Learning English back in the 90’s

 

I started learning English at school. I don’t remember very well how old I was but I think that it was in Childhood Education when I was about to turn 5. It was my first experience whit a foreign language; at home I spoke Basque and Spanish but I had not any contact whit any other language; or on TV, or when I travel, or summer caps…

 

I have to say that I remember very well my first English classes. The teacher cams to class with a puppet and told us stories. I don’t remember the name of the puppet or the stories she told us but I know that I loved those classes. I also remember that before tell us a stories she take pictures with animals, colour, body’s parts… and we had to appoint them. On the other hand, we sang a lot of songs. For example one that I remember clear is head, shoulder, knees and tolls. We sang the song very often and we touch the head, shoulders knees and tolls, it was very funny. I also remember that in first years learning English we play a lot to Simon says and games like this.

In the secondary school until 12 to 16 unfortunately we ignore the games, songs and stories to make way for de grammar and written exercises. Was then when  stopped liking English classes. Classes became very boring, and sometimes I had difficult to understand. I didn’t take lessons out of school and I remember that it was very big difference between students who take lessons out of school and students who don’t. First had not any problems to continue the lessons and they also take very good notes. Others we had many more difficulties to follow the lessons. From my point of view this is very unfair. In fact, English lessons out of school are very expensive is not uncommon that many families cannot afford it. I also think that when I was at school teachers often prepared the classes to children who takes lesson out of school, and others who going we were from behind. I still remember the anger and indignation that I was producing this.

Last year resume my English classes. The experience has been much more rewarding than at school; classes are more practical and not focus so much on grammar. I must say that I learned a lot more in one year that in ten at school. Despite this, I had to leave the English lessons because I had no time and because they were very expensive. We were also many students and it was very difficult to focus on the needs of everyone.

Nowadays I don’t take English lessons, my level is low but is in my mine to learn English, is my unfinished. I would like to learn it whit other person who need to learn Spanish or Basque; in tandem. Without books and grammar only speaking, making mistakes and having fun. At list I think that is the only way to learn; not only learn languages also you get life experiences.