This question that I’ve just typed above is actually one of those FAQs you can always hear from students before, during and after most English classes. Teachers often hear it that they really get used to it, right? But the real questions are… Is it really hard to learn the language? What makes it so, then? Why there are thousands of ELL who get to move up from junior high school with difficulty using the English language? How come?All those whys and hows are a bit frustrating for learners who love to get a taste of using English in their daily lives, using it as if it is their own.
Who would not want to become a fluent speaker? When I was still in my primary and secondary level, I had met only a few of classmates and friends who were so good in this subject. I guess it is just the same with these folks who study today. In class, there are a lot of seats allotted for learners and at the end of the day, we would want to see and hear them have the command of the language. Definitely, there are some reasons that hinder them to successfully improve and acquire good English skills.
I bet the first one is lack of passion. Passion is a very powerful and strong desire for something. It is what makes people do unbelievable things. Passion could be a strong feeling or emotion that can help someone achieve and gain something we like to have. Simply put, without passion for learning the language, it is somewhat impossible to get and acquire anything at all. Preoccupied by the things that go inside their minds, learners will find it hard to give their hundred percent attention on language learning.You can see signs of this on students who just love to slack off on their seats during classes. And I think you might need to exert a lot of motivation to share with them to make them stand up and speak up!
Aside from that, another thing is timidity. Whether we admit it or not, our students have this tendency to feel shy upon answering questions in the second language. Not just that, because of so many reasons, they are also uncomfortable to practice their speaking especially during classes and even on small talks. This is one of the basic and major problems almost all ESL teachers have to face on a daily basis. It is indeed a very sad thing not just for the teachers but most especially for our clients—- the students. How will they be able to speak bunch of words and expressions if they feel not so confident with themselves in reciting even on just a few words?
One more reason why it is hard to learn English is the fact that some learners ignore the basics. Do you know that sometimes, students (especially those in high school, but are not skilled enough) think that the basics are really just “a piece of cake” for them, thus resulting to lack of attention and inattentiveness? We must never ever ignore the power of the basics, for great things come from small and simple stuff at first. From there we can see how important the building of strong foundation is. Without it, neither you can move forward nor level up.
As you can see, there are still thousands of questions left unsaid and unanswered, but in the field of teaching and learning, psyche and temperament are just few of the most important things to consider. The way how we see greatly contribute on how we do things, as well. “English is hard….”— it is all nothing but a statement. What matters most is to give the students what they lack… whether it be passion or enthusiasm or whatever. Nothing can be so hard as long as you work hard for it. Why it is hard to learn English? Well… the answer lies on you.
By: Ms. Mary Car T. Gaor | Teacher I | Jose C. Payumo Jr. Memorial High School | Dinalupihan, Bataan
