The importance of learning English cannot be overstated in an increasingly interconnected and
globalized world. For the millions of immigrants that come to the United States from nonEnglish-speaking countries every year, learning to communicate in English is important to enter
and ultimately succeed in mainstream America. Working knowledge of the English language can
create many opportunities in international markets and regions.
1. International Language
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English is the fourth most widely spoken native language in the world, and in
terms of sheer number of speakers, it is the most spoken official language in the
world. It is the primary language used in international affairs. The English
language has official status even in nations where it is not the primary spoken
language. English is indisputably the primary language of global trade and
commerce. In many countries, most tourism authorities and other officials in
contact with the public speak English to interact and engage with tourists and
immigrants.
Digital Age
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While progress has been made in language-translation software and allied
technologies, the primary language of the ubiquitous and all-influential World
Wide Web is English. English is typically the language of latest-version
applications and programs and new freeware, shareware, peer-to-peer, social
media networks and websites. Software manuals, hardware-installation guides and
product fact sheets of popular consumer electronics and entertainment devices
usually are available in English first before being made available in other
languages.
Higher Learning
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In universities and colleges in Great Britain, the Unites States, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand and Singapore, which attract the most number of international
students, the primary language of instruction is English. Most of the top business
schools, medical centers and advanced-study institutes are located in North
America and Great Britain, and English is the language used in every activity at
these institutions of higher learning. Most peer-to-peer journals and technical
periodicals that give international acclaim to scientists, engineers, technologists,
and technocrats are printed in English.
Anglo-Saxon Influence
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The influence of the United States and Great Britain on political affairs and
international relations for the past 100 years has ensured the proliferation and
acceptance of English as the primary spoken language in many countries. The
widespread acceptance of American pop culture also has contributed to the
primacy of the English language. A working knowledge of English is important
for diplomats and high-ranking officials in such major countries as Germany,
Japan, France, South Korea, Brazil, Italy, and Russia so they can better
understand the nuance and craft of global affairs and international diplomacy.
Job Opportunities
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Knowing English opens job and employment opportunities in many countries and
markets. Multilateral institutions and agencies in the four United Nation cities of
New York, Vienna, The Hague and Geneva recruit professionals with
multilingual skills but also expect the candidates to have good English-speaking
skills. The Commonwealth of Nations, made up of 50-plus countries that were
former British colonies or dependencies, also offers numerous employment
opportunities to those who understand and communicate in English.
Today, everyone recognizes the importance of learning the English language. Moreover, the
advent of the Internet has made learning English online a better option than doing it in a
traditional classroom. The ability to speak and write English properly allows people to advance
in the professional world. Being able to speak in English also widens one’s horizon in
communicating globally. A proof of the necessity of learning English is the proliferation of
websites that offer English lessons online. Another proof is the increasing number of people who
prefer this medium of learning everyday.
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Why is learning English important to everyone in the modern day world ? Most people study
English for work. Businesses worldwide use English as the universal language and medium of
communication. To be able to either immigrate or work in English speaking continents like the
US, Europe and Australia, one must pass examinations such as IELTS. This is also true if one
want to enter a foreign school or university. But even outside the professional world, being able
to communicate properly in English allows the ability to portray oneself better. This ability
results to gaining better acceptance and understanding as well as respect from other people.
Everyone is cognizant of the importance of learning the English language. The easy access to
computers and Internet for everyone and the increasing number of web-based English courses
has made a lot of people to study English online. Here are some reasons why many people
believe learning English online is better than classroom training :
• FLEXIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND PRACTICALITY : Learning English online allows
you to study English at your own pace at your own time. Regardless of how busy your schedule
is, you can choose the most convenient time and place that you can take your English lessons.
Also, learning English online allows you to take your lessons at your own speed depending on
your aptitude and availability. There is no pressure from anybody except yourself. It is also very
practical to learn English online because you do not have to drive to school. You save on travel
time and gasoline/transportation expenses. Moreover, the web offers a lot of free English courses
for everyone to take advantage of.
• BROADER EXPOSURE TO KNOWLEDGE : Since there are a lot of available online English
courses to choose from, you are not limited to the knowledge of one instructor alone. You can
learn from various online instructors and training modules from across the globe. Also, learning
English online exposes you to different English concepts that are applied in real business
operations. In most cases, you can’t really learn these concepts from books.
• ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN USING TECHNOLOGIES : Using the Internet for your
English lessons, research information and interaction with other learners enhances your
navigating skills through the computer and web technologies. These skills are critical in the 21st
century business community that requires working with colleagues globally and across all time
zones.
Aside from all the above advantages, learning English online also allows you to choose the best
module and learning style that suits you whether it is for business or personal purpose. The
Internet offers a wide spectrum of content that are easily accessible at your fingertips. In fact,
you can even find interactive lessons that allows you to communicate with fellow learners
through chats, emails and the like. This enhances your communication skills all the more.
In today’s fast paced world, one must be able to adapt and be flexible while recognizing the need
to learn. Web browsers and Internet connections are available everywhere, you just have to take
advantage of the resources that are around you. With this in mind, learning English will not be
difficult. Not only that, the knowledge and expertise you learn from learning English online will
allow you to read the vast and informative news and articles in the English language. Knowledge
of the English language keeps you abreast to the rest of the world . And with the knowledge and
skills that you gain from learning English online, limitless personal and business opportunities
are made wide open for your taking.
Teaching Writing: Strategies
The most important factor in writing exercises is that students need to be personally involved in
order to make the learning experience of lasting value. Encouraging student participation in the
exercise, while at the same time refining and expanding writing skills, requires a certain
pragmatic approach. The teacher should be clear on what skills he/she is trying to develop. Next,
the teacher needs to decide on which means (or type of exercise) can facilitate learning of the
target area. Once the target skill areas and means of implmentation are defined, the teacher can
then proceed to focus on what topic can be employed to ensure student participation. By
pragmatically combing these objectives, the teacher can expect both enthusiasm and effective
learning.
Choosing the target area depends on many factors; What level are the students?, What is the
average age of the students, Why are the students learning English, Are there any specific future
intentions for the writing (i.e school tests or job application letters etc.). Other important
questions to ask oneself are: What should the students be able to produce at the end of this
exercise? (a well written letter, basic communication of ideas, etc.) What is the focus of the
exercise? (structure, tense usage, creative writing). Once these factors are clear in the mind of the
teacher, the teacher can begin to focus on how to involve the students in the activity thus
promoting a positive, long-term learning experience.
Having decided on the target area, the teacher can focus on the means to achieve this type of
learning. As in correction, the teacher must choose the most appropriate manner for the specified
writing area. If formal business letter English is required, it is of little use to employ a free
expression type of exercise. Likewise, when working on descriptive language writing skills, a
formal letter is equally out of place.
With both the target area and means of production, clear in the teachers mind, the teacher can
begin to consider how to involve the students by considering what type of activities are
interesting to the students; Are they preparing for something specific such as a holiday or test?,
Will they need any of the skills pragmatically? What has been effective in the past? A good way
to approach this is by class feedback, or brainstorming sessions. By choosing a topic that
involves the students the teacher is providing a context within which effective learning on the
target area can be understaken.
Finally, the question of which type of correction will facilitate a useful writing exercise is of
utmost importance. Here the teacher needs to once again think about the overall target area of the
exercise. If there is an immediate task at hand, such as taking a test, perhaps teacher guided
correction is the most effective solution. However, if the task is more general (for example
developing informal letter writing skills), maybe the best approach would be to have the students
work in groups thereby learning from each other. Most importantly, by choosing the correct
means of correction the teacher can encourage rather discourage students.
Teaching Reading
Traditionally, the purpose of learning to read in a language has been to have access to the
literature written in that language. In language instruction, reading materials have traditionally
been chosen from literary texts that represent "higher" forms of culture.
This approach assumes that students learn to read a language by studying its vocabulary,
grammar, and sentence structure, not by actually reading it. In this approach, lower level learners
read only sentences and paragraphs generated by textbook writers and instructors. The reading of
authentic materials is limited to the works of great authors and reserved for upper level students
who have developed the language skills needed to read them.
The communicative approach to language teaching has given instructors a different
understanding of the role of reading in the language classroom and the types of texts that can be
used in instruction. When the goal of instruction is communicative competence, everyday
materials such as train schedules, newspaper articles, and travel and tourism Web sites become
appropriate classroom materials, because reading them is one way communicative competence is
developed. Instruction in reading and reading practice thus become essential parts of language
teaching at every level.
Reading Purpose and Reading Comprehension
Reading is an activity with a purpose. A person may read in order to gain information or verify
existing knowledge, or in order to critique a writer's ideas or writing style. A person may also
read for enjoyment, or to enhance knowledge of the language being read. The purpose(s) for
reading guide the reader's selection of texts.
The purpose for reading also determines the appropriate approach to reading comprehension. A
person who needs to know whether she can afford to eat at a particular restaurant needs to
comprehend the pricing information provided on the menu, but does not need to recognize the
name of every appetizer listed. A person reading poetry for enjoyment needs to recognize the
words the poet uses and the ways they are put together, but does not need to identify main idea
and supporting details. However, a person using a scientific article to support an opinion needs to
know the vocabulary that is used, understand the facts and cause-effect sequences that are
presented, and recognize ideas that are presented as hypotheses and givens.
Reading research shows that good readers
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Read extensively
Integrate information in the text with existing knowledge
Have a flexible reading style, depending on what they are reading
Are motivated
Rely on different skills interacting: perceptual processing, phonemic processing, recall
Read for a purpose; reading serves a function
Reading as a Process
Reading is an interactive process that goes on between the reader and the text, resulting in
comprehension. The text presents letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs that encode meaning.
The reader uses knowledge, skills, and strategies to determine what that meaning is.
Reader knowledge, skills, and strategies include
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Linguistic competence: the ability to recognize the elements of the writing system; knowledge of
vocabulary; knowledge of how words are structured into sentences
Discourse competence: knowledge of discourse markers and how they connect parts of the text
to one another
Sociolinguistic competence: knowledge about different types of texts and their usual structure
and content
Strategic competence: the ability to use top-down strategies (see Strategies for Developing
Reading Skills for descriptions), as well as knowledge of the language (a bottom-up strategy)
The purpose(s) for reading and the type of text determine the specific knowledge, skills, and
strategies that readers need to apply to achieve comprehension. Reading comprehension is thus
much more than decoding. Reading comprehension results when the reader knows which skills
and strategies are appropriate for the type of text, and understands how to apply them to
accomplish the reading purpose.