Earlier Is Better: Learning of English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example

Running Head: EARLIER IS BETTER EARLIER IS BETTER Insert Name Institution Abstract There has been many research carried out trying to find out which age is suitable for foreign language acquisition. Every research study has had a different Critical Period (CP) and most of them were not really close together in terms of years. Critical Period is the actual time frame that foreign language acquisition should take place. The study at hand does not look at the actual age, but theories about why there is an age. Age comes as a result of factors that urge one into learning a second foreign language. These factors are known as domains. Due to this fact this survey investigates why children should be taught a foreign language earlier as well as to assess their feelings about learning a new language (Li J. and Schmitt N., 2009). The study was carried out at two Middle schools in Saudi Arabia whereby there were 33 participants aged between ages 11-14 years all taking out English as a Foreign language (EFL). Five English linguistic teachers were also interviewed who were currently teaching in high schools. Data was collected by use of guided semi structured interviews, questionnaires and observation. The collected data coded and categorized into various categories, transcribed, translated and then analysed. Introduction Foreign language acquisition is the process by which people learn a second foreign language in addition to their native language. The Foreign language learnt is normally referred to as target language and is abbreviated as SL2 or L2. The learning of foreign language (L2) may start as early as when one is in childhood, puberty or as an adult that is later in life (American Community Survey, 2005). Socio linguistics say that early learners are better placed than adult learners since children learn faster than adults because their learning often goes hand in hand with physical actions. They are therefore availed with concrete environment that they can relate their learning with. Thus they have to comprehend the language in play and school environments in order to be able to execute the required actions. Due to this fact, they are able to engage in communication outside of classroom setting into an environment that is natural, informal and relaxed. Meanwhile, adults tend to learn without physical responses which lessen the motivation to learn. At the end of the day learning becomes routine like which boils down into boredom (Harb Rachel Hayes, 2006). At the same time some scholars say the critical time for foreign language acquisition is between the ages of 2 years to puberty. Before the age of two, it is impossible to learn because of different maturational problems like the cognitive aspect of the brain is not yet developed. On the other side, after puberty it is more difficult to learn foreign language because of a loss of cerebral plasticity which is a result of cerebral dominance due to lateralization of the language function. Basically this means that the mind has physically and emotionally elasticized enough matured and simply is not open to new things in the area of language (McKay S., 2008). Evidence given to support this is that children can learn a foreign language more easily than adults as observed in case of severe brain injury or skull trauma. In this case, children tend to relearn faster than their adult counterparts. On the same breathe, a research carried out in United States backed up these findings. It also found out that children learn faster and better than adults. A research carried out on 71 Cuban immigrants that had been in the United States for about five years. They found that the younger the immigrants were when the entered the country and began speaking English, the more their pronunciation was that of natural English speakers. These findings were seconded by Oyama in 1976 did the same experiment on 60 Italian male immigrants and found the same results as well as Fathman in 1975. Even though their studies focused more on accents and pronunciation than on the actual knowledge of the language, learning to speak with out an accent is still learning how to speak ( Li J. and Schmitt N., 2009). However, there are other theories that oppose this. The Use It or Lose It theory compares the brain to a muscle. The theory notes that language learning “muscle” waste away or degenerates after a graceful period of time without being used. Just like muscle that needs to be exercised to realize its full potential the same case applies to language learning muscle. However, this time period when the language learning muscle atrophies due to redundancy is never specifically known. Nonetheless, as long as one is learning a new language these language systems are always in use to accommodate another language acquisition (Muhamadul B. Y., 2010). As reflected above, one can learn at any age but I feel a child is better placed than an adult. This is because Newport and Goldwosky in 1993 also found the benefits of starting language acquisition younger in relation to this theory. Elman in 1993 found evidence supporting his model starting with limited memory that undergoes and experiences exponential growth as maturational change takes place (increases in mental capacity) (Bailey, Richard W., 1991). One of the reasons I find this theory to be the one I agree with the most is the multiple times it has been tested and withstood all trials. Acquiring a language earlier boosts ones scope of interaction network. This is because one is in a position to interact and communicate with a wide coverage of people from different culture, geopolitical as well as geographical background. Consequently, one is not limited to monolinguals. This has a tendency of enhancing ones self esteem and ones since of belonging. At the same time, ones scope of job becomes wider since communication is not limited to only ones native language (Hartshorn K. J., et al 2010). Additionally as one grows up his or her cognitive abilities are occupied and obstructed by numerous activities, issues and responsibilities in life. Unlike a child, he or she has no demanding responsibilities and can afford to be focused (American Community Survey, 2005). Loss of the Language Learning capability is a form of physical change in the brain. The ending of the critical period in language two acquisitions is at the loss of UG. (UG is the part of the brain that instructs the brain on how to comprehend and absorb language grammar.) The loss of UG is the loss of the natural learning strategies that are assumed to be very specific in learning languages. This includes the Subset Principal which is what instructs the brain on storing the most conservative grammar coinciding with the linguistic input. These aforementioned components are vital to the learner’s ability to absorb a language. Lose of UG means that one will never reach a native like level. The Fundamental Difference Hypothesis by Bley-Vroman in 1989 blames the final points of first language and late foreign language acquisition to this lack of access to UG and the related learning principals (Bailey, Richard W., 1991). Thus learning early will put at bar such occurrences. David Birdsong, (2000) hold and opinion that ‘Conscious Language Learning’ requires error correction as well as rules in order for children to acquire the second language in the right manner for proper linguistic generalizations. Learning any foreign language when children are very small is very advantageous as children pick up the nuances, phonetics and words quite easily. In addition to these theories is the Maladaptive Gain of Processing Capacity with Maturation theory. This basically says that as one grows older, he or she will look at or perceives things differently. This perception affects ones learning. As ones grow up, the ability to process any linguistic input also grows. One processing becomes complex due to analysis. Rima Saad S., (2004) stated that a cognitive immaturity, not maturity, is the best for Foreign language learning. This means that when a sentence is presented a child will pick its meaning faster than an adult. This because an adult will start engaging him/ herself into in depth analysis thereby becoming more confused. As for a child she/he will go for the meaning in a faster manner since his/ her memory span is short which is advantageous to foreign language learning (Suzuki Manami, 2008). As for the Asia-Pacific Region, Nunan (2003) recommended some actions when teaching English in public schools. First, he suggested making a review of the starting age and intensity of foreign language instruction, along with the articulation of a rationale for both. Second, identify learners’ needs to compare them with human resources and materials and analyze the costs with benefits. Third, investigate the curriculum principles and their effectiveness in classrooms. Fourth, study the teachers’ post-experiences and their proficiency. Also, review the curriculums principles and how they serve the main goals and how appropriate are they. Finally, in cases where English is introduced before L1 literacy is fully established, an investigation into the effect of the introduction of an L2 on L1 literacy development is recommended (Nunan, 2003). This research study has served to shed light on understanding of language acquisition involving both L1 and L2. From this study learning the Second Language (L2) from the early years is much more beneficial to the child than learning it later in life. Nonetheless, learning of both native language as well as foreign language is influenced by language domains which are basically family, religion, friendship, education, employment and politics. Saudi Arabia is not an exceptional since these domains shape ones language acquisition. Saudi Arabia’s religion is Islam and 100% of its constitution is based on the Holy Quran (Religious book of the Muslims) The Quran is written in Arabic and states in many places that Arabic is very important since it was written in it. Hence teaching religion in any other language does not find favor with them as it is difficult to teach their religion in another foreign language (David Birdsong, 2000). Secondly, the political factor plays an important role in applying such a decision. From a political angle we understand that the identity of a nation is based on their culture, customs and traditions of the country. It is quite impossible to teach ones own culture in another language. Hence just imparting the knowledge of English without teaching them about their own culture will impact on them in a negative way. In addition to this, the equilibrium within the community would be destabilized because of the dissuasion would spark off problems between the Government and the religious leaders within the country (David Birdsong, 2000). Another factor is a linguistic Factor. Teaching and learning in ones own language is always much easier than trying to teach and learn facts and concepts in an alien language. There is always the possibility of misunderstanding important things as there may be interference of various linguistic factors. The recent studies couldn’t ignore the possibility of some interference between two languages. For example, there are some researches proved there is little code mixing between English and Chinese. Another example is from Korea where Koreans teach English from the third grade, and parents spend at least one third of their income on private lessons in order to teach their children English along with other subjects. Even though there are some negative effects on the learners’ national identity and L1 literacy, these problems were hidden because of the explosive demands for English language (Nunan, 2003). There is also the aspect of family background. Most parents communicate to their children on Arabic. This is because the language is highly valued and it is both the official as well as the national language of communication. Thus the language is used on both formal as well as informal set up. Consequently, most of the learners do have a chance to have an extra input of the language outside of classroom setting especially in public schools Finally, the psychological factor is still an important factor. Teaching and learning a new language, if not done in the proper way may affect children psychologically. If they are not capable of picking up the language in the right manner, it would bring down their self- confidence and self esteem. There are many underlying factors that may lead children into having psychological problems later. If teachers are not well trained, their teaching skills would be poor and the children would automatically pick up the wrong usage of language and would face a lot of difficulty later on in life which could lead to other psychological problems. Problem Statement Learning of English as a foreign language in Saudi Arabia does not start at an early age apart from exceptional cases like in private schools. There are several factors that influence the learning process of a foreign language. These factors are called domains and they are normal interactions among the learners or participants of a given language within a given in typical settings. Examples of these domains are family, friendship, religion, education and employment. They directly or indirectly motivate or demoralize one into learning of a foreign language. As an example the Islamic religion, geopolitical disposition and culture have shaped a lot the learning of English in Saudi Arabia. All these factors combined play an integral role in the acquisition of English even in Saudi Arabia (Sieneke G. and K. de B., 2010). Importance of carrying out the Research This study is of paramount importance as it helps one understand the appropriate age for foreign language acquisition. It also enlightens on the challenges experienced by these learners and how to go about them. An example in this case is culture whereby Arabic is language is highly esteemed at the altar of any foreign language in Saudi Arabia (Han Huamei, 2009). Research Questions There was use of conceptualized research questions guided on by review of literature from related past researches. The research questions include; 1. Should learning begin at an early age? 2. What should any educational system consider before teaching a foreign language? 3. Is age a related factor for children studying in Saudi schools where acquisition of L2 is concerned? 4. What are there major differences between native speakers and early learners of L2? 5. What are the factors that prevented teaching English in earlier age in Saudi Arabia? Research Methodology The research employed survey design. This is because it was covering a relatively wide population. The study was carried out at two Middle schools whereby there were 33 participants aged between ages 11-14 years all taking out English as a Foreign language (EFL). The mean age was thus 13.3 years. Five English linguistic teachers were also interviewed who were currently teaching in high schools (American Community Survey, 2005). The study was firstly meant to assess the feelings religious teachers have towards teaching English and how the language may threaten teaching religion and what are their suggestions to avoid any expected problems. The second part was to find out from students and parents their opinions about teaching their children in early age. Another important part would be English teachers in Saudi Arabia to identify the difficulties and the appropriateness of teaching English. Also, their opinions about English curriculum were assessed. Data was collected by use of guided semi structured interviews and questionnaires. These questions were given during classroom set up where the students which were sent to two different schools via web site. As for the teachers their interviews were made by sending the questions electronically that is via e-mails. Data was collected over different times due to difference in time zone. The data collection tools were administered twice per week for a consecutive period of three weeks. Results and Discussion Data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze and present qualitative data and information. It was integrated with statistical analysis to give the survey a holistic approach. A mixed-model, repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was computed using the statistical package for the social sciences. The level for the significance was calculated at 0.01level. Fig 1 The mean standard deviation was 0.01. 93 % of the participants said that they perceived English as a very crucial language to pursue. Their inclination could have been contributed by their peer friends who were pursuing the subject, increased job opportunities for those who have acquired English as a foreign language. The 7% who felt otherwise might have been due to lack of motivation from their homes, dull classroom experiences, or influence from their peers. This ideology was found among the interviews carried out by teachers in public schools who said that the public had a problem in embracing the learning of English since it was never used officially or socially. Fig 2 97% of the participants said that their teachers needed more training to improve on their skills. This was observed whereby their grammar in terms of spelling, pronunciations was erroneous. Their writing skills have not reached the competency duly due to instructors of foreign language. Still, there teaching methods might not be in harmony with the contemporary one that is learner centered instead of teacher focused. Still there is also less productive instructional methods like teaching in mother tongue or native language in this case Arabic, with little active use of the target language Teachers should be competent enough in writing, spelling, listening and pronunciation skills. They should have well articulate English. This is to avoid cascading their grammatical mistakes to the learners. Examples of sentences constructed by teachers that are grammatically wrong include; 1. nope at all 2. by encouraging that learning more than language can be a good way to know more 3. 3rd grade of elemntary school 4. yes, but i think if the child start learning in age 8-9 is better for them specialy modren life There should have more than four English periods per week in schools Fig 3 Response Percent % Response Count Strongly Agree 53.3 16 Agree 33.3 10 Disagree 6.7 2 Strongly Disagree 6.7 2 Mean standard deviation was 0.05. 87% of the participants said that they preferred to have more time for English acquisition. The teachers concurred with the fact that time allocated for learning English is not adequate enough to cover all the materials in the curriculum. Similarly, the teachers admitted that in public schools, only two periods per week were allocated for the learning of English which was such a too low input or exposure that ended up with mediocre results. Four periods were seen insufficient to engage in lexical phrases, acquire writing, listening, and reading as well as pronunciation skills. Given critical differences between the Arabic and English writing systems and, presumably, differences between the resultant written word identification processes used by English and Arabic readers, the English Foreign Language native Arabic speakers’ reading comprehension difficulties may also result from inadequate time given. Fig 4 It was found out that family domain played a crucial role in the acquisition of English as a foreign language. 83% students said that they received support from their families. The support could have been extrinsic in nature. That is provision of the necessary resources like text books, dictionary, extra tuition or intrinsic like having revisions, polishing on writing and speaking skills at home. This could have been attributed to the understanding that the parents have on importance of being bilingual, or one or both of the parents being non native. The families also were found to support their children by taking them to private schools which were costly compared to the public ones in the light of providing their children with an opportunity of learning English at a tender age. However 17% acknowledged that they did not receive support from their families. This could be because of the socio cultural disposition of the country. The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. Thus some families might be reluctant to give English a priority since most of the formal as well as informal social set up. Fig 4 77% of the participants under the survey study admitted that English acquisition met their interests. This could be their ambitions to get white colour jobs in the country or abroad that required use of English as a means of communication. Still there was the sense of prestige as observed for those who were bilinguals since they could drowse over the internet. Speaking fluently and accurately enhanced ones confidence. Schools have labs that help to learn English Fig 6 Response Percent % Response Count Strongly Agree 30.0 9 Agree 63.3 19 Disagree 3.3 1 Strongly Disagree 3.3 1 93% of the participants agreed that their schools have facilities in form of lab that aid in the learning of English as a foreign language. This portrays that the education domain has made it imperative to pursue English by facilitating through provision of the necessary teaching learning resources. Besides this, there were 7% of the participants who have scarcely sufficient resources. This portrays that there is collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Government in fostering English Language Acquisition. Fig 7 87% of the participants agreed that the pursuit of English was not wastage of time. Nevertheless 13% admitted that they felt learning of English was a wastage of time which could have been attributed to the value that is placed on Arabic language. Also there could have been lack of motivation perhaps from peers, and or a passive and non conducive classroom atmosphere. Fig 8 It was observed that learners who had started their learning as early as four years had pronunciations that were close to the English natives. Also, they had more fluent and attained a higher English proficiency in terms of writing, spelling, reading and speaking of English. Parents whose children started learning English as early as two years said that their children had a smooth sail in the acquisition of both English and Arabic. Basically, English has not been embraced a lot in Saudi Arabia. This is basically so because Arabic is the official and national language of communication. Documents, literature and government offices are run in Arabic. This also goes to informal set ups like the mosques. This factor slows early acquisition of English in the country. The teacher’ interviews indicated that teaching at an early age helps learners learn more smoothly than later in life. However, learning English at this level has not yet been realized since parents and other education stakeholders like religion are apprehensive to incorporate English teaching at primary schools. Nonetheless, a compromise has been offered, which ended up teaching English at the final level of primary school, 6th grade. Fig 9 93% of the participants felt that they should learn English from a tender age. During the interviews, when interrogated further they kept on saying they perceived that it is easier for a child to acquire a Foreign language than a grown up. However the age of learning English in Saudi Arabia does not start at a tender age primarily because the elementary period is utilized in the learning of Arabic and memorization of Koran and attendance of mandrasa to acquit the young ones to the highly valued Islamic culture. This is an outstanding inevitable peculiar symbol of the Arabic culture. Fig 10 Only 48% of the participants agreed that the English curriculum helped them learn grammar. On the other side, 55% opposed that. This meant that these learners relied on other explicit sources for polishing out their grammar land acquisition of lexical phrases like use of peers and dictionary. Alternatively, this could have been led by inadequate time allocated for learning English as mentioned by the teachers. Also there was insufficient teaching learning materials that could tally with the high quality tailor designed curriculum. Fig 11 67%of the participants argued that their acquisition of English language was hastened as a result of learning the language in a classroom setup. This illustrates the pivotal role that is played by teachers in the teaching and learning of English as a second subject. However, 33% objected. This could have been due to a mismatch between time allocated for learning English and the appropriate time proposed by curriculum designers. Still there is insufficient instructional materials that could high quality tailor designed curriculum. Again this fact shows that some learning can take place outside of classroom set up like in the case of think-aloud protocols of participants’ self revisions but was not very possible since most of the learners could not speak in English out of classroom set up. Still, most parents could not motivate their children as they also could not converse in English. Learning English has bad influence on our Arabic language Fig 12 Response Percent % Response Count Strongly Agree 6.7 2 Agree 0.0 0 Disagree 53.3 16 Strongly Disagree 40.0 12 7% of the participants said that learning English has a bad influence on their Arabic language yet 93% said otherwise. Parents admitted that English learning as early as at elementary level had no negative impact on the learning of Arabic. Rather it ensured competency of the learner in the two languages. Besides this, teachers said that children who learned English at childhood stage did not have linguistic errors brought about by transferring Arabic language aspects to English as older learners did. According to Li Jie and Schmitt Norbert (2009)“The language acquisition capacity remains intact, but as children mature beyond the ages of four or five its function is impeded by the child’s increasingly sophisticated cognitive abilities. It was found out that English is of recent being used and emphasized in education. This included to the fact that there mode of examination is by English. However there could be a possibility of the means of instruction being in Arabic. Arabic is the first language learnt. This might be included to culture whereby one identifies him or herself in Arabic. Also the Islamic religion has played a fundamental role by ensuring that Arabic is the first language learnt in the acquisition and memorization of Koran. Thus in the context of religion Arabic is the domineering language. Due to this majority of people are well versed with the language. Likewise, parents have become more supportive as found by the interviews conducted among the teachers. They ensure that they enroll their children and provide necessary resources for English learning and acquisition. The students on the other hand find English helpful since they can use it in the social world like in the internet. Conclusion Acquisition of a Foreign language has more yielding results when began at childhood stage. Teachers should help non natives by provision of activities that engage learners into interaction like groups. There should be conducive environment for learning such as positive reinforcement through appreciation. The government should ensure that there are enough resources such as text books, sponsor English teachers for higher education for advancement of the language. Due to modernization and the advancement of science and technology, very orthodox and rigid educational systems do not favour the community. This is because ICT requires flexibility and adaptation even in education system. Saudi Arabia is not exempted in this case and needs a supportive compromise from all curriculum implementers like religious leaders, teachers, learners and parents. In order to avoid fear of interference regarding L2 learning, schools in Arabia can focus attention of L1 learning during the first 3 years of the curriculum after which the two languages can be learnt concurrently. There should also be ample time allocation for English language acquisition in order to realize the full benefits articulated in the English curriculum. Limitations of the Study and pedagogical suggestions The study took a short duration of time. A longitudinal survey should be carried out to give a more detailed report. Moreover, I did not look into the effects of many known factors on individual learners’ L2 proficiency, teachers’ instruction and feedback, educational and sociocultural backgrounds, gender, age, goals, and motivation. Another shortcoming experienced was that it was not possible to contact the key officials in the ministry of education. However the data was able to be collected from other alternative sources in the ministry like teachers. Educational methods need to develop diverse ways which can help learners to build up more diverse phrasal lexicons. This is because the participant under study appeared to employ both implicit and explicit sources like feedback from judges, use of dictionary, peers, academic writings that boost her mastery of lexical phrases to improve on her lexical phrases. To achieve the goals of teaching English we should study about other countries experiences in dealing with foreign language acquisition. References American Community Survey. (2005). Language Spread and Language Policy Issues, Implications and Case Studies. Washington DC: Georgetown University Press. Bailey, Richard W. (1991). Images of English. A Cultural History of the Language. Cambridge: CUP. David Birdsong (2000). Age and Second Language Acquisition and Processing: A Selective Overview. Han Huamei(2009). Institutionalized Inclusion: A Case Study on Support for Immigrants in English. Learning.Simon Fraser, UniversityBurnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Harb Rachel Hayes (2006). Native Speakers of Arabic and ESL Texts: Evidence for the Transfer of Written Word Identification Processes. Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Hartshorn K. James, Evans Norman W. , Merrill Paul F., Sudweeks Richard R., Strong-Krause Diane, and Anderson Neil J. (2010). Effects of Dynamic Corrective Feedback on ESL Writing Accuracy. Brigham Young University. Provo, Utah, United States. Li Jie and Schmitt Norbert (2009). The acquisition of lexical phrases in academic writing: A longitudinal case study School of English Studies. Journal of Second Language Writing, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK: Vol 18. McKay S. (2008). Researching Second Language. Classrooms. The Reading Matrix: Lawrence Erlbaum Associate, Eli Hinkel. Muhamadul Bakir Hj. Yaakub, (2010) A Wave of Psychological forces in Second Language learning: An Arabic Experience at IIUM. Journal of U.S – China Public Administration, Vol. 7, No. 7, serial no. 57. Nunan, D. (2003). The impact of English as a Global Language on Educational Policies and Practices in the Asia-Pacific Region. 37(4), 25. Sieneke Goorhuis and Kees de Bot, (2010)) Early Childhood: Characteristics and Needs. Twelfth annual meeting of the Saudi Society for Educational and Psychological Sciences. Sieneke Goorhuis and Kees de Bot, (2010) “Impact of early English language teaching on L1 and L2 development in children in Dutch Schools”, International Journal on Bilingualism, Vol. 14, No: 3. Suzuki Manami (2008). Japanese Learners’ Self Revisions and Peer Revisions Of Their Written Compositions in English. Dokkyo University. Soka, Japan. Appendix 1: Letter to respondent on learning a foreign Language. Dear respondent, My name is…………., a student at University. I’m carrying out a study in fulfillment for the degree of Bachelor of Education (Bed) in assessing the learning of a foreign language in Middle schools learners and English teachers. I need information as required by each of the following questions. Answer the questions as honestly as possible. Your cooperation will be highly appreciated. All information will be treated with strict confidentiality. Thank you. With Regards, Signature………….. Name……………... Appendix 2: Consent form An agreement form to participate as a respondent on learning a foreign Language. Dear respondent, My name is ………………………. I agree and commit myself to participate in the research regarding assessment of the learning of a foreign language as a respondent. Any information I give is true to the best of my knowledge. Thank you. With Regards, Signature………….. Name……………... Appendix 3 Learners’ Questionnaires Please write the number against each question that best describe your situation. If not applicable leave the question unattended. 1 Strongly Agree 2 Agree 3 Disagree 4 Strongly Disagree 1. Does learning English have bad influence on our Arabic language? 2. We should learn English before fourth grade in Schools, what do you think? 3. We should have more than four English periods per week in schools, what is your opinion? 4. Does your family help me to learn English? 5. Is learning English is very important? 6. Do you think English teachers need more training to improve their abilities? 7. Does your school have labs that help to learn English? 8. Does English curriculum helped me to learn grammar? 9. Has English curriculum helped me to improve my reading and writing? 10. Do you feel that the curriculum of English helps me to communicate with people in English? 11. Have you noticed whether your English language started to improve fast from learning in schools? 12. What is the most appropriate age? 13. What is the most appropriate age to start learning English? 14. What are your suggestions or comments about learning English in general? Appendix 2 Teachers’ Interview Please explain each question to the best of our knowledge. 1. In your opinion, what is the suitable age for teaching English in Saudi Arabia? 2. What are the difficulties that face English teachers in Saudi Arabia? 3. Do you think there is interference might happen between L1 and L2 when we try teaching children in early age? 4. Arabic language is considered as precious value in Saudi society, how can the education system keep this value and teach English in the same time? 5. Do you think English curriculum helps students and teachers in learning process? 6. How do you see student’s perspective to learning English? 7. What is parents’ position in learning new language? Are they cooperative, neutral, or against the idea? 8. How are English teachers training? Do you think they are qualified to deal with such difficulties? 9. Students in sixth grade take two English periods weekly and one year later they take four until they finish high school. How do you see students’ exposure to new language especially with the lack of English usage in the Saudi environment? 10. As a teacher and a parent, when you are going to teach your children new language and why? Read More