On language barriers

This article got me thinking about something of which I already try to remind myself on a daily basis:

Speaking a second language with anything less than fluency can automatically create the impression that you are less intelligent than you actually are (to the native speakers whose language you are trying to speak). It also limits you in terms of discussing abstract concepts, making jokes, and using language with finesse and subtlety.

When I interact with my students, I sometimes subconsciously fall into the belief that the students with higher level English are “smarter”… and then I catch myself and remember that obviously that’s not necessarily true. I’m sure some of the students who are the lowest level in English are also some of the highest scoring in other subject areas. Learning a second language just isn’t everyone’s forte (and I ought to know, since learning Korean is no walk…