Is there such a thing as a wrong way to learn English?

One adult student I had thought there was – and that he was learning English the wrong way for a long time, before finally ‘cracking’ it. Just before he went on to finally pass the TOEFL test after about 5 or more tries, he blurted out his realization in class one day. “Miss, I think I was learning (English) the wrong way.” And at that point, I couldn’t have agreed with him more.

So in case you are one of those who feel like you are “stuck” in your learning of the English language, or have been at your nth try at TOEFL or any other standardized test of English, stay on. I might have a solution for you!

If you’re a teacher of English and is finding some solutions for your students who seem unable to fully master English for exams or to pass standardized test of English like the TOEFL, the IELTS, etc, stay on. I probably have a solution for you.

So what is the wrong way of learning English?

From many readings I’ve done over the years, from my own experiences learning English as a second language, and from my teaching experiences the last 15 years of my career in international education, I am of the opinion that still, many teachers and learning institutions advocate rote memorization as a way of learning vocabulary (and learning English).

In international schools in Thailand, many of our Japanese and Korean students go to cram school right after school, 5 times a week if they are near their graduation time. The reason? They have to “cram”, literally, for university entrance examination in their home countries. The general practice includes a long list of words, which the students have to memorize. According to the kids, this is a way that they are prepared for TOEFL as well as for entrance tests to universities.

However, looking back into what, to me, were ‘effective’ ways to learn English, memorization of long lists of words just does not pave the way to success. At least, not in what most of the students I’ve had experienced.

What does work?

One important method, which is also advocated by many English language teaching practitioners is learning vocabulary through context. Now, while many of us in the field of teaching may know this like the back of our hand, sometimes, it takes some time for our students to fully grasp its meaning.

While exposing our learners to skills books that teach vocabulary through context, I have always felt there has to be an even better way to it. First, for instance, our students have to OWN their learning. And that their learning of English vocabulary has to be a constant companion, even in their sleep, when it is necessary. As was the case with that adult student I had who was ‘learning English the wrong way’.

The key is in a very simple 3-step program that involves the student’s choice, a manual task, and an environment where the student can “share” his choices and where he gets feedback for his efforts. Once this 3-step program is followed, the learning of English takes on a new meaning for the student. And based on experience, paves the way to more success and towards “owning” one’s learning of the language.

On Friday, we shall give you this 3-step program, which could help you in your learning of the English language, or help your students find the right way to master English! Stay tuned!

“There is a widely held belief that in order to be a good writer a student needs to be read a lot”. (Hedge, 1988:11).

Harris (1993:81) is also of the same belief as Hedge when he wrote in his book, “Introducing Writing”, that “reading and the consideration of written texts should form an important part of the teaching of writing.” He explains that writing cannot be taken as a different entity from other aspects of language use. He says writing requires attention to reading and to talking, for these are the two means by which writing skill can be learned or acquired.

According to Eisterhood (1990:88) traditionally, the answer to the question of   “what constitutes the relevant language input that would pave the way so second language learners develop hypotheses of writing in English” has been reading.

The reason for this perhaps, is because reading is believed to provide “models from which writing skills can be learned, or at least inferred. Reading in the writing classroom is understood as the appropriate input for acquisition of writing skills” (Eisterhood, 1990).

This link between reading and writing is perhaps akin to Krashen’s (1984, as quoted in Eisterhood, 1990) theory on language acquisition. According to him, reading for interest or pleasure paves the way to developing writing competence. He claims that “the development of writing ability and of second language proficiency occurs in the same way: via comprehensible input with low affective filter”. He goes further by saying, “It is reading that gives the reader the ‘feel’ for the look and texture of reader-based prose” (Krashen, 1984:20).

Stotsky (1983) and Shanahan (1988), did a survey of first language correlational studies, and here are the results they found as mentioned in the book, Reading and Learning to Read, by Vacca, Vacca and Gove (1991:137-138):

• Reading and writing processes are correlated, good readers are good writers and vice versa.

• Students who write well tend to read more books than those who are less capable as writers.

• Wide reading may be as effective in improving writing as actual practice in writing.

These results suggest that the two skills, reading and writing, are interrelated. “Both are language based and experience based, both require active involvement for language learners, and both must be viewed as acts of making meaning for communication.” (Vacca, Vacca and Gove, 1991:138).

What is writing and why is there a need to learn it?

In this study, writing will be explored and discussed in the context of  ESL, particularly in an international school environment. Reference will also be made to studies and issues that affect first language writing since quite many of the theories that govern second language writing are also derived, based or influenced by first language theories on writing.

Writing, unlike the other skills of reading, listening and speaking seems to be of a more complex nature, especially in the context of second language use. In Britain, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, emphasis was placed more on reading than on writing. The basis of which was the notion that it was more desirable for people to be able to read than write. That way, they can be educated and/or instructed into a particular belief or ideology.

Writing also involves the giving of instructions, but instead of enabling learners to simply react to a range of social demands and instructions, it can lead to a more proactive role. It can lead to “the formation of views about society” (Foggart, 1993:6).And that aspect of writing, perhaps more aptly identified with the concept of empowerment, is a potential threat to the status quo in society.

This study will not be concerned much with the teaching of writing in order to produce learners who play proactive roles in society or in a political sense. Rather, the writing that will be discussed here is more on the expression of ideas and experiences, and the discovery of self which could come about as children engage in the writing process.

It can not be denied that the teaching of writing plays a significant role on the kinds of individuals students become once they have acquired mastery of the English language, and have reached adulthood.

Proficiency in this particular skill could open the way so students, in the future, would have access to certain social roles which would have remained closed to them if there was failure to give appropriate input or instruction today.

As countries become more industrialized and as the language becomes  more and more the language of choice in many business, political and social interactions, having the skill to write in the English language would give one an edge in the international community

(Tribble,1996).

There are many social and business activities that require proficiency in writing. The students in this study will not be involved in activities ranging from inviting a business contact to dinner to making a law. They will instead be more likely to be participating in writing in journals and diaries as a school assignment or personal activity, writing a descriptive or narrative essay on a topic assigned to them in school, writing a friendly letterto family, writing a story, or writing a response to literature read in thelassroom. Nevertheless, they still have to learn, practice and master the skill of writing. And being second language learners, this is a more difficult task than others.