We live in a world where information is processed and transmitted instantly. As a consequence, we get used to this immediacy. We want things now, a kind of fast-food information. We're on the boundaries of a change from the fast-food to the fast-info generation. With the advent of internet and its appendices, YouTube, Google, Orkut, MSN and other sorts of things we have things closer at hand easily. We can pay bills without going to the bank or ATM; we can have the product we want just by shopping on-line. Practically and comfortably. Almost a Utopia.
This Utopian state of mind leads us to transfer the entire urge for everything to the classroom and to all other aspects of our routine. We can't wait! Students can't wait! And they're getting used to this "automatic" way of getting things. Things are obtained easily and effortlessly. Why not English?!?! It's difficult to perceive that English does not come in a microchip that can be implanted in our brains. As a result, they get unmotivated. They assume it's boring as they can't see their progress easily, thus, they tend to quit. The less motivation they have, the worse. Learning English is a very long term process.
English classes usually have this routine of 1 hour and 15 minutes, sometimes 1 hour and 30 minutes. Twice a week only! This gives you the incredible amount of not more than 3 hours a week of English in your brain. While other 165 hours of Portuguese or, whatever your mother tongue is, permeate your mind during the same week. So, how can we learn English surrounded by our mother tongue, if we speak, listen, read and even dream in our native language?
The answer to the aforementioned question relies on the responsibility of both teachers and students. We, teachers must carve on our students minds that they have to, they have to, they have to let it linger... (Quoting The Cranberries). On the same hand, students must internalize this concept and transform it from an idea into part of their routine. They can't buy any language on line; they can't shop for it comfortably sat down at home in front of the computer. They have to work their asses off! Dedication and sweat are fundamental to transform those 2, 5 or 3 hours into something longer... If they are not surrounded by English as much as they can, the language acquisition will take longer than they expect.
That is to be smart! If they are smart to use the benefits of the cyber world to play, shop, chat, have fun, they have to be smarter and use this technology they master to acquire more language, to have more contact with this language. To let it linger!!! They can use other means too, obviously. DVDs, IPods, MP3s, whatever available to prolong the contact with English or any other language they decide to learn. They will be saving money, for, they will be paying for a 3-hour-a-week class and will be getting 6, 9, maybe 12-hour-English-contact week. Great Investment, isn't it?
This Utopian state of mind leads us to transfer the entire urge for everything to the classroom and to all other aspects of our routine. We can't wait! Students can't wait! And they're getting used to this "automatic" way of getting things. Things are obtained easily and effortlessly. Why not English?!?! It's difficult to perceive that English does not come in a microchip that can be implanted in our brains. As a result, they get unmotivated. They assume it's boring as they can't see their progress easily, thus, they tend to quit. The less motivation they have, the worse. Learning English is a very long term process.
English classes usually have this routine of 1 hour and 15 minutes, sometimes 1 hour and 30 minutes. Twice a week only! This gives you the incredible amount of not more than 3 hours a week of English in your brain. While other 165 hours of Portuguese or, whatever your mother tongue is, permeate your mind during the same week. So, how can we learn English surrounded by our mother tongue, if we speak, listen, read and even dream in our native language?
The answer to the aforementioned question relies on the responsibility of both teachers and students. We, teachers must carve on our students minds that they have to, they have to, they have to let it linger... (Quoting The Cranberries). On the same hand, students must internalize this concept and transform it from an idea into part of their routine. They can't buy any language on line; they can't shop for it comfortably sat down at home in front of the computer. They have to work their asses off! Dedication and sweat are fundamental to transform those 2, 5 or 3 hours into something longer... If they are not surrounded by English as much as they can, the language acquisition will take longer than they expect.
That is to be smart! If they are smart to use the benefits of the cyber world to play, shop, chat, have fun, they have to be smarter and use this technology they master to acquire more language, to have more contact with this language. To let it linger!!! They can use other means too, obviously. DVDs, IPods, MP3s, whatever available to prolong the contact with English or any other language they decide to learn. They will be saving money, for, they will be paying for a 3-hour-a-week class and will be getting 6, 9, maybe 12-hour-English-contact week. Great Investment, isn't it?
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