When I was a child we didn't start learning English at school until our sixth grade, when we were about to turn 12. On the other hand, being exposed to English wasn't as easy as it is today either; there was no way one could watch TV in English, and unless you travelled to an English speaking country, you couldn't get books, magazines or newspapers in that language. Of course, there was no Internet back in the seventies and eighties. Still, I remember knowing a few words in English before I started learning it in school. One of my uncles went to England for his honeymoon, I think, and they brought me a wonderful and huge box of watercolours. It was one of the coolest gifts I have ever received; full of tiny watercolour pans, each with the name of the colour underneath. They had really exotic names which I have forgotten, but I guess that my dad taught me how to read them, as he knew a bit of English. So, one of my first memories regarding English is about something cool, exotic and fun, which must have been a good beginning, no doubt.
My first English teacher was a young woman, whose name I don't remember. I cannot recall the exact details of what we did in class, but I have a vague image of a different way of teaching, compared to the rest of our subjects, and that she could really speak English (how on earth I could tell her English was good, I don't know, because I knew none myself). She was sweet also, and the outcome of it all was quite sad, as she was bullied by some of my classmates. After my first year learning English with her, I was eager to learn more, so I took English lessons in a neighbourhood language school. My favourite activity was listening to songs and trying to guess the lyrics. Those listening exercises were usually done with old Simon & Garfunkel songs, which are quite appropriate. Nowadays, Kings of Convenience would be a similar choice.
I don't remember much of how we learnt English at school after that, but it was mainly based on studying grammar and exclusively doing written exercises, so I guess it was pretty boring. I continued taking lessons out of school, and after a couple of years I changed to a larger language school in the town centre. I had a really nice teacher for a couple of years there, he was an absolute clown and we had a lot of fun in class (at least, I did). Classes were mainly focused on learning to use the language, or learning the language through use. We were placed in real life situations, and grammar or vocabulary became the means, and not the end themselves. I think that was a good approach.
I also took a couple of courses specifically targeted to get certificates. Classes we not so much fun, because they were just a matter of preparing an exam, but they proved useful for their purpose, I must admit.
My parents made a great effort in order for me to improve my English and, thus, I spent a few weeks in England during two summers when I was 15 and 16, and a whole year in the US after that. Back in those days, when you travelled abroad you really experienced 24 hours a day of language immersion, because there was no phone, whatsapp, skype, or email that could get you in touch with home. I believe that helps a lot when it comes to learning a language; you really need to live in that language, there is really no other way around.
I lived for over three years in the UK as well, where I worked and took my postgraduate degree, thanks to the Commet programme (similar to Erasmus, but for recent graduates who went abroad to work as trainees) and a government scholarship.
I returned home in 1997 and since that I read quite a lot in English, I seldom write, most of the TV I watch is in English (shows and films), and I only speak English when I travel abroad. My English is not half as fluent as it used to, but I couldn't expect it to be otherwise.
I studied French for a year and a half in my twenties, and I can understand a bit, but I can hardly speak. If I had time now, I would love to study Portuguese, which sounds sweet and sour at the same time to me and is really soft, just like fados.
Finally, I strongly believe that learning a language is a lot about not feeling ashamed of making mistakes, being able to laugh at yourself and laugh in the company of others. Only mistakes will lead you to improving your knowledge, and you will only be willing to do so if you enjoy it. I also liked a quotation by Rousseau in a text written by Daniel Pennac that we recently read, which said that we tend to accomplish with ease that which we are not in a hurry to achieve. I never learnt a language because I needed to, or because there was an exam that had to be passed; it was just for the fun of it, and it worked.
I don't remember much of how we learnt English at school after that, but it was mainly based on studying grammar and exclusively doing written exercises, so I guess it was pretty boring. I continued taking lessons out of school, and after a couple of years I changed to a larger language school in the town centre. I had a really nice teacher for a couple of years there, he was an absolute clown and we had a lot of fun in class (at least, I did). Classes were mainly focused on learning to use the language, or learning the language through use. We were placed in real life situations, and grammar or vocabulary became the means, and not the end themselves. I think that was a good approach.
I also took a couple of courses specifically targeted to get certificates. Classes we not so much fun, because they were just a matter of preparing an exam, but they proved useful for their purpose, I must admit.
My parents made a great effort in order for me to improve my English and, thus, I spent a few weeks in England during two summers when I was 15 and 16, and a whole year in the US after that. Back in those days, when you travelled abroad you really experienced 24 hours a day of language immersion, because there was no phone, whatsapp, skype, or email that could get you in touch with home. I believe that helps a lot when it comes to learning a language; you really need to live in that language, there is really no other way around.
I lived for over three years in the UK as well, where I worked and took my postgraduate degree, thanks to the Commet programme (similar to Erasmus, but for recent graduates who went abroad to work as trainees) and a government scholarship.
I returned home in 1997 and since that I read quite a lot in English, I seldom write, most of the TV I watch is in English (shows and films), and I only speak English when I travel abroad. My English is not half as fluent as it used to, but I couldn't expect it to be otherwise.
I studied French for a year and a half in my twenties, and I can understand a bit, but I can hardly speak. If I had time now, I would love to study Portuguese, which sounds sweet and sour at the same time to me and is really soft, just like fados.
Finally, I strongly believe that learning a language is a lot about not feeling ashamed of making mistakes, being able to laugh at yourself and laugh in the company of others. Only mistakes will lead you to improving your knowledge, and you will only be willing to do so if you enjoy it. I also liked a quotation by Rousseau in a text written by Daniel Pennac that we recently read, which said that we tend to accomplish with ease that which we are not in a hurry to achieve. I never learnt a language because I needed to, or because there was an exam that had to be passed; it was just for the fun of it, and it worked.
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