In response to ESL standards (Rob)

Rob, have you posted the topic under some kind of an influence? Are you from Quebec? You realize you're taking a shot at quite a lot of teachers and even educational institutions around the world, don't you?

Now, and with all due respect to you as well as to your views, if you have smoked "something" or cheered too much prior to the posting of this topic on, i strongly believe many of us will forgive you and possibly even sympathize with you. However, if not, I've got to voice my own disagreement with your selfish ESL standard "proposal" and warn you that there also are some experienced criminals in the biz which could potentially pose a risk to your well being wherever you are. Please, do not take this as a threat, but as a suggestion to wise up as well as open up to the idea that English is an international language spoken just about everywhere. Can you imagine if all students of English thought, spoke or wrote the way you do? :)

I find that it's difficult for students to adjust to the English langauge when they have many teachers from many different backgrounds teaching their own versions of "English".

I think you are refering to a diversity as oppose to "versions" here. From my more than a decade teaching experience, I see students having hard time adjusting to a different educational approach rather than adjusting to those "English versions". In fact, diversifying makes teachers better teachers and business people more successful. Then, students with their ability to cope with different accents and/or approach to communication are usually more successful as well. By the way, Rob, how would you explain your former student's failure at a UK or American uni due to YOUR VERSION OF ENGLISH?

I propose that just because someone is a native sepaker does not mean that they can speak, let alone teach, English well. Therefore I propose that only one country should provide ESL teachers and thus improve the standard of the industry by making it more uniform.

Aside the fact that you're getting carried away with the proposals there, I see you have failed to understand the concept of the ESL completely. If you are so keen on some uniformed standards proposal which seems that you are, why don't you mention these ESL teachers' credentials and then the employers business practices?

Obviously with its high standards in Education, massive ESL industry, and history of cultural sensitivity Canada is the best choice, and I am not only saying this because I am Canadian.

Obviously, you have not proven the country is the best choice, have you? And, I am a Canadian too.

Canadian English is neutral across the board .....which is the type of English most people are exposed to.

is it? I think you've shot yourself in a leg right there. lol

To end my not so brief reply to our Rob, I've got to say that THE EXPOSURE to the language is the key to learning it and Rob has somehow exposed it, hasn't he? :)

Cheers and beers to Rob, his English and his respect for all