“Why do we have to study English?” When your reluctant learners ask this dreaded question how do you respond? How can you motivate them to really want to learn and use English? Here is an approach I’ve used successfully.
Often when I give an academic presentation plenary speech or English teacher training session, I ask the audience, “How many countries have Spanish as the first language?” Since I live and work in South America you’d think the response would be swift and forthcoming. Usually it’s not. After the group has sweated it out for a couple of minutes or so I ask, “Would you like to see the list?” They do, of course so I project the 20 key Spanish-speaking countries, which are:
• Spain
• Mexico
• Honduras
• Guatemala
• Nicaragua
• El Salvador
• Costa Rica
• Panama
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Peru
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Argentina
• Uruguay
• Paraguay
• The Dominican Republic
• Puerto Rico
• Cuba
The Fun Begins
Then the fun really begins. My next question is, “How many countries have English as a first or official language?” To twist the screw just a bit more I add, “You’ll all English teachers, so you should know where the language is spoken, right?” They agree that they should and for the next few minutes set about fathoming the English L1 list. More squirming, a few shouted out queries and I let the pressure off. “How many do you have on your list?” Rarely does the number exceed ten or fifteen. Take a moment; how many can YOU list?
Countries with English as the Official L1
“Would you like to see my list?” I ask. You know what the response unanimously is. “Do you think that is something that might be useful for an English teacher to know?” A resounding “Yes!” always follows.
In truth, there are at least thirty-five English L1 countries!
Surprised? Most English teachers are. And my current list might not even be all-inclusive by now.
At any rate, here it is:
• United States, Trinidad & Tobago, Belize
• Barbados, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Guyana, British Virgin Islands, Australia
• Falkland Islands, England, Grenada
• St. Nevis / St. Kitts, Jamaica, India, Bermuda
• South Africa, Bahamas, New Zealand
• Cayman Islands, St. Vincent, Grenadines
• Samoa, St. Lucia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone
• Singapore, Liberia, Ghana, Ireland
• Hong Kong, Zimbabwe
Why not check out the official country websites for these and other countries for some eye-opening information on the impact of English on their respective cultures? Many foreign country websites include news, local current events, audio, radio and streaming video as well. Need more information? Just “Google” the country name to get a trainload or two of related websites.
What’s the Point
So what’s the point? Just that it’s helpful to provide practical aspects to learning English. World travel and commerce are just two of the many reasons to be cited for the practicality of English-language learning. The internet, e-mails, chats and forums all contribute to a preponderance of English-language use online. A plethora of English teacher resource websites and a growing cadre of English language learner websites help contribute to the usefulness of the tongue.
• http://www.etprofessional.com/
• http://promo.net/pg/
• http://www.quia.com/
• http://www.weblogalot.com/ping/
• http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/
• http://www.eslbase.com/
The international news is online at so many websites it’s almost embarrassing to try to keep up with them. Did I also mention music, radio and entertainment?
• http://www.allyoucanread.com/newspapers.asp
• http://www.radiotower.com/
• http://www.live365.com/
• http://www.cnn.com/
How about online and computer games, fun places to learn and practice grammar and usage, or getting assistance in researching a hard-to-find-information-on theme and podcasts?
• http://www.zillions-of-games.com/demo/
• http://zone.msn.com/en/root/downloads.htm
• http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php
Scientific, technical and medical knowledge are posted online in English first, even when the initial production of the knowledge was not in English. Linguistic Imperialism? Hegemony? Perhaps, but reality nonetheless.
So next time you get the question, “Why do we have to study English?” don’t pout, start ponying up with some practical aspects for your learners. It may well help them to see things in a different light. Learning English can be both fun and useful. Help your learners to see how and you may rarely have to face the dreaded, “Do we have to study English?”
By: Larry M. Lynch
Posts Tagged ‘Spanish Speaking Countries’
English Language Teachers: Why Teach English?
December 17th, 2009How Many Countries Speak Spanish? – Learn How Many Countries Speak Spanish Here
December 5th, 2009
Spanish is a language that everyone has heard. It’s everywhere – road signs, television, automated answer systems on telephones. There are so many resources out there, learning Spanish is actually easier than ever. But how many countries speak Spanish? Why does this language seem to be everywhere?
Spanish is actually all over the world. Because so many people come from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries, you might find someone who understands this language all over the globe. For many, being bilingual can open up a lot of job opportunities. But learning Spanish can also open up a world of travel possibilities. There are so many different Spanish-speaking countries to visit, you might never get to see them all.
How many countries speak Spanish? While many countries may not claim Spanish as their primary language, there are a variety of locales where Spanish is as widely spoken as the native tongue. The United States is one of these countries. Anywhere you go in the U.S., you’ll find people that speak Spanish. Other countries that speak Spanish include Andorra, Argentine, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Esparia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela, Spain itself, and the Republics of Honduras, Micaragua, Panama, and Dominicana. Spanish is even spoken in some parts of Africa.
When you see how many countries speak Spanish, you see why Spanish is heard all over the world. Many Spanish-speaking countries, like Spain, are exotically beautiful and perfect for luxurious vacationing. A knowledge of Spanish is very helpful when basking in these beautiful, Spanish-speaking countries, but even if you don’t know the language it’s still very enjoyable. Many people who visit Spanish-speaking countries fall in love with the sights, sounds, food, and culture that they experience on their trips.
Even when you count countries where Spanish is spoken by a large number of the population, the list of Spanish-speaking countries really isn’t complete. Because this language has found a home in so many countries, Spanish-speaking people have migrated all over the world. This means you might hear Spanish even if vacationing in London, Paris, or Rome. You don’t have to learn Spanish to enjoy it, but knowing a little of the language makes vacationing in Spanish-speaking countries that much easier. How many countries speak Spanish? You’ll find Spanish-speakers in a great majority of the places you might visit – this is one language that’s everywhere.
Anyone who wants to learn a little Spanish on their own can make use of the resources and tools available online. The Internet is a fount of information for learning Spanish, providing tutorials and courses, free downloads, and web sites with huge language collections. When you know Spanish, you can pretty much fit in anywhere.
By: Roger Mark