The other day I was flipping through one of my TESOL Speaking books looking for some ideas to incorporate into the curriculum I'm working on. This part caught my eye:
"...'notice the gap'... This phrase describes an experience that people have when they are interacting in a second or foreign language. ...
Think of a time when you were speaking a language other than your own and you noticed you couldn't say what you wanted to, or that the way you were saying it was different from what more proficient or native speakers were saying. ..."
(p.126 of Practical English Language Teaching: Speaking by Kathleen M. Bailey)
Um, yeah. I DEFINITELY notice the gap. A LOT. As in every time I try to interact with a German. Mainly that I don't know how to say what I want to say. Or that my response is so slow that by the time my mind starts to piece together a response, the person has already switched into English for me. If only they'd give me time... Slowly but surely - but I still have a long ways to go.
Speaking of cultural and linguistic adaptation, last weekend I watched "The Terminal" for the first time. I almost had to turn it off (a rare thing for me) during the first 15 minutes because I was so agitated by the INSENSITIVITY shown by everyone to Tom Hank's character. I wanted to yell at them "HELLO! HE DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH! HELP HIM OUT!" It was an interesting movie in terms of someone adapting to a new language and culture. (Of course, I do think his acculturation was a bit too smooth to be realistic...)
I'd better stop here before I go off on any soapboxes or start rambling.
Let's just say that I'm continuing to learn a lot about acculturation, transition, and living in another country.
No comments:
Post a Comment