How I acquired my second language.

            Even I had been exposed to the English language since I was a kid; but since I had joined primary school which was my first formal education I had performed much better on the language. The secret of my success was strict English teachers since Standard 1 until Standard 6. My English teachers were those I wished I was able to escape from them. In Standard 1, I was able to read and wrote well in English due to a male English teacher named Sir Ramesh. He usually wrote short stories or sentences in blackboard; did a choral reading in the class before pointed some students to read aloud individually. I was one of the ‘lucky students’ that had been called in each lesson. Those that unable to read well what had written by him on the blackboard would got punishment such as standing on the chair, standing outside the classroom and etc. 

In order to survive in the class, each time he taught to read, I would try my best memorized all the sentences on the blackboard. When my named had been called, I would read aloud perfectly without realized the meaning of the sentences. 

At that time, what was important for me, I had not been scolded by him and felt embarrassed in front of my fellow classmates. Indirectly, it had triggered my interest to learn English by reading more stories and sentences. I started to spend more times in the library reading all the children novels and magazines. Instead of memorized without knowing the meaning, I had bought a picture dictionary to help me understand the vocabularies before later upgrade to small dictionaries that I still kept until now. I started enjoying English lesson, but I still afraid of my English Teacher.

        Currently, I am teaching English subject at tertiary level, there are not many opportunities that had been given to my students to practice the language through imitation. This has happened because the age of my students are not suitable for this kind of activities. Even I played an English song in class, asked them to sing together; they refused to sing together. In my students’ level, I focused more on the speaking and writing for the purpose of communication. Focused have been given more to the understanding of the content. The majority of students came from a very weak English background, they have trouble in understanding English subject. In each lesson, I will start with a reading text, discussed the content, find the meaning of difficult words. Later the activities will move to speaking activities, students need to work in group communicated with their groupmates, present the things they had discussed in front of class. The main purpose to maximize the number of vocabularies, expose them to a different kind of reading material, promote communicative environment and build up their confidence level to communicate in English.  When dealing with adult learners, there are many aspect needs to be considered such their self-esteem, egoism etc. If there are making mistakes during class activities, and we correct them in front of their classmate it will make them feel embarrassed and would not want to volunteer or join class activities anymore. Usually I will correct them in personal and giving the positive comments before the negative comments to be improved by them.

            I personally think that kids learn their first language well because they learn the language unconsciously and informal setting. Even attempt mistakes in their first language, but most of the times they learn better through the mistakes. This is different with the second language, when the mistakes pointed out they not really understand why it is wrong. The process of learning first language was more fun, as they are not being forced to memorize or write by their parents, due to sufficiently exposure, kids started acquiring vocabularies day by day in different events and occasions without any pressure from families and friends. Each day their proficiency getting better and better. During play time, they will practice the language indirectly when communicate through the language with their friends. They do need been told to memorize the sentences or vocabulary, but they imitate the sentences and vocabularies unconsciously because it is important for their self.