Teacher Discussion Forums

Whether you believe that the education our children receive in today’s schools should include a wide range of subjects or whether they should be allowed to specialize early on in a specific field, you can’t deny the importance of second language skills. The failure of the government and the educational system to take the proper steps to address this issue has given rise to an ever increasing number of people being refused entry into the job market because of a lack of language skills. Having lost the opportunity to pick up a second language at an age and in an environment conducive to learning, these young adults are forced to put their profession careers on hold in order to study on their own what they should have been taught in school. The politicians claim that they have everything under control and that the next generation of children will be bilingual.
Gordon http://www.myprofe.com/tandem

I'm fluent in three languages, but two are native and one was designed to be easy to learn. I've been studying three more, and I suspect it will need me a few more years at least to get reasonably fluent in them.

It's not possible for most students to become fluent in a language as difficult to master as English, unless the government is prepared to spend millions, if not billions, of US dollar equivalents yearly, for most to never get past school Enlgish. That's what's occurring in Quebec and China now. It would make much more sense for the schools to focus on the native language in elementary school, perhaps an easy language for the last two years of primary school as a propaepeudic for further study, and for those who do well there, then they could have the option to choose English if they want. As for the rest, let them continue with the study of an easier language.

You might disagree, thinking that English is so useful in the world. But then again, which is more useful, for a student to know how to say 'hello' in english after years of study, of for the student to be fluent in Indonesian, Turkish, or some other easier language? You might also blame the teacher. In that case, that would indicate that most Chinese, European and Quebecois teachers of English are incompetent. So what to do? Spend even more money to teach the teachers, and start teaching the students at kindergarten?!

In China, Kindergarten age English training has already begun, and it's been found that middle school students' command of their own native language is slipping! Some are starting to react to that with some concern, and there could certainly be some political fallout against English if that trend continues.

So Spain is smart, saving its money and and recognising English as a specialized course, as it ought to be. Remember, also, that while the Chinese are now starting to surpass the Japanese in their English ability, it's not because of English that the Japanese succeeded, but because of their inverstment in science and technology. Perhaps Spain is just looking at the bigger picture and not getting caught up in the latest fad.

Somewhat mystified by machjo's ideas of "easy" language(s); I don't understand his point of what is an 'easy" language since obviously he thinks Turkish to be one of them. Turkish? If that language is "easy", then so is English!

Somewhat mystified by machjo's ideas of "easy" language(s); I don't understand his point of what is an 'easy" language since obviously he thinks Turkish to be one of them. Turkish? If that language is "easy", then so is English!

Well, it really is all relative as to what languages are easy to learn. For instance, if you know Italian, other Romance languages aren't so difficult. I do feel though that for most people Turkish is more logical and follows a stricter rule set. Of course, I also believe it's a lot easier to get good material in English, so that is definitely a plus to its benefits as well.

Kevin