My foreign language history:
English since 5th grade throughout HS and then college
5 years Latin
3 years French
2 years Italian (that was in college)
1 semester Spanish in college (in the US, everyone including the teacher thought I already must have known some Spanish even though I never had any, the class was a joke)
Here is the problem: Many teachers don't emphasize to take the language outside of the classroom. In order to be able to speak a language (and I am talking about coherent, complete sentences here), one needs to see the benefits one has when communicating in a foreign language. "Learning" three times a week, for 50 lame minutes, will not do the trick. Watching movies, reading short stories (and yes, looking up unknown vocabulary), and talking to native speakers (traveling, exchange programs) will be more important in the grand scheme than the classroom French or Spanish. The image of the burning armchair comes to mind here. Let's take language into the streets where it is spoken. Real-life approaches teach more than any textbook can (though I know textbooks are necessary to a certain degree).
I have taught both German and ESL. You can overcome initial frustrations by speaking the foreign language almost all the time. I meet students at work in the grocery store and only talk in the foreign language to them. I don't care if we are in class or not. First, they are taken aback but soon they love and appreciate the fact that they can indeed communicate with me in another language. Conversation groups and book clubs help. Sadly, many teachers feel overworked and underpaid and when you teach and your paycheck is actually important to you, then you will not put in enough effort for the students' success.
I know, I am being idealistic again. But when you start looking at your paycheck stub every month, then it is time (in my eyes) to stop teaching.
These are my fifty cent (no, it is two cent...right? Fifty Cent is a rapper...I think)
English since 5th grade throughout HS and then college
5 years Latin
3 years French
2 years Italian (that was in college)
1 semester Spanish in college (in the US, everyone including the teacher thought I already must have known some Spanish even though I never had any, the class was a joke)
Here is the problem: Many teachers don't emphasize to take the language outside of the classroom. In order to be able to speak a language (and I am talking about coherent, complete sentences here), one needs to see the benefits one has when communicating in a foreign language. "Learning" three times a week, for 50 lame minutes, will not do the trick. Watching movies, reading short stories (and yes, looking up unknown vocabulary), and talking to native speakers (traveling, exchange programs) will be more important in the grand scheme than the classroom French or Spanish. The image of the burning armchair comes to mind here. Let's take language into the streets where it is spoken. Real-life approaches teach more than any textbook can (though I know textbooks are necessary to a certain degree).
I have taught both German and ESL. You can overcome initial frustrations by speaking the foreign language almost all the time. I meet students at work in the grocery store and only talk in the foreign language to them. I don't care if we are in class or not. First, they are taken aback but soon they love and appreciate the fact that they can indeed communicate with me in another language. Conversation groups and book clubs help. Sadly, many teachers feel overworked and underpaid and when you teach and your paycheck is actually important to you, then you will not put in enough effort for the students' success.
I know, I am being idealistic again. But when you start looking at your paycheck stub every month, then it is time (in my eyes) to stop teaching.
These are my fifty cent (no, it is two cent...right? Fifty Cent is a rapper...I think)
