Do you members from non English speaking countries get taught English in school? Is it mandatory? If so, at what age?

[Beckybooboo]

I’m new to this sight but am amazed at how well people from countries where English is not their first language can write in English. The US doesn’t have a mandatory second language in school, only elective (that I know of), maybe some states/districts are different. Anyway, is English mandatory to learn in your country?

[IslaTheWitch]

I'm old enough to have mandatory Russian at school.

I'm more or less a self-learner. I started with translating songs as a teenager (it was a pain without the internet, but somehow I survived :D )

I'm a software engineer, so reading documentation is obligatory for me, and as you can imagine, 99% of documentation for programming languages is in English. Even the syntax of those languages is based on English words :D

You can say I didn't have much choice. I had to learn English. My grammar is lousy, and my understanding of idioms is a disaster, but somehow people understand me :D

[whereismyjohnny]

English is mandatory in my country, and we begin learning it in first grade at the age of 6 or 7.

[Beckybooboo]

Is it hard to learn? I’m just curious because I took Spanish in high school and college but I found it really hard. I’m thinking because I took it later in life.

[whereismyjohnny]

I found it easy and simple. Among the languages I learned in school, it was the easiest. 😅 That could be a reason. I believe that learning languages is easier for children, but other factors also play a role, not just age.

[yakumo]

I grew up in the US so English is my first language. But I moved to Japan after high school. Originally it was just junior high and/or high school, but now they start teaching English in early elementary school. But it is still a national problem. Many people can read / write a little via email or websites, but real verbal conversations here are almost non-existent, at least outside of tourism places. None of the places I work, friends, or women here that I have dated speak much English.

[NathanDavis]

I do know that in Mexico... it is mandatory TO TEACH the English language in all and every public middle-school/high-school and it is also mandatory for every student to pass the exams

but it is not compulsory to learn the entire language

most private schools will teach English from kindergarten all the way to high-school, especially for the states at the North of Mexico which are bordering the USA

[Wallythewalrus]

Lmao!! Looks like Beckybooboo has a fan! Don't worry, Darling, judging by his pfp, he probably died as soon as he got done typing his psychotic rant.

[Beckybooboo]

WTF, Waldo! Obviously off his meds. He had a different personality for each paragraph! Anyone deserves a 👍 for that ability! 😆

[exitseven]

Now that Biden has let millions of illegal aliens stream into the country, many school districts have to hire special teachers at taxpayers expense to teach the English language to people that cannot speak a word of English.

[Jennz6]

I really try to use good grammar on this site because English is my native language.

[Beckybooboo]

I have a friend on Facebook that use’s horrible grammar and doesn’t care. It’s funny and sad at the same time. Just yesterday, he was trying to say how it’s wrong to take pictures of people’s cars that “might” be doing something wrong, like speeding, then put the picture on Facebook, with the plates showing. The problem was, no one could understand what he was saying. Every other word was spelled wrong, there were run on sentences, so everyone was picking on him. So, he writes, “Cum on! I no my gramer is whoreable but I tri to spill good”! It’s comical!

[Jennz6]

Where are you from?

[Jennz6]

I’m a Nurse too

[Beckybooboo]

I’m originally from Miami but moved to Wausau, WI two years ago.

[Jennz6]

I’m from Pennsylvania

[Beckybooboo]

I’ve actually been to Pittsburgh three times and Philly once. It’s funny, because when I first moved to northern Wisconsin, it reminded me a lot of Pennsylvania. A lot of rolling hills covered with thick hardwood forests. It’s actually really beautiful but being from Miami, I hate the winters.

[Jennz6]

When I get back I will probably go to Florida

[purplepoppy]

It's embarrassing how if go to another country you'll find small children with better English than a lot of our native English speakers

[DryGermanGuy]

German gymnasium (13 year highschool) is bilingual (eng/fr) or trilingual (eng/lat/fr) by default. Many schools offer additional languages like Spanish or Russian for interested students.

[Lokiion]

I’m American but I had this friend in elementary who had to learn German, Spanish, and English for a lot of countries it’s mandatory though it’s also mandatory for Americans in must middle class schools

[Rimaisme]

Yes and From the Very beginning