Comments for Language on the Move http://www.languageonthemove.com Language learning, multilingualism, intercultural communication Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:38:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Comment on Linguistic extremism by Ron http://www.languageonthemove.com/language-learning-gender-identity/linguistic-extremism/comment-page-1#comment-7694 Ron Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:38:12 +0000 http://www.languageonthemove.com/?p=8185#comment-7694 I know a native German speaking couple living in the US that speaks only (or at least mainly) German to their kids. Their rationale ... if they spoke English their kids would learn 'funny sounding' English. So you speak to your children only in a non-native language? Whether it's extreme or not I wouldn't want to say. It is interesting though. We looked at the Denver International School and a public bilingual program as an option for our daughter. We decided against those programs for various reasons. In attending organizational meetings at the schools I noticed there were some parents that apparently so valued their children learning a second language that they were willing to make significant compromises in other aspects of their education. Extreme? That might be a fair characterization. I know a native German speaking couple living in the US that speaks only (or at least mainly) German to their kids. Their rationale … if they spoke English their kids would learn ‘funny sounding’ English.

So you speak to your children only in a non-native language? Whether it’s extreme or not I wouldn’t want to say. It is interesting though.

We looked at the Denver International School and a public bilingual program as an option for our daughter. We decided against those programs for various reasons. In attending organizational meetings at the schools I noticed there were some parents that apparently so valued their children learning a second language that they were willing to make significant compromises in other aspects of their education. Extreme? That might be a fair characterization.

]]> Comment on English and ASEAN by Ron http://www.languageonthemove.com/language-globalization/english-and-asean/comment-page-1#comment-7684 Ron Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:28:07 +0000 http://www.languageonthemove.com/?p=8355#comment-7684 This article raises a pertinent point that Thai's are being criticized for their apparent lack of 'perfect English' when that notion itself is misunderstood. Attempting to attain perfection is not the correct strategy to employ. Examining the implosion of the ELT industry in Japan, a lot can be learned from attempts to teach perfect English. In just two decades, language colleges began to spring up overnight from eager Japanese students of varied backgrounds desperate to sound like Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise or Jude Law. Thus began as has been termed the commoditization or 'McDonalds-ization' of English. Korea is reeling from this phenomenon now. What east Asia had to realize that their Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts learned long before was that it is acceptable to settle for your own unique style of English. Thailand has challenges apart from its draconian and ineffective education system and it needs to work on mutual intelligibility in the workplace rather than perfection. This article raises a pertinent point that Thai’s are being criticized for their apparent lack of ‘perfect English’ when that notion itself is misunderstood. Attempting to attain perfection is not the correct strategy to employ. Examining the implosion of the ELT industry in Japan, a lot can be learned from attempts to teach perfect English. In just two decades, language colleges began to spring up overnight from eager Japanese students of varied backgrounds desperate to sound like Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise or Jude Law. Thus began as has been termed the commoditization or ‘McDonalds-ization’ of English. Korea is reeling from this phenomenon now. What east Asia had to realize that their Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts learned long before was that it is acceptable to settle for your own unique style of English. Thailand has challenges apart from its draconian and ineffective education system and it needs to work on mutual intelligibility in the workplace rather than perfection.

]]> Comment on English and ASEAN by Ingrid Piller http://www.languageonthemove.com/language-globalization/english-and-asean/comment-page-1#comment-7683 Ingrid Piller Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:23:41 +0000 http://www.languageonthemove.com/?p=8355#comment-7683 Thanks, Kimie! The process is called capitalist market expansion ... To rely on native speaker models and teachers is a bit like setting the fox to keep the geese ... Thanks, Kimie! The process is called capitalist market expansion …
To rely on native speaker models and teachers is a bit like setting the fox to keep the geese …

]]> Comment on English and ASEAN by Bee http://www.languageonthemove.com/language-globalization/english-and-asean/comment-page-1#comment-7682 Bee Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:48:42 +0000 http://www.languageonthemove.com/?p=8355#comment-7682 Very well written and I agree with you. Very well written and I agree with you.

]]> Comment on English and ASEAN by Suzi http://www.languageonthemove.com/language-globalization/english-and-asean/comment-page-1#comment-7679 Suzi Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:50:51 +0000 http://www.languageonthemove.com/?p=8355#comment-7679 Interesting indeed! Interesting indeed!

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