How Many French People Speak English

Peculiarities of the English Language The English language was created in England. Throughout history, this language has spread to many parts of the world. It is used as a link language for International business and diplomacy. According to Madhukar N. Gate, it has taken thousands of words from other languages such as French, Latin, German, Greek and so on. We can even find Sanskrit words in English. For example: Guru and Pundit are two Sanskrit words used in English. English grammar is quite simple, in many languages nouns have grammatical gender which makes some verbs and adjectives change. This doesn’t happen in English. The adjective “big” is used with all nouns such as man, woman, child, book etc, as well as applying to both singular and plural nouns. Counting large numbers in...  [Read more]

English as a Global Language In the last few months that I have been traveling, it has become even more apparent to me how important it is to be able to speak English to interact in the world today. Many of the people that I have been talking with over the last few months have not been native English speakers. And it became very clear to me that if they had not learned English, I would not be able to communicate with them, they have to learn a second language to be able to broaden their opportunities for travel, work, and general communication with people from other countries. As a native English speaker, you take this for granted. And as a result, many native English speakers only speak the one language. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the British economic predominance in the...  [Read more]

Foreign Language Experience I come from a country, which is with high cultural values and great diversity. There are different languages spoken and different customs and traditions followed all over India. When I was in school, which was English medium school, we had Marathi and Hindi as our second language, Hindi was introduced from grade 3 and Marathi from grade 4, both these languages have almost similar script but there is a difference in the way we speak the language thus the difference in these two languages. It was easy for me to learn to read and write Hindi. It was very difficult for me to learn Marathi, my struggle worsened as my mother too was not able to help me as being from south of India she had never heard or spoke Marathi .It was compulsory in school to score same amount...  [Read more]

Almost lost between Spain and France the tiny principality of Andorra boasts the best skiing in the Pyrenees. It’s also a tax-free haven, so a great place to stock up on gifts and duty free. The principal language is Catalan, with Spanish a close second. In addition to which French is widely spoken, and you can expect people to speak English in the main tourist areas. At a little over 400 square kilometers, Andorra is home to only a handful of language institutes. Definitely worth looking into though if you are in the business of seeking to combine some great skiing with some TESOL teaching. Andora La Vella is Andorra’s principal city. The main industry is tax free shopping, which caters to bargain hunters crossing from Spain to France and vice versa. Anyone wishing to teach in a...  [Read more]

Mighty big place, Partner. As Ferdinand Braudel, the great French historian observed, ‘the land dictates the people’, and it is a good idea never to stray too far from this theme. If you want to know what ‘cold’ is then head up to Minneapolis, north of Toronto, in the mid winter. If you want to know what ‘hot and humid is’ then try Orlando in the height of the summer. If you transcribe a line from Los Angles to Miami and turn this into a road trip then the number of different peoples and environments you will encounter is immense. By all means there is a thin veneer of Americanism, and everywhere you will find both McDonalds, and the presence of the Federal Government; however, you shouldn’t let this take your eye off the ball of the fact that the people and environment of...  [Read more]

In Egypt one can stand in cities that have been populated by civilisations for millennia. The pharaonic civilization goes back five thousand years, this was followed by the Greek invasion, spearheaded by Alexander the Great, and later it was regarded as one of the richest provinces of the Roman empire, and breadbasket to Rome itself. Then came the Muslim invasion, the influence of which was only interrupted by the Napoleonic empire, and then the French ‘second empire’, followed by a relatively brief period of British administration. Hence history abounds, but the traveller to Egypt can get a great deal more in terms of present-day culture, food, and the hubbub of the souks and bazaars. A truly fascinating place to spend some time. Egypt’s three hundred and ninety thousand square...  [Read more]

Vietnam is a great choice for anyone who wants to teach English as a foreign language in Southeast Asia. Demand for teachers is high and salaries are sufficient for a comfortable lifestyle.. Increasing levels of tourism and foreign investment mean Vietnam’s economy is one of the healthiest in the region. All this adds up to higher demand for English language skills and a very bright future for teachers. In order to maximize the odds of finding a job teaching in Vietnam, you’ll want to hold an internationally recognized TESOL certificate such as that offered by ITTT. With the help of our lifetime employment assistance, you’ll be able to find jobs in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC, previously Saigon), Hanoi and other cities. In relation to living costs, salaries in urban areas are rather...  [Read more]

If you crave adventure and a lifestyle that’s out of the ordinary, Phnom Penh, Cambodia is the perfect location to launch your ‘teach English abroad’ journey. The transformation of Cambodia over the past three decades from a country characterised by occupation and trouble, to a Southeast Asian powerhouse, is phenomenal. There’s an insatiable demand for English language skills in Cambodia - and a chronic shortage of TEFL qualified people to teach English. What does this mean for people just like you? Simple! It means opportunities galore. Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia and the nation’s international gateway. With a population of around 2.5 million people and a relatively confined central business district, it has a noticeably slower pace of life than you’ll find in...  [Read more]

Bulgaria is a country striving to adapt to the new economic order that prevails in the country. Much has changed for many people, and what were formally regarded as ‘peasants’ now have satellite television, if not a great deal else! Bulgaria has remained remarkably immune to the political turmoil of the recent decades. This has brought with it stability rather than the boom and bust that has characterised some countries in the region. Hence, the currency is fairly stable, and working conditions are predictable. The population is about seven and a half millions and this fits into a landmass of forty-three thousand square miles. Languages spoken include Bulgarian and French, and the religious orientation is eighty five percent Bulgarian Orthodox, with thirteen percent Muslim. Since 1989...  [Read more]

Should Students Be Allowed to Use Their Native Language in the Classroom When I first began teaching lessons during the TESOL Course I found myself almost automatically saying to the students, “English please,” after all it is an English class. However, I began to question myself about whether or not this was “correct” practice or if the students should in fact use their native language to assist them in the learning process. After doing some research I found the TESOL Law Code of Ethics. The Law of Ethics provided many vague and open-ended ideas. It suggested things along the lines of, “The foreign language teacher shall direct her whole professional effort to assist the students to develop his/her second language speaking ability.” It also mentions that TESOL teachers are to...  [Read more]

business English The study of business English relates specifically to learning and improving English ability for use in international trade. It is studied by non-native speakers who wish to communicate with companies in English speaking countries. In addition, it is used between non-native speaking companies who communicate using English as a shared second language. In principle, the same structures are used to teach business English as other areas of TESOL teaching. However, the contexts and vocabulary will differ. Areas of vocabulary will vary depending on the needs of the student but will generally fall into the region of general business vocabulary, trade, finance and international relations. Besides specific vocabulary, there is often a focus on communications skills...  [Read more]

Songs in the Classroom The use of songs in the ESL classroom can be a fun and innovative way of covering a range of English language topics. Songs can be used for vocabulary, grammar, dictation, pronunciation (stress and intonation), phonetics, speaking, writing, listening, integrative skills, and many other ESL points. Furthermore, songs can invite the non-native speaker into the English speaking culture. For instance, pop music gives the learner a taste of what is trendy at the moment. Meanwhile, the lyrics to classic rock songs can give a sense of history and the attitude of the country at the time of recording (for example, “Give Peace a Chance,” John Lennon, 1969). Additionally, children’s songs are crucially important for the young learner as they are an easy way to encourage...  [Read more]

Teaching methodologies in the "Super-learning" class “Super learning” (SL) is an accelerated learning technique and a fast-growing business, with varying results. Lessons usually last a whole day, and the course is often concentrated into a weekend. Some courses are based simply on suggestopedia, promising - but not always delivering - great results: “learn French in five days”. However, some successfully combine suggestopedia with other teaching methods to deliver good results. SL is designed to aid the learning process by removing learning barriers, stimulating both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously, as well as activating some of the intelligences not normally represented in a traditional course. The classroom environment is set up to facilitate subconscious learning, as...  [Read more]