Introduction
The world today is rapidly transforming into a global village. These changes are experienced in transforming ways in which people from different parts of the universe communicate, relate and interact with one another. There is need to reduce any conflict which may arise due to their different cultural backgrounds.
Language has played a very significant role in ensuring that people from different parts of the world communicate and relate to each other in a very easy and understandable way without distortion of the intended message. The world has a lot of different dialects, some of the most notable languages that are spoken by a greater part of the population include English, French, Japanese, Chinese, Kiswahili, German, Spanish, Portuguese and African amongst other notable languages (Anonimous, 1999).
In a recent research, it has been realized that English is the most spoken language amongst all other languages in the world, with an estimated number of 350 million people speaking the language. The number of English speakers in the world today is constantly increasing surpassing the expected number of the English speakers.
This paper will conduct a research study on English speakers, at the same time provide the reader with an appropriate re-medication for a new English learner, generally the paper will conduct a research and find out the challenges and finally come up with the possible solutions that will make it possible for new English learners to quickly, effectively learn the language without any incidents of discouragement (Plotkin, 2006).
I have chosen to conduct a research of “the appropriate re-medication for English language learner” because English as a language has turned out to be the most spoken language internationally and the number of English speakers is constantly on the rise, the research will at the same time provide the possible solutions to the changes that are faced by the increasing numbers of English learners (Nie, 2009). Additionally, I am interested in the topic since I am a teacher for international students who seek to learn English.
The setting that I am conducting my research is a small classroom of international students. The class is composed of 13 Chinese students who are undertaking undergraduate studies in International Relations and Diplomacy in the University of South Bronx New York. English being an international language directly attracts a sharp increase in numbers of people who are not native speakers (Plotkin, 2006). Therefore, there are some underlying factors that deny the new English learners chances of learning the language in a most easier and comfortable way.
Literature review
China is a well known country for its rapid economic and population growth since it became the People’s Republic on October 1, 1949. She managed to achieve a lot of success since the day it became a sovereign state. China boasts the population that is estimated to be 1,336,718,015 people according to the census in July 2011, this is estimated to be a population growth of 0.593% (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2011). The country also enjoys a stable health as the infant mortality rate is as low as 16 deaths to 1000 births. China has a high life expectancy at the average of 75 years where the male live for 73 years while females are expected to live for 77 years.
The literacy level in the country is estimated to be 92% which is a clear indication that the country’s citizens are well educated. The national language in China is Chinese which is the native language with a variety of sub-tribes thus making it difficult for any Chinese child in country to learn any other foreign language (Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, 2011).
It is the independence nature of China that has made it difficult for the country to accept the use and teaching of English; however, with the changes that are currently faced in the world today, it has forced the country to adopt ways in which it can relate efficiently with the other countries in international forums (Nie, 2009). The lack of the prior teaching of English to the Chinese children at an early stage, made it difficult for the senior students pursing higher education in foreign countries to easily adopt and learn adequately as a result of lack of background knowledge and understanding of English.
Data collection
In order to come up with sufficient results for this research, I have used different methods of data collection methods (Plotkin, 2006). I was able to use direct observation of the students’ body language during lectures. While the lecture was in session I was in a position to see how they reacted when taking class notes; I was also in a position to see how they reacted to the demonstrations and examples the lecturer presented to them in class (Nie, 2009).
The second method I used in collecting the data was by the use of oral interview, this is where I would ask the Chinese students about their understanding on a concluded class topic, and use their response to determine the rate of improvement in learning English as a second language (Anonimous, 1999).
The other data collection method played a significant role in testing students’ skills in writing in English.
Findings
Based on my research, 53.8% of the students indicated that they experience difficulty in understanding English as the majority of them, 7 out of the 13 students, wished the lectures could be conducted in their native language, Chinese.
The research advocated that the welfare of the Chinese students should be put into great consideration; this is by ensuring that all students in the class who are not native English speakers are introduced to English courses. This will ensure that there is a level ground for all the students in the class (Nie, 2009). These extra courses in English will definitely increase the interest, concentration and understanding of the foreign students thus boosting there final grades on the completion of their undergraduate studies.
The research also concluded that there should be an increase in the number of social and cultural events within the University (Durlak et al, 2011). This will to some point encourage the foreign students to interact closely with the English speaking students. This will help them develop interest in English as a language.
Relationship between the Literature Review and the Findings
It is noted that English has emerged to be the most spoken language in the world and thus nations that never used to teach the language in their schools have opted to join other nations aimed at ensuring that their citizens are able to communicate and relate more efficiently with people from different corners of the world (Durlak, et al, 2011).This is seen as an increase in the numbers of English teachers and lessons in China. The country has also recorded a significant increase in the numbers of citizens enrolling for English classes.
Conclusion
The research is a step forward in the American Education sector; it became clearer that other countries should as well implement English lessons in their schools (Anonimous, 1999) to each and every foreign student studying in their institutions from other nations that don’t speak English as there native language.
Secondly, the research was used as a way of testing the foreign students’ perceptions on English as a language, and from the findings it is evidently clear that students who were from countries that never spoke or learned English in their schools, had difficulties in understanding their lectures and this definitely reduced their interest and progress in their studies. The introduction of English courses will increase their interest and advancement in their studies by approximately 85-94% which will ensure that they are successful in their studies.
References
Anonimous (1999). Ways to Improve English. Web.
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. (2011). People’s Republic of China. Web.
Durlak, J. et al. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1): 405-432.
Nie, H. (2009). Taskforce to study ways of improving English standard in schools. Web.
Plotkin, V. (2006). The language system of English. New York: Brown Walker Press.