2 reasons why Native English teachers are irreplaceable
Published: 11:30am, 27 Jan 2025 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification
As a linguist and past beneficiary of the Native-speaking English Teacher (NET) Scheme, I would like to underscore the irreplaceable role of NETs.
Numerous language acquisition theories indicate that students obtain the target language most efficaciously through implicit, or unintentional, learning.
This manner of teaching and learning, which NETs are competent at, reinforces long-term memory and contributes significantly to proficiency.
This method supplements the explicit instruction delivered by local English teachers who intentionally draw students' attention to particular linguistic features.
While temporary retention could be achieved by explicit teaching, conversion into long-term memory requires consistent input and output, in other words, a lot more effort and time.
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