English for Survival
It is common for ESL teachers to give comments like this: “My students are not learning anything. They always fail their English in exams. I don’t know what else to do.” Well, that’s not true teachers! Your students did learn something even though it was not manifested in the form of good grades in exams. I live in Bandar Baru Bangi, where UKM is located. There are many foreign students living here especially those from Middle East. When I go shopping at the local malls, I often see them around. It always fascinates me to watch these people and their behaviour (blame the writer in me). I noticed that when they wanted to buy things at the supermarket, they would communicate with the mostly young sales assistants in not so perfect but understandable English. Since it requires minimum qualification to become sales assistants, it is easy to unfairly assume that they didn’t do very well in school. What amazed me was that these sales assistants were able to entertain...
