MERGED: Modern Education, Literacy and English Proficiency

[ryan]

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do any of you people here find the australian accent difficult to understand...most of the people that ive come across here in the pinas seem to think so...and its not just because of my accent but of other aussies as well.

[Brian1d]

Yes. This is very common for people raised on "American English". Not a problem for me, but I have spent considerable time around Aussies and Kiwis.

[BeoR]

why all this debate on English Proficiency? On a National and Economic stand-point, focusing on this issue only provides a short term "economic effect". While it cannot be denied that we are "still" at an advantage against other asian countries, it is a fact that sooner or later they will catch up with us. What happens then? The industry that depends on it will become fiercely competitive around the region... call-centers will move to whoever has the lower payrate. Is the Philippines up for that? I don't think so... we have a generally expensive labor force (on the issue, call-centers have artificially inflated rates to get their seats filled up).

Language can be easily acquired, Technical Skills on the other hand are not. This is where our government / people should put their focus on... build on our "real" strengths to have a better Nation with a better Economy for the future. Instead of teaching our students "english", we should teach them the very principles that drives the economy. We should put more emphasis on producing skilled workers / entrepreneurs than producing "talkers"...

[cyclops]

mao, maayo kotob lang mo istorya ininglis... pero wala gyud tay gamit sa pamolitico... tan-awa ang atung mga barrangay tanod highschool graduate dili kamao mo ininglis... unya "global" kunohay... I think the right word is "denial"....

[zer0_cooL]

those teachers should be blamed (no offense to the teachers ha)... there are some schools na ila medium of instruction kay english but then here comes some teachers na dli jud mosunod.. kailangan i raise unta ang qualifications sa teachers especially those teaching in public schools at all levels...

[SPRINGFIELD_XD_40]

Pwede magbinisaya na lang ta kay di ko kasabot ? Makigdebate ko ninyo sa BISDAK PROFIECIENCY.... mga higala PAYR ! Maayo gyud ani ni dong brian oi , idol !!

[fingolfin]

Language can be easily acquired, Technical Skills on the other hand are not. This is where our government / people should put their focus on... build on our "real" strengths to have a better Nation with a better Economy for the future. Instead of teaching our students "english", we should teach them the very principles that drives the economy. We should put more emphasis on producing skilled workers / entrepreneurs than producing "talkers"...

..................correct !!!!! agree one hundred percent. Being able to talk english may help us in our communicating skills but we should reinforce it with "actual and productive skills".

........the phrase "CAN YOU TALK THE TALK AND WALK THE WALK"

............look at Japan for example, those slit-eyed people ( whom their ladies i adore, yummy.lol) most of them doesnt know how to speak correct english, but did it stop them from developing into a world power nation. I think not.



mod edit: fin, I hope you don't mind I took the last part out. It's probably best to leave it out. It's hard to talk to a wall. -vern

[splendid moonlight]

i am more impressed when a person can speak english well and speak our dialect well. some thoughts mean more when spoken in bisaya and some when spoken in english. i think that to stay away from people who doesn't speak english well is absurd. it doesn't improve one's proficiency in english at all. it only stunts the learning process. we are lucky to be able to speak more than one language. and even more lucky if we can speak them all very well. language influences thoughts and the more proficient you are at any given language, the more imaginative you become, and the more u are able to communicate with others and yourself at an even more deep level.

[maling]

yes elite member luthienne

[Pedrocar41]

Language can be easily acquired, Technical Skills on the other hand are not. This is where our government / people should put their focus on... build on our "real" strengths to have a better Nation with a better Economy for the future. Instead of teaching our students "english", we should teach them the very principles that drives the economy. We should put more emphasis on producing skilled workers / entrepreneurs than producing "talkers"...

..................correct !!!!! agree one hundred percent. Being able to talk english may help us in our communicating skills but we should reinforce it with "actual and productive skills".

........the phrase "CAN YOU TALK THE TALK AND WALK THE WALK"

............look at Japan for example, those slit-eyed people ( whom their ladies i adore, yummy.lol) most of them doesnt know how to speak correct english, but did it stop them from developing into a world power nation. I think not.



mod edit: fin, I hope you don't mind I took the last part out. It's probably best to leave it out. It's hard to talk to a wall. -vern

Language is easily acquired? I think let's should qualify this. Language proficiency is a skill that demands training and some level education to master.

Yes, it is true that there are other skills that we should enrich ourselves like the technical and professional skills. But if we are to become more globally competitive, then we have to learn and speak good conversational English, which is the language of commerce and business.

Nurses for the United States, for instance, do not just take the Nursing Licensure Exam but their English skills are likewise tested.

Language is a tool for effective communication, which is needed in relating to clients and co-workers of a company or health care agency.

Let's stick to our "English advantage", the very skill that makes the hard working and technicall-proficient Filipino workers and professionals more appealing and in demand all over the globe.