There are "Mysteries" to facilitate learning another language?

Since English has become the global language, literally everyone who wants to advance above lower middle management must learn to read, speak, and understand. Writing is the most difficult of the four skills, and many students never master it. Fortunately, there are online editing services.

Clarify my experience

Teaching English just seeped into my blood. To date, I have lived and worked in Nigeria, China, Morocco, Chile, Cambodia, and most recently online.

I started to see patterns with the students, even if they were from different countries, languages, and cultures.

Over the years, I have also developed many ESL materials, including a Business Executive English Of course when he lived in Morocco.

The flip side of teaching English is that I am living in South America and I am studying Spanish. I’ve reached the point where I can stammer in Spanish and people will eventually understand what I want, even if I have to say the same things in four different ways.

Set goals

The most obvious is “think in English”. Although it may seem logical, many ESL teachers forget to emphasize it with their students. When I was working in Casablanca, I had a lovely student named Laila. I kept encouraging her to think in English. One day I looked at her and said, “Laila, you are thinking in English.” She stopped and said “Yes, but how did you know”.

“I could see it in your eyes.”

He makes mistakes

Many language learners are ashamed of making mistakes. In Casablanca, I had an older student who had grown up in the French school system. There, students don’t open their mouths unless they know the answer is perfect.

“Hajjia”, he used to persuade. “Just talk. Then I can correct your mistakes. If you don’t talk, I have nothing to work with.” I never won that one.

When I work with Spanish-speaking students, I recite some phrases in Spanish. They inevitably laugh and then go on to say that my Spanish is very clear and that even if I made a lot of mistakes, they could still understand me.

Speak like a leader

Many language learners will chatter at a rapid pace. Sometimes they are supposed to sound more like native speakers. I try to stop them in their tracks from the beginning.

Decelerate. Leaders speak clearly. There is no shortage of examples available on the Internet to emphasize the point.

Once they hear the difference between exceptional leaders and rabble, they generally speak more clearly.

I also try to model the idea of ​​being slow, clear and concise when I speak. Many people have told me that they understand my English, but not that of other native speakers.

Speaking out loud

When I tell students to sit in front of a mirror and speak out loud to each other, they often protest because people will think they are crazy. My answer? “Then tell them your teacher told you to do it, so maybe she’s the crazy one.”

This exercise allows students to observe how their mouths move and listen to their own words. While it may sound up close and personal, it really works. And I know this because I do it regularly.

Try and keep going

Learning another language is not easy. When I see the ads that claim that people can learn English in three weeks if they enroll in an often expensive course, my reaction is to huff. Anyone who believes this statement probably thinks that the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny are real too.

One approach I use is to encourage students to generate rewards for themselves. If they pass the test, they can go out for lunch. If I study Spanish verbs for half an hour, I get a glass of wine to drink in front of the mirror.

Learning to speak English is not easy. But neither is learning to speak Spanish. Work may be a four letter word, but it is the only way to get things done.