Learning English as a Second Language
English is an international language which is used officially all around the world. Anybody who wants to make connections with the world we live in should learn English. I had English language classes in my secondary and high school years. I also took some private English learning courses throughout summers in my country, Turkey. However, I could not improve my English effectively as all Turkish students in Turkey. I fully agree that English will be learned most efficiently in the boundaries of an English-speaking country not in the home country because of some cases. Therefore, I came here, USA, to learn English better after graduation from my university. First, English is dealt with all the time while staying in an English-speaking country. For instance, I have read newspapers and books, listened to the news, and watched movies, series, and commercials that are all in English since I came here. On the other hand, there are Turkish or translated of them in my country, so nothing forces me to look for media in English. I engage in it in daily life in the USA, as well. While I am doing my shopping, I can see English labels of vegetables, fruit, and ingredients of all food. If I would like to eat outside or to go to a coffee shop, the menus will be in English. Even if I just roam around, I will see shop names, advertising posters and the boards in English. In addition, everybody with whom I concerned communicates in English. I came here for the education; therefore I particularly make connections with my instructors and classmates. I can learn spoken English while I listen to them. Also, I speak English to make them understand me. I can develop not only my listening and speaking, but also my writing skills in order to give my homework in English to the teachers. All those experiences enumerated above will definitely enhance my English in an intensive way which I have never encountered in my own country. Second, it is possible that English might be learned
Cited: Major, Roy C., Fitzmaurice, Susan F., Bunta, Ferenc, Balasubramanian, Chandrika, “The Effects of Nonnative Accents on Listening Comprehension: Implications for ESL Assessment”, “TESOL Quarterly”, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Inc. (TESOL), Vol. 36, No. 2, Summer 2002, pp. 173-190 Rubin, Amy M., “Intensive English Programs Are Lucrative for Universities”, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 December 1997 < http://chronicle.com/che-data/articles.dir/art-44.dir/issue-16.dir/16a04801.htm>