Reflection on My Journey of Learning English as a Second Language

 

Reflection on My Journey of Learning English as a Second Language

                                                                 

                                         

                                                                                                                           Raju Yonjan

                                                                                                       ELT Scholar, Kathmandu University

English, which was regarded as a significant and compulsory subject at school had made me difficult to learn in the beginning. As I’m from the Tamang community, it was daunting to learn, and speak English in the early stages of my life, because it is our third language- was hazard even to learn Nepali; English was far more infuriating than that during my early ages. However, let me narrate how I had learnt English in spite of having ups and downs on the way learning English.

            As a matter of fact, English is taught as the second language in Nepal even though it is the third language for most communities in Nepal. I am also the one who falls in one of these communities. According to my mother, I had taken six months to learn Nepali language- that was also when I started going to school, and seemed difficult in speaking English for a long time. I was enrolled in private schools which were run under English medium. Students had to speak English at any cost at school- it was done mandatory for the enrolled students which made me so intricate to learn English.

However, I had learnt English Language by external forces till class 10. I was uncertain about the necessity of English then. My mother used to advise me time and again to read English properly so that I could make my life better in the future. They have not done schooling, nevertheless, they had known the significance of English from someone. Moreover, the foreigner that I had met in Dolakha during my visit with parents had also triggered me to learn English.

In addition to my English Learning Journey, I got a friend who was with me by standard but from different schools after my SLC in 2070. He had completed SLC from a government school whose, of course, didn’t have good English and I didn’t have that much better English either. I wished I could speak good English like native speakers. That is why, I joined +2 taking English as my major subject. I thought I could improve my English taking the same subject; however, what I thought was totally come wrong.

            Despite the fact that I was a little bit weak at grammar, I learned and figured out my errors in grammar during my +2. In the year, I followed some scholars from internet, who had contributed in immense in grammar and read e-books (PDFDRIVE). Also, I read the many reference books in regard to English thoroughly until I got the point in the grammar. In my English learning Journey, Spinner's Learning Theory; Operant Conditioning Learning Theory had impacted massively. I had always endeavored to achieve the best in English. Moreover. getting good job, smartness, and interest in English were the motivations or a kind of reinforcement that had provoked me in profound to learn English. In this regard, Skinner believed that children learn language through operant conditioning; in other words, children receive “rewards” for using language in a functional manner. ... Skinner also suggested that children learn language through imitation of others, prompting, and shaping. while learning English, I also imitated how teachers used to speak, particularly how native speakers used to speak the language from English Movies. Similarly, reward for me was to get an offer to teach English in public schools; that remained hidden throughout my English Learning Journey. it inspired me all the time me  to learn English intensely.  Then after some years, I felt as if I was improving my English Language. I haven't stopped learning English since then. I am still learning English with diligent colleagues at Kathmandu University, has again waken up my internal devil of learning. 

To sum up, there are many components which arouse and inspire me to learn English. As I mentioned earlier, circumstances, friends and errors are some components, most importantly its Importance in the present world, have always triggered me to learn English in a better way.

                            Make good friends to make your learning better!                                               

                                                     Never hesitate to learn!

                                   Never listen to anybody, do what your heart seeks!