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Friday, April 21, 2017

Why Don't They Learn English?


Sooner or later, every Spaniard will tell you that English is his "asignatura pendiente" and that he "va a tener que ponerse las pilas con lo del inglés":  to pass English he may have to step on the gas and accelerate a little.

You ask what they mean by that or how they plan to do it, and the answer is always the same: they are going to sign up for a course which will be slightly more expensive than the last one which they gave up half way through.


You may also ask  how they "study" English. The standard answer is  "hombre, depende, según, a veces compro el Speak Up o algun CD o me pongo una peli en versión original ..."

"Geez, man, it depends; sometimes I buy a magazine or a CD or I watch a movie in English..."






In short, for millions of Spaniards to learn English is a hope, but it becomes a delusion when they  tell themselves that mastering a language depends on  money, willpower, endurance, stamina or whatever. 


The one thing needed is: 
TIME -- and a  horizon of  3 to 4 years.


¡3 o 4 años!  ¡Jajaja, si no estás loca!   ¡Si voy a presentarme en setiembre! -- 3 or 4 years! You're nuts! My exam is in September!

Only a small basis can be mastered by willpower, maybe enough to pass some university tests.
Students very rarely discover the secret.
Learning has to be done daily, lightly, as a habit, a game, -- even a passtime !

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