My experience with ESL learners in Vancouver is that very few put in the
significant effort outside the classroom that is required to achieve a major
improvement. Languages are not learned in class. They are not learned doing
homework assignments. They are learned through a massive interaction with
the language, vast amounts of listening and reading, and eventually
speaking.

Most ESL students I have met, and heard teachers complain about, are
unwilling to do this. They may be prepared to do tasks in class, and to do
their homework. Most then spend the rest of their lives in their native
language, with their own community, watching videos and TV in their native
language etc. This is not going to do it. They know it and are unwilling to
change.

Steve Kaufmann
www.lingq.com
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