For many students travelling to the United States, learning “formal” English is not their only goal. As our students set out across the Orange County area in California and experience American life first hand, they will likely begin to notice that very few Americans abide by all of the English language’s rules. With so many technically incorrect habits used on such a universal level, “American” English can almost be considered a language in and of itself! A formal understanding of the English language is undeniably important, but being able to live and interact with other native English speakers in the United States is what we choose to put at the forefront of our goals as we teach each class here at Optimus Language School.
It is important to understand, first and foremost, that our goal is never to teach language that is technically incorrect, but rather for our students to understand language that is technically incorrect. By explaining the correct way to use a piece of the English language, and then in the same lesson explaining how students may hear it while out in the real world, we ensure that our students receive both a formal as well as a practical understanding of American English. The heart of practical learning of American English is in practicing common American conversation. Take for example a simple question that everyone has likely been asked before: “what did you do today?” It is likely that a native English speaker from America would pronounce the first three words of the phrase, “what did you,” all together and it would sound something like “whudja.” This is, understandably, of great confusion to any non-native English speaker. What does “whudja” mean? It technically means nothing, but by presenting a practical lesson that explains typical American’s tendencies to squish common short words used in common short phrases into one sound when speaking casually, we afford our students the proper tools to begin to understand English as it used to communicate by a native speaker in America.
Gaining confidence in speaking the English language, even just formally, is no easy task. When we begin to consider the way that Americans use English in their day to day lives, we are faced with an entirely new set of circumstances that make the language even more challenging. That is why Optimus Language School places so much importance in helping our students to understand the way Americans use English on a daily basis. By elevating our student’s technical intelligence as well as their practical intelligence, we create what we consider to be the best possible method for learning American English.
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Published on February 3, 2017
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