English is a global language, spoken by hundreds of million of people all over the world, both as a first and as a second language and it is used in various fields, such as business, medicine, science, academic, journalism, literature, diplomacy, modern technology, etc. So, nowadays, it is necessary not only to speak good English, but also to have language certificates, in order to enter a University, to gain scholarships, to have a good job and a good position in the society.
Also, it is very useful when travelling abroad and when using social networks and modern gadgets.
Teaching English as a foreign language is not easy, because it implies a lot of patience and communicational skills, especially when dealing with young learners and teenagers, at different levels.
As an English teacher, it is very important to create a safe and supportive environment, use many visual supports, make fun lessons, set classroom rules, use different learning techniques and use modern technology, because students get bored easily and their attention span has decreased in the past few years, considerably. As a primary, lower intermediate and technological high-school teacher, vocabulary has been a challenge for me, because I have been trying, for many years, to find and use the best strategies and methods for my students to learn English as easy and as fun as possible, although many times it can be quite difficult to keep them motivated and involve them actively in the learning process.
I consider that the world of today is changing very rapidly and the national curriculum should keep up with these changes, by including a series of modern teaching and learning strategies in all subjects, not only English. Many changes have been made in the past years, in the educational system, regarding paperwork and school documents, but very few included modern teaching strategies, of the twenty-first century.
It is very important to provide the nowadays students the appropriate learning methods, because the generations have changed and they belong to the Information or Digital Age, which is characterized by the use of modern gadgets and of the Internet. Children are born with the capacity of using smart phones, computers, tablets and other technological means and they do so from a very early age. Their minds are very different and they need updated strategies and ways of learning things at school, in order to be kept motivated and interested.