Most Difficult Language To Learn In The World

Teaching English to Japanese students can be very difficult because of cultural and lingual differences. Japanese students are very different from American and European students. An advantage is their tendency to be more reserved and well behaved. However, they do not like to speak in class because they do not want to appear arrogant (Ikeda). This is a cultural custom and it will take extra encouragement to coax the students to talk. Also, students do not like to make eye contact and will become very embarrassed if they do not know an answer (Ikeda). Teachers must be sensitive to these manners in order to conduct a comfortable class for the students. A gradual progression toward a more English style class will be the most productive approach to classroom differences...  [Read more]

The English language is spoken in many countries throughout the world. In this modern day, "global society," the English language is used as the common language for international communication. As a result, English is well on its way to becoming the dominant global language. (1) As a result, people of all nationalities are obliged to learn English as a second language. However, pronunciation of the English language by people of different nationalities is varied the world over. On closer inspection, it appears that different nationalities have their own unique pronunciation problems. This is because English words often contain sounds (or phonemes) that are unique to the English language. The native language spoken in a particular country can effect the English language...  [Read more]

The English language is spoken in many countries throughout the world. In this modern day, "global society," the English language is used as the common language for international communication. As a result, English is well on its way to becoming the dominant global language. (1) As a result, people of all nationalities are obliged to learn English as a second language. However, pronunciation of the English language by people of different nationalities is varied the world over. On closer inspection, it appears that different nationalities have their own unique pronunciation problems. This is because English words often contain sounds (or phonemes) that are unique to the English language. The native language spoken in a particular country can effect...  [Read more]

IntroductionConsidering the difficulties that learners from different backgrounds are faced with is appropriate because I will soon embark on a teaching career which will bring me in contact with many people from different backgrounds and the challenges they face in mastering the English language. Having learnt English myself at some point in life, has made me aware of some of the difficulties my students are faced with. My experience in having overcome these difficulties could be a great help to my students, if these are used in the proper way. The danger is that one might compare others to oneself. This is useless because it's extremely difficult to say that people with a certain background only face one set of problems. The difficulties are as many and as varied as the...  [Read more]

Introduction Considering the difficulties that learners from different backgrounds are faced with is appropriate because I will soon embark on a teaching career which will bring me in contact with many people from different backgrounds and the challenges they face in mastering the English language. Having learnt English myself at some point in life, has made me aware of some of the difficulties my students are faced with. My experience in having overcome these difficulties could be a great help to my students, if these are used in the proper way. The danger is that one might compare others to oneself. This is useless because it?s extremely difficult to say that people with a certain background only face one set of problems. The difficulties are as many and as varied...  [Read more]

Teaching English to students in Costa Rica is probably one of the easiest countries in the world in which to teach English. First of all, English is now required in the schools, Spanish is much closer to English in most sounds, almost identical alphabets are used, the general culture is open, the students like to talk, and the education of Costa Ricans is relatively high. However, there are several problems that can be encountered, some of which are rather unexpected, which include pronunciation, spelling, discipline, motivation, and general education level. There are certain pronunciation difficulties that Costa Ricans encounter. The primary one is with the 'th' sound. There is no sound like that in Latin American Spanish so they want to say it with just a 't', 'd', or 'f'...  [Read more]

If you have never taught English to complete novices before, the prospect of spending an entire lesson speaking with students who don't comprehend a single word you say may seem frightening. Teaching absolute beginners differs from teaching other courses, as any ESL teacher will tell you. It can be difficult, but it may also be one of the most enjoyable and gratifying language levels to teach. Every new word your students learn is important at this level, and the greatest approach to teaching it is to be as creative and funny as possible. Generally, teaching the letters and numbers should be one of your first priorities. You will lay a solid foundation for everything else your students will learn by teaching them the letters and numbers at the start of the course. Ascertain that your...  [Read more]

Spain is one of the most popular TEFL destinations in Europe and it attracts thousands of teachers from all over the world every year. However, before you jump on the plane to sunny Spain, you might want to consider what Latin America has to offer. When armed with all the facts, many teachers decide that a country in this region is actually better suited to them. One of the many benefits of teaching English abroad is it provides a perfect opportunity to learn another language during your stay. Many people choose Spain as their teaching destination as they assume it is the best environment for learning the Spanish language. However, the reality is that the Spanish spoken in Spain uses an accent and slang that is very different to anywhere else, to the point that Spanish speakers from other...  [Read more]

What are the challenges and rewards for teaching beginner students' The most difficult challenge is the keep them focused. Each student has different reasons, motivation, and goals when they start to take language lessons. It is very important for the teacher to learn and evaluate the students, so that, they will be placed in the right level of classes and attention that they require to stay focused to what they are learning.Young students come to class because of their friend or parents' choice. Also, their attention does not last for a long period of time. Hence, the teacher must make the lessons fun and interesting to make it effective. Adult students come to the class because they want to; possibly they may want to visit different countries, able to speak the language for...  [Read more]

All of my life I've been told that English is one of the most difficult languages on Earth to learn, and I should thank my lucky stars that it was my first language and I would never have to go through the agony of learning it later in life. Of course, I thought this was B.S. when I first heard it; after all, I learned English when I was like three years old. How hard could it be'It wasn't until I began to learn another language, Spanish, that it began to dawn on me just how convoluted and peculiar some parts of our language are. In Spanish, if you can say a word, you can spell it. That's it. Sound it out and you've got it. But English is chock full of all these funky, weird rules for spelling like I before E except after C. Okay, you got that' Now you can spell anything, right'...  [Read more]

Living in Japan has given me the opportunity to see difficulties Japanese people have with English first hand. I have also discussed this issue with my Japanese wife and several other Japanese people as well. I have even discussed it with native English speakers and got their thoughts on the subject. The biggest thing that I have noticed is their accent. I moved to Italy when I was seven and grew up learning Italian. So I developed both an Italian and American accent. When I first moved to Japan eleven years ago, instead of learning the language I first developed a Japanese accent which helped me considerably when I started to actually learn the language. My point is that when learning a language it is very important to develop the accent for that language. When...  [Read more]

  This presentation is going to focus on the ESA methodology of teaching. In our teaching methodologies section, we briefly had a look at what ESA was about, but in this presentation, we're going to look in greater detail about that particular methodology. This particular methodology is accredited to Jeremy Harmer from his "Practice of English language Teaching" book. It's a three-stage methodology and what we're going to do is to look at the purpose of each one of these stages and some typical activities that take place during those stages. So, the first stage is known as the engage and its sole purpose, as the name implies, is to get the students talking and thinking in English. There is no reason whatsoever, when these students come to your class, that they should have said a...  [Read more]

In the same way that people look different, people are also intelligent in different ways. In 1983, Professor Howard Gardner came up with the concept that we all have multiple intelligence (MI). In the following I will briefly explain this concept further; highlighting how it can be incorporated into lesson plans when teaching English as a second language (ESL); how it can help students build on their strengths, while limiting their weaknesses in their grasp of the English language; and how it is useful when considering different cultures in the classroom. I will also discuss how MI explains that students all learn differently, according to which form of intelligence they are stronger in.Gardner (1983) has categorised intelligence into 8 key areas: 'Linguistic Intelligence:...  [Read more]

  So, some of the ways in which we can avoid these problems occurring in the first place is to reteach the vocabulary that's going to be required in the particular activity and the grammar. Now, having said this, it doesn't mean that if we think about a particular article that they're going to read or a listening activity that they're going to listen to. They don't have to know every single word in there but they do need to know a certain number of words in order to actually make sense out of it. Secondly, most of the materials that we'll be using for both reading and possibly for listening will be what's called an authentic material. In other words, it's a real piece of material from a newspaper or magazine that hasn't been created for a particular class and so we need a very...  [Read more]

Music is an amazing phenomenon; it holds the power to sway emotions, recall memories, and invoke understanding. Music has often been used as an effective learning tool in many classroom environments. In the EFL classrooms, music and songs can provide invaluable depth and knowledge for students.Music and songs can create a non-threatening environment for students. Students often feel intimidated when they are asked to speak aloud in a classroom setting (Lo and Li, ' 1). When asked to speak, students are terrified of making mistakes; therefore, they will be too nervous to answer, or they may give an incorrect answer, causing them to look foolish before their classmates. Songs give students an opportunity to practice their spoken English in a way that is familiar and...  [Read more]

A question on the minds of many English as a Second Language instructors are whether or not it is appropriate to teach students the use of slang and idioms in the English language. Although the distinction between what is a formal term versus an informal one is crucial, slang is a significant part of conversational English and, as such, should be covered in the classroom. It would be very difficult for someone new to the English language to understand an American movie, TV show, news broadcast or even a typical conversation as they are filled with nonstandard English. Firstly, it is important to define the terms ?idiom? and ?slang?. Slang can be described as nonstandard vocabulary of a given culture or subculture. In other words, slang is typically a nonstandard ...  [Read more]

Language. It's something that we have to use on a daily basis in order to function. Communication is essential to the human existence, without it we simply can't survive. Yet as each of us get up in the morning and begin our day, the last thing that crosses our minds is why we use the type of language that we do. Rarely does it occur to us the many oddities that compose the English language. Can we then imagine what it must be like for someone attempting to learn English as a foreign or second language'! When we examine the peculiarities of our native tongue we can sympathize with those seeking to learn it.In taking a close look at the peculiarities of the English language, I want to draw attention to two main aspects: grammar and usage of words and phrases. Many people...  [Read more]

Mexico is one of the leading travel destinations in the world. What makes Mexico so appealing for travel? The food, the people, the culture, the natural beauty and so much more. Mexico offers its visitors a taste of every possible landscape that you can imagine, from sandy dune deserts to snow pine forests or buzzing cities to majestic beaches… you name it and Mexico’s got it. If sightseeing is your thing when you explore then take your pick; Mexico has Mayan and Aztec pyramids like Templo Mayor or Calakmul, colonial jewels like Museo de Bellas Artes and Castillo de Chapultepec. Mexico’s past is not all that glorious, but its future is brighter than ever. Impressive urban developments throughout the country place it as one of the most important economies in the world. Puerto Vallarta...  [Read more]

It was while attempting to wrap my brain around the meaning of the construction "must needs", which I had encountered so often in classical English Literature, that I was incidentally drawn to an inves-tigation of modals. Modals, I learned, are semantic expressions of modalities: which is to say that they are nuanced constructions designed to express the speakers point of view with regards to his subject: be it his degree of certainty regarding the truth of a proposition he is propounding, his expression of permission, obligation, or necessity implicated in a situation, or his opinion regarding someone?s- or something?s- ability or volition with respect to a potential. Said differently, a modality is merely a point of view, and a modal a linguistic...  [Read more]

It was while attempting to wrap my brain around the meaning of the construction "must needs", which I had encountered so often in classical English Literature, that I was incidentally drawn to an inves-tigation of modals. Modals, I learned, are semantic expressions of modalities: which is to say that they are nuanced constructions designed to express the speakers point of view with regards to his subject: be it his degree of certainty regarding the truth of a proposition he is propounding, his expression of permission, obligation, or necessity implicated in a situation, or his opinion regarding someone's- or something's- ability or volition with respect to a potential.Said differently, a modality is merely a point of view, and a modal a linguistic vehicle for expressing that...  [Read more]

Play. Much can be learned in play that will afterwards be of use when the circumstances demand it. 
A tree must also transpire, and needs to be copiously refreshed by wind, rain, and frost; otherwise it easily falls into bad condition, and becomes barren. In the same way the human body needs movement, excitement, and exercise, and in daily life these must be supplied, either artificially or naturally. (1) The first thing that most people think about when they say the word game is fun. Since we were adolescent a game is what we did to entertain ourselves, compete with our friends and enjoy free time. So why not put it into the sometimes dreaded location of a school or even worse an English class? The classroom is one of the best scenarios to have games....  [Read more]

Motivation ? ?a feeling of interest or enthusiasm that makes somebody want to do something that causes such a feeling? Encarta Dictionary: English Student motivation is required in the classroom for obvious reasons ? they have to feel that they want to learn to help with the learning process. Different students will be motivated in different ways. Some students are naturally very enthusiastic and have the will to learn and gain information whereas others may need a bit of help from the teacher. Different age groups will quite often have different motivation needs: -The young learner is not often in an English class from their own choice and therefore is not that willing to learn the language so lacks in motivation. -The teenage learner once again might not have...  [Read more]

Motivation – “a feeling of interest or enthusiasm that makes somebody want to do something that causes such a feeling” Encarta Dictionary: EnglishStudent motivation is required in the classroom for obvious reasons – they have to feel that they want to learn to help with the learning process.Different students will be motivated in different ways. Some students are naturally very enthusiastic and have the will to learn and gain information whereas others may need a bit of help from the teacher. Different age groups will quite often have different motivation needs:-The young learner is not often in an English class from their own choice and therefore is not that willing to learn the language so lacks in motivation.-The teenage learner once again might not...  [Read more]

Introduction:Listening is the ability to identify and understand spoken language. Listening is a receptive skill. The receptive skills used in language acquisition: listening and reading enable the productive skills: speaking and writing (Saricoban, 1999). Listening is the communication skill used most often in the assimilation of information and the most neglected in foreign language teaching (Norris, 1993). Effective listening is dependent upon the listener's decoding skills, i.e. the listener's ability to make sense of the message. For foreign language learners accurate and intelligent listening is a necessity. A good teacher will enable intelligent listening by enhancing her student's decoding skills.Unlike written and spoken evidence, successful listening is more ...  [Read more]

In order to understand the problems of the modern Mongolian language learner, one must first examine the context of Mongolia today. In this paper I will examine the history of education, its current accessibility and trends, and social issues that contribute to the learning environment for students in Mongolia. They have had a century of dramatic changes which must first be known.During most of the twentieth century Mongolia remained a Soviet communist state called the Mongolian People´s Republic. This stage spanned from 1924 through 1990 when the Democratic Revolution shifted Mongolia to independence and democracy. The education system has changed in reaction to political and economic national trends. At the onset of the twentieth century Mongolians were educated in...  [Read more]

Many potential TEFL trainees come to us and ask whether they need to speak another language in order to teach English overseas or online. The good news is the answer is most definitely NO, you do not need to have any language skills other than a thorough understanding of the English language. Obviously, if you do speak the native language of the country you intend to live and work in it can be a real help in many ways, but it is not normally required by the employer. The specific requirements for teaching English abroad or online will vary depending on the country and the individual employer. In all cases a thorough understanding of the mechanics of English will be required. On top of that, a TEFL certificate from a reputable course provider is usually a must, while some jobs will also...  [Read more]

When observing children, the speed and accuracy to which they acquire their native language is quite remarkable to adults. There are many different cultures and many ways in which children are raised, but the rate at which they acquire this information is consistent all over the world. In the scientific community, language acquisition by humans is one of the most unexplainable and highly studied feats in our everyday lives. Parents do not teach their children the grammatical structure of language or how to speak it, rather it is something that is acquired early in life and continues to progress into adulthood. It is said that by the time a child enters pre-school, he or she already has mastered most of the mechanics of their mother language (Galasso). By...  [Read more]

When observing children, the speed and accuracy to which they acquire their native language is quite remarkable to adults. There are many different cultures and many ways in which children are raised, but the rate at which they acquire this information is consistent all over the world. In the scientific community, language acquisition by humans is one of the most unexplainable and highly studied feats in our everyday lives. Parents do not teach their children the grammatical structure of language or how to speak it, rather it is something that is acquired early in life and continues to progress into adulthood. It is said that by the time a child enters pre-school, he or she already has mastered most of the mechanics of their mother language (Galasso). By studying the ...  [Read more]

A question on the minds of many English as a Second Language instructors are whether or not it is appropriate to teach students the use of slang and idioms in the English language. Although the distinction between what is a formal term versus an informal one is crucial, slang is a significant part of conversational English and, as such, should be covered in the classroom. It would be very difficult for someone new to the English language to understand an American movie, TV show, news broadcast or even a typical conversation as they are filled with nonstandard English. Firstly, it is important to define the terms “idiom” and “slang”. Slang can be described as nonstandard vocabulary of a given culture or subculture. In other words, slang is typically a...  [Read more]

One of the worst teaching experience is having a class come to an abrupt halt while someone searches a dictionary for a specific word, one usually not found in the end anyway. The problem of using dictionaries as a crutch could be rectified by not allowing the use of them in a lesson at all. The great art of circumlocution could be used instead, albeit kicking and screaming. Those experiences of being derailed by frantic dictionary searches would make any ESL teacher shudder and swear off dictionaries entirely. Should native language to English language dictionaries be banned altogether? Some would argue that using dictionaries is a good technique to use in the classroom. One that actually helps to create a more independent learner (...  [Read more]