> Why do you think they only use NATIVE speakers on the CDs and
> learning cassettes?

The answer is simple.

The main reason Singapore uses CDs and cassettes from native and non native English speakers alike is to teach and to let us understand the pronunciations and intonations from all English speakers. Using CDs and cassettes will not enable us to speak like people from the BIG 5. The environment we're in probably will and from my experience it will.

I have been taught here in Singapore to understand the usage of the English Language and not to speak like people from the BIG 5. In order for people my age or people wanting to speak the way like those in the BIG 5, we would probably have to spend at a quarter of our life living in their country. It all boils down to the environment we're in.

Take the word "can't" for example the Americans and Canadians pronounce it quiet similar to "can" except for the "T" sound behind. But the British pronounce "CAN'T" with the "U" replacing the "A". It can be really embarrassing if we misinterpret it for the vulgar word.(sorry).

Most Chinese students aren't that good in Oral English and when they speak they make a lot of mistakes grammatically. I did, too. (Broken English)

Here's one embarrasing moment during my time in China

When my British taught us in China. He usually asked, " Can you understand what I'm saying?" instead of "I'm sorry, I can't"

Poor us, we unknowingly said "I'm erh sorry can't" the British way. Then what does it sounds like? You got it right, mate. I'm sure the embarrassment didn't cross the mind of our foreign teacher at that time. But if it did he would probably be laughing his head off in his confinement.

Now that I've a better understanding of the language and I'm still learning. I will never make the same silly mistake again as I now know that a subject pronoun usually come before or after "can't" . If I'm going to mention, there will be tons of hilarious and embarrassing things that happened to me during my days in China learning English. And it's because I lack the understanding of the language at that moment in time.

Learning English is not to speak like people from the Big 5, a misconception of many naive parents and students alike in China. To learn the language, one has to learn to grasp and understand the language, and that is the utmost point.

Sorry, didn't mean to be obnoxious. But what I've presented here is from my own real life experience.