LANGUAGE EDUCATION: PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

[Kraut]

https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _solutions

LANGUAGE EDUCATION:
PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Grigory Kazakov

Abstract. Although knowledge of foreign languages is now becoming increasingly necessary, language
education in most parts of the world (with few exceptions) seems to be rather inefficient. This paper at-
tempts to define the most common problems of general language instruction and their possible solutions.
In the first part, linguistic, psychological, methodological and external factors affecting the learning process
are singled out. In the second part, it is discussed how these problems could be solved and some practical
measures are proposed.

Lack of knowledge about the process and methods of language learning.
It would probably not be
too far from the truth to say that most individuals involved in language education do not have a scientif-
ically grounded understanding of language learning as a psycholinguistic and biological process (largely
due to the lack of relevant instruction mentioned above). Since the end of the 19th century, signicant
advances have been made in the methodology of language education. Besides the traditional method of
grammar and translation, appeared such methods as the direct, the audio-lingual and the communicative
ones, suggestopedia and others. Have been developed such instructional materials as Assimil self-teach-
ing textbooks, Pimsleur and Michel omas listening courses, etc. One has to be familiar with them in
order to choose the most convenient tool according to the needs of the learner. Meanwhile, many students
and language teachers, unfortunately, do not even know these methods and materials, and the procedures
and resources actually used in educational settings are oen employed in an uncoordinated and incon-
sistent manner.
Negative experience. To a considerable degree, the diculties of learning and using foreign languages
at an adult age are oen due to negative emotions associated with the study of languages in the past, espe-
cially in primary or secondary school. e problem could consist in the fact that one did not get on well
with the teacher (there was no liking or mutual respect), that the student did not nd (and the teacher did
not help him nd) an aspect of the language that would fascinate him (motivation was not aroused), or in
the atmosphere of unfriendliness and fear in class

[Le Baron]

To a considerable degree, the difficulties of learning and using foreign languages at an adult age are oen due to negative emotions associated with the study of languages in the past, especially in primary or secondary school.

Perhaps even more than that. Once that old blockage is passed, if this was the case, the actual problem starts. When a lot of older people do start learning in earnest, and perhaps auto-didactically, they find that in general when you're older you don't meet quite as many people. Or get to go about quite as much in order to run into these opportunities. Perhaps when one is retired and has more time and, maybe, health and some money to pursue pleasures, but it is a lot better to have learned languages earlier on in order to profit from them later.

[Picaboo]

There are many good points in the article.

I would say that the main difference between me unsuccessfully learning a language now and me successfully learning a language in school is that I now want to learn. In school I saw zero use for the language they were forcing on me. I took no joy in it and so no reason to do it outside of test scores. I never practiced on my own.

So generating intrinsic motivation, and perhaps a choice of language to learn, may be the most important factor of all. It's not like the method they used in school was all that bad, apart from not having enough reading input.