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<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック">Hi, Chris.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック"> I'm a Japanese Professor of English in Japan,
and was once a visiting scholar in GSE. Let me say a few things from the
viewpoints of the so-called linguistic weak.</FONT><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック">(
I mean as a non-native speaker of English, I have to worry a lot about my
English concerning grammar, pronouncition and meanings)
The difference of Americans' 2nd language skills and
german exchange student's English skills may come from,as someone
says, power structure of English dominance in the global society and native
speakers' learning attitudes of foreign languages. Native speakers of English at
large do not have so much psychological pressure </FONT><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック">to
acquire perfectly the target languages, because they can speak English in case
of need all over the world. However, non-native speakers of English have to
almost perfectly( though I don't think "perfectly"master English to communicate
with foreigners or do business in the global society. In a sense, native
speakers of English are in a superior position to study any foreign languages,
which might sometimes spoil learners' motivation to master the target languages,
though some are brilliant speakers of foreign languages.( I am sorry to say if
this remark sounds harsh and hurts the feelings of readers)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック"> Also, to learn 2nd languages in US and learn a
pure foreign language outside US are entirely different matters. Non-native
speakers of English at least master English to survive in the competitive global
society. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック"> I myself just returned from Toronto where
Dr.Swain's immersion program is very famous. They got a certain success to
achieve communication skills of both English and French. However, I doubt
whether they can make deep thinking in both languages. Deep thinking is always
done by 1st langauge or native tongue.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック"> In Japan, the former education ministry began
to introduce English conversation into the curriculum of primary
schools to improve pupils' sense of English from early years. The
ministry might have an idea that they make English the 2nd nature of
Japanese by introducing English from the early years. However, I personally
think that conducting some classes all in English is not a means
to improve their skills of English, still less teaching the skills to
pass some exams or tests. The most important thing is learners' motivation
to learn target languges and some ideas why he/she learn the target languages. I
am ashamed to say that I still have a hard time to express my feelings because
English is not my tongue, however, I know I can not use Japanese even if I
lost my words in foreign countries. This always gives me some motivations
to study English even if I like it or not. I would apologize if my comments
are irrelevant with the issues raised here. Thanks.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック">Junichi Saito</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="ＭＳ Ｐゴシック">21th of
May </FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>