on Vancouver.

[Glenski]

[johnslat]

Dear Glenski,

"Perhaps in some of those cases, it would have been better if they hadn't learned it so well . . . ."

At last - justification for my laziness. Lord knows I've studiously avoided learning another language "so well" - heck, I'm still working on my English.

Regards,
John

[steki47]

[tudodude]

Wangai farang. Tii Krung Thep har pii leaw lagaar Phom pood passa Thai dai dee mak krap.

In learning Thai I found an understanding for the problems my students have I couldn't have understood before.

[steki47]

Interesting topic. A related thought: if you speak/study the students' L1, do you use it in class or otherwise tell the students that you speak their language?

I generally don't use Japanese in the classroom, but some students have asked. I have told them some details of my own study habits. 2 grammar points, 10 Chinese characters a day. Reading elementary school texts, etc.

My hope is that the students and I can have some more sympathy and understanding for each other.

[AjarnIam]

[the_thinker]

I've had students on more than one occasion ask me whether I speak any other languages (or their language, when I've been teaching outside of my country). I think it's a very fair question, and they certainly seem to respect you for it if you can answer yes.

I think that one thing that is just as important as actually having mastered a language is having had experience of being a student in a language classroom reasonably recently (even if this was in a class to learn a language you haven't mastered at a particularly high level). I think as teachers we aren't always aware enough of how unpleasant things we ask our students to do can be. Some examples at random are i) picking someone out for individual drilling for pronunciation after choral drilling (can be humiliating), ii) moving people around each lesson so they don't sit with the same people each lesson (annoying, the last thing you want to do when you've come to a language class after a tiring day of work); iii) a great many EFL games (humiliating, annoying, and again the last thing you want to do when you've come to a language class after a tiring day of work).

[steki47]

[the_thinker]

[TwinCentre]

Sorry to be post-modern, but I suspect that learning a foreign language to a high level only makes you aware of how YOU learn foreign languages.

To put things into persepctive, unless you are teaching English through L1, then it could be said that you are 'facilitating' language learning not actually teaching content.

Am I wrong? I might be.....

If I am right, then it is questionable how benifical learning a foreign language yourself is to your students....unless you learn theirs.

[steki47]

[Glenski]

[quote="steki47"]

[steki47]