English As A Second Language: Dr. Disha Sharma

International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences (IJELS) Vol-4, Issue-1, Jan - Feb, 2019
https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.4.1.28 ISSN: 2456-7620
English as a Second Language

Dr. Disha Sharma
Asst. Prof. English, Govt. PG College Karnprayag, Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India
Email – [email protected] m
Abstract— English is spoken as a second language by vocabulary that students fear most. The harder part is
many countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri mastering new structures in both content and expression.
Lanka, Nigeria and Tanzania. In these countries English A person’s voice serves at least two functions in
is spoken as a non-native or second language, and used communication. One is linguistic, in that it serves as the
for various purposes official, educational, social and vehicle of the expression system f language. The other is
interpersonal. In the countries such as Russia, Japan, non – linguistic, it carries information of a quite different
Germany, France and Italy, English is used as a foreign kind about the speaker.
language. A second language is one which is used for We may defined a phoneme as a feature of the expression
various purposes within the country while a foreign of a spoken language by which one thing that may be said
language is used. In learning a second language we will is distinguish from any other thing which might have been
find that vocabulary is comparatively easy. However, in said. There are two things about phonemes that must be
some countries like the United Kingdom, the United explicitly pointed out in anticipation of any such
States of America, Canada and Australia, English is presentation. Phonemes are part of the system of one
native or first language. As we listen to a person speaking specific language. The phonemes of different language
our native language we hear not only what is said but are different, frequently in commensurably. It is for this
also certain things about the speaker. English is first, reason that a foreigner hears only jumble which he cannot
second or foreign language. Children learn native repeat. The sound of the unfamiliar language does not fit
language from a very early age to respond to sounds and into his phoneme system, and so he can comprehend no
tunes which their elders habitually use in talking to them. order in a simple utterance. Linguistics must start with
Second language is generally learnt later in life. The through investigation spoken language before it proceeds
second language is learnt after the child has mastered the to study written language. This is true of language with
first language, his/her learning of the second language is long histories of written literature such as English, no less
influenced by the first language. than those as isolated tribes which have never known of
Keywords— English, Second, Language, Spoken, the possibility of writing.
Country. Grammar forms one part of the science of language, this
science is itself a part of the natural history of human
The three major components of language, as far as being. Its method is in substance that of natural history of
language lies within the scope of linguistics, are the human beings. Its method is in substance that of natural
structure of expression, the structure of content, and science generally; it consists in accurate investigation of
vocabulary. The latter comprises all the specific relations our object and in conclusions founded upon that
between expression and content – in the familiar investigation ….. by grammar be mean the scientific
terminology, words and their meanings. comprehension and explanation of the sounds , the forms,
Vocabulary comes and goes; it is the least stable and even the function of words and their parts and the construction
the least characteristic of the three components of of sentences. Language is to be treated clinically in line
language. That portion of the Vocabulary which changes with procedures that had been developed by natural
most freely is sometimes referred to as “Slang”. But even sciences.
staid and dignified words and constantly being created English as a second language ESL programs are also
and continually passing out of active use, to be preserved organised for the students whose first language is other
only in the literature which is dated by their very than English or is a variety of English significantly
presence. Certain types of words are more transient then different from that used for Ontario schools. Students in
others, none are absolutely immortal. Even the most these programs have had educational opportunities to
familiar and commonly used word, which might be develop appropriate first language literacy skills.
expected to be most stable, have a mortality rate of about Some students have attended schools, while others may
twenty percent in a thousand years. never have attended. Students have a range of oral
In learning a second language, u will find that vocabulary English proficiency. Some familiarities may have
is comparatively easy, in spite of the fact that it is experienced great difficulties, and may still carry the
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burden of separation and loss. International organizations Students names and greet the students by name when they
report that numbers of refugees come from situations arrive in class. For these students, learning the new rules
involving conflict and trauma. As well, issues such as and understanding the expectations schools have for all
unresolved asylum claims, financial hardships, limited students in both exciting and frightening. This is an
facility with English, outstanding health issues, and the opportune time to teach students about the school’s
isolation and the newness of their lives in present daily expectations of and for them. Students whose language
challenges. They require many supports to rebuild their and culture are valued gain confidence in their abilities to
lives. At the same time, they are survivors. They often succeed in learning. They need consistent and appropriate
display adaptability. support at school.
ELLS with limited prior schooling lack academic The students in India can be categorized into two; the one
experiences, but not life experiences. Their need for is having the regional language as medium of study from
intensive literacy and language support programs is the primary level and the other is having English as the
balanced by the cultural and linguistic capital that they medium of the study. Hence, the problem of teaching
bring with them. They are likely to bring curiosity about English as a second language, to the Indian students starts
their new country and very little experience with school from the pre- schooling. Environment and family
routines and expectations. Students may have had little background play vital role in success of learning process.
formal schooling; they have required other knowledge For example, countries like India, where majority of the
and learning. Educators who value and build on that prior people are farmers, have the poor background in the
knowledge and experience help these students succeed in education. Moreover, the income of majority of the
school. families is not adequate. That is why the parents are not
English is an international language, and varieties of interested in giving good education background to their
English sometimes referred to as dialects are spoken children. In contrast, they are willing to engage the
around the world. Standard English is the variety of children in some jobs to earn money. The first category of
English that is used as the language of education, law, and the students care almost compelled to attend their classes
government in English- speaking countries. Some under the trees. Majority of the students are coming from
varieties of English are very different not only in village and also their parents are farmers and uneducated.
pronunciation or accent but also in vocabulary and If the nature fails, the survival of the farmers will be
sentence structure from the English required for success. questionable. Hence, the students are mentally
Some varieties are so different from Standard English that discouraged due to family conditions. In the second
may linguists consider them to be languages in their own category, the students are having enough background in
right. basic education since their parents are educated and they
Some immigrant families chose to leave their country of do not depend on the nature much. Many of the students
birth and come to Canada and some have been forced to from second category are joining in English med ium
leave by circumstance beyond their control including war, school and hence, they do no find much difficulty in
violence, famine, poverty, natural disasters, or political pursuing their higher education.
instability. Some English language learners with limited More over majority of the families of second categories
prior schooling have experienced significant emotional are dwelling in towns and cities and hence, they have easy
trauma which may affect their ability to learn and to access of quality education. But the first category of
adjust to their new country. Being immigrants is not their students is scoring good marks the examination
total experience but rather their most recent past. conducted. It proves that they are having good writing
In some places some females may have had fewer skill in English. They have to be given training in oral
opportunities to attend school than their male siblings. A English communication.
student from rural setting may experience more anxiety When we learn our first language, our brain, mind ‘tunes
adjusting to an urban environment then a student who has into’ the way of particular works, and we learn to pay
experience city life. Teacher can provide a consistent safe attention to particular cues to meaning that are most
place in which to learn, with clear parameters, where helpful. When we meet a new language, are brain and
value of equity and inclusion are evident and mind automatically tries to apply the first language
demonstrated and sure that learning environments reflect experience by looking for familiar cues. Part of learning a
the diversity of learners, so that all students can see foreign language is developing new understanding about
themselves represented in their classrooms recognised the particular cues to meaning that the new language of
that the learners needs go beyond academic needs. Learn offers and that differ from those of our first language.
about geographical, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds A teacher’s primary role is not only to enable the students
of students through reading, settlement resources, and to understand what he is intending to say or teach. It is
positive, informal interaction with students. also the duty of the teacher to understand what the student

wants and says. In teaching learning process, two things
play the vital roles; one is the delivering capacity of the
teacher and the other one is receiving capacity of the
students. Without the two aspects, the teaching- learning
process will not be a successful one. Teaching- learning
process is just like making sound by clapping. Without
two hands we cannot clap. Like that without a right
teacher and the students, the teaching learning process is
meaningless. Teaching should be a worthy of learning a
concept deeply and broadly. Teaching should facilitated
the students to face the world which full of political,
social, international as well as personal controversies,
without fear. It should give self- confidence to the
students. By the effective teaching, the students should be
enabled to go for right choices, judgements and also
decisions individually. In the process to teaching -
learning, the teacher should try to understand the students
first.
Success of a teacher in his/her attempt in enabling the
students to understand what is the concept taught by the
teacher depends on the methods he/she applies. The
teacher may be a good, but the students’ phy sical
problems may lead him to ignore the teaching.
Sometimes, the background of family of the students may
drive him to be dull. Hence, the teacher should take into
account everything. At the school level the teaching -
learning process is checked up the teacher by repeated
class tests and examinations. At the college level also the
same traditional method of examination is used. The only
difference is the volume of syllabus prescribed for the
college’s students will be more than that of the school
level.
REFERENCES
[1] M (Laughlin, B. 1987). Reading in a Second
Language: Studies with adult and Child Learners. In
S.R. Goldman & H. T. Trueba (Eds.), Becoming
Literature in English as a Second Language.
Norwood, N. J: Ablex Publishing.
[2] Chaudhary Sanjay. English as a Second Language.
New Delhi: DPS Publishing House, 2011, pp. 70-77.
[3] Priya Hosali; S.V. Parashar. Phonetics and Spoken
English. Hyderabad: English and Foreign Language
University, 2012, p.2

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International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences (IJELS) Vol-4, Issue-1, Jan - Feb, 2019

https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.4.1.28 ISSN: 2456-7620

English as a Second Language

www.ijels.com Page | 140

www.ijels.com Page | 141

www.ijels.com Page | 142

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