Write@Home
Winter 2015

English

Learn English text on laptop

I started learning English in Russia when I was eight years old at my school in the second grade. I and my classmates studied English the same way as we studied Russian: we learned the alphabet letter by letter. We connected letters and syllables. We got words from the syllables. Then we learned grammar. So, from simple to complex, my classmates and I learned English.

As far as l know, it is a different system of learning English in Canada. pupils learn words, phrases and sentences. Grammar isn’t given as much time as it is in Russia. It is assumed that Canadians know English grammar automatically, since they are native speakers. At the same time, English grammar is studied more thoroughly in Russia. Anyway, that was when l studied at school.

What do we have in the end? After graduation, Russian pupils don’t get enough practice speaking English. Despite the excellent training system at school, they forget English in a few years. This is understandable because in Russia English isn’t perceived as a necessary subject of communication, but as an additional one.

I have been living in Canada for five years and continue to study English. My English skills that l acquired at school in Russia helped me a lot, while other students had to learn everything from scratch.

I study English with the LINC Home Study program. This program is very convenient for me. I only have one scheduled class per week. I can distribute the rest of my time for English studying as is convenient for me. The ability to study independently and flexibly is very important for adults and working people.