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jeong
In my opinion, motivation and comfortable environment is the most important when we start to learn the second language.
In my case, I starter to learn English in concrete operational stage at school. That time, I did so many ALM practice and GTM practice. Eventhough I made a lot of efforts to memorize, I couldn't make it. Fortunately, my first English teacher was so kind and with good pronunciation, that's why she became my role model, so I really wanted to follow her. However, it was not easy. A lot of homework amd stress was a big burden for me to learn English. Sometimes, another strict teacher with the stone face always odered me to do some work and give punishment when I didn't do that.That's why my early dream to be a good English speaker disappeared. In my memory, I always struggled with learning English, never enjoyed. But my work to teach children gave me a big change. When I taught them, I really enjoyed speaking English and was so happy. I could be absorbed in learning and speaking English with native speakers. When I saw they were changed and improved everyday, I was really excited and happy so much. One day, one of my students told me new and longer sentences he made adding some new words that he heard from his mom to the words that he learned already. It was amazing. He made me so surprised and happy. I think my work was a big motivation for me to learn English. So I could pull my potential power from the bottome of me. Thanks to teaching children, I really could understand the long process of learning English. All the students had their own steps and speed and grew gradually, not just one time in one way.
In learning the second language, motivation and no stress is very important. And open minded teachters who are always thinking are very important, too.
teacher collective
Congratulations Jeong, younger the first to share! We often forget the emotional component of learning.
se young kim
Hi~ I wanna be a good teacher and happy to be here
se young kim
My first meeting experience with English

The Alphabet song was very familiar to me during last class because I had known the song before I was 6. Most Korean kids know the song even though they don't know the Korean alphabet song. Songs are good way to introduce a new language. I had a favorable impression toward English a lot until I entered middle school.
At the first class of English class, teacher gave the students piles of paper written with alphabet letters from A to Z. We had to memorize all the alphabet letters within one week including lower-case letters. I struggled to draw alphabet letters every 7 nights. After the test, I had to read my English textbooks 10 times a day and then get a signature from my mom. Learning English was a hardship and never ending studying for me at that time. I couldn't find any fun and it was a most different one among other subjects.
After entering college, I realized that English is one of the most beautiful, practical languages in the world. I joined the club called "ALA" in my first year of college. It was an English listening club. I didn't catch a word at first, but I started to be fascinated by the direct expressions of English and then I became an English teacher in private academy.
I think that young learners might be likely to lose their interests if we forced them to learn languages like an army. We, expecting teachers, should motivate young learners to find out the pleasure of learning language without any torture.

Baily Kim
I think interest is very important to learn English. I first learned English at home not school. My mom was elementary school teacher and she liked to study English. Naturally I had many opportunities to contact with English. She usually watched AFKN at home. She taught many English songs and when we went to bed we sang a ‘good night’ song every night. She usually read English books for us also. At that time, I liked English very much. Because there was no stress when I learnt English, I felt comfortable with English. Even though my English level was not that high, I was confident with using English and I tried to study English more.
But after I went to junior high and high school, English class was totally different. I couldn’t find any fun from my English class. What I had to do in that class was just memorizing words, grammar, sometimes paragraph and role-play. I lost interest in English gradually. Sometimes I couldn’t answer correctly for the simple questions. Because I was embarrassed with a lot of stress, I forgot something that I had already studied.

When I become a teacher, I want my students to be happy with my English class. If they can enjoy the class, they will get good results. Creating no stress environment works for learners to be motivated. The more they are interested in English, the more they would want to study English.

Saelim Song
I've studied English since I was 9 year-old at school. However, I had chaces to exposure to English earier than that age. After entering the elementary school, my parents bought me lots of video such as Disney. Therefore, I watched that videos even though I couldn't understand at all. It was not effect on improving English. It helped I had an interest in Englsih, though. Time goes by, I could understand some words and follow their saying. It was a start studying English. I liked studying English and got a high percent comparing to other subjects. I think the reason is that I started encoutering English as something fun not as a studying.
My parents have tried to give me a variety of opportunities to exposure to English. They enrolled the academy for speaking and grammar. Then, they also hired teachers for my English. However, I felt a pressure of learning English. After that time, I had not studid English as much as I did before. My parents were worried about my English, therefore, they changed way to let me study. I had had a native speaker as an individual teacher for a year. It was kind of unique at that time. I could have a different experience from my other friends. Studying with her, I started feeling a interest in English again.
I could have good experiences more than others for English because of my parents. I do appreciate this things to them. I also want to give lots of chaces to have various experiences to my students or children like I did when I was young.
Jack Lai
As I remember that my first encounter of English wasn’t a pretty sight. Though most of my neighbors when I was in Taiwan were ambassadors or businessman from foreign countries; however, “Hi” and “Bye” with a charming smile are the only conversation I ever had with them.
When I first immigrant to U.S., I did not know my ABCs. It was difficult and challenge for me moving to another country with no knowledge of the language at all. I recalled that I came home with frustration first day of school because I basically sit on the chair for seven hours listening to a language that I don’t understand for hours and went home with headache. I have to say that learning English from scratch at Formal operational stage is tough for a child. Unlike me, my younger brother and most of my cousins learn English at their Concrete operational stage. They have less challenge when compared to me.
Since I have zero understanding of the language, basically I was trying to adapt this new language and trying to absorb it into my hearing system. Though there are ESL classes for students like me, but there are also regular classes that I have to take like math, science, and world history. I remember I got A+ on all of my math exam but F on my homework. Is not that I did not do my homework, it’s because students are required to turn in the homework before the class starts but since I do not understand teacher’s announcement, when I turn in the work in the end of the class the teacher will not accept any of my well written and finished work. Amazingly he still gave me A- for the class.
Though listening is my strongest skills of the four essential English skills, I still made many mistakes as I learning. When a friend said, “I have a crush on him!” I would try to imitated her and use the word in my daily speech. However, I misunderstood the word “crash” as “question” because it sounds alike to me. Instead of saying “I have a crush on her!” I would say “I have a question on her.” People would be confused and replied “why you have a question on her? About what?” and I became confused by their replied. Or when my friend and I played the video game, instead of saying “I won the pennant race” I would say “I won the peanut race.” It’s hilarious I know. But at the time, it wasn’t that funny at all.
Nara
Stars earlier is better in SLA learning. When I was 8 years old, I started to learn English at private institute. I need to purchase the work sheet and cassette tape, learn with a tutor who assigned to take charge of me all the time. we will do a preview of the workbook and I gonna study at home follow with the cassette tape. One week later the tutor will visit my house again to check the job that I did for the week. During that time, my English improved so fast, I can sing many songs in English, do some dialogue speech with my tutor, translate many things in my house into English. I can still remember some of the words I learnt at that moment.
Four years ago, I was preparing my TOEFL test with many vocabularies. I memorized so many words from the book and I was able to use those vocabularies during that time. However, when I take a look at that book right this moment, nothing looks familiar~~
One word, Early! SLA is better to be learned when you are young. Exposure to a language when you are young, will help you absorb it faster.
Nara
This posterous really have a need to upgrade the tools, so that I can make a correction after posting my commands~~
Insook
I didn't have much chance to learn L2 when I was a child. I could watch TV series American cartoons and Japanese cartoons translated in Korean, so I could learn only English names such as Charley, Tommy, Jessica, and so on.
In middle school, I had an English subject, it wasn't so interesting for me. Language learning has to be realia that can be used in authentic circumstances, but English in my middle school wasn't useful. I remember that study spelling and grammar for English test was so hard for me. If I use greeting conversation that I learned at that time, it may be awkward to a person who speaks English. My kids are 2nd and 3rd Gr. in U.S. elementary school now. They can memorize spelling easily without any paying careful attention, because they are exposed English surroundings such as American friends, English books, and school curriculums. If I have a chance to teach to young children when I go back to Korea, I want to think about how I can make them to learn English naturally. From this Teaching Young Learners class, I want to get some ideas.
Insook
Nara, I agree with your opinion. we don't have any chance to correct our own comments.
Youngmin Bae
When I learned English in my junior high school days, the teachers gave lectures designed to discipline a number of students in a class. Most tasks done in the class were memorizing dialogues, vocabulary quizzes, listening tapes and repeating, and grammar skill exercising. Language lost its role of interaction and communication with people. The model dialogues that I memorized at that time are not transferred appropriately now. My English scaffolders in my schooldays were too burdened to analyze each learner’s strong and weak area. Their activities were monotonous, not considering of Gardener’s MI. However, I learned English from my father. Whenever he invited foreign guests in my house, all family sat at the dining table together. I could say just simple greetings. In my 6th grade, I asked father to teach English and he occasionally taught me English from the pronunciation symbols. However, his lesson was not continuous, ended up with the fact that I needed some revision the English pronunciation I got from my father to American’s regarded as a Standard English. Now, as an adult, I feel more difficult to get used to speaking English. The universal grammar or universal process related to SLA seems to belong to other learners, who are really genetically smart in language or who are lucky to expose new language in their very young ages, but not to me.
Sachi
I would like to share my experience about learning English in my childhood. The first time I was exposed tお English was from my cousin who taught me how fun English is. When she came over to my house, she said ‘Hi!’ and ‘Good morning’, and read to me some English books with amazing rhythm and intonation also tone was upside down. It seemed like a good opportunity to start learning English for me as a child. However, the English class at secondary school was totally disappointing. It was called machinery learning as a robot, memorizing, pattern practice and repetition. It could be useful for knowledge to prepare for the entrance examination although it is completely remote from real English. In addition, there was no enjoyable time to study as we did no exciting activities or real communication with classmates in English like now. That’s why most students demand teachers to organize the class with fun and interesting activities.
What I have to put this experience into account is that knowing students and what they want and put them into a motivated class all the time. Also, adopting multiple intelligence is one of the many ideas to support students in a various aspects.
Sayaka Kashii
As my father was transferred to San Diego on business, I lived there with my family for about a year when I was 11 years old. Therefore I started learning English since then, that is to say, my exposure to English was a little earlier than other children in Japan normally. Some people said to my parents that around 11 years old is the best age for learning second language, because the first language acquisition is almost completed by this age and still easier to absorb new language, especially pronunciation of the language. Actually the time when I started learning English was at the beginning of formal operational stage. I didn’t know English at all, of course, even I couldn’t write alphabets at that time, but I made a rapid progress in learning English during my stay in San Diego. Obviously, I really had difficulty with English at American middle school. However, as I was very eager to communicate with my classmates and teachers in English, I studied very hard― tried to imitate teachers’ pronunciation, listening to English CD and memorize words and useful sentences.
Now I feel this process was very similar to the way I learned my mother tongue. I had never cared about grammar at that time, just trying to acquire the ability to speak English with others.
After I went back to Japan, I kept studying English only at school. As you know, speaking is not so much focused at many school in Japan, I was not able to improve speaking ability since then. Still, what I learned in San Diego such as pronunciation of American English, words and sentences in daily conversation remained on my mind, and my younger brother as well. I believe that children are able to acquire second language easier than adults refer to my experience. However, on the other hand, it was fortunate that I started learning English in the U.S. where I couldn’t communicate with others except English at school. I really wanted to know what teachers and classmates said in a classroom and interact with them. This feeling motivated me to improve English as soon as possible. I think that interaction with others will help children learn and improve their SLA as well as their age.
Kyungken Lee
My first meeting with English was by the time I became the fifth grade student of an elementary school. It was a little faster start to learn English when compared to other students’ cases, those days. The teacher was mu private English tutor who was an undergraduate student. Then, a new language, English was a formidable stimulus to the school life. I was so fascinated to learn unfamiliar vocabulary by heart that I couldn’t stop it. As the number of vocabulary was increased and accumulated in my brain, pleasure rippled in the mind. I started to have a good look at the signs written in English and each time I could figure out the meaning, I found myself exclaiming with a joy. However, the English learning couldn’t go further any more. At least when it comes to using the language as a functional usage, I had unfavorable environment in which I couldn’t communicate with someone in English. Everyone spoke only Korean. No one didn’t talk to me in English, nor did I. For a long time, I felt stuck and fuggy. However, as time passed, I began to accept the situation as natural one. My friend, English always played with another friends, memorization and repetition. My friend looked a little sad and I felt sorry for the friend, but there was nothing for it but to remain silent. Eventually, I and my friend, English were estranged. In retrospect, I didn’t recognize the real characteristics of the friend.
June
When was the first time you’ve met English? It was the first time to start learning English when I was 13 years old. It means, unfortunately, I hadn’t any advantages of proper time to start learning English.
An English teacher entered in my classroom bringing cassette player to teach English by using ALM (The Audio-lingual Method) and GTM (The Grammar Translation Method). My teacher usually turned on cassette player to give us listening to English dialogue and taught the class about the grammar. Even though I learned a lot from that class, I still struggle with communication skill. If I were exposed to English more earlier time, I could be more comfortable at English more than I am.
During learning about Piaget’s four universal stages of development and kid who could develop their language under parents who use different languages at home more than their parent taught, I thought I should have been exposed English more earlier than I was. Today, most parents try to give their child a chance to be exposed to English in the early age. I can mention that this can make children can be more comfortable to language the way people are more comfortable in their mother tongue. Furthermore, I thought it is necessary to learn about different stages to make a class more proper, appropriate, and customized to different student as a teacher.
CHAEEON
I started learning English in formal operational stage at school. I had high expectations for learning English because I was listening to pop music at that time. But when I took an English class at school, it wasn't what I thought it would be. My first English teacher was over 50 years old woman and the first thing what she did was gave us papers written personal pronouns and made us memorize those. I can’t remember even how she pronounce English words because she complained about the other teachers and students and boasted her kids in Korean instead of speaking English. However I did everything that the teacher told me to do: I took notes, I did the homework assignments, everything. Because she was the toughest teacher in our school! At that time, English class was a panic time. I was just wating for that class to end. English was tool for me to get high score in the test. If I had not met Mr.Kim, I would not interested in learning English. He introduced some good books in English related to my concers and interests and let me know the fact that I can get a lot of useful and interesting information in English. I think the role of teacher is very important to student, especially young learner. They should motivate their student to learn English naturally and comfortablly.
yeonju na
When I was 5 or 6 years old, my mom usually woke up me to play a cassette recorder with English tapes, those were English songs like ABCs, Hello song and so on. Also, I naturally heard English through the cassette recorder, I did not have the refusal of English, when I played with toys and my little brother. At that time, I saw a series of videotapes about cute mice' funny happenings like meeting new friends, playing with others, being faced up with cats and running out of them. It was fun to watch so I liked it. I asked mom to play those tapes when I was bored. They talked in English, but I tried to understand what was going on that situations. I could not understand all, but I watched them again and again, I gradually realized the situations. It was not study for me, I enjoyed it while watching them, and sometimes I memorized some sentences in that video clips and said to my parents those sentences that even I didn't know about well. Back on my times as a light of the user in English, I did not have fears about English, it was a kind of fun activity and playing things for me. It made me feel free to accept English easily, it means that playing and enjoying with English made my affective filter down and I also had tolerance about ambiguous of English comparing to now.
yumi kim
I learned English when I was 13 at the first time. I acqired my ABCs pretty quickly but it was hard how to pronounce. I was already used to Korean so my Korean interfered with learning English. In order to pronounce, I looked for Korean alphabets which are similar pronounciation with each English alphabets. For instance, " ㅅ " for " s " and " ㅌ " for " T ". I didn't know how to read even a word without Korean pronounciation. Therefore, I wasn't able to pronounce accurate pronounciation. In korean, it doesn't have "R" and "L" sound. Usually, Korean think those alphabets sound same as Korean alphabet " ㄹ " even though we know "R" and "L" are totally different sounds and also they are different from "ㄹ" sound. However, we neglect speaking in that way for convenience or economizing time. My school, there were 50 students in one class so I didn't have time to correct pronounciation. At that time, I didn't have any motivation and interest in studying English. Specially, I hated grammar because It was really boring and complicated. Yet, as I grow, I have realized grammar is very important for second language leaner. Sometimes, English was a kind of nightmare to me but it was interesting. Always, getting know new things is exciting. The first time, English seemd like a mountain that I have to go over but as time gose on, as much as I got, English was really fun.
Annie Le
If my memory is correct, I was first introduced to English when I was in my second grade. Back then, I only had one hour per week to study English. English was more like an elective subject than a second language learning. GTM was used as a method. All we did was coping down simple work such as apple, birds, cat, dogs... More than that, we got to sing some of the English songs such as Happy Birthday songs, ABC songs... Up until I was in my fourth grade, English became a more important subject. I had to learn grammar rules, and I had to learn how to make up sentences. Again, GTM was used almost the entire time. To be honest, I found that it was really boring. I never got to understand why I had to study another difficult language while I was struggling with my first language. My performance in my English class was really poor. In the class of 50 or more students, my English teacher never got the time and effort to try to help me with my struggle. After years of confusing and frustrating, I've convinced myself that I could never learn English. However, in my sixth grade, I got to have the best English teacher ever. She took the time to explain to me everything that got me confused about the language. Differently compare to other teacher, she focus on speaking and listening more than grammar and writing. She taught us how to communicate in English, and she made learning second language so interesting.
Through my own experience of learning English, I got to understand how important it is to be patient with the children. I understand that it takes time to step by step improve the skills. It is not a one or two days tasks to accomplish. Rather, it is a lifetime of continuously achievement.
Ryu, Hyo Jin
When I was 12 years old, I saw a TV program. There was a couple who loves each other. So, they said to each other , " I love you". At that time, I could't understand clearly, but I could guess the meaning of sentence. After then, I was interested in English, and started to learn English in private school. At the first time, learnig English is very exciting and interesting, as time goes by, however, the differences of pronunciation between natives and me make me frustrated. What is worse in the junior high school, we strarted learning English focused on the grammar. I become tense just like a disease even now and here, in USA where I've learned English for 13months, because I've never talked about personal thoughts with a foreigner . I had many dreams before I came here. Even though I wanted to make many friends from all over the world, it's just a dream. The condition of here is totally different from that I dreamed, of course, it maybe true that my effort to make foreign friends lacks. English is always my big challenging.
Yun Ho Kim
It was a kind of tradgedy for me to learn English at 12. No picture. No casette player. No music. When I started to learn English, I should memorize and practice how to write English Alphabet. They looked very weird and strange for me. The only thing I knew is English is a language for Americans. I had no idea why I should learn it and when I could use it. Those days I didn't have any chance to hear or see English around me. Teachers taught me what is subject, what is be-verb, and what is object. However, it seemed more difficult to understand what subject and object are. If only teacher had known about Gardener's framework for multiple intelligence and Vygotsky's social constructivism. If teahcers had used music, play, action, or video clips and if they had been able to speak English by themselves a little better, I would have been more motivated and started better in learning my first foreign language. How stupid trial it was to teach English grammar to the student who had never been exposed English before!
teacher collective
Se young: There are some key words you mentioned: favorable impression, had to memorize, hardship, forced. I love your insight. I think you really understand what you need to do in a class.

Baily: Interest is important. No stress. What a wonderful mom! I completely understand why Junior High and High School were different. I like your comments.

Saelim: It was interesting that although you didn't think you learned English from the Disney videos, they helped you have an interest in English. English was something fun for you as you said-not studying. I am sorry for the later pressure you felt but with a change in tutors things were much better. Great post!

teacher collective
Jack: your early story is hilarious! I can't believe that happened regarding your math homework. How frustrating that must have been! I am glad you survived and now you are a model for others to follow!!
teacher collective
Nara: perhaps for children, starting early is good advice but it also sounds like you had a great teacher as well. Am I right? I wonder how you feel these days regarding your own learning? You mentioned that you had to prepare for your recent exam. Your story is all too familiar.
teacher collective
Insook: you mentioned your experience that leaning English was a subject in class and therefore it was not interesting for you. I am curious, what would make a class interesting? Perhaps the surrounding environment? Ask your kids and let me know what they say?
teacher collective
Youngmin, you are so right that there is such a big difference between English taught as an academic subject versus English taught for the purposes of communication.. You were so lucky that your father hosted those wonderful dinners as well. I think that your understand is growing in this area.
teacher collective
Sachi, you, like many others, have shared the experience of first discovering English as a fun thing, but then later, because of other demands, learning English became a chore. I am so glad you like MI. I hope you find success with it in your classes. Thanks for sharing.
teacher collective
Sayaka, you wrote such a nice detailed post. Among the insights you gave I was intrigued with your understanding of motivation. You were motivated to learn English as an eleven-year-old because you water to know what other people were saying. I wonder if that would work for most LLs?
teacher collective
Ken, you have a nice way of depicting your relationship with learning English. How is your friend now? You mentioned 'joy' and excitement when you we younger, how is your feeling these days?
teacher collective
Jun, today we will learn more about the advantages adults have in learning SLA. Dont regret too much. There is still much to learn for you and this is the time to do it. For one thing, you have the wonderful opportunity to preactice English every single day. Don't squander this. Have fun!
teacher collective
Chaeeon, your story is very clear. Your experience is shared by so many others. I agree that fear is not a good method. I am so glad you had a chance to meet Mr. Kim. It's sounds like he taught you in a different way. I am curious to know what his natural and comfortable way of teaching English is? It must have been good?
teacher collective
Yeonju, it was fascinating that when you were young you were motivated to memorize certain things on your own. You mentioned that it was not study. This is very important. I hope more people can catch this insight. Now you mentioned that it is not the same now. What is different these days?
teacher collective
Yumi, thanks for sharing. It is interesting that your attitude in learning English is improving these days. Thank you for your honesty in talking about your earlier days. Being a part of large class sizes and focusing on grammar must have been tough. Are there any benefits to studying grammar as a young learner?
teacher collective
Annie, there is such a contrast between what you experienced in your class of 50 students compared to your sixth grade class. Sixth grade, is such a pivotal time. I am glad your teacher either intuitively or by plan taught the way that she did. I hope your memories combined with solid training will make into an even better English teacher in the future.
teacher collective
Hyo jin, you can still realize your dreams! Overcome your fears, no one will laugh at you. At any rate, it is up to you. Focus on talking about meaning and communication. Make every effort to speak English even to your same language friends.
teacher collective
Yun, your frustration is common. I am curious to know how you would use video clips in class? How would you use music? Could you be more specific? I have seen both good an not-so-good examples of this in my experience. one just can't play a video an expect children tolarn can they? Thank you for sharing.
So Won Seon
I learned English when I was 12 years old. I use ALM when I studied for English. I thought it was very useful to learning English and nothing else can be better than this. When I was 13 years old, I went to USA and I went to American school for 1 years. There were something more than ALM. However ALM helps me alot. If i didn't study with ALM in Korea, I could harldy understand what teacher said. I can't understand some people bother the ALM method. Like my country in Korea, there are too many student in class so teacher can't take care of them with other method. However for public school or academy, i think they make small group of people in class room, so teacher can use other good method to impriving their students.
lifan
It wasn’t a pretty story when I first met with English. Chinese children started study English from junior middle school at that time. I was going to begin my junior middle school when I was night-year old. But my mum always want to accelerate every progress in my life (that’s why I began my junior middle school at 9 while suppose to 12year old) ,then she made a decision for me which enrolled a private English training school for me in that summer. But at that time, it was not normal to attend a private school in China. The so-called private English was built by several English teachers working for public school they use exactly same textbook with junior middle school. So I studied almost half semester content before I began formal English study then repeated it in just one month later. The consequence was which helped me lose interesting to study English initially.
In the duration of my middle school, I got D every time in English test. I almost gave up to study any second language because lack of confidence. Fortunately, I met a good teacher when I was a senior middle student. When she told me that I have talent to study language I can not believe my ears although I always got outstanding score in Chinese subject. After that, I tried to find the way to study English from do some research on compare of language learning. I would like to say the excellent skills of first language acquisition helps me in the duration of second language learning.
lifan
Sorry for tardy homework,however, it do remainder me the tough time that I have had
teacher collective
Wow, so your really great teacher gave you great confidence! I am curious, what kinds of tests were they where you received such poor grades from?
lifan
some tipical chinese style test! I always remember they have some part related pronunciation, they give a word and mark the syllable, then give you mutiple choice which one is right for this syllable, since I never make it clear pronunciation for every phonetic symbol, I never get right answer because I thought it is vary for different words but the right answer never change, so you know the result!
Kay
(Roger, I have posted before, but now I could not see them.)
The experience of learning English to me is very early.
I still remember when I was in kindergarten, teachers taught us very simple English words, like apple and desk. All the adult's world was already very obessed with English learning.
However, parents usually knew nothing excerpt for words lke Yes and No.
Therefore, parents could only evaluate a child's English level by how many words they could spell or tell which was so mechanic and stiff.
As a child, I did not like English at all because I could not see the benefits and authentic applications of English.
I think this stiff way of learning English without communicative environment is really innocuous.

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