English in Vanuatu is widely spoken. Thanks to our British and French colonizers before the 1980's, both languages English and French were separately taught in every schools that they established. As for me, I went to an English speaking primary school and as I went on to high school I learned some French too.
For some people (like me), English is a third language. I first started to talk in my mother tongue (Futuna) followed by our national (Vanuatu) language and eventually to English when I started pre-school. One strict Golden Rule at that time was, to speak ONLY in English in our classrooms, dormitories, playgrounds or anywhere in the school premises and as much as possible at home. The latter is often breached because our mother tongue is the usual dialect that we find comfortable to converse with parents and siblings and is very common. That golden rule was there for the purpose of practising English at a daily basis and gradually it should be part of our daily lives. People say "practice makes perfect." So if English is spoken and used everyday you will get better and better by the day.
Wonderful writing! I admire the popularity of English speaking in your country. I also have interested in French. "Practice makes perfect", it has inspired me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing useful experiences in learning and teaching English. I really hope Vietnam will apply similar ways of teaching English soon. Your speaking is very natural.
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