Crazy TEFL Myths

As we mentioned in part 1… the TEFL industry is getting pretty huge! But as the industry spreads, so does the hear-say!

Continued below is i-to-i TEFL’s countdown of top TEFL myths… but be careful, as some may be more truthful than others!

(Reliability Score: 1= ‘Complete baloney… must be phoney!’ 5= ‘I hadn’t a clue… but this one’s true!’)

•  
  1.  

     1. Some Children in Korea Have a “Split-tongue” Operation, so That They Can Speak Better English

     

     Image by:Absolut Sam

     This one has even become a bit of an urban myth…but apparently, amazingly this one has an element of truth to it! It is a quick procedure which can cost around £250, which helps Korean children to pronounce English phrases better (for example, ‘Trolley’ / ‘Torrey’. This is because learning English is fiercely competitive in S.Korea and parents will do anything to get their kid ahead of the game.

     It’s not just the Korean’s mouths which struggle to wrap around the English language: many Greeks struggle with the “Sh” sound (‘Shopping’ / ‘Sopping’). The French often struggle with the “Th” sound (‘Theatre’ / ‘Seeatre’), and Germans resist the “W” sound (‘Whatever’ / ‘Vhatever’).

     So, yes, apparently in this modern age you can ever change your mother-tongue… Click here for the full report.

     Reliability Score: 5 – Albeit it may be strange, but apparently this one is true!

     2. The British Government had a Secret Plan to Create “The Empire of English”

     

     Image by:Adelaide Archivist

     This one’s bizarre because the more you look into it, the more true it seems! The story goes that after World War II, the British Government wanted to gain global dominance through linguistics, by making English the language of the world!

     This passive aggressive approach to world control is either the single most ingenuitive, cunning, subtle and downright amazing plan ever conceived… or (maybe, just maybe) it’s just a conspiracy theory…

     However, there is plenty of material on this subject, the most convincing of which is Linguistic Imperialism by Robert Phillipson. Food for thought perhaps? But I wouldn’t take it too seriously… Language is fluid and doesn’t belong to anyone! It’s constantly changing. Plus…how many governments do you know that can come up with a plan that ingenious?

     Reliability Score: 2 – Call me a sceptic, but given the Government’s track record…

     3. Scientists Have Done Studies on the Effect of Alcohol on Language Acquisition

     

     Image by:Peaceplusone

     I can’t imagine what prompted this study to have been conducted… although I’m glad they did because the results offer surprising conclusions. Apparently a few glasses of beer can increase language fluency without a decrease in accuracy. Needless to say, however, after a few more glasses of beer accuracy dropped!

     Reliability Score: 5 – Alcohol can allegedly make learning a language easier… to a point!

Want more TEFL myths busted?

Our experts are always happy to answer any tricky TEFL questions you might have. Just request a free call-back or email them directly.

You might also want to download your FREE copy of TEFL Uncovered: How to Teach Your Way Overseas with TEFL, which is jam-packed full of handy TEFL advice and information. Click here to download your free copy today!

• TEFL
• TEFL course
• teach abroad