"Speak Like the Natives"

A couple of days ago, I was chastised by someone who read one of my blog entries. She was "flabbergasted" by the fact that I call myself an "English language tutor." You can read her full Comment and my response here: Expressions for Physical Descriptions (look at the Comments section of the blog entry).

I was reminded of a college professor I had for a Research class in the mid 1980s. He was an older gentleman who had "old-fashioned" ways and ideas. Although it was a Research class (with papers and statistics and such), he would often take the opportunity to tell the class what he felt about the issues of the day.

One class, he went on a tirade about how we should only use the generic "he," "his" and "him" in our research papers. He told us how he felt about the use of "he/she," "s/he," or even "he or she," and other such variations to include the female in our writing. He believed that the masculine pronoun should continue to be used in all cases and that what the "women's libbers" were trying to do to the English language was ridiculous. I have some thoughts that his concerns were not solely about "the English language." He may have had some issues about the changes in the world that were occurring around him.

If one studies the English language (through formal study or merely through observation), one will notice that the English language is changing (maybe even "evolving" in some cases). It is not a static language. If it were static, dictionary writers would not be adding new words every year. Nor would they provide "Usage Notes" (as Longman's does) about the changing language. (See His, Hers or Theirs.

ESL students need to be taught Standard American English (in the U.S.) so that they will succeed in school and work. However, English language learners also need to be taught English as it is spoken and as it is used by native English speakers.

Many of my advanced English students have intensively studied English grammar in their home countries. Many have told me that they did not understand what people were saying and they had trouble making themselves understood when they first came to the U.S. After living in the U.S. for a while, they caught on, but mostly by context. However, they were not able to replicate the English words, expressions, reductions, etc., that they heard.

My students who are professionals are able to do their jobs effectively, but when it comes to making small talk and hanging out with their colleagues, they feel lost. It's as though the native speakers are speaking some other form of English. It is at this point that many English language learners turn to me. They want to "speak like native speakers." They want to fit in. They know formal English. And now they want to learn to speak as their colleagues do.

Yes, it is important to ensure that non-native (and native) English speakers know formal English. However, from my experience, it is also important that English language learners know how to "speak like the natives."

English Teachers, Pronouns, and a Joke

I came across an old grammar joke on an English forum I visit regularly (it's listed under "Resources I Use"). A reader asked which is correct: "It is I" or "It is me."

Grammatically, the correct answer is "It is I." Common usage, and therefore the one I use, is "It's me."

Here's the joke:

St. Peter (at the Pearly Gates of Heaven): Who is it?

Voice: It is I!

St. Peter: Go to hell, we already have all the English teachers we need!

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“His,” “Hers” or “Theirs”

Many of my ESL students have studied a great deal of grammar in their home countries. Their knowledge of English grammar is probably better than mine! However, when it comes to “sounding like a native,” I usually win! Not only do I have a really good American accent (which is good, since I’m a native-born American!), but I know what liberties I can take with the language.

All kidding aside, one of the things it would be helpful for ESL teachers to teach ESL students is how the English language is constantly changing (evolving?). Grammar rules that seemed to be written in stone with harsh penalties for violation are no longer absolutes. New words are added to English dictionaries every year. Grammar, vocabulary and meanings all change over time depending on how we use the language on a day-to-day basis.

The pronouns “he” and “she” are being replaced with “they.” “His” and “her” are being replaced with “their.” “Him” and “her” are being replaced with “them.” Twenty years ago, the following sentence would have been grammatically unacceptable, “Someone left their ESL grammar book on the table.” However, because of cultural and social changes, and the way we actually speak, this sentence is now perfectly normal in spoken English and in informal written English.

However, we are still at the point in the history of the English language that formal or academic writings should still follow the old rules of grammar. So the most grammatically and socially correct way to write this sentence would be, “Someone left his or her ESL grammar book on the table.”

These types of “usage notes” or comments about how to use the English language are all included in the Longman Advanced American Dictionary. I find this very useful when I have to prove to a student that I really know what I’m talking about!

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Personal Pronouns and the Present Perfect

I met with two students today. One is an advanced ESL learner. I've been working with her for about a year. Much of the grammar we work on is review. Our major focus is conversation skills, accent reduction and pronunciation (mostly medical terms, as she is a Registered Nurse). I noticed some difficulty with Personal Pronouns, so we are reviewing them by using Azar's Understanding and Using English Grammar, chapter 8, "Pronouns." My student had some problems with the first exercise (mostly an assessment tool). We proceeded with Section 8-1, Personal Pronouns. This section provides a chart with subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives. We also practiced identifying antecedents.

I remember having difficulty, myself, with pronouns when I studied Spanish. Memorization of each of the pronouns is necessary. This can be accomplished through written exercises (and sometimes has to be, otherwise, some students try to avoid using pronouns in spoken English) and verbal drills.

The second English language learner I tutored today is at a high beginner level. It's been 10 years since she studied English in high school in Korea. We've been working together for a couple of months. Today's lesson included the Present Perfect. I used Murphy's Basic Grammar in Use, unit 16, "Have you ever...?" I also introduced some new vocabulary phrases dealing with restaurants ("Do you take plastic?" "I'd like a doggy bag," etc.). Homework is to create a dialog between a diner and a server. (I developed this lesson plan a couple of years ago when I was studying for my TESOL certificate.)