83th wk Emily (Dayeon Son)

Learning English is a challenge for my development

Man who has had a dream for a long time will finally get looked like the dream   - Andre Malraux

I’ve been studying english for more than 10 years. However, i’m still not a good English speaker and for me, it’s kind of a shame that I even don’t know all the grammar clearly. I think I started learning English when I was an 8 year old elementary school student. It was the first time to meet an English as an second language. But, at that time I was young, so I didn’t know why I have to study English and of course, there was no motivation. However, I can’t remember the exact moment because it was long time ago, but I think since middle school i’be been interested in English all along. Also I had a chance to go to New Zealand for 6months to study English when I was high school student. Because my older sister was living there. Living in New Zealand was not easy at all. New environment, beautiful scenery was good however, I went to the whitireia institute every day and that was all. I didn’t have any native friend, I had only chiness, japaness,, ect. Also I experienced loneliness and racism. However, because of institute teacher who was enabler, envolver type teacher, I learned a lot about English and It was so fascinating to me that i’ve dreamed to use English like an native speaker. After I came back to South Korea, my English score became much higher than before.

In South Korea, most students have to take an important exam like ACT in the U.S.A. So I had to prepare the exam only based on reading and listening. Most English teachers in Korea are Explainers. They teach without considering our intelligence, we just received our education by taking notes and some homework. They just explain and move on the next pharagraph and explain again, I think that is why I get used to solve questions with some skills like memorizing a patterns, memorizing some skills worked well. After graduating high school, I decided my major English Literature. I wasn’t satisfied with my universicy education. It is hard to believe that I can’t remember how I had learned English from elementary school to middle school and actually it woudn’t be surprised to reflected at my school and universicy days. Only teacher’s one-way communication isn’t captured my mind to study English pleasantly.

These days, many institutes studying English use various type of teaching methods. If second language learners want to improve their listening skill, they are needed to be exposed as many hours as possible. I think watching American dramas or movies repeatedly could be a good way to make students interested in studying English. I like ‘ modern family’ the most and it is about the everyday life in American family. Nowadays, children pick up the language naturally through playing various games and teaching methods. I think, expecially adults usually lose their attention during class, that’s why if I use watching drama without subtitles as an activity it could help students studying English fun. Also the stories are all connected of course, so they can hear the words and conversation by the lecture going.

Learning a second language is a challenge. I’ve always hesitated making mistakes. I’ll take this TESOL course as an challenge for my development. I won’t hesitate making mistakes this time.