Do students need to learn to think in English?
Sérgio Pantoja
Delta-qualified English teacher | Teacher educator | Speaking and Writing examiner | ELT author l Course designer | Language Development for Teachers and Exam Prep for Teachers | Delta Module 1 tutor
You’ve probably heard:
??You need to learn to "think" in English!
?? You won’t speak the language fluently until you start "thinking" in English.
?? Stop "thinking" in Portuguese and start "thinking" in English.
The question of whether students need to learn to think in English is a topic that has been widely discussed in the field of second language acquisition. It is predicated on the idea that languages are compartmentalized differently in the brain, with one part dedicated to the first language (L1) and another dedicated to the second language (L2). However, research suggests that this may not be the case.
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For example, Spivey and Hirsch (2003) found that the brain processes two or more languages in parallel, at least to some extent. This means that the brain does not have a specific area for L1 or L2 but rather uses the same neural networks for both languages. Similarly, Macaro (2005) argues that "the language of thought for all but the most advanced L2 learners is inevitably their L1". This suggests that for most learners, their first language will be the dominant language in their thought process, even while they are using their second language.
Kerr (2019) suggests that what most learners need to achieve is a level of proficiency where they can process English without always mentally translating from their L1. This means that instead of trying to force learners to think in English, the focus should be on increasing their exposure to and proficiency in the language.
Perhaps, instead of insisting on the whole you-should-think-in-English argument, we should try and encourage students to expose themselves to English as often as possible and to practice it as much as they can.
So, what is your take on this?
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2 年Thanks for this interesting article. As a bilingual person who's not only been learning English for many years but has also majored in English, I don't think only in English, I think in Persian, too (My Persian and English thinking is often evident in my conversations with my connections here on LinkedIn and some other foreign people I've talked to). All I wanna say is that unless people want to forgot their ethnic identity completely, they shouldn't try to think in their L2.
Experienced English Teacher at KFL Idiomas
2 年As I usually say, the higher you go, the more you need to study. However, study is not only to hit the books, but it is also to immerse yourself in the target language. It’s a broader sense of studying. ??
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2 年Of course, they do. I do as well as my son (German mothertongue) (done so since he started talking, he loves English) . He thinks in his second language and I am the only person talking English to him on a frequent basis.