.png){kind=logo}
As we frequently tell our students, one of the most beautiful things about living in the United States is the awesome immersion into a multiethnic, multicultural ocean of people, cuisines, customs, and traditions that one finds here and can hardly compare to any other place on earth. That said, at Gateway ESL we realize that the necessity of having a variety of both native and non-native English instructors cannot be overstated. Each of our instructors and tutors, regardless of national origin, brings a much needed array of invaluable skills, talents, gifts, and abilities upon joining our team. However, we also recognize that there are some distinct differences that come with learning to speak English from native-speaking instructors and tutors. And since the complete list of benefits is exhaustive, this article will only focus on what we view as two of the most important points to consider.
Academic knowledge vs. experiential knowledge
Over the course of the past decade-and-a-half of working with immigrants from Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, the Middle East, and other places, many students have shared their experiences of being taught English by non-native English-speaking teachers in their home countries. More than a few of them have described their experiences as having been elementary or fundamental at best. In fact, with the exception of about 3 individuals hailing from three different countries in Africa and the Middle East, most of the stories have been about the disheartening frustrations experienced upon arriving in America and attempting to communicate with native-born Americans using the English they had been taught in their native countries.
Recognizing that their comments were not implying that non-native English-speaking teachers are incompetent or less capable than their native English-speaking counterparts, it was clear that a noticeable difference had been experienced in relation to being taught by the non-native teachers versus the native-speaking teachers. And that difference was the non-native teachers' lack of sufficient experiential knowledge of American English and culture versus their academic knowledge of the language. In other words, the differences between teaching solely on the basis of academics compared to teaching based on both academics and personal experience can have significant effects on an English learner's learning experience. The confidence obtained by studying under a native English-speaking instructor who has already experienced the subject matter they're teaching emboldens and inspires their students to practice their newly acquired language skills outside of the classroom setting.
Linguistic and cultural comprehension
Linguistic and cultural comprehension is another significant difference between studying from a native speaker versus someone who was taught by another or only has an academic knowledge of the language and culture.
It has been said that language is the verbal means through which culture expresses itself. Therefore, there it needs to be understood that cultural appreciation is essential to understanding the unwritten and intangible realities that give life and individuality to a language. Furthermore, since language and cultural understanding are inseparable elements of learning to communicate in a new language, then any attempt to learn the language apart from exploring and understanding the culture is merely an academic quest that makes grasping and using it more difficult.
"The worlds in which different societies live are distinct, not merely the same with a different label attached. Therefore, to speak is to assume a culture, and to know a culture is like knowing a language." (Edward Sapir, 1929).
So, among other things, the native-speaking instructor can provide you with unwritten information about their culture in addition to the language, which translates to an easier, richer, and more complete learning experience for you.
In conclusion, your future success as an American English speaker is very important. With English being the dominant and most commonly spoken language in the United States, learning how to clearly speak, read, and write it is absolutely necessary for the success and survival of every American person, whether native or foreign-born. That's why in addition to offering you a range of options to meet your needs, we also want to provide you with native English-speaking instructors as well. We want to be a one-stop shop for you.
Copyright 2022 Gateway ESL.
*For more information, please contact us at 1-855-2-ENGLISH or getaways@gatewayesl.com.
.png){kind=logo}
Comentarios