Essay(2-03a): Language Learning Stories

What is your mother tongue? I have been speaking Japanese since I was born, so my mother tongue is Japanese. There are a variety of languages in all over the world. For example, German, French, Spanish and Chinese. When I was a kindergartener, I first learned English. Also when I was a freshman in the university, I studied German by an elective subject. I am learning English at the university now. I am interested in English very much, so I am studying English hard now. But it is very difficult for me though I want to speak English well. I think I want to master English more from now on.

First, I think I want to improve my ability in English from now on. I am interested in English and I like it. But I am not able to speak English and use it well. I want to travel to a variety of foreign countries in the future. So I have to study English, because English is a common language now. If I am able to speak it well, I will be able to have a pleasant conversation with many people in a foreign country. I began to think the ability of English vocabulary is necessary to master it.

Second, I first learned English when I was 4 years old. I sang English songs and taught simple words in the kindergarten. I learned it by my kindergarten teachers. I first got an opportunity to come in contact with many people in foreign countries when I was 11 years old. I was able to know about foreign foods, ballads, culture and so on. I think I was related most with English in the junior high school and the high school, because English language education start at this time. Also I went to English conversation school that named AEON when I was 16 years old. I first talked in English there with American teacher by a private lesson. I think this experience was good for me. Then I first learned the language other than English in the university when I was 18 years old. It is German. I was not interested in German, but I had become happy while studying it. I am able to speak a little English and German now.

Now, I always study English in the university. I have a speaking, writing, reading and listening class. I learn about English by those classes. In a writing class, I am writing in English in the blog now. Also I have my friends that can speak English fluently, so I correspond with them regularly. In this way I am studying English now.

I was able to speak only Japanese that is my mother tongue at first. But I learned English and German other than Japanese, so I was able to be interested them. I am interested in Chinese and Korean now, so I want to learn them someday. Also I want to be able to speak English that is common language fluently in the future. And I think I want to use it for my life. We have to be able to speak the language to live. It is very important to learn the language.

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