[MUSIC] Welcome back to teaching to English now. In the next few videos we're going to talk about one of the fundamental problems with classroom language instruction. And what you can do to help solve it. The problem is time. In the past ten years, I have trained English teachers from Peru, Mexico, Korea, Japan, China, Iraq, and more. And the problem is always the same. Teachers do not have enough time in class to help learners master a language. In the current academic structure, in almost all parts of the world, English is taught as a class subject like any other. Now, why is this a problem? Well, the fact is that academic institutions don't seem to recognize what you already know very well. That language is not just learned, it is acquired. So institutions, high schools, junior highs, colleges typically give teachers a one hour class. Just like you would for Math, History or Science every day, but by treating language as if it were a learned subject, students are not given enough opportunity to practice the language and get comfortable with it. I call this the five hour problem of language learning. There are many things that you can do to solve this five hour problem and, in fact, we will give you time to think of your own creative solutions a little later. But let me suggest a few things that teachers around the world are beginning to do with some success. First, let me remind you of the advice we gave you in module two. Within the classroom, make sure you are giving students enough time to practice. Don't fall into the common pattern of only teaching students language rules and lists and then only testing them on those rules. Even with just five hours of instruction, make the most of them. Remember the phrase, learn a little, use it a lot. Second, help students believe that practicing a language is a normal and exciting possibility outside the classroom walls. This can be a challenge. Let me remind you of my own personal language learning experience. I had five years of Spanish classes growing up in Southern California. However, I never used any of that Spanish as soon as I walked out the class door. And I would have had such wonderful opportunities to use my Spanish if I had just made the connection between my class material and the real world outside. In fact I had more opportunities then almost anyone I know. As I explained earlier I have a mother who was a native Spanish speaker. And a father who is a Spanish teacher. I had friends who were fluent in Spanish as well! I am certain all of these people would have been delighted if I had asked them to practice some of this Spanish I was learning in class. Perhaps you think I'm crazy, but it honestly never occurred to me. To speak to my mother, my father or my friends about the things I had learned in class. How can that be? Well, I think I would argue that the connection between academic life and real life, especially for young people, is often not clear. We often don't think about actually applying what we're learning. Especially if we are not invited to do so. So your job, if you choose to accept it, is to invite students, to encourage students to step outside that door and use what they have learned. In the next video, we will talk about specific strategies to help you do this. I'll see you there. [MUSIC]