Essay1: Experience of learning a foreign language

Class A: TESOL course

Name: Yu-bin Kim(Sharon Stone)

Many Koreans are crazy about learning English as a second language. Some Korean parents persuade their children to study abroad to learn more effectively, and others are busy searching for some cutting-edge foreign language institutions for their children in order to keep up with this craze for learning English. Some critics are skeptical of this phenomenon, and there are also many books or contemporary reviews related to this current educational reality that many Korean students are inundated with various private lessons so as to get proficient in English.

Whatever the individual reasons of this phenomenon are, it has been also an endless challenge for me for many years to learn a foreign language in order to communicate with foreigners fluently.

Drawing out my memories, I can never forget the first moment that I met my English teacher when I was a middle school student. The first impression of her was more dreadful than I had thought because I didn't have a basic knowledge of English such as alphabet, phonology, or very simple words. At that time, I only had a vague fear about learning something because I was not an honor student and didn't have any interest in studying. Every English class was merely filled with inaudible words at first , but I gradually became immersed in her cheerful and positive manner. Even though I made numerous mistakes or couldn't answer to her questions at all, she didn't scold me, rather gave me positive punishment like letting me call myself "Egg Stone" or describing English words by some gestures. It was her authoritative words and deeds and warm human understanding that changed my indolent life into a totally valuable one. During my first summer vacation, I really wanted to please her and tried to memorize all of the sentences written in an English textbook. The result was a great success and she gave me a big round of applause admitting my painstaking effort.

Her affirmative instruction remained in my memory for a long time even when I graduated from a high school. Since I reached 2nd grade in the middle school, I had never had a chance to meet a special teacher like her. But I always tried to do my best as the middle school teachers were passionate and tried to have a deep relationship with their students.

Having become a high school student, I had finally gotten fed up with various tedious classes that there were only explanations without any mutual responses between the teacher and the learners. I sometimes felt a warm homesickness for my previous middle school days when I became so sick and tired of the endless dry lessons. I felt that the cramming system made me a puppet I did what others told me to do and I couldn't help consoling myself by thinking of the mild impression of my first English teacher and writing some letters to her concerning the melancholy.

After I entered an university, I realized that I became dumb when it came to make the use of my knowledge of English. Although numerous brainwashers in my high school tried to fill my head with a wide range of formulas, I just remained an idiot who couldn't speak and understand even a simple sentence - "Ditto!" It made me more frustrated and made me discouraged.

But the situation became better as I decided to major in Spanish when I became a sophomore in the university. As the students were much more goal-oriented and the professors had a sense of duty about their classes, the atmosphere of the lectures was livelier and freer. For example, on the day we learned various kinds of foods in Spain, we actually made some Spanish traditional foods or beverage such as Paella, Tapas, Tortillas, Sangria and Vino etc. I also used to experience a variety of festivals and cultures in Spain through some activities of the department club. There was a regular party that showed us Spanish dance such as Latin dance or Flamenco and provided us Spanish traditional foods in order that we could understand Spain more exactly and I was really impressed by this method giving me an unforgettable memory. In the Spanish class of my university, I could go deep in class because there were various demonstrations such as movies, Spanish songs, and pictures of main cities etc.

Moreover, studying in Spain was a more productive experience than doing in an university. Despite the short period of studying, I was totally inspired from the real life there. For some weeks, I could be with a really nice landlady while living in her house. Every day she guided me to the roads around the village in order that I got more familiar with the streets. Her explanations gave me much information about the country. I felt a deep relationship with her and unlimited gratitude for her tireless effort.

Studying in an university and an academy in Spain was also precious for me. There were many discussions that I had never experienced before, but I learned more skills in expressing myself in Spanish through the course. After the term of home-staying was finished, I had a chance to live in a dormitory with many foreign friends from various countries. During that period, I could also go through cultural differences among diverse countries. Moreover, traveling to other cities every week was another opportunity to run into regional differences and to get more fluent in Spanish.

After graduating from my university, I got a job as an English teacher at an academy because my senior suggested me to work with her. At that time, I was confident of my ability because I got a high grade in my TOEIC test. However, it took just a couple of months until I realized that I was also one of the common brainwashers like those in my high-school days. Although I prepared for my class for some days, I couldn't give my ex-students what they really wanted. Now I admit that my dry-as-dust lectures came from the previous experience that had been rooted in my school days. Even though I had various experiences in teaching before, I can't help but acknowledge my lack of the elemental skills in teaching. That is why I really want to get proficient in teaching English and more deeply become more mature through this course. I am dreaming of attaining my goal to be an efficient teacher.