Why is the English language so important?

Here at TeachBrave, we are all teachers.  We are all teachers of English as a second language, specifically.  As we venture into remote regions of the world, giving people communication tools, we often have to ask ourselves why we do this.  What is it about the English language?  Why are these language skills in demand?  And lastly, what are the ethics behind the spread of the English language?  Is it the spread of a generically globalized society?  Are we damaging cultures we work within?  Is it political?  Is it economic?  What is it?

We have thought long and hard about these questions.  Two TeachBrave founders are second generation English language teachers.   The first generation taught for religious purposes, but we teach for something else.  We teach for representation, to give cultures the voice to explain themselves, to enter into the global debate, or to bring their ancestral knowledge and traditions to the world.

What is important to remember, that if you venture into another culture to give language skills, you are not teaching these students how to be American or how to be British or how to worship any religion.  You are teaching them how to be themselves, and how to represent their own culture and religion in a language that other cultures can understand.

The value of the work your doing is tremendous, and though while you are simply naming colors and numbers and playing with words, at times it doesn’t feel particularly impactful.  However, there are important strides being made.  These students will all be talking to each other in the next generation, whether about organic farming, health-care, solar power, technology, aviation, or engineering — the possibilities are endless.  The internet allows for instantaneous transmission of information, but currently language still creates a barrier.  Imagine how tremendous the next generation will be, if the knowledge on this planet can be pooled and utilized for the advantage of people all over the world?

This is the motivation behind our work, and we hope it is the motivation in ESL classrooms around the world.

To view and/or apply to our international teaching positions, please visit the TeachBrave opportunities page, http://www.teachbrave.com/teaching-opportunities/