Posted: 2005-09-03 19:38
[quote="Bazaa"]Well, here in Portugal most people speak English quite well: we learn it from the 5th to the 11th grade. (we also learn French from the 7th to the 9th grade, but everyone I know doesn't like it XD)[/quote]
Well, we start learning foreign languages quite early here too : first foreign language when you enter middle highschool (at 11-12 years old), second one two years later (when you're 13-14) and sometimes third one, while entering highschool (at 15-16). Usually you have the choice between English or German as your first foreign language (if you chose German, you have to take English as the second one) and then between Spanish and Italian as the second one (some middle highschool have Portuguese, Chinese, Russian or even Japanese as second foreign language choice - a very small minority for Japanese ;_ ;) .
Nowadays, some French elementary schools even teach English to the little kids o__O (I wish it was my case, the earlier you start learning a language, the better you learn it TT-TT)
But even studying English for 7 years and Spanish for 5 years or more at school (or whatever are your foreign languages)... most of the French students are very bad with languages :s
Writing is ok, but speaking is most of the time very difficult, because we don't practice a lot at school (at least it was my case =_=) and sometimes even the teachers have a quite bad accent >< (so better not reproduce it =_=;; ;)
[quote="Bazaa"]And if you work with computers since you are young (me = since I was 4 XD), you just end up using a lot more english than portuguese.[/quote]
I agree that working with computers is a good way to improve and maintain your English level^^
[quote="dillpops"]In England we have a problem that teenagers use SMS in exams and applying for jobs ^^;;;;; that is bad![/quote]
A lot of teenagres write in their exams the same way they write in SMS or chatrooms here too x__X;; Poor teachers ><;;;
Well, we start learning foreign languages quite early here too : first foreign language when you enter middle highschool (at 11-12 years old), second one two years later (when you're 13-14) and sometimes third one, while entering highschool (at 15-16). Usually you have the choice between English or German as your first foreign language (if you chose German, you have to take English as the second one) and then between Spanish and Italian as the second one (some middle highschool have Portuguese, Chinese, Russian or even Japanese as second foreign language choice - a very small minority for Japanese ;_ ;) .
Nowadays, some French elementary schools even teach English to the little kids o__O (I wish it was my case, the earlier you start learning a language, the better you learn it TT-TT)
But even studying English for 7 years and Spanish for 5 years or more at school (or whatever are your foreign languages)... most of the French students are very bad with languages :s
Writing is ok, but speaking is most of the time very difficult, because we don't practice a lot at school (at least it was my case =_=) and sometimes even the teachers have a quite bad accent >< (so better not reproduce it =_=;; ;)
[quote="Bazaa"]And if you work with computers since you are young (me = since I was 4 XD), you just end up using a lot more english than portuguese.[/quote]
I agree that working with computers is a good way to improve and maintain your English level^^
[quote="dillpops"]In England we have a problem that teenagers use SMS in exams and applying for jobs ^^;;;;; that is bad![/quote]
A lot of teenagres write in their exams the same way they write in SMS or chatrooms here too x__X;; Poor teachers ><;;;