EXPERIENCES BY LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE

Clearly, there are many ways to learn a second language. It is a fact that some ways are more effective than others. Also, to learn a second language depends on how much effort you make to learn it.

Undoubtedly, to learn a second language is a very different experience to each student. For example, the grammar structures can be very difficult for some students and very easy for others. The main reason is that, the student´s skills are not in the same level so that teachers must choose teaching methods that correctly fulfill the needs of the students.

In my case, I learned the 60% of all that I know about the English language by a non-conventional method: playing videogames. I learned how to use many grammar structures. Also, I improved my reading skill and I added many new words to my vocabulary thanks ti this particular method. So that, when I started to study English at school, I only needed to improve my pronunciation and writing skills. Even though many teachers did not believe me that I learned the vast majority of my English by playing video games, they started to believe in this particular method when I began to get good grades at tests.

Furthermore, I remember that my English teachers used many different methods to teaching English such as the Direct Method, the Audio-Lingual method, the PPP and the Grammar Translation Method. Some of these methods were really effective because I learned a lot with them. On the other hand, some teaching methods were worthless because they were focused on some aspects in which the majority of the students were skillful enough.

So that, teachers must be aware of the needs of his students in order to choose the most effective teaching method in order to fulfill the requirements that his students have. In order to reach this goal, teachers can create their own teaching method by choosing some features from the teaching methods that better fulfill his student’s necessities. Because teachers are not tied to an specific teaching method, they are free to develop their own teaching method.

A good teacher always trusts in their student´s potential and focuses their activities to challenge their student´s intellect in order to improve the skills and potential of their students. Teachers must have clear how to help their students to reach their purposes and goals. A teacher has to plant the seed of desire in the mind of his students and has to water it every day until the seed become a tree. A teacher plays an important role in the life of their students because the teacher is an example source to follow.