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Milky Posted 19 years ago
Linguistics Studies

Creating "quaint" speakers.

Intermediate learners sometimes sound rather quaint as they struggle to obey the rules of written grammar even in the most casual of conversational exchanges. What can teachers do about that unfortunate situation? Are we to blame for creating masses of "quaint" speakers?
  

Top answer

Is it unfortunate? I would see it as a quite natural part of the learning process. In part in comes down to the same question as posed in another guise.

— Forbes

  • Is it unfortunate?
  • I would see it as a quite natural part of the learning process.
  • In part in comes down to the same question as posed in another guise.
  • What sort of English are you going to teach?
  • Can you really teach other than Standard English (essentially a written form but understood by most native English speakers) without disadvantaging your pupils?
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47 Answers
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Is it unfortunate? I would see it as a quite natural part of the learning process.

In part in comes down to the same question as posed in another guise. What sort of English are you going to teach? Can you really teach other than Standard English (essentially a written form but understood by most native English speakers) without disadvantaging your pupils?

Besides, even if you we
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<Can you really teach other than Standard English (essentially a written form but understood by most native English speakers) without disadvantaging your pupils?>

I think you need to either include many forms under the banner of Standard English, so teachers can feel happy they still have an impressive sounding name for the form they are teaching, or you need to teach a fully functi
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BTW, Forbes, do you exclude colloquial forms from your idea of Standard English?
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ForbesBesides, even if you were to teach a highly colloquial variety following the rules of speech, intermediate learners would still get things a bit wrong and sound quaint.

Could answering in this way ever sound quaint: “Yeah, me too.”
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Ahhhh, what a good topic you have this time, Milky...
MilkyAre we to blame for creating masses of "quaint" speakers?
Yes!!!
MilkyWhat can teachers do about that unfortunate situation?
Change job!!!

The teaching methods are often wrong. Everything seems test-oriented, written English oriented, exercise-oriented...
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Are we to blame for creating masses of "quaint" speakers?
We?! You got a mouse in your pocket? Emotion: smile Actua
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<Ahhhh, what a good topic you have this time, Milky...>

Life's just full of hit and miss. Emotion: wink

<The tea
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<Don't get so up tight. Hang loose.>

Is that possible for the majority of teachers world over who work in language academies and are pressured into using EFL coursebooks as the mainstay of their lessons?
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MilkyIs that possible for the majority of teachers world over who work in language academies and are pressured into using EFL coursebooks as the mainstay of their lessons?
heh, that's a problem... I think it's very difficult to be a good English teacher. Almost impossible... unless you don't have to worry about grades, tests, schedules, books, time... and
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<Almost impossible... unless you don't have to worry about grades, tests, schedules, books, time... and your main duty is just "teaching the language". >

I'm lucky to be in exactly that situation.
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