What does it mean to learn English?

   At the moment, because of Covid-19 I can’t go out of my flat to meet my friends and I am a bit under the weather. The number of people infected with the covid-19 is increasing at a tremendous rate. Besides, it's been extremely freezing outside. It is not easy to take a walk around my flat. Now, in my flat, I am wandering around, listening to the English potcast. I make a cup of coffee and start to drink coffee. And then suddenly I want to write about anything that comes to my mind. I stop listening to the potcast.

 

   As a non-native English teacher, I used to tell my students, “Do not try to be perfect when you speak English like native people. Don’t worry about making mistakes. It is natural. Just open your mouth and say anything you want.” Even, sometimes, I did not correct their mistakes because error correction often stopped learners from speaking English. Learning a foreign language is not about perfection but about communication, so it should be about learning what we say, not just how we say it.

 

   I know well that language ability is also important for language learning. Good command of English helps to achieve things in English – it helps to make efficient communications with other people, it helps to effectively share ideas. But I have to remember that it’s the ideas, the communications, the enjoyment – these are the important things. Language learning should not be level assessments, I think, but it should be insightful, interesting and entertaining things.

 

   What does it mean to learn English? It means that I can own English as a tool to communicate ideas. It means that English begins to be my own language. English is open source. It’s a tool that we use to communicate ideas, to connect with more people, and to help people. That is the cool thing about learning this language. Learning English means that I start using it to express myself right now. I can start using it to create something and I can start using it to make something done and to achieve something wonderful.

 

   What does it mean to learn English? It means that I will be able to communicate ideas, to connect with people, and to share some useful or interesting experiences with people. It is very exciting to meet and communicate with people who have particularly specific, insightful, inspiring or entertaining things to say. Learning English also means that I will be able to help people. It is much more exciting to help other people learn English and share stories and happiness.

 

   So, that is my another rambling. and it is always lovely to actually meet people and chat with them, person to person. These days in Korea, this kind of activity is not possible since we are not free from the high possibility of coronavirus infection. Normally at Christmas time I take a break for a couple of days and meet families and old friends. Since I’m not free to do all kinds of social activities in Seoul this year I might continue learning and, sometimes, blogging.

 

   That’s all I have to say at this point except that I hope you are well. Please stay safe, stay positive, be kind to people, and goodbye…