Teachers of English

There have been letters on the distinction between local teachers and native teachers pertaining to the subject of English, in the newspapers recently. Somehow, the consensus opinion seems to be that of the latter being more outstanding.

However, I mentioned in a much earlier entry that foreign accents can disguise the lack of grammar in speech and this is not a matter of sour grapes. This view has been affirmed by a native English couple who teach in our schools. Adherence to recognized grammar laws in one's speech takes precedence over mere foreign accents.

Also, local teachers have an advantage over native teachers. They can take up the task of translating English into Mandarin or Malay or Tamil while teaching, when the need arises. This is to aid the understanding of the language for those who lack a firm English foundation in their lives and especially for foreign students who study here. Sometimes using the pure English language to teach can be a hindrance to the speed of understanding.

As a private tutor specialising in English, I do teach using this method of inter-language translation. As the saying goes, the ends justify the means.