Alongside the decreasing demand on the labour market for foreign languages skills, banally simple and free access to the translating applications and software, i.e. google translator, automation and finally, the prevalence of speaking English, at least amongst the young generation, – the motivation to learn foreign languages has drastically changed, yet has not been addressed. 

We no longer aim to pass a foreign language certificate to expand our CV since it’s no longer a necessity for recruiters. We also no longer embark on a mundane grammatical exercise streak since every official paper for work can be passed through the mistakes-correcting software such as Grammarly.

Very often, when visiting touristic facilities or grocery stores abroad, human interaction can be narrowed down to the minimum due to the prevalence of the self-check-outs, codes for Airbnb check-ins, and the list goes on.

Since the conveniences and technological developments have significantly reshaped our thinking and the motivations for learning the language, the educational system should have presumably adapted it as well. But has it? I’ll argue that no. Here is my thesis:

In the era of digitalisation, a world becoming a global village and a distinctly visible disproportionate domination of one language over the others (English), our purpose in learning the language should be the connection. Being able to understand people’s stories, narratives, jokes and emotions. But we don’t get to know that – even when it comes to English. Here is why.

We do not emphasise speaking

Even with the language groups of half of the regular-sized class, it is difficult to hear everyone their ideas and opinions, let alone pay attention to their grammar, vocabulary use and pronunciation. While reading, listening and grammar exercises are a common practice at English (and any other language) classes in polish public schools, they mainly enable students to passively comprehend the language neglecting the active part, which is the act of putting the ideas into logical sentence sequences, with the use of precise and adequately emotionally loaded words knitted in the appropriate syntax, style and tone. This, alongside writing, are the only activities in any language which enable self-expression.

We do not learn the living English

What is living English (or any foreign language)? It simply refers to the range of expressions from both formal and informal English, which is nowadays used and regularly updated by native speakers. Students, for instance, say a lot of the time that following song lyrics and watching TV shows or films in English is what exposed them to daily expressions, useful phrasal verbs and idioms used on a regular basis by native speakers are rarely taught at school. The curriculum of the English language should therefore be expanded by the regular exposure of real-life materials produced by and to English native speakers to Polish students, which is remarkably easy using online resources. This should be done regardless of students’ proficiency level because at any level, children and adults can gradually familiarise themselves with the frequently used words and expressions and get accustomed to the different accents and the cultural contexts of English-speaking countries. 

We do not learn (or at least not enough) through spaced repetition 

Our brain learns by repetition. Every habit, memorised law, poem or sequence of figures needs to be repeated enough times for the new neuropathway to be formed for the information or activity to be easily recalled or performed (Murphy et al., 2003). Although such a description of the memorisation process is a significant simplification, let’s consider it when talking about the language. To first recognise the word or expression in the context, memorise it short-term, then use it in the structured written and spoken form to finally freely apply it in the self-created and unsupervised reasoning (for instance, when we communicate with an English speaker one-to-one), we need to continuously and variously repeat the material. While short tests or exams can mobilise the students to study intensely short-term, if unsupported by the use of flashcards, games and materials facilitating long-term memorisation, they will not lead the students or teachers to the desired success.

Anna Gocławska

Cover photo: @issaphotography

Sources:

Murphy, K., Mckone, E., Slee, J. (2003) ‘Dissociations between implicit and explicit memory in children: The role of strategic processing and the knowledge base’,

Journal of experimental child psychology, 84, pp.124-65.