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ESL students usually mention slang or idioms that they acquired from the language outside of the classroom. Although slang and idioms are not the proper mechanics of a language, it is important to help students distinguish formal and informal speech which can improve their writing skills and speaking skills. Slang can improve the writing skills of ESL students by understanding that there is an appropriate way to write inside and outside the classroom. For example, in the email to a potential employer, “Hey, what’s up John. I heard you were the hiring manager. I was wondering if the position for sales associate was still available?”. First, “Hey what’s up John.”, does not follow business etiquette in formal writing, and instead should be formally written as, “Hello John”. Also, “I heard you were the hiring manager.”, conveys a negative tone due to poor word choice and instead should be formally written as, “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear John”. Lastly, “I was wondering if the position for sales associate was still available?”, does not state who the sent the email and instead should be formally written as, “My name is Jane. I am interested in the position of sales associate.”. However, if an ESL student wrote to a friend or colleague, “Hey. I heard that John is the hiring manager. I’m hope he is still hiring for the position of sales associate.”, the email would be appropriate. In this case, ESL students will learn that slang should be avoided in formal writing such as business correspondence. Idioms can improve the speaking skills of ESL students by understanding that there is an appropriate way to communicate inside and outside the classroom. For instance, in the conversation, “Did John complete the report?” asked Tom. “He said he might finish by this afternoon but don't hold your breath.”, replied Jane. First, pictures could be used to illustrate the idiom so ESL learners can guess the literal meaning of the idiom “don’t hold your breath” which is to tell someone that an event is not likely to happen. A theme could be used to teach idioms like in the example conversation, the theme of an office workplace. Then, in the example, the idiom used in context shows that John may be a procrastinator. However, in a similar theme such as college, the context of the idiom implies that the report is difficult, and John could not possibly finish it on the time planned. In this case, ESL students will learn that idioms are only used in conversation and not formally written. Overall, teaching slang and idioms is important for ESL students because it helps their productive skills in speaking and writing. In professional writing and academic writing, it is important for ESL students to know that slang and idioms are informal and inappropriate. On the other hand, slang and idioms are appropriate in informal writing and conversation with friends and colleagues. In conclusion, ESL students will improve their fluency in writing and speaking by avoiding being disrespectful or offensive with the usage of slang and idioms.
