Don’t
Insist on English !!
by Patricia
Ryan
Mrs. Ryan has been
living and teaching in the Gulf for over 30 years. She has seen a lot of
changes in that time. In her speech, she talks about language loss and the
globalization of English. Unfortunately, languages are dying at an
unprecedented rate. A language dies every 14 days. Now, English is the
undisputed global language at the same time.
The major change that
she has seen is how teaching English has morphed from being a mutually beneficial
practice to become a massive International business today. No longer just a
foreign language on the school curriculum and no longer the sole domain of
mother England, it has become a bandwagon for evey English-speaking nation on
earth. After that, the latest World University Rangkings, in the universities
of the U.K. and the U.S. students who are non-native speaker have to pass the test if they want to have an
English education.
English teachers reject
the student who doesn’t speak English. They put a stop sign and stop them in
their tracks. However, English teachers are the gatekeepers. Students have to
satisfy them first that their English is good enough. It’s pleasant that we
have a global language. We need one today more than ever. We no need to end up
with 600 languages and the main one being English, we need more than that.
English is not always a
must in getting the opportunity of a better life. We can see the influential
intelligentsia such as Einstein, he didn’t have to pass an English test. He was
considered remedial at school because he was dyslexia. Luckily, there is also
no TOEFL test in 1964. But, now millions of students take those tests every
year.
Thus, let us not keep
them and ourselves in the dark. Let us celebrate diversity. Mind your language.
Use it to spread great ideas.
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar