Difficulties children have learning new languages

10 Common Problems Faced by Children When Learning Foreign Languages

Language is a tool or media for communication and expression. Language enables people to convey their feelings, ideas
and thoughts. There are different types of languages throughout the world such as English, French, Hindi, Arabic etc.
Children face many problems while learning foreign languages. Steam education encourages kids to learn new things. Here
we have listed 10 most common problems faced by children whilst learning foreign languages.

1. Spoken vs written language

This is one of the common problems faced by any child while learning a foreign language. There are some languages,
whose spoken and written forms are different, for example English and French. A child may find it difficult to differentiate
between the spoken and written form of these languages because they hear them very fast and at the same time, writing
them is a tedious job for them. They may also find it difficult to write these languages.

Solution
The problem can be solved by practicing both the forms of language. In written form, if a child is not able to write something
correctly, they should be given ample time to practice before checking it with him.

2. Accent
A child’s accent while speaking a foreign language is not good enough and therefore others cannot understand what he
says or sometimes they laugh at his accents. This leads to problems when speaking foreign languages. Children become
reluctant to speak in the foreign languages because of this.

Solution
The problem can be solved by practicing more and also by taking lessons with a native language teacher or any other
person who is good at that language. More listening to native speakers can also help improve the accent. Children should
be encouraged to speak more.

3. Lack of interest in learning foreign languages

This is another common problem faced by children when learning a foreign language. A child may be more interested in
playing with friends, watching TV or playing computer games and not want to learn a new language. This makes the
teachers job more challenging.

Solution
In this case, the child should be given some tasks to do in the language so that he enjoys. For example, they could write a
story or create a conversation with his friends in that language. They might enjoy following a recipe to make a nice food that
is traditional in the country where the language is spoken. They could watch cartoons in the language with subtitles or watch
Youtube videos aimed at children.

4. Teaching methods
Different people find different ways to learn foreign languages, some people like visual method because it is fast and easy to
understand whereas some others prefer audio way. Some children may be more interested in one type than the other, for
example they may hear languages better than seeing them so they will not want to watch a video or a presentation. This
may lead to several problems during learning languages.

Solution
The solution to this problem is to find out how a child prefers learning. In case of visual learning, they can be given some
pictures along with the lesson and in audio presentations. The child may prefer listening so might enjoy catchy songs or
listening to podcasts.

5. Lack of Time
This is another problem faced by children at the time of learning foreign languages. Many times, students fail to complete
their assignments because they don’t have enough time to do it. This leads lower grades and marks in their examinations
which affects their overall performance in class. They may not be able to concentrate on other subjects as well due to lack of
time.

Solution
In this case, a student should be encouraged to manage their time carefully. If he or she is not able to do an assignment in
one go, he can break it down into smaller sections to make sure that it is fully completed by the deadline.
6. Lack of Vocabulary
This is another common problem faced by children while learning any foreign language. Children pick up words from other
people and use it in their daily lives but while learning a foreign language, they need to be taught with the new vocabulary
which might seem difficult for them to understand and learn. Due to lack of vocabulary, students find it difficult to express
their thoughts and ideas in foreign language.

Solution
The problem can be solved by continuous practice and also by taking lessons with a language teacher. The teacher can
give different exercises to the students that will help them improve their vocabulary. For example, they could carry out
vocabulary tests each week or get them to learn so many new words each day or each week. They can use a flashcard app
such as Memrise or Ankiapp to help them review the words for a few minutes each day.

7. Over thinking
Over thinking is another major problem faced by children when learning foreign languages. Children often find strange words
in a language and puzzle over how to say them or write them down. This makes them think about the meanings of these
words which often leads to over thinking. For example, if they see the word; “May I come in?” in English, they may try to
understand what it means and this may lead to over thinking.

Solution
The problem can be solved by not thinking too much about the words. The child should try to use them in conversations and
also by writing them down.

8. Fear of classroom settings

Some children feel shy or uncomfortable while learning a new language in a classroom setting; they do not want to speak in
front of others or answer questions which are asked. They may find it difficult to reach their full potential within a classroom
setting.

Solution
In this case, the child should be given more individual attention from the teacher. In some cases, the child may feel shy
because he is not able to speak the language properly. The teacher can help him overcome his fear by giving him more
attention and also by praising him for his good efforts.

9. Reluctance to changing your old ways

This is another common problem faced by children while learning foreign languages. They consider that they are already
good at their native language and it will be difficult for them to learn a new language. They start thinking that they cannot
change the old ways of teaching which affects their learning abilities.

Solution
In this case, the child should be encouraged to learn new things and not to be afraid of change. The teacher can give him
different types of exercises that will help him to improve his language skills.

10. Fear of speaking

This is the most common problem faced by children during learning foreign languages. Some children are afraid to speak in
front of others because they think that they will not be able to speak that language fluently or they will not be able to answer
questions wrongly which may lead to embarrassment in front of others.

Solution
One of the best ways to overcome this problem is by taking small steps and speaking little by little. The child should try to
say short sentences first and then move on to longer, more complex ones. They should be encouraged and congratulated
on their speaking, however short the sentence.

Final conclusion
These are the most common problems faced by children while learning foreign languages. Teachers should consider these
problems and try to find solutions for them so that it will be easier for students to learn new languages easily and get along
with their classmates better.
The Most Common Problems Students in Japan Face When Learning English

Differences in Phonology
The phonology of the Japanese language is such that every sound ends in a vowel, save for one- the ‘n’ sound. It is very
difficult for students to become accustomed to, and pronounce, the hard consonant sounds of English. Students face an
additional barrier in the form of ‘wasei Eigo,’ or loan words from English. These words are commonplace, and use the
Japanese phonology. So for students used to saying ‘kanningu,’ the word ‘cunning’ is very difficult to pronounce. In addition,
meanings have shifted as words have been adopted. Cunning, for example, is a word used to refer to cheating on a test,
and not someone who is exceptionally clever, as it does in standard English. So, Japanese students face many problems as
they adjust to the phonology and meanings of standard English.

Students’ Reluctance to Speak

Another major problem students face here is shyness. Japan is a collectivist society. The emphasis is on the group here.
Thus, students are often reluctant to speak out or state their own opinions separate from the group. This becomes a problem
in the English classroom, as many assignments designed to practice spontaneous creation of language rely on students
speaking their minds. Often, even students with advanced English ability are reluctant to participate in assignments such as
debates, which are common place in the foreign language classroom in Western countries. As I’ve learned, it isn’t common
in the Japanese education system for students to engage in creative assignments. Even in their native-language classes,
lessons tend to focus on concrete facts rather than on creativity. Even young students struggle with this, and for high school
students, being asked to imagine what comes next in a story can invoke great anxiety, and a further reluctance to participate
in the class. This is a problem not only in my classroom, but in classrooms across the country.

Class Size in Japanese Schools

The final problem I will discuss is class size. English is becoming a required subject for many Japanese students, starting
from elementary school. However, class sizes tend to be quite large. Thirty to forty students make up a homeroom class on
average. This works fine for regular, lecture-based classes. For foreign language classes, it becomes a problem. With so
many students in one room, it becomes very difficult for students to work in small groups and for teachers to be able to help
individual students with their English. In such large classes, it is easy for the noise level to get overwhelming, and for shyer,
quieter students to slip through the cracks and get away with not speaking or participating in assignments. Thus, despite
many Japanese students studying English as a subject for ten or more years, the majority of Japanese adults cannot speak
English.

6 Reasons Why Japanese Cannot Speak English According to a Japanese Local

Despite the standard twelve years of English language education from elementary school up until university, many Japanese
people find themselves struggling to speak English. However, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Expo 2025 in Osaka
just around the corner, Japan is making significant efforts towards globalization. Here are some key reasons why Japan may
be lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to English education.

*This article is written by a Japanese person who was born and raised in Japan, went through the Japanese education
system, and studied English on his own. These are the observations he’s made about the affinities and difficulties Japanese
people tend to have with the English language.

1. English Education Is Limited to Superficial Lessons Geared Towards Passing Exams

When it comes to English education, Japanese schools mostly focus on reading and writing. These skills are honed mainly
with the purpose of passing exams, and very little time is spent on drilling practical skills like speaking and listening. To put it
simply, the Japanese education system is clearly lacking a method for correctly studying real life application of English. As
the students get older, they write and read longer essays in English, but in the end this doesn’t necessarily contribute to
better English skills. Reading an excerpt from a novel and answering a question in relation to it only serves to test your
reading comprehension skills and knowledge of vocabulary and idiomatic phrases. While this is indicative of a certain level
of English ability, it is still far from actual fluency.

In most classes, the teacher stands in the front of the classroom and students quietly jot down notes. This type of old-
fashioned Japanese teaching style is not suitable for learning English. Also, it is not uncommon for English teachers in
Japan to have only passed a simple English vocabulary test to get the job, while not actually being fluent in English. In
recent years, you’ll see some schools enforcing interactive exercises where English is used among the students and with
the teachers during class. However, Japanese classrooms are missing the process of acquiring proper skills through failure,
a crucial step when learning just about anything. Most of the time, the teacher speaks in front of the class, then the students
listen and practice their pronunciation, and the lesson ends at that. To put it in other words, while Japanese students excel in
their wide knowledge of grammar structures and vocabulary, they never get the chance to make mistakes and learn from
them.

2. The English Education System Hasn’t Caught On to the Essential Skills for Learning English
To wrap up what we’ve covered so far, the problem with English education in Japan is that there isn’t enough time spent
putting what they’ve learned to use. Since they don’t know how to actually use what they know, they instead focus on getting
good scores on exams/passing exams, which won’t lead to fluency on its own. In addition, there are very few opportunities
to speak with English natives, and conversations, debates, or presentations in English are rare as well; other than watching
movies in English, Japanese tend to only interact with English in its written form.

When learning to speak a new language, you need skills and not just vocabulary or information. Even if you know the right
way to go about it, without actually pushing yourself to try, it’s impossible to improve. The most important thing when having
a conversation is to put your thoughts into words. There’s no point in just filling your brain with vocabulary and phrases. If
anything, the knowledge is what comes after. You could say that the way English classes are taught in Japan can be seen
as a soccer coach teaching a soccer player to kick a ball past a goalkeeper through words and not actual practice.

3. Japanese Education Promotes Group Mentality – Losing the Opportunity to Learn for Fear of
Making Mistakes
“By making mistakes, you can learn something new.” This is not a foreign concept in Japan. However, the reason Japanese
people have a difficult time mastering a new language is not due to just the classroom in and of itself; it’s also linked very
closely to a national characteristic that’s rooted in the education system.

In Japanese schools, students learn about being a part of a group and the importance of moving with this group. This type of
education is what forms a fear of acting differently from those around you. Of course, every person is unique in their own
way, but Japanese are taught to be group-oriented at a young age, and many people think that following what others do is
the correct thing to do. In general, the custom of Japanese people is to prioritize being unobtrusive to their surroundings as
opposed to making themselves stand out. Many children develop this mentality through their education, and as a result they
tend to continue adhering to this as adults.

This is why many people refrain from speaking out and answering questions in class (least of all a classroom environment in
which no one can speak this foreign language). Rather than making mistakes, they prioritize avoiding feelings of
embarrassment, and don’t even try to challenge themselves.

Another Japanese characteristic is their “shy” personalities, which incite people to always pay attention to their surroundings
before acting. Most Japanese people find it overwhelming to speak in front of the class, so there are very few opportunities
where people would actively speak up in English within this type of educational environment.

4. English Isn’t Necessary in Japanese Society

Areas such as the Kanto region (Tokyo, Yokohama, etc.) and the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, etc.) have a relatively high
population of foreign residents and tourists, but other regions provide very few occasions for people to interact with English-
speakers, so there are very few who deem English as necessary for daily life.

Japan has continued to develop over the years under the widespread influence of Western languages and cultures. This can
be seen in various aspects all throughout Japan, particularly with English signage seen in stations, roads, advertisements,
clothing designs, and so on. While they may look fine from a Japanese perspective, there’s often mistakes in them that
native speakers would immediately notice. There are many people who will buy an article of clothing because they like the
design, and they don’t give much thought to what’s written on it in English.

In addition, on an international scale, Japan is comparatively a very homogenous society, with a great majority of the entire
population made up of Japanese people. In recent years, more and more people have been moving to Japan from abroad,
and there’s been an increase in foreign tourists year by year. The number of non-Japanese on the streets have especially
gone up in major cities. However, this ratio of non-Japanese to Japanese is still so low that it doesn’t justify learning English
for most Japanese people.

5. Katakana Words Further Hinder English Language Learning

Japan culture, which features unique facets such as anime, manga, video games, electronics, and automobiles, has gone
through some incredible changes over the years. All sorts of ideas, from food to IT culture, have been absorbed from around
the world and seamlessly integrated into Japanese culture. Japan is excellent at taking concepts from abroad and making
them into original Japanese creations. For instance, omelettes were made into “omurice”, and tacos were turned into “taco
rice.” Japan is very skilled in taking foreign ideas when it doesn’t involve language; English, however, has taken a strange
shape in Japanese culture.

For example, “application” is commonly referred to as “apuli”, “patrol car” is “patocaa”, “key chain” is “key holder”, “air
conditioner” is “eacon”, and “intellectual” is “inteli.” These words are written in katakana, characters used for foreign words
that have been imported and are commonly used in the Japanese language. This is where the problem lies.

Another example is the music subscription services Spotify and Apple Music. Japanese people call these platforms
“sabusuku” after “subscription.” However, this doesn’t apply to their video counterparts, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
For some reason, these are called by their respective names and not as “sabusuku,” and this is probably because most
Japanese people don’t even know what “sabusuku” means and where the original word comes from. Someone started
saying these abbreviated words because they were close to the original words and were easy to say, and it caught on from
there.

Lately, there are also many words that already exist in Japanese, but the English word has been adopted as well and been
katakana-fied. This is actually a big problem that inhibits Japanese people’s English learning ability. For instance, the word
“launch”, which is “tachiage” in Japanese, has established itself into everyday Japanese speech in katakana form: roonchi.
And while “tachiage” in itself is more than enough to get this meaning across, words like “roonchi paati” (launch party) are
often used instead.

Since Japanese people are very well acquainted to katakana words like these, there are many people who aren’t sure how
to distinguish the correct pronunciation of words like “black”, “red”, “light”, and “right.” It’s even more so the case when it
comes to words with “r” and “l”, which are pronounced exactly the same in Japanese.

6. Japanese Is Full of “Wasei Eigo”, Japanese-Made English Words That Aren’t Actually Used in
English
“Wasei eigo”, or Japanese-made English words, are also another factor that hinders English language improvement for
Japanese people. These words don’t exist in English, but were made with a mashup of English words to match Japanese
people’s linguistic needs. Some examples include “charm point” for “best feature”, “skinship” for “physical contact”, and
“morning call” for “wake-up call.” By creating new words for words that aren’t that difficult to begin with, this only makes it
more difficult for Japanese people to learn English.

Another striking example of wasei eigo is the world “imechen” (short for image change). This word is used when someone
wants to completely change their appearance. If someone wants to get a short haircut after having their hair grow out long,
they would say “I want to image change,” but this wouldn’t be understood by English speakers. The only part you would
understand is that they want to do something, but you wouldn’t understand what that something is.

“Tension” is also a word used in everyday Japanese to express excitement, but in English, “tension” is used when
expressing agitation. If someone were to say “I’m so high tension!”, this would only lead to confusion.

Japanese people use these words on a daily basis while thinking these words are also used in English with the same
meaning. They’re used extensively on the internet, in media, and in daily conversation, but they’re actually creating a huge
barrier for English learners of Japanese.

Conclusion
These 6 factors explain why Japanese are largely unable to speak English. However, Japanese society hasn’t fully picked
up on these reasons, and with little to no change in the education system, the problem won’t get any better no matter how
much time passes. Many Japanese people want to learn English, but they’re not able to because they don’t know how to go
about it. But the fact is that, with globalization, speaking correct English will become more and more vital for Japan.