A Fix for Broken English

Describe What the Training or Program Will Accomplish

This learning environment aims to transform adult Broken English speakers into standard English speakers. This course defines Broken English as a non-standard dialect of English that results from adults who learn English vocabulary but fail to learn and apply standard English grammar. While they may know the meaning and the basic pronunciation of many English words, they learned English with pedagogical methods, causing them to babble like babies. Without learning the grammar, non-native speakers will apply the linguistic assumptions of their native language. As Sunderland (n.d.) claims, “adults must learn a new set of assumptions that will differ from their old, native linguistic assumptions they acquired as children” (Section Native Linguistic Assumptions, para 2). This course will allow those non-native English speakers to apply their learned English vocabulary to standard English grammar, thus enabling those learners to properly communicate in English. In essence, this training course will fix broken English.

What Need Is It Addressing?

This course aims to address poor English communication among non-native English speakers. All students of English as a Second Language must learn the standard English in order to be an effective communicator in English. This standard English follows a set of grammar rules that allow all speakers of English to effectively communicate regardless of dialect. Without a working knowledge of those rules, non-native English speakers will hardly be understood either by native standard English speakers or by non-native Standard English Speakers. While English is the most widely spoken language in the world, only 25% of those are native English speakers (Most spoken languages in the world, 2024, August 20). If non-native English speakers use grammatically improper English with other non-native English speakers, their communication will not only be ineffective, but it may also confuse the other non-native English speakers who have learned the standard English. The purpose of this course is to improve communication skills among non-native English speakers.

What New Skill or Knowledge Will the Learners Have After Completing It?

After completing this course, the Broken English speakers will be able to apply their established English vocabulary to Standard English and effectively communicate with both Native English speakers and non-native English speakers.

Describe Your Potential Target Audience

This course is designed for adults who have developed a solid English vocabulary using pedagogical methods to learn English. Pedigogy emphasizes the teaching of Children. However, adults learn much differently than children and, thus, require an androgogical method of learning, especially while learning a foreign language (Sunderland, 2024). Many learning courses emphasize the fallacy that since children learn their native language without learning grammar, adults should apply the same technique. However, this reasoning is wrong for two reasons. First, while children do naturally acquire their native language without learning grammar, their communication is basic and immature. This is because they have not learned their native language. They have acquired it by developing linguistic assumptions. “These assumptions, however, will later become burdensome for adults who attempt to learn a non-native language” (Sunderland, n.d., para. 1, emphasis in original). Any child who hopes to succeed in the modern world will need to attend grammar school. Thus, even children need to learn the grammar of their native language if they hope to communicate at an adult level. Likewise, adults who seek to learn a foreign language need to learn the grammar with an andragogical methodology.

Identify any existing certification/accreditation standards to be aware of, or that need to be incorporated into your training or program.

No existing formal certification standards will be needed for this course, but the learners are expected to have developed a substantial English vocabulary and have some practice using google translate.

Identify Any Existing Certification/Accreditation Standards to Be Aware Of, Or That Need to Be Incorporated Into Your Training Or Program.

Since this course targets a unique set of adults, other information will be needed in order to effectively design the course material. For example, the designers of this course will need to know the length of time the learners have been speaking English, even though their speech is broken. For instance, some learners have been speaking broken English for many years while others have only begun to babble their new vocabulary. If the beginning broken English speakers are able to advance in the grammar lessons faster then the older broken English speakers, this may indicate that the older speakers need different lessons to overcome their linguistic assumptions of the English language. Other important information that will be needed to develop the student profile can be gathered from survey questions. Some of those questions will include the following:

“Autobiographical information: Nationality, age, occupation.
Motivating factors: Reasons for learning English.
Educational background: Previous English learning experience.
Preferred learning method: Learner style, likes and dislikes in the classroom
English skills: Best and worst skills.
Usefulness: What English is needed in terms of real-world activities (How To Make A Needs Analysis Questionnaire For ESL Students, n.d.).

References

How To Make A Needs Analysis Questionnaire For ESL Students, (n.d.). The TEFL Academy. https://www.theteflacademy.com/blog/how-to-make-a-needs-analysis-questionnaire-for-esl-students/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAnKi8BhB0EiwA58DA4X6IAAeGAPhv8792AAcu9q0v-bDdg5s-dPY9bW4dyT3oXa6WGSCUaBoC3rEQAvD_BwE

Most spoken languages in the world. (2024, August 20). International Center for Language Learning. https://www.icls.edu/blog/most-spoken-languages-in-the-world#:~:text=In%202024%2C%20about%201.52%20billion,it%20as%20a%20second%20language.

Sunderland, D. (n.d.). Adult Foreign Language Learning Children Acquire a Native Language. Tutornotepad.com. Adult Foreign Language Learning – Ask A Tutor. https://tutornotepad.com/adult-language-learning/