Why is English so !@#$% hard?

I have heard it said that English is one of the hardest languages to learn. I have also heard people say that it really isn't. This week I came across at least two reasons that it is. One of the reasons is that English grammar differs from that of other languages in many ways. The website from the Frankfurt International School explains some of the ways. For instance, German, which is on the same branch of the same family as English, has differences in verb tenses and verb placement in sentences, as well as differences in punctuation and pronunciation. Unrelated languages have many more differences.



Another reason that English in particular is difficult is that one letter, for example 'a' can have five different sounds, and if you combine it with another vowel, as 'ai' or 'ea' each of these has three sounds, but some of them overlap with 'a' by itself. This is not a grammar issue, but it still contributes to the challenges student face. And there are many more, depending on who (or whom?) you ask.

from memes.com

This week I also learned that Twitter is a good way to get and share information with people in many parts of the world who are teaching in a variety of situations. I read a paper that described how English is taught in high schools in Japan, and got a similar perspective from someone who is teaching in Korea. (#EFL) I heard from people who are using peer assessment so that students not only improve their English, but are encouraged to help and learn from each other. I appreciate that I can do this with my peers as well.

I also found that a one word or phrase can lead to spending an hour listening to old music videos on YouTube! (Is it This One or The Swan?)

-Vicky