Why learn English? Why teach English?

Why should you learn English? Why do I teach English?

First of all I need to let you in on a dirty little secret, that English Language School in Japan, The Japanese Government (Education-Ministry) and Jukku(Cram-schools) do not want you to know.
Most Japanese people do not really need to learn English. Only about under 3% of Japanese people actually need English e.g. some family relationship, a social relationship or association, or due to academic and/or business relationship. The other 97% do not need English and most could actually live a full and happy life without any English knowledge at all (English words used as Japanese do not count).

If the government and schools(educators) in Japan want to teach English in school then they are going about it the wrong way. English is an ART like music, painting, drama, etc not arithmetic like science, math, etc. If they continue to teach English like a math subject then you will get people who have student English for 6 to 8 years but still can not use the language beside reading and grammatical patterns.
For young children; English should be use as a game or for singing songs, the children do not need to learn it they will just get use to the sounds and words of English and naturally pick it up.
For primary(elementary) students; English should be use in a passive way e.g. the subject is simple math (1+1=2, 3x2=6) but the teacher uses English to talk to the students-e.g. (T) one plus one equals two, everyone repeat. (S's) repeat...(T) three times/multiplied by two equals six, everyone repeat. (S's) repeat. In this way the students will natural learn English and will pick it up quickly without the added stress.
As for high school (Junior/Senior) students, the first year they should learn English but after this, it should be their choice to learn English or not.

So why learn English?

Well for better or worse and probably for the next hundred years English is and will be the THE international language of Business, Governments, NGO's, NPO's, Academics, the Sciences, Technology, Associations and all manner of groups. No matter how much the French complain. Therefore if one wishes to or has to be involved in the international world, then English is a must. Without English you will be at a disadvantage and will not be able to complete. Plus you will miss the vast amount of opportunities that knowing English will provide. For these factors English you will have to know and it why you should and be some cases must learn English.

But these are some of the serious reasons but what about the other not so serious reasons.

Lets start with travel. By knowing even just a little English your travel experience will be so much the greater. You will be able to shop, eat, take tours, rent things and enjoy with worrying about not knowing the conditions and more importantly without getting your money ripped off(over charged). You will be free to explore and not trapped to the tourist places because knowing English you will have access to resources that someone without English will not have. And most importantly you will be able to made connections with people of that country so much easier and quicker by knowing English. Even in countries where English is not the native language, there almost always someone there who knows English.

What about other things?

Well there are Movies, Books, Music, Television, etc

By knowing English your world will expand and grow so much because of the extremely vast amount of the above that is produced in English, plus almost everything is eventually translated in to English as well. No matter what your interests, tastes, styles, likes, etc you will be able to get in English. The Internet is a prime example, even people whose native language is not English use English because they know that English will provide them the greatest number and opportunity to connect with other across this beautiful world.

So these are some reasons why you should learn English.

Also all of the above reasons are a part of why I want to teach English to non native learners but they are not the main reasons why I teach English.

So Why do I Teach English?

The main reason I teach English is that I truly love doing it. I love to teach. It gives me immense satisfaction and pleasure to teach English. The fact when you start the person can not express themselves and say what they want to. With my help little by little they can say what they want and you can see their personality and mind coming out, plus seeing their world and life knowledge expand because of English and because of my teaching. This is awesome, it is pure magic. Also in a way it is like being a parent. You teach and show them, help them with their mistakes, praise them when they did well, encourage them when they are depress or feeling negative and sometimes spank them when they have been naughty. So that in the end they leave be independent and live their life without really needed you. This is what teaching English is to me and what I strive to accomplish with every person that I teach English with.

So these are the reasons why you should learn English and why I teach English.

Syrbastyian Vzampfyier