My experience learning English at the university: Is it possible to identify a real learning of English in our university?

There is no doubt that English is very important in these times, in fact, English is known as "the universal language". In this context, for any person in her personal and profession life is essential to understand and to communicate in this idiom. For that reason some years ago, University of Chile implemented English class of obligatory way for students of this university. The idea is that all students from University of Chile approve until level four of English when their career will finish. Nevertheless, it arises the following question: ¿Approval of these courses, means a real learning of English?

In general, I have observed that strategies of English teaching, used at the university haven´t been really effective. Throughout my years in this university I have taken three English courses, since level two until level four - where I am today, all curses has been different. However, thinking about this process in general, I can recognize positives and negatives elements about English classes at this university.

Respect to positives elements, I can say that It’s a huge advantage to have English classes one time a week and free of charge. Because to have classes regularly allows developing a progressive learning and more significant. Also, it's interesting for our career, to focus in improvement of our writing in English -throughout our personal blog-. And moreover, it's valuable that English classes focus in text compression, because in this way, psychology students can read updated papers about different topics related by behavior, which is very useful as future professionals.

Respect to negatives elements, is possible mention different aspects. For example, excessive number of students per class, monotony of teaching method, excessive interest in writing and compression- to leave aside oral aspects of English, such as: interaction, pronunciation or listening, etc.

Beyond the existence of these positive and negative elements in the method of teaching English, it exists a key aspect for understanding to difficulty in university students for learning of this idiom: low motivation for improve their English in this context. This last point is very important because explain why despite all English classes at the university, in the most of cases, English learning is much reduced. Because honestly, students come to university to learn about topics of different knowledge areas in psychology, such us: methods of qualitative investigation, transpersonal psychology or educational psychology. Moreover, inside expectative from students of this university are not considered learn English, less if this class is absolutely compulsory.

In conclusion, despite to admit that English is an essential tool in our professional development, my personal experience English learning - at my university- haven´t been very significant, because this learning has been crossed by many variables like my low motivation. Therefore, since my experience, to approve of these courses does not mean a real learning of English.