French speakers of English?

Question

Hello dear friends! this a question for a blog on the History of the English Language we are doing in Argentina. How would you qualify your command of English (from 1 to 10) and the overall command of your country? (from 1 to 10) For what purposes do you use English the most? Do you use it at home and/or with your friends? Do you feel that there are more people who speak English now that in the last decade in your country? Do you prefer to have a native speaker of English as an English teacher or a non-native one?
Thank you so much to all of you who can spear a few minutes answering this. In 3 weeks the blog will be almost ready, write me at [e-mail] if you are interested and I'll let you know when it will be released.

This question is addressed to people who speak English a foreign or second language in countries where the native language is French.

Sorry, I meant who speak English AS a foreign or second language.

Thank you so much for your contributions. I wish I could select more than one answer but you know how it goes.

Answer 1

Hi
My command of English... Er... About 6.
And the overall command of France is about 5 I think . Perhaps less, in fact it depends a lot on the age. Young people seem to be better in english than older.
I use English principally to read on the Internet foreign articles or texts, but I need also english because I'm studying mathematics and now a lot of interesting books or articles are writen in English.
And yes, I think that knowledge of english is growing in France.
The last question, I don't really care about the teacher nationality, just I want him to be good... And some non-native are better than native teachers!

Answer 2

I estimate that I am fully bilingual (French / English) so 10 would be the answer.
Canada is (in principle a bilingual country) but mostly anglophone. So 10 again.
I use English the most when I listen to American television.
Never use it at home ( being a Québécois, I am a francophone) never use it with my friends. Don"t have any English speaking friends.
The English language is definitely gaining.
I would prefer to have a native speaker of English as an English teacher.
Hope this helps
Bye

Answer 3

bonsoir

je ne parle pas un mot d'anglais!

Answer 4

Hi !

"How would you qualify your command of English (from 1 to 10)"
I'd say 8. I can speak English properly but most of the time I have to think a little. And I don't know slang or specific vocabulary.

" and the overall command of your country? (from 1 to 10)"
Most French don't have a very good English. I think it's because we have a poor way to teach it to the children, based on grammar more than practice. So... 5.

"For what purposes do you use English the most?"
Mostly to post on English speaking forums. Listening to English songs. Talking with foreign people by e-mail. Reading English news.

" Do you use it at home and/or with your friends?"
Yes I often throw some English words/sentences in everyday conversation. My family and friends are used to it. :)

"Do you feel that there are more people who speak English now that in the last decade in your country?"
I think so, but their English is poorer.

" Do you prefer to have a native speaker of English as an English teacher or a non-native one?"
Native, definitely ! They know more about the country and culture. I think teaching a language is not enough, we need to know how English-speaking people are and what they think, how they behave... And it's more fun, also :)

Take care :)

Answer 5

hello!
I would say that my command of English is something like 8/10, I teach English but you see I don't consider myself as being bilingual, beacuse I can't practice enough.
I think French people might get 4/10, anyway my pupils can't get better than that!!!
we don't learn foreign languages early enough here, and it's hard to catch up with this later!
I use English at work everyday with my pupils, and sometimes at home because my brother is good English-speaker and sometimes we switch to English!
Probably more people speak English now than in the last decade, but I'm not too sure about it, and anyway I'm sure that they don't speak better than in the last decade!!!
and concerning your last question, of course I think it's best to a native as an English teacher, but that means firing me and all my colleagues!!! ;-)
another good solution is having an English assistant in the school to have conversation lessons with the pupils

Answer 6

Hello !
My command of english is about 8/10
The command in France, I think is 4/10...
I use english mostly because I'm studying international trade (I'm in england, for 2 months) and I also use it when I'm listening to music in english or on forums on the internet...
I think that the increasing part of informatic (in the last 10 years) is also increasing the average level of young people...

I don't mind where my teacher comes from...

Answer 7

uhm ...my command of english...i'd say 7 on a scale from 1 to 10
for my country i'll give it a 4. i speak english only with friends i made trough the internet...do i think there are more pep speaking .? welll. uhm ...they may not speak english fluently but i think they have a better comprehension of the language... it don't think the fact that the teacher is a native speaker or not has a great importance ...the only thing that matter is that he can help u improve yourself ...

have a nice day....

_____;-)


P.S: i'm from haiti...

Answer 8

umm, yes. I will say that my command of english is pretty good ( about 8 over ten ). I write better ( 9) than i speak (7 ). I use English mostly in class, rarely with my friends as they are all almost french speaking people. My country is Ghana. Thus, i am alleged to speak english with my parents. One the other hand, my native country is a french speaking one. Therefore i have some linguistic block in english, that is why i am not as fluent as i should be. However, i am quietly proud of what i am today (bilingual, and maybe more ). I think that more people speak english, picking up examples of what i have seen. But they are more and more interested in asian languages like chinese.
In 6eme ( i dont know the equivalent grade in english ) and for my first year in the university, my 2 english teachers (perhaps more ) were an indian and a canadian women. It is better to learn English from them because we are more "soaked in the english mood". We are forced to pay attention to each word they say and so on...
I hope i have answered your question.. waiting for the news of the blog !

Answer 9

English: 10, I used to teach English, now I teach Math and Econ. in a publique school of Southern California.
French: 10, I am French.
I use English at work, and also at home.
My students will tell you that they prefer to have me as a teacher because I am an ELD (English Learner like they are, more than 90% of my kids are immigrants), and that consequently I am more in "synch" with their specific educational needs.

--> overall command of your country? I wish I could command my country...
--> who can spear a few minutes ... hard to do...

Your maitrise of the English language: 8+

Answer 10

english is my life thanks to my teachersi love it because it s an global langauge