THE BENEFITS OF LEARNING A SECOND LANGAUGE

Danny Steven Lopez Dominguez

English Teacher from University of Tolima
dannylopez0832@gmail.com

TOPIC: The purpose of learning is to communicate effectively with other people.

In this ever-word changing, learning a foreign language has become significant

for studying abroad and has become a challenge for those who want to explore

other cultures. The acquisition of it requires effort and lots of training by students

and teachers. A relationship of knowledge and an honest approach must be

considered between teachers and students when communicating effectively. It is

a process that requires effort, will and dedication of those who intervene in the

act of teaching and learning. “An international journal of education and

information studies highlight “Language learning is a skill that can be perfected

only through constant practice and continuous exposure to the target language,

the available resources should be completely tapped so as to provide an

encouraging atmosphere for learning and practicing the language” (B.S.Gomathi,

2014) She concludes, language might be mastered when students are involved

and motivated in the learning process and it just may happen when aspects such

as; classrooms, technological resources, appropriate teaching and positive

setting promote a significant teaching. The role of the teacher includes to

understand the students and to inculcate the importance of speaking in English.

Nevertheless, the conditions for an appropriate teaching is not possible. The

resources are few or sometimes students are not enough motivated to learn a

second language, especially rural students. Generally, they may want to continue

with the heritage of their families, dedicate their lives to the countryside labors or

they may want to enlist to the line of the army, impec, police and others. The task
of EFL and ESL teacher is to create awareness and surf through the students’

mind to know What they like, how a teacher can motivate students to break

boundaries and benefit their life Project. The developing of communicative skill

must be seen differently, since it represents the opportunity of interacting and

knowing other’s culture, incomes, a lifestyle etc. The same international journal

states “It is high time to motivate the students, right from their school by creating

an awareness regarding the importance of English language. It is necessary that

the teachers who teach English in rural areas should be committed and have an

honest approach to equip the skills of the students. The available resources

should be completely tapped so as to provide an encouraging atmosphere for

learning and practicing the language” (B.S.Gomathi, 2014), As said, it is important

to create awareness not only with teacher but also students since the teaching

often is focused and assessed to teacher, and generally teachers are blamed for

student performance, on the contrary, it must be a relationship of knowledge,

motivation, commitment between teachers and students. Additionally, the system

in charge of veil for students (Minister of educations, teachers, coordinators must

be engaged and committed to the students’ performance and achievements

during the learning process.

RESEARCH AREA

This research proposal is focused on the research line of training and

development of language learners with the aim of exploring how learners with

rural background react or respond when matching english sessions to their local

costumes, beliefs, and traditions. This research looks for improving the process

of teaching with the aim of Foster and encourage learners’ skills. A positive

environment, available resources, an integration of the skills that intervene in the

process of teaching (listening, speaking, reading and writing) will be the base for

constructing a deep teaching. This research also looks for create awareness

regarding to the advantage, enjoyment and pleasure that the learning of a second

language has in their lives. Teacher may find with unmotivated students,

students’ passivity, socioeconomical issues and low english proficiency. It

represents both a challenge for rural teachers who must struggle with those

conditions and for students who do not have the bases to acquire a second

language. Due to this, teachers must enrich the skill of rural be updated with

effective activities that contribute students’ progress, (re-telling the story,

describing objects in the classroom, picture illustration, graphic organizers). The

strategies teachers use to present those activities may benefit student’s progress.

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

Several researches highly suggest the implementation of teaching English to

rural students considering learners’ local costumes, system of beliefs,

background and needs the region has. When those components are put into

practice in rural school, students might overcome the fear of learning a second

language and gain confidence. In this sense, “Romero (2007) suggests the use

of place-based education. He asserts that teachers can take into account local

resources that help learners to apply knowledge in real and meaningful contexts.

In the same line of thought, Avery and Kassam (2011) mention that children have

a substantial bank of knowledge that is not validated in the classroom”

(HOLGUÍN**, 2015) Thus, the acquisition of a language takes place when

teachers focus their lessons on students’ awareness of one’s culture background

and when a deeper research in terms of traditions, culture and beliefs are

conducted to favor students’ awareness since it enriches learners’ community.

On the other hand, the syllabus must be adapted in function of the needs of the

community. Besides that, traditional textbooks linked with others cultures external

to their region must be taught once they become aware about one’s culture. The

author states “without dismissing national standards of quality, content must be

adapted by region so that students and members of the community can see how

schooling is important and relevant to their lives·. (HOLGUÍN**, 2015). In other

words, textbooks, activities for instance: role play, storytelling, traditions holidays,

listening activities must be adapted accordingly and new updates, strategies,

researches, applications for studying abroad concerning english must be shared

by teachers in classroom settings.

INITIAL RESEARCH QUESTION

The following research question was formulated to guide the present study:

To what extent can teachers motivate and foster rural students’ skills in foreign

language involving learners’ own culture?

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To investigate to what extend the implementation of a syllabus based on his

traditions, system of beliefs and cultural background could impact in the

development of a second language.

JUSTIFICATION

At the present time, teachers and administrative staff are really concerned about

how rural students learn. Mostly, a passive posture is assumed by some students

frequently by social networking and games. Additionally, the actual conditions

offers by rural schools are very limited, for instance, most of rural schools lacks
resources such as appropriate classrooms, english labs, infrastructure which

could benefit students’ motivation. It is supposed to be a challenge for teachers

practice create situations able to foster and motivate learners when resources

are really few. “According to Perfetti (2003), in Colombia there is a great historic

gap between rural and urban systems of education. Likin and Gasperini (2004)

explained that this rural-urban gap in developing countries is caused by several

reasons such as lack of schools, overcrowded classrooms, underequipped

schools, children required to work, and teachers being under-qualified as well as

not supported and poorly remunerated (see also, World Bank, 2007). Several

years have passed from the time Perfetti, Lakin and Gasperini conducted their

studies and the Colombian rural educational reality is still characterized by the

features that place language teachers in a difficult mediating situation between a

linguistic policy and diverse context-bound, sociocultural, economic, ethnic, and

political conditions (Cruz-Arcila, 2013)”. Therefore, rural schools must be

equipped with teachers with high English proficiency, appropriate technology and

a deeper research in the field of english learning to respond to the needs of

students concerning a foreign language.

Literature review

Learning a foreign language is exiting and beneficial at all ages. Though children

are more likely to master a second language, with a lot of training, effort and

dedication, adults and teens may learn it as well. “Lev Vygotsky, whose ideas

have had a significant impact on current educational theorizing, commented on

the heightened understanding of one’s own language gained by studying another:

It has been shown that a child’s understanding of his (sic) native language is

enhanced by learning a foreign one. The child becomes more conscious and
deliberate in using words as tools of his thought and expressive means for his

ideas…The child’s approach to language becomes more abstract and

generalized…The acquisition of foreign language−in its own peculiar

way−liberates him from the dependence on concrete linguistic forms and

expressions (Vygotsky 1986, p. 160). (Division, 2008). He concludes, the

acquisition of a foreign language allows people to create awareness regarding to

learners’ own and others’ culture. Additionally, by learning a second language,

people find they have a greater understanding of their first language. Besides

that, people can access to many attractive cultures around the world and

understand the differences between the two countries. Bialystok affirm “Bilingual

children appear to develop a more analytical orientation to language due to their

experience in organizing their two language systems and keeping them separate

while they perform particular tasks. This experience appears to give them an

advantage over monolinguals when performing tasks involving control of

processing” (Bialystok 2001). (Division, 2008). He claims, bilingual children can

master all the structure and variation of the language at the time of interacting

with someone else since the process of speaking is lead naturally.

METHODOLOGY

Participants

The participants in the present study may be enlisted from the rural school “I.E la

aguadita” located on Fresno-Tolima. The participants in the program are rural

students and participants will be selected randomly. The learners involved in the

study ranged from 12 to 17 years of age, both male and female. All participants

will be requested to sign an informed consent form before filling surveys.

Method

Bearing in mind the objective of the study, a series of instruments are equipped

and used for the data collection. First, students are asked to complete a test of

need analysis. After, they will be observed in regular classes where culture is

presented to teach the language might be involved, and finally students

participate in a focus group to collect the data about how learners react to the

components integrated into the classroom practices.

Referencias

B.S.Gomathi, M. (2014). Enriching the Skills of Rural Students with Effective.

India.
Division, E. P. (2008). The benefit of learning a language. Melbourne.
HOLGUÍN**, B. R. (2015). English Language Teaching in Rural Areas:.
Colombia: Cuadernos de Lingüística Hispánica n°. 27.