INTRODUCTION
“English seems to have joined this list of basic skills. Quite simply, its function and place in the curriculum is no longer that of ‘foreign language’ and this is bringing about profound changes in who is learning English, their motives for learning it and their needs as learners.” (Graddol, D, page 72)
If a command of English is almost normal, the value of speaking traditional languages is increasing in particular for native speakers of English.
The slogan “English is not enough” applies as strongly to native speakers of English as for those who speak it as a second language. We are now nearing the end of the period where native speakers can bask in their privileged knowledge of the global lingua franca (Graddol 2006:118)
English is used extremely widely today among speakers who have acquired it as a language for use with foreigner, rather than in their own schools, government bodies and so on.
The role of education in school is now seen as to provide the generic skills needed to acquire new knowledge and specialist skills in the future: learning how to learn. It is true that mandarin Chinese and Spanish have more native speakers, but at the present they have neither the global sway nor the multifunctional use that characterizes English today.
Graddol (2006:62) also states that “English is no longer the only show in town”. It is convenient for many learners have few grammatical endings and vocabulary derived from both Romance and Germanic root, but it is
Many of their learning needs are similar to those of other children and young people learning in our schools. However, these learners also have distinct and different needs from other learners by virtue of the fact that they are learning in and through another language, and that they come from cultural backgrounds and communities with different understandings and expectations of education, language and learning”. (NALDIC, 1999).
English has become the most widespread and powerful language on Earth. The imperial English Empire spread English across the globe; from America to Asia. English’s position in the world was cemented by US cultural and diplomatic dominance; evident in American movies, fast food, and clothing. English has proven it is not moving anywhere anytime soon, as English only grows in use over time. Thus a debate has arisen: Should English be the official Universal Language? On one hand, English can harm other cultures, international relations, and scientific development; however, English is very flexible and widely used, making it the perfect candidate for a global language.
If someone is a college student in a different country and is interested in learning a new language English would help this person greatly. English is the most spoken language in the whole world. Worldwide one in every five can either speak or understand English. This would help someone who learned English be able to communicate with more people when they travel to other countries. English is also the most spoken language around the entire world, it is the official language of 53 countries and is the first language to around 400 million people around the world. In the article “’Conquer English to Make China Strong’: The Globalization of English” and in this article, the first line of the article says “No language has spread as widely as English, and it continues to spread”. This just shows how successful the English
Schools in the United States of America (USA) are facing many challenges, because of the increasing numbers of the English Language Learner (ELL) students. School administrators are trying hard to provide an equal opportunity education to their students. Furthermore, educators are looking forward in providing several methods and technique to help their students to succeed in their academic learning skills. There are many factors that need to focus on and it can be the fundamental when trying to build powerful resolutions, such as parents and community resources, social influences, native language, etc.
Schools around the world teach English to their students. In Europe especially 85 percent of students learn English as their second language (Source B). Why spend time learning another’s language while they already speak your own? There is no concrete justification. English is already one of the most spoken languages around the world and it continues to grow diminishing the value of other languages. Responses to this may include that while English is very widespread the future of languages is unpredictable, English may not in fact become the ‘global language’ it aspires to be(Source F). Mandarin is a language spoken by many people, it’s reach isn’t as far but China is an emerging superpower so who’s to say Mandarin won't become the ‘global language’. But, for now we must live in the present and not be ignorant of the fact that here and now English is the one at an upward
As English continues to progress within the world, global culture has created an atmosphere where all can communicate and understand one another’s culture. In the United States, English becoming the official language has created unison and thorough communication within the entire country. It has created a gateway for people to comprehend and converse with
Emerging from a colorful history, to its Darwinian capacity to evolve and adapt and changing almost beyond assumption along the way, English has come of age as the ‘global common language’. It is constantly moulded and altered by new communities of users, whether geographic or digital. But as English advances to become a key basic skill for millions around the world, the world will need to invest in its own competitive advantage by sending more of its best and brightest young people out into the world to share and teach the language.
In the United States, one must adapt to its complex structure of managing a stable life. One if its complex structure is learning English. English is the most convenient language to speak in this country. There are 323.1 million people in the U.S. and about 231 million speak English and as immigration continues to rise more people without much knowledge of the English language will have trouble communicating. Immigrants come from around the world ranging from Europe, Asia, and Latin American. The diversity of the immigrants makes it harder for certain people to communicate with one another. Therefore, taking ownership of English in the U.S essential.
Confidently conversing in English as well as using the language to its maximum potential have and will always be a powerful advantage in being successful in the 21st century, highly globalized era. It is a prominent and observable reality that proficient English speakers have a clear advantage over those who are less proficient at using the language.
Globalization has also contributed to an increasing interest in English-language education worldwide. In response to the emergence of English as a world-linking, global language, an increasing number of schools have stepped up English–language requirements, even at undergraduate levels. The argument is that a universal teaching language is necessary as a natural consequence of globalization.
Learning a second language is an issue of immense importance in our contemporary world. Knowledge of a second language enhances a person’s economic potential in the globalized marketplace. The ability to read, write, speak, and comprehend another language empowers an individual to exchange ideas across cultural and linguistic barriers. At the center of contemporary second language acquisition is the learning and teaching of English. Due to the legacy of the British Empire and the rise of the United States as the world’s last remaining superpower, English has become the main international mode of communication in science, technology, business, diplomacy and popular entertainment. While educators and students worldwide may agree that learning English is paramount, many students and teachers struggle with a pragmatic means to achieve this goal. In this paper, I discuss my pragmatic philosophy of second language acquisition (SLA) based on existing literature on the topic and my experiences teaching English to second language learners in Asia and in the United States.
This essay describes the global spread of English, its advantages and disadvantages, and its’ affects on language from my perspective as an ESL/EFL teacher at the Shanghai Singapore International School (SSIS) located in the outskirts of Shanghai. SSIS differs from other international schools in Shanghai due to its’ large Asian student population . As a Singaporean international school, many places are given in preference to Singaporean students irrespective of their level of English . This policy has caused differentiated levels of English in the classroom - from students who do not speak English at home to those who are fluent English speakers, and has opened the door to other Asian students who have low English levels who struggle
“In the world were over seven thousand languages have exisisted, one language had become dominate. This dominant language is English.” “In the majority of countries throughout the world speak English as their second or first language, no longer just America or England.” English has taken many forms, American English, the Queen’s English, Australian, Canadian English, and several others. Even American English has taken several types of English, Jersey English, East Coast English, West Coast English, Southern English, slang English, and Ebonics. All of these languages have major variants between them, but are all of them are still understood aboard. Without English the world couldn’t operate,
In many countries around the world, English is being learned only by those who can afford instruction in it. Not being able to afford such instruction can close many doors, particularly with regard to accessing higher education. (p. 24)
On account of its worldwide use, English has become the most important language in the world. There are two major varieties:American English and British English. Under different circumstance, they have not developed in the same way, which means they have changed a lot in the last centuries.