THE SAD REALITY OF STUDENTS' ENGLISH

I used to teach English, until last April when I got the hang of it and decided that this year I will teach English IV no more. One of the reasons why I lasted long teaching English is the satisfaction I get at the end of the year when I got to peruse over well-written portfolios of some of the best writing outputs in English from students. I rested from handling English IV because I want to give others the same experience I always get-the euphoria, the high-when I realized at the end how I succeeded as a teacher, looking and reading at some of the best literary works submitted to me by my students. Unfortunately, this may not be the case this year for my English teachers. The English proficiency of our students, both oral and written, is discouraging, frustrating and down-right wrong!

CONTENT. One measure of how good a student is in English, is the content of what one talks about and what one writes about. Sadly, most students today talk of things very nonsensical-others are even stupid-when asked to speak or write about a topic. Most topics written usually are childish which are expounded in an equally childish manner. The levels of comprehension of the English language by our students is very low. They have not developed the higher order thinking skills yet. This is sad but we teachers I think are also to blame.

ORGANIZATION. Students' written outputs today do not have organization. Is it because they are not taught how to organize? Or simply, is thought organization so difficult to understand? I think both. Listen or better, read student written speeches or compositions. Do they make sense? Chances are, only a few. Thought organization may be improved through practice. If we ask our students to talk more in English, write more in English, they will definitely improved.

MECHANICS. Most students fail in English mechanics. Blatantly, they have not been taught well in their younger years of the grammar and syntax of the language. Furthermore, and surprisingly, some English teachers do not know how to teach mechanics too. And sealing off the coffin's lid, the infuential text English. Du i nid 2 elbr8?