HELP - Need English Study Program for Wife

[alaskagypsy]

Need help quickly.

My wife has been here nearly 4 years now.

She has been going off and on to a free English class - more off than on.

A year ago she found an internet site where she gets to watch free Chinese TV and movies - she isn't interested in watching English TV or going to the movies as she can't understand what they are saying.

Her lack of wanting to learn is ruining our marriage.

She has been refused work due to her lack of English language skills and English reading skills - won't accept work for under $11.75/hour which she was getting from a job she refused to go back to after visiting China. Can't get a job at a big box store as their training is all on their computers - in English with time limits.

She needs a computer program to learn to speak/read/write English.

Any suggestions of a good computer program?

I've looked at some reading/grammar/writing programs and thought they may be better than just a program that teaches her how to speak English (such as Rosetta Stone).

We are limited on English classes here in Alaska. Small city and borough of 40,000.

Thanks!

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I know it's an old adage, but it's so very true: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

 

If she doesn't have the desire to learn, there isn't much you can really do. You mentioned that her lack of motivation "is ruining your marriage." Perhaps she is feeling the pressure from you, which likely doesn't help in that motivation department.

 

If she wants to learn, she has to get out and get a foothold in the job-market. Interacting with English speaking people will place her in a position to where she will learn more quickly than in a classroom or software application.

 

My wife took her first job in Orlando, Florida at a shopping Mall. She had already gotten her driver's license, so she liked to get out and about while I was at work. She started talking to the owner of a Chinese gift store, and they told her they would love to have her work. Now this job only paid $7.00 an hour, but my wife was quite happy with it for several months. She later took a job at Belk in the same Mall, in the ladies shoe department, for a little over $8.00 an hour.

 

Her English and confidence increased exponentially. The biggest challenge was being accepted in the tightly knit sales group at first, but after a few weeks, they all became close friends.

[dnoblett]

In our case, I have had my Yu doing several jobs. Teachers aid at the local public school, and holiday work for a store.

 

I work for the local community college, so as part of my faculty benefit she can attend college tuition free, so she has been taking classes, 3 different ESL classes, and perhaps ENG-101 next fall. Besides English, Yu has taken Math, Business, and a Biology class, taking classes other than just English gives her more practice in practical English.

 

A year ago we started a home business primarily to give Yu something to work on, in this case the business we are involved in has a large group of Chinese, and Taiwanese business owners in my area involved, great for her to learn the business, but still has to interact in English when working the business.

 

If you are looking for tutor programs, do a search of this forum.

[Sebastian]

Hey - do you have a library card ?

Yes?

 

Now go online , to the library's web portal.

 

Register a new account using your library card credentials.

 

Now take a look around - you should see LOTS OF STUFF available for 'electronic checkout and download' available.

 

You can actually check out Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, and a host of other Publishers' English / ESL SOFTWARE TITLES.

 

Some of these are software programs, some of these are Audio sets, but ALL have a DRM mark (Digital Rights Media) so whatever you check out electronically, will expire at the proper date.

 

You'll need to have the proper DRM software installed (usually an extension of Windows Media Player, but other browers, FireFox, Opera, for example, have DRM also) or she'll have an abysmal learning experience (Sweetie ! this software is sh|t ! Cannot Run!! What is DRM?)

 

IMO, she needs an ESL program, but something she can 'move around the levels' with - as some of the basics will bore her, and some of the advanced stuff will stump her.

 

I'll post more about my alternative method in a minute - but for now - please dig out yer library card, and go online..

[Sebastian]

Here is my 'alternative method' - totally useless if she 'skips a day'..

 

1. write out by hand (pencil and paper) 3 articles each day from english newspaper. do that for 2 weeks. Suggest 1 from Front Page, 1 from Sports Section, 1 from International News. This gives a wide sampling of authors' styles and word groupings.

 

2. same as 1, but for weeks 3 and 4, look up the words ya don't know, get the definitions.

 

3. same as 1 and 2, but for weeks 5 and 6, SPEAK the sentences outloud.

*----

 

Another good thng she can do is to join the local Toastmasters club - see http://www.toastmasters.org to find a local chapter and meeting. IMO, it's USEFUL for getting CRITIQUES on SPOKEN ENGLISH USAGE - but - it's not for everyone.

Edited June 2, 2009 by Sebastian (see edit history)

[tonado]

http://www.learn-english-online.org/

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

*My wife has been here nearly 4 years now.

*She has been going off and on to a free English class - more off than on.

*Her lack of wanting to learn is ruining our marriage.

*She has been refused work due to her lack of English language skills and English reading skills

*won't accept work for under $11.75/hour which she was getting from a job she refused to go back to after visiting China.

 

 

We are limited on English classes here in Alaska. Small city and borough of 40,000.

Thanks!

 

I know this must be a real struggle for you both right now, and can see from these points in your post that your hands are pretty much tied.

 

I've never been very successful with getting an answer from a woman when asking them why they do something. Many seem to do things, and expect the reason to be understood.

 

It's hard to know how to respond to this without getting too personal, but it seems there is a lack of motivation on her part.

 

Have you guys met any other Chinese people or families there? Has she been able to develop any friendships outside the home, or have people she can call in Alaska to talk to?

[Guest Pommey]

Jin works at Walmart, loves it (not the money) but gets to make friends and chat. Interestingly she feels the "spanish" are much better to know than the whites. More honest and have family relationships.

[Shadowman]

Hi Ron,

 

Have her check out Englishpod.com. I have used their sister site for chinese (Chinesepod.com) for a year and a half and have found it very useful and affordable... MUCH more so than Rosetta Stone. Content is all web-based... can be listened to on-line or downloaded in .mp3 format... no software to install! Plus, they have a seven day free trial... check it out!

 

Good luck,

Shadowman

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Here's a good free link for brushing up on English grammar skills:

 

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quiz_list.htm

[Jeff n Jianli]

She does not want to learn English or work and she has been here for 4 years? That does not sound like my wife or any other Chinese woman I ever knew. I think there is a problem causing this lack of interest. Try to address this problem.

[Guest jin979]

She does not want to learn English or work and she has been here for 4 years? That does not sound like my wife or any other Chinese woman I ever knew. I think there is a problem causing this lack of interest. Try to address this problem.

 

 

i know many chinese here who dont speak english at all and some been here 10 years or more.

 

many work in chinese community or restuarants

Edited June 7, 2009 by jin979 (see edit history)

[alaskagypsy]

There are no Chinese communities here. This is a small city with the closest large city being 6 hours away. They speak Chinese at a Chinese Restaurant - I don't want her to speak Chinese, needs to be surrounded by English.

She tries to learn, but then watches Chinese TV and forgets all she learned for English.

alaskagypsy

 

 

 

 

many work in chinese community or restuarants

Edited June 8, 2009 by tonado (see edit history)

[Guest jin979]

There are no Chinese communities here. This is a small city with the closest large city being 6 hours away. They speak Chinese at a Chinese Restaurant - I don't want her to speak Chinese, needs to be surrounded by English.

She tries to learn, but then watches Chinese TV and forgets all she learned for English.

alaskagypsy

 

 

 

 

many work in chinese community or restuarants

 

 

i dont disagree with you, i think learning english is very important for both marriage and work. however some/many find english as hard to learn and talk you do talking chinese.Add to this predujice at work maybe and feeling alone,many hide with what is known.

i have only been heer 1 year. but i watch and talk with chinese who have been here alot longer time.

im sure some of the members here who wifes has been here as long as your wife will be able to give their stories on how their wives have adapted better than i can.

Edited June 8, 2009 by tonado (see edit history)

[tonado]

There are no Chinese communities here. This is a small city with the closest large city being 6 hours away. They speak Chinese at a Chinese Restaurant - I don't want her to speak Chinese, needs to be surrounded by English.

She tries to learn, but then watches Chinese TV and forgets all she learned for English.

alaskagypsy

 

 

 

Working in a Chinese restaurant is a good start. Even if she is surrounding by Chinese people, she will have to interface with English speaking customers. She needs to have Chinese friends as well as American friends.