Learning English as a second language is one of the most important objectives of non-native English speakers who want to be successful outside of their own countries of origin by participating in world economy. If language were a currency, English will be considered as the universal currency. While it may only rank third after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, respectively, in the list of most widely spoken languages in the world, one cannot conduct business on a global scale without learning English as it is the language being spoken in most of developed countries such as the UK, the USA, and Australia.
Learning English as a second language can pose challenges especially if the learner is already an adult when he or she started learning English. There are a number of reasons for this, most notable of are the following:
- English is the primary language of countries such as Britain and the United States, both of whom have had significant colonial influence in practically most of the world. It therefore carries a negative connotation as the 'language of the conquerors' which equates to plunder of resources and suffering brought about to a conquered land, therefore making many people averse to it. People of communities who suffered from colonial rule may think that adapting English as a second language is tantamount to accepting the pain and suffering that they have endured, making them psychologically resistant to learning English.
- Some countries integrate English into their school curriculum alongside studying their national language in an effort to keep in step with globalisation. However, even prolonged study of English starting from elementary education will not make students automatic masters of English. One factor contributing to this is the educator himself is bilingual, as most schools cannot afford to hire a native English speaker as a teacher. As a result, a bilingual method of instruction is sometimes adopted, albeit erroneously, in language classes.
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